Saint Dionysios of Zakynthos Shelters His Brother’s Murderer

Saint Dionysios of Zakynthos Shelters His Brother’s Murderer

There was at this period, as confirmed by the records of the Republic of Venice (under which the occupied Greek island of Zakynthos fell), a deadly enmity between the Mondinos and the Sigouros families. The efforts of the Saint to effect a reconciliation had been in vain. Things had reached a point where murders had been committed and the population was divided into two factions. The incidents between the two families continued to the point where in one of them the Saint’s brother, Constantine, was killed. The murderer, in despair, sought refuge in the Anaphonitria Monastery, without knowing that the Abbot was the very brother of his victim. In reply to the Abbot’s questioning, he admitted the murder and told him that Sigouros’ relatives were pursuing him. Dionysios was plunged into the most profound sorrow, both as a man and as the brother of the murderer’s victim. His grief was all the greater because Constantine had been his only brother. However, he said nothing of all this to the murderer, asking him only, in a fatherly way: “Tell me, what wrong had that noble man done to you that you should unjustly slay him?” The Saint, when he had shed tears for the cruel loss of his brother, gave the murderer food and water and spoke to him in an effort to induce him to repent of this grave crime and so escape eternal punishment. Then the Saint lead him out of the Monastery and down to the seashore. There he provided him with the necessary supplies, giving him money and food, and put him on a boat for the Peloponnese. Thus the Saint rescued the murderer of his own brother, demonstrating at the same time his own great forbearance.

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