Secular weekly newspapers, such as Loipon (22 December), reported on a Cretan artist, who attributes his rescue in a car accident a year ago and his new ability to walk to a miracle of St. Spyridon. Regarding Mr. Emmanuel Kontaros, an artist and family man, Loipon said the following:
"This Christmas will be different for Manuel Kontaros. His name day will find him upright playing with his children, just as before. The nightmare of the terrible car accident, which happened to him as it dawned on the feast of St. Spyridon, is in the past. In 3 to 4 months he will even completely toss away the crutches, say his German doctors, who attribute his walking only to a miracle and the strength of his soul.
Manolis Kontaros did not forget his promise and his vow. As he said solely to Loipon, 'I will fight it. I'm determined. I will make life smile on me again. Cretans hold their heads up high. After all, a good friend of mine, to give me courage, gifted me with a chapel, which he built in my house in Rethymno. It is dedicated to St. Spyridon who celebrates on December 12th. That is the day when the accident happened last year. The Saint helped to save me and he will help me walk to inaugurate his chapel.'
So, on the day of the feast of St. Spyridon, Manolis Kontaros was again with his family in his home in Rethymno, where the inauguration of the chapel took place and a Divine Liturgy was celebrated.
Excited, the singer stood up and walked to the chapel, where his friends - over 1,500 people - had gathered to smother him with hugs. Shortly after he took his lyre and all together they had fun with Cretan couplets, appetizers and raki."
Source: From Orthodoxos Typos, January 2012. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
