View source for Archangel Michael of Mantamados

[[Image:Mantamados.jpg|thumb|right|Icon of Arch. Michael the "Mantamados"]]
[[Image:Procession - Mantamados.jpg|right|thumb|Procession at the church of Mandamados on Lesvos, Greece, during the religious festival dedicated to the [[Archangel Michael|Taxiarchis Michael]].]]

'''Archangel Michael of Mantamados''' (Gr. O Μανταμάδος) refers to a miraculous [[icon]] of the [[Archangel Michael]] on the island of [[w:Lesvos|Lesvos]] and is one of the four miraculous [[icons]] of the Archangel in the [[w:Dodecanese|Dodecanese]] of [[Church of Greece|Greece]]. The monastery is known locally as ''Taxiarches'' (the "Archangel") and the feast of the icon is celebrated on [[November 8]] (the [[Angels|''Synaxis of the Bodiless Powers'']]) and [[September 6]] (the ''Miracle at Colossae'').

==Mantamados icon==
There are two accounts surrounding the date of this [[icon]], one having to do with the Ottoman Turkish occupation and destruction of 1462, and the other with [[w:Leo of Tripoli|Saracen pirates]] during the 9th and 10th centuries during which the entire island was invaded. 

In either case, the story of the creation of the icon shares the theme that the target of the raids was the monastery of the Taxiarchis. The pirates threatened the monks with death if they would not reveal the whereabouts of the hidden villagers. The monks refused and the invaders slaughtered all of the [[monk]]s except for one [[novice]]-monk <ref>According to which story you are told, the novice is supposed to have either been working in the fields nearby or hidden behind a rock.</ref>

As the pirates where leaving, the novice climbed to the roof of the monastery to be sure that the pirates had left. However, the pirates noticed him from afar and returned to kill him as well. It is at this point in the story that the Archangel Michael makes his appearance in front of the Saracens with his own sword drawn forcing them to retreat in terror<ref>According to some accounts they were drowned.</ref>. Thanks to this miracle from the Archangel the monk survived and descending to the courtyard buried the bodies of his fellow brotherhood.

The monk still in deep respect and reverence for having witnessed the Archangel Michael in all his fury, gathered up the earth that was red by the blood of the martyred monks and shaped it into the icon-sculpture of the Archangel as it is today;
while it was still vivid in his memory. According to legend, the monk did not have enough of this dirt-blood mix and so the head of the Archangel has turned out disproportionately larger to the rest of his body.

This [[icon]], is now kept within the interior of the church. Many islanders claim to have had personal experiences of miracles being granted for them by Mantamados. This is evident by the numerous cabinets full of ''tagmata'' (gifts) to the Archangel housed inside the church. To this day, [[pilgrimage|pilgrims]] to this church have mixed emotions regarding this icon. At times, the expression on the [[icon]] can appear severe, sad, or happy, according to the message that the Archangel wants to convey to that pilgrim or the faithful. This is the tradition of the much-celebrated [[icon]] of Mantamados.

==Monastery of the Taxiarchis==
[[Image:Mant_Monastery.jpg|thumb|left|Monastery of Mantamados]]On the island of Lesvos, one can visit this miraculous [[icon]] at the '''Byzantine Monastery of the Taxiarchis''' (Archangel) '''Michael''' in the district of Mantamados. This [[monastery]] is situated in the northeast part of Lesvos, 36 km from Mytilini. The history of this monastery and the [[icon]] are closely connected to the history of the island of Lesvos.

This is a famous monastery, made of stone. The monastery was most probably abandoned in 1462 the year of the island’s occupation by the Ottoman Turks. In the past, the monastery functioned as a men’s convent and is first mentioned in a 1661 ecclesiastical document. The small [[church]] within the monastery originally dates from the 17th century but was replaced by larger church in the 18th century. The present church ([[cathedral]]) was constructed in 1879 and follows a three-aisled [[basilica]] architectural type. The monastery is structured para-metrically around this church.

==End notes==
<small><references/></small>

== See also ==
*Miraculous [[icon]] of [[Archangel]] [[Archangel Michael|Michael]] '''[[Archangel Michael Panormitis|Panormitis]]''' on [[Metropolis of Symi|Symi]] island, [[w:Greece|Greece]]
*[[Metropolis of Mytiline]]

==Hymns==
Hail, Michael, great chief commander with all the hosts of heaven!

==External links==
*[http://www.taxiarches-mantamados.gr/ Monastery of Mandamados '''Official Website'''] (in Greek)
*[http://www.mandamados.gr/ Municipality of Mandamados (Mantamados)] 
*[http://www.stgeorgegreenville.org/Angels/Michael.html Saint George GO Cathedral article]
*[[w:Mantamados|Mantamados on Wikipedia]]
*[http://www.lesvos.gr/nomos/lesvos_tourist_guide/en-architecture.htm Lesvos Guide by Prefectural Commission of Tourism]
*[http://www.tlig.org/de/news/2008-11-12/2006/ Blog of trip to monastery (not Orthodox)]

===You Tube links===
*[http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=JaJffVgBQsk Documentary on the ''Ταξιάρχης Μανταμάδος Λέσβου''] (in Greek)
*[http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=3ikTwjOjVuQ Amateur footage of monastery entrance], September 2008.

[[Category:Angels]]
[[Category:About Icons]]
[[Category:Monasteries]]
[[Category:Greek Monasteries]]