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Thursday, August 27, 2020

The Woman Who Was Demon Possessed in a Greek Village for Eight Years


The following miracle was witnessed by many. It took place before the wonderworking Panagia Prousiotissa Icon on Friday the 24th of August in the year 1928, at six o'clock in the evening. A 38 year old woman, Katherine Niphoropoulos, from the village of Riolo Achaia in the province of Patras, had been suffering from demonic possession for eight years. After visiting one physician after another and finding no cure for what afflicted her, her family and acquaintances had her then begin to make pilgrimages to many monasteries as a last refuge and hope. Finally she arrived at the Monastery of Prousos in Karpenisi.

At Prousos Monastery, Katherine's family and acquaintances requested that the priest, Father Cyril, read the exorcism prayers over her before the wonderworking icon of Panagia Prousiotissa. As he proceeded, Katherine cried out with a loud and mighty voice, though she was unaware of what she was saying: "O Virgin, I swear, I am going!" She repeated this over and over again. Katherine, meanwhile, was lying down on the stairs while the priest continued to read the prayers over her. At one point her head slipped from the step. She would open her mouth from time to time. Her eyes appeared cloudy and perplexed. Her arms were outstretched as though crucified. Katherine then gazed toward the holy icons. She stopped breathing. It appeared she was about to die. Then she closed her eyes as if she indeed died.

Father Cyril and the pilgrims who were there standing around thought Katherine didn't survive the exorcism prayers and thus expired. However, a quarter of an hour had not passed when Katherine regained consciousness. She began to weep, and assured those around her that she had been delivered from the demons. Then she rested for a time, spending the night with the family of Messieurs Kagtsaklis and Christos Kouzelis, since she had come to the monastery with them. Apart from her family and acquaintances, there were many others present who testified of all that transpired. The following day, the 25th of August, Katherine partook of Holy Communion, and did so the next day as well.

Before she departed the monastery, Katherine had her photograph taken, together with Father Cyril, Father Constantine Lampropoulos from Tornos, and many others. Katherine vowed that she would remain unmarried that she might better dedicate herself to the Panagia Prousiotissa. She also offered her dowry to the monastery. Katherine then departed from her aforementioned hosts for Agrinion, and she went through Kyroneri for her home village of Riolo. The miracle of her deliverance from demonic possession was published in the newspaper, known as The Roumeliotis (Sept. 15, 1928, Issue Number 159), together with the photograph. 



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