Pilgrims taking part in the “Healing of Soul and Body” program visit the Monastery of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos and, with the blessing of the monastery clergy, are given a special opportunity to enter the Ossuary.
This is a sacred place where the remains of monks who suffered a martyr’s death are kept. According to tradition, the monks were brutally killed, and on many of the preserved skulls traces of severe wounds and injuries can still be seen today — silent witnesses to the suffering they endured.
The history of this place gives the Ossuary a profound spiritual meaning. Here, the memory of the monks’ martyrdom is united with prayer, faith, and hope in the mercy of God. Those who come here turn to the Lord with petitions for help, for the healing of spiritual and bodily illnesses, for strength, consolation in sorrow, and support in the trials of life.
A prayer service is held here for pilgrims, asking for spiritual and physical health, strength in times of sorrow, and help in life’s difficulties. After the prayer, pilgrims, with faith and trust in God’s mercy, receive anointing with holy oil.
Visiting the Ossuary is one of the special parts of the “Healing of Soul and Body” pilgrimage program organized by the NIKA Association for People with Disabilities. It gives each person the opportunity, far from the noise and distractions of everyday life, to turn to the Lord with their sorrows and petitions, and to pray for themselves, their family, and their loved ones.
The Ossuary reminds a person of eternity, of the fragility of earthly life, and of the continuity of spiritual life. Among the silent witnesses of monastic sacrifice, the value of every moment is felt especially deeply, and the heart turns to God in prayer, hope, and humility.
The uniqueness of the Ossuary lies in its special atmosphere of prayer. Here, a person can focus on what truly matters, entrust their worries and sorrows to the Lord, and ask for help, for the strengthening of spiritual and physical strength, for consolation, and for relief from suffering.
Help and healing are granted through the mercy of God, according to a person’s faith and sincere prayer. Turning to the Lord with hope and humility, we ask Him to strengthen our souls and bodies, to console us in sorrow, to ease our suffering, and to grant us help in the trials of life.
In the Ossuary, one may offer a prayerful petition for oneself, for family members, and for loved ones. With faith and hope, people ask the Lord for mercy, help, and healing, and ask the monks who suffered martyrdom for their prayerful help and intercession before God.
