Snakes of the Dormition

Some time ago I posted a video of the miracle of the Dormition Snakes on the island of Keffalonia.  A reader asked if the snakes made their appearance according to the New Calendar or the Old Calendar.  I didn't know the answer then but I do now.  According to the author of the Mystagogy blog, the snakes switched to the New Calendar along with the Church of Greece. 

"The first significant moment took place in 1924. Whereas previously all Orthodox Christians followed the Julian Calendar, a synod was held in Constantinople to update the calendar to the more accurate Revised Julian Calendar. This caused tremendous confusion and protests amongst the pious faithful throughout Greece, many of whom considered this a disguised ecumenical innovation rather than a mere scientific progression. The residents of Kefallonia were not exempt from this confusion. Because they could not make up their minds, they decided to leave the issue to the guidance of the All-Holy Virgin through her tiny Snakes. Since the snakes come out yearly during the specific days of August 6th to the 15th then disappear, they wanted to see if the snakes this particular year would come out during the normal Old Calendar reckoning or according to the New Calendar, a thirteen day difference. To everyone’s amazement the snakes appeared according to the New Calendar reckoning, confirming in their conscience the will of God. For this reason the entire island follows the New Calendar."  

Read the whole blog entry here.  It is long but worth your time.