The miracle of Saint Menas in Heraklion, Crete, which occurred in 1826 AD.

Another miracle of Saint Menas took place in 1826 AD in Heraklion, Crete, a city where the Saint is particularly honored. In 1821 AD, following the outbreak of the Great Greek Revolution against the Turks, the conquerors carried out massacres of thousands of civilians in many areas. The inhabitants of Crete were among the first to pay for the revolution with their blood. Among the thousands of victims were the Metropolitan of Crete, the Bishops of Chania, Knossos, Heraklion, Lambi, Sitia, and others, who were slaughtered on June 24, 1821 AD, in the courtyard of the Metropolitan Church of Heraklion. In fact, the officiating priest was slaughtered on the Holy Altar. Five years later, in 1826 AD, the Turks of Heraklion were planning to massacre the Christians, again in the Metropolitan Church of Saint Menas, on April 18th, Easter Day, during the Easter Divine Liturgy, to catch the Christians unprepared. As a diversion, they set fires in various remote parts of the city, while armed mobs had gathered outside the temple, waiting for the time of the Gospel reading to invade and begin the massacre. But as the reading began, a white-haired old knight appeared, running around the temple brandishing his sword and chasing the would-be butchers, who fled in panic. Thus, the long-suffering Christians of Heraklion were saved from terrible danger. The Turks thought that the horseman was a Muslim noble sent by the city governor to stop the massacre. When they protested to the Governor, he assured them that he knew nothing about it, and it was even found that the particular Muslim nobleman had not left his house at all. The Turks then realized it was a miracle of Saint Mynas, informed the Greeks of the event, and from that time on, Muslims greatly revered the Saint, even offering gifts to his church. This miracle of Saint Mynas was established to be commemorated in Heraklion on the Tuesday of Bright Week when a relic of the Saint is displayed for veneration during the evening service.

The miracle of Saint Menas in Heraklion, Crete, which occurred in 1826 AD.