05 Works, Today, July 21th, is Markella's day, her story in art #202

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St. Markella (Marcella) of Chios 

Byzantine icons

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Saint Markella was born and lived in Volissos, Chios, Greece. She was raised as a devout Christian by her mother. However, her father was a pagan.

Markella lived during the fourteenth century - during most of which Chios was under Genoese rule. At a young age, her mother died and Markella continued to study her Bible, pray to God and live a life according to what she was taught.

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A map of the island of Chios, c.1482-1485

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Around the time of her eighteenth birthday, the virtuous Markella had to flee the fury of her violent father. The problem was that Markella's father was consumed with incestuous lust for her, and she fled in horror when he declared his intentions.

Saint Markella fled to nearby mountains and hid in a bush. Her father found her with the help of a local herdsmen, and they set fire to the bush to force her to show.

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In prayer requesting that the rocks would open for her

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Markella ran to the sea to escape but her father aimed an arrow at her and wounded her. The blood of the saint dyed the rocks and to this very day, during the festivities for her feast day, at a specific time, her blood becomes visible on these rocks.

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The opened rock

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She spent her final moments spent in prayer requesting that the rocks would open for her to hide from her father and this happened. However, the opened rock enabled her to hide all of her body inside, but not her head. Her father decapitated her and threw the head into the sea. Her head floated to the nearby beach of Komi.

For many years, the locals could not locate the head until one day an Italian warship was in the area. In the evening, the Italians could see a bright light coming from the distance and when they got closer they witnessed a head, floating in the water, lit by upright floating candles. Immediately, they realized that this was a sacred miracle they were witness to and they took the head of the Saint back to their homeland.

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The Life and Martyrdom of Saint Markella of Chios

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Today there is a church on the cave of Saint Markella. The rock in which she was killed is said to spring holy water. Her nameday is on July 21 and on that day the sea is said to boil. The icon of Saint Markella is one of the most revered and is said to be miraculous. More on Markella

Please visit my other blogs: Art Collector, Mythology, Marine Art, Portrait of a Lady, The Orientalist, Art of the Nude and The Canals of Venice, Middle East Artists, and 365 Saints, also visit my Boards on Pinterest

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