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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (June 12, 1960)
Tfre STKANQe MSTeRy of Tbe weepiNQ madonnas As she Dm each night, Mrs. Pagona Catsounis knelt before a small shrine in her bedroom to thank God for the blessings of the day. Her hus band, Panagiotis, a restaurant counterman, was not rich; their home in Island Park, N.Y., was smalLand crowded. But Mrs. Catsounis felt that few couples could be as happy as she and Panagiotis. She raised her eyes to a picture of the Virgin Mary whose blessing she had asked two years be fore when she had been married in Greece. Then Pagona stopped her prayers. It seemed that the Madonna's eyes had opened and glanced at her. Frightened, the young woman watched moisture form in the corner of the Virgin's eye and slip down the painting. Pagona rose slowly and backed away from the shrine. She called almost hysterically to Panagiotis in the living room. When he ran to her, he found her trembling. "The Virgin is weeping!" she said. He followed Pagona's stare toward the icon where he saw an other tear form and run down the painting. The Catsounises' discovery, in March, was only the beginning of a strange series of events. For no sooner had the excitement and wonderment In two humble homes, housewives looked up from prayers to see tears form in the eyes of pictures of the Blessed Virgin; hundreds of others claim to have seen the same phenomenon what is behind it? By GEORGE CARPOZI.JR. over this weeping Madonna subsided than an other even more tearful icon of the Virgin was reported. This was in the home of Pagona's sister, Antonia, and her husband, Peter Koulis, in Ocean side, N. Y., four miles away. The second surprise was presaged in a series of prophetic dreams in which Antonia says she had a vision of Christ on the Cross telling her: "You will see what happens on Holy Thursday." The next day, driven by an "uncontrollable urge" to burn incense before her collection of 20 icons and say a prayer, Mrs. Koulis went into her daughter's room where the altar is kept As her eyes glanced at the icon of the Virgin a litho graphic reproduction of the Holy Mother of Porta Itisia she too saw tears! It was 20 minutes before she could compose her self and call her husband. "A miracle!" she cried. "It's our Madonna She is weeping like my sister's icon wept" Then, as Mrs. Catsounis had done, Mrs. Koulis summoned their parish priest, the Rev. George Papadeas, pastor of St Paul's Greek Orthodox Church in Hempstead, N. Y. As Father Papadeas made his way into the modest home of the Koulises, once again he felt (Continued on page 18) What the Madonnas Mean By ARCHBISHOP IAKOVOS Head of the Greek Orthodox Church In North and South America Twice in m month' time I have been railed to witness the weeping of Madonna The first time, at the Calaoumses apart, ment, I did not aee the tearing; myself. It had stopped; but the many others who had witnessed the tearing were living proof that the Invisible Cod still speaks to the hearts of people. When, however, I visited the apartment of the Koulises and saw the tearing in the eyes of their portrait of the Virgin Mary, I was eertain then that the weeping of the Madonnas was a miraculous sign sign signaling spiritual regeneration. It was my duly to declare the scene hallowed ground, to read the special serv ice called Paraklesis, and to offer thanks giving prayers for the love She manifested and humble supplications that She con tinue to be our Hope, Perpetual Helper, and Protector. I am making a special trip to Intanbul to report on the miraculous occurrences to Patriarch Athinagoras I of Constanti nople, the supreme spiritual leader of Eastern Orthodox Christians. I feel a declaration by higher authority than I must be made. I myself am not in a position to ex plain the deep or remote meaning of the sign. Only the Son of Cod know the mind of Cod. I only know dial both homes from which the Icons eame are humble shelters places where Our Ldy could, Indeed, give birth to new salutary hopes for the world. In my heart I feel we Americans have received a sign that the time has come to revitalise our faith. We are witnesses to the fact that faith alone can despite cold rationalism we have experienced the power which it faith. "213 COVER: Ozzie Sweet catches the htgh-ltng aqua batict of Nancie Rideout, Women' World Water-Ski Champion, and Btuter MacCalla, Men's Champ. JVancie't story is on p. II. UONARO S. DAVIDOW froi'drat and PuMukrr WAITER C. DREYRJI Vice Pmidemt PATRICK I. OVOUKf Adrrrli.imt IMrretor Sond oil advorlitlng communication, to Fondly Wookly, IS N. Mkhiaon A... CKicogo 1, III. . June 12, 1K0 Board of Editor! ERNEST V. HETN Bdilor-rn-CJiie UN RARTMAN Kmutict editor ROtCRT HTZOmON Mumtoinv Editor MARGARET Mil Fratorr editor PMllir OTKfTRA Art Pirortor MELANIf Of PROfT Pood editor Addmi all communication, about odltortat foaturot la Fomilr Wokly, 60 E. Mth St., N.w York 22. N. T. Sob Dritcoll, Irma Holdman, John Hochnrann, Jerry KWn, Harold London, Jock Ryom Poor Opponhoimar, Hollywood. 0 INS, FAMIIV WEEK1V MAQAIINE, INC., 153 N. Mkhlgon A., Chkooo t. III. All rlgtiH retomd.
