An icon of the virgin Mary was stolen from a shrine in Melbourne. The icon belonged to the Panagia Soumela of Australia and New Zealand, and was situated in a ‘ mailbox’ shrine on Mount Melas, in the district of Yea.
The icon, donated by the Eleftheriadis family, has lived in the shrine for ten years, and although the Panagia Soumela is uncertain of when it went missing, they definitely want the icon back. Onoufrios Gorozidis, Panagia Soumela, told Neos Kosmos that they want to ask whoever removed the icon, that they should replace it no questions asked.
“It’s a gifted icon, and it’s done a lot of people a lot of good. It’s a very old icon and it’s been in the Eleftheriadis family for hundreds of years, his grandfather brought it from Ponthos in Greece,” said Gorozidis. The icon of Panagia stood just inches away from the devastating Victorian bush fires yet managed not to get burned which is miraculous in itself. “People actually believe the icon is a miracle, many people have told me that they have found comfort and they’ve had pain gone from their body,” said Gorozidis of the icon.
Police have been contacted in relation to this matter but Gorozidis said he would be happy if the icon was returned without the involvement of authorities. If you have any information regarding the stolen icon, contact Onoufios Gorozidis on (03) 9794 8688.