"The divine grace of our Saints extends even to the very wood of the holy icons, imbuing them with a sacred power beyond human understanding. There is a remarkable story from Asia Minor that exemplifies this. A Turkish breeder, either out of curiosity or disrespect, took his axe to an ancient icon, intent on splitting it apart for firewood or some other practical use. As he raised his axe and delivered the first blow, something extraordinary occurred—the wood of the icon began to bleed as if it were a living being.
Stunned and horrified by what he had witnessed, the man froze, overwhelmed by a sense of dread and guilt. The sight of the bleeding wood struck fear and awe into his heart, as he realized he had encountered something beyond the natural world. Unable to comprehend the miracle before him, he was seized by despair and regret for his actions. In a gesture of repentance or perhaps out of fear of divine retribution, the Turk immediately sought out the local Christian community. He handed over the icon to them, his face pale with disbelief, and recounted in vivid detail the miraculous event he had witnessed, acknowledging the power that had revealed itself through the sacred image."
~ Saint Iakovos Tsalikis ☦