HOMER GLEN, IL – An unexplained phenomenon has been occurring since July 19 at the Assumption Greek Orthodox parish in Homer Glen IL, where the icon of St. John the Forerunner reportedly emits some kind of fragrant moisture.
In an interview with Fr. Soterios Demetriou, presiding priest of the parish since 1993, he said that “two women who were sitting in the first pews noticed that there was something on the icon. One of them is Niki Michalopoulos and the other Miki Price. Also of the cantors, Nick Angelopoulos, saw it. I was ill in the hospital when this started. When I came out of the hospital they told me. When I when to venerate the icon I noticed that the icon had some moisture, some drops I didn’t know what it was and it had a smell to it.”
Fr. Demetriou said that “as weeks progressed we saw more activity on the icon more stream of essence was coming out of the icon from the wings, the hands, and then it started with the beard, hair, his halo, almost everywhere. The congregation saw it as well and they were amazed because it was happening before their eyes.
I called Metropolitan Iakovos and he said what a blessing it was for the community and also Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos.
Demetriou also said that that “we didn’t write or publicize anything but the word got around. One person, John, in December: he had surgery to remove a tumor from his kidney at the University of Chicago. When he went home, he started to have abdominal cramps, he was rushed to the hospital on Christmas Day, hemorrhaging where the surgery and they had to open him up again, but the oncologist said they should wait. His cousin went to visit him and told him: ‘John, I went to this church and this fragrance is from the icon of your patron saint John the Baptist. Do you mind if I put a little on you?’ He said ‘please do.’ His cousin anointed him, and the next morning the doctors came and they said to him there is no reason to do surgery, everything is ok, and the blood in your stomach has been absorbed by your body. We will keep for a few hours and we will send you home. He came to church and he said to me: ‘Father, I came to venerate the icon and to join the Orthodox Faith.’”
Soterios mentioned another person with heart problems and others with health issues, including cancer, who became well after they were anointed with the icon’s fragrance.
When we asked him how does he explain these things, he said “these are miracles from heaven. When people come and venerate the icon they feel calm and peaceful.”
He told TNH “I have been in and out form the hospital the last three years, but I haven’t been back in the hospital since September 15. I don’t take the medication anymore.”
The icon was created 16 years ago by iconographer Panagiotis Michopoulos.
The parishioners “feel it is a blessing, words cannot describe it. Other faithful came because the story was spread by word of mouth.”
The priesthood means “everything to me, words cannot explain it. The greatest joy I have is standing before the Altar Table and serving the Liturgy. The greatest joy I have is serving the people, giving Holy Communion to the people. For me, this sign of the icon is a miracle.”
Rev. Soterios Demetriou