There is an ancient legend about a mystery, imaginary straight line that links seven monasteries, throughout Europe to the final destination of Israel. Legends has it that it depicts Archangel Michael’s blow that sent the leader of the fallen angels to the pitt of hell.

Archangel Michael is known to be the only one of the Angels to defend God, to protect the rest of the Heavenly creatures and to inspire the end of their rebellion ; Archangel Michael put a stop to the deviance of the rest of the Angels. He preached with power and zeal , and warned them not to follow the path of the others who became opposite to God , in fractions of a second, and from bright, sweet and beautiful beings, were degraded to repelling ones. He encouraged all the Angels , and united all the decrees of Angels, to stay in the warmth of God’s love, and to not betray His trust.

Above :

Orthodox Christian Icon of Archangel Michael , Taxiarchis , the Leader of all armies of Angels

“Let us be aware , what the results of their pride were – they , were our bright and loving brothers in Heaven, just a glance ago, and look where they are now ; there is no place left in the Heavens for them, that they were forced to fall into the earth and loose all their glory. Let us not forget that God is Lord, the One who Created us , and we are His created beings and His servants.”

“ΣΤΩΜΕΝ ΚΑΛΩΣ, ΣΤΩΜΕΝ ΜΕΤΑ ΦΟΒΟΥ!”

“Stand still, stand in fear and contrition (respect) in front of God!”

Archangel Michael said to the Angels that joined him in the battle that followed the fall of the enemy of God, from Heaven. Then the Angels that chose to stay in God’s side , came out victorious of this battle in the heavens, and started to chant for God : “Holy , Holy, Holy Lord, the heavens and the earth is full of Your Glory !”

Archangel Michael, the Commander of all the Angels, was always sweet but became even more dear to God, after proving his love for God in this big heavenly fight . That is why God rewarded Archangel Michael and made him in charge of all the orders of the Angelic creatures ; for example, Michael is the only Angel who can directly see God’s grace and join the Holy Trinity , before God’s throne. No other Angel can see God the way Archangel Michael does, because he is the only one that loved God with all his heart and all of his might, that is why Archangel Michael – Taxiarchis , is the only Angel the unclean angels , the fallen ones , cannot stand be around Michael’s presence; such is the power that God has given Michael after preaching and holding together the rest of the angelic orders. According to the tradition of the Orthodox Christian Fathers of the Church, Michael is the one who delivels the souls of the departed ones in front of God and was the one who fought with the dark one over Moses body, when he died.

Archangel Michael is depicted holding in his right hand, a sword or a scepter and a scale. They are both symbols of the authority God has given him and of justice. Its name means “Who Looks Like God.” Archangel of Mercy and Repentance, Leader of the Order of Archangels and Angels, he often appears as a General of the Angelic armies. We honor their triumphant victory every year, on the 8th of November , also known as “The Gathering of Archangels”, in a way that we should always remember to walk in God’s straight line, just like the Angels did when their free will was tested.

[ Related post | “Archangels, our friends before God” https://wp.me/p7RKBD-1Iz ]

 The seven monasteries are very far from each other, yet they are in perfect allignment. The sanctuaries that form this line , are dedicated only to Archangel Michael and are in the following countries.

The line begins in a remoted island on Ireland, where according to tradition, Archangel Michael appeared to Saint Patrick, to help him protect his country from the dark one. There we find the church of Skellig Michael (Ireland), which literally means Michael’s rock. We then follow the path of St Michael’s Mount in Cornwall (UK), and moving on to Mont Saint-Michel in Normandy (France).

The line continues in Italy, where we find not one, but three monasteries dedicated to Archangel Michael, that also keep the perfect allignment of the sacred line. We visit the churches of Sacra di San Michele (Italy), Chiesa di San Galgano (Italy), Tempio di San Michele di Perugia (Italy), Santuario di San Michele del Gargano (Italy). The line finishes in the south Mediterranean sea, where we can also find three places in Greece, that are in conjuction with the imaginary allignment : Delphi (Greece), Island of Delos (Greece), Symi (Greece). The line finishes off on the island of Cyprus, in the region of Kourion , and lastly on the Mount Carmel of Israel.

For some people , this imaginary straight line is only a coincidence, but for many Christians, it has been a sign of Archangel’s Protection over the Christian community, and also a tribute to the great battle that took place in the heaven, as soon as the fallen angels lost , and there were no place in the heavenly skies left for them to hide. It is a reminder of Archangel Michael’s great love for God , that gave him courage to defend God , and what made God crown him as the General Commander of all Angels.

The unexplainable ongoing mystery of messages in a bottle,

in the Monastery of Panormitis, in the Aegean island of Symi !

There is a great ongoing miracle on the Orthodox Christian Monastery of Archangel Michael (also known as Taxiarchis Michael , which means General of the army of Angels of God). It is inexplicable how hundreds , even thousands of them reach the final destination! Containers, bottles, and parcels sent from the oceans travel as if they have a compass to the Monastery of Taxiarchis Michael in Symi. They always arrive, for the sake of those who in true faith make their vow, and always get an answer from the Monastery.

Archangel Michael, also known Panormitis, in addition to the countless confirmed Miracles he has performed for hundreds of years in this Holy Monastery of Symi, performs a timeless and at the same time unique worldwide Miracle, to those believers who are in various parts of the world and do not have the opportunity to come to his Monastery themselves: the person who is currently unable to visit the Holy Monastery, can place Incense in a small bottle, either bottled water or orangeade, a paper with request for prayers for names of those he wishes,both “For Health” of the living ones and the “For Rest” of the departed ones and then places a piece of paper with his Name, address or telephone number. He can also include a letter to the Monastery, for any issue that concerns him and would like it to become a matter of prayer in the Holy Monastery. After placing all these requests to Archangel Taxiarchis Michael inside and closing the bottle, which can be, either from a port or from a ship that is offshore, throwing the bottle into the sea, after first praying to Archangel Michael Panormitis and asking him to lead it himself to his Monastery in Symi.

There is also the tradition of broom offering: According to Orthodox Christian tradition , if you want Archangel Michael’s help , you must promise to give something in return (doesn’t have to be of value).The locals of the Dodecanese are known to have offered a traditional broom. Church tradition has passed down that monks from the monastery would hear the Saint sweeping his monastery at night with this broom offerings. Local tradition has passed down that many would be visited by the Archangel in their sleep, who would ask them for the brooms. The faithful dedicate brooms in front of the great silver icon of Archangel Michael, asking Taxiarchis to cleanse evil from their lives (see above). There have also been a lot of athletes who dedicated their trophies to Archangel Michael , Taxiarchis , because of the help they received through him and a lot of men who have served the military (as Acrhangel Michael is also known to be the patron Saint of the Military forces)., often offer silver swords to the monastery of the Archangel, to show their gratitude for the Archangel’s protection over their hazardous profession.

Archangel Michael Panormitis (after the Monastery ‘s name , dedicated to Archangel Michael, the General of God) will take it over and the bottle with the tributes and requests will finally reach Symi, in the bay of the Holy Monastery, or else it will get entangled in the nets of fishermen of the island. In any case, however, its final destination will be to end up intact in the hands of the people of the Monastery, who in turn (as a confirmation of the Miracle, “for the Glory of God”) will send a letter of thanks to the believer who sent it, along with Tributes to thank God. In the Holy Monastery are kept to this day Tributes, which traveled alone for Panormitis from different parts of the world (such as Australia) and from various eras. In the old days, the faithful even sent their Tributes in this way in glass bottles, even in boxes!

The Monastery is located at the southern end of the island and is built in the beautiful bay of Panormos, while from the very first Christian centuries it was one of the Centers of local Piety to the Angels. Today’s Church, within which dominates, possessing natural dimensions, the Ephesian Miraculous Icon of Archangel Michael, was built in 1783,The hagiography was carried out in 1792 by two indigenous hagiographers, the Hieromonk Neophytos and Kyriakos Karakostis. Above the main Gate of the Holy Monastery is the famous Bell Tower of Panormitis (Building of 1911), which is related to Russian Bell Towers.

~ link to the monastery’s official site : https://panormitisymis.gr

more info on the monastery of Archangel Taxiarchis Panormitis : https://orthodoxwiki.org/Archangel_Michael_of_Panormitis

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_(archangel)

Synaxis of Archangel Michael and the other bodiless powers

Apolitikion of Archangel Michael and Gabriel :

Of the heavenly armies, Generals, we are ashamed of you, us the unworthy, when we ask for intercession, when we ask to build a wall around us, under your wings, of your intangible glory, guarding us, who plead to you, crying out : ” Of the dangers, save us ( O, Archangels Michael and Gabriel), as you are the Commanders of all the heavenly powers above.

Original text in Greek :

Ἀπολυτίκιον Ἦχος δ’.

Τῶν οὐρανίωv στρατιῶν Ἀρχιστράτηγοι, δυσωποῦμεv ὑμᾶς ἡμεῖς οἱ ἀνάξιοι, ἵvα ταῖς ὑμῶv δεήσεσι, τειχίσητε ἡμᾶς, σκέπῃ τῶν πτερύγωv, τῆς ἀΰλου ὑμῶν δόξης, φρουροῦvτες ἡμᾶς προσπίπτοντας, ἐκτεvῶς καὶ βοῶντας, Ἐκ τῶν κινδύνων λυτρώσασθε ἡμᾶς, ὡς Ταξιάρχαι τῶν ἄνω Δυνάμεων.