Angel Touch Cyprus by Helen Demetriou

Angel Touch Cyprus by Helen Demetriou Therapies that will make you feel like you have truly been touched by an Angel...

Helen Demetriou is a qualified Metaphysical and Complimentary Therapist, Angel Lightworker and the founder of Arcturian Healing Technology and AngelCraft Healing Therapy. Helen uses a combination of science and art to rejuvenate the mind, body and soul, having a close connection and relationship with many light beings such as the Angels, Archangels, Saints, Elohim Gods, Ascended masters. She also channels and heals with the Arcturians, Pleiadians, Siriuns, Lyrans, and many other off plant species. With their guidance and energy she is able to alleviate pain and stress and soothe emotional imbalances. A natural born healer, medium and intuitive, Helen saw and communicated with Angels and spirits as a child, and in her adulthood she answered her calling and embarked on studies to strengthen her abilities in order to offer her unique and loving style of serving the light in others. One of her jobs on our wonderful planet is to be an Earth Guide to fellow Lightworkers and Crafters of the Wise by expertly guiding them in their awakening and shining a light onto their path. Helen is dedicated to resurrecting the Goddess once again into the consciousness of humanity and strives to bring balance by integrating the divine masculine and feminine frequencies within all. In her ebooks, which can be found at Esophoria Mystery School, she expresses the principles of the God and Goddess that live within both men and women on Earth. Her channeled messages can also be found at https://sanctarosablog.wordpress.com/

Helen’s walk on earth she has studied many metaphysical subjects and healing and complementary arts. Her credentials include:



Doctorate in the Philosophy of Metaphysical Science
Diploma in Aromatherapy
Diploma in Reflexology
Diploma in Hot Stone Therapy
Diploma in Meditation Teaching

She is a:

Certified Reiki Master / Teacher
Certified Angel Reiki Master / Teacher
Certified Angel Lightworker
Certified Atlantian Reiki Master / Teacher
Certified Shamballa MDH Master / Teacher
Certified Reiki Gold Master / Teacher
Certified KaHuna Reiki Master / Teacher
Certified Energy & Magic of the Fairies Master / Teacher
Certified Elemental Reiki Master / Teacher
Certified Kundalini Reiki Master / Teacher
Certified Kwan Yin Healing Master / Teacher
Certified Elven Shamanic Healing Master / Teacher
Certified SEKHEM Healer
Certified Shamanic Healer

Helen is based in Cyprus but offers distance services wherever you live in the world. You can enjoy Helen's self help videos by visiting her YouTube channel at: http://www.youtube.com/user/Helenhealer

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06/09/2025

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02/09/2025

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02/09/2025

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September, with its golden twilight and whispering winds, marks a profound turning point in the wheel of the year. It is...
01/09/2025

September, with its golden twilight and whispering winds, marks a profound turning point in the wheel of the year. It is a month steeped in celestial significance and spiritual opportunity, where the rhythms of the moon and the Earth invite reflection, gratitude, and transformation. From the luminous full moon to the quiet power of the new moon, and culminating in the sacred balance of Mabon and the autumn equinox, this season offers a rich tapestry for magical workings and inner alignment.

🌕 The Corn Moon and Lunar Eclipse: A Harvest of Light and Shadow

The full moon in September 2025 rises on Sunday the 7th, reaching its peak at 18:08 UTC. Known in traditional lore as the Corn Moon, this lunar phase is deeply entwined with the agricultural rhythms of the Northern Hemisphere. It heralds the time when corn and other late summer crops are harvested, and communities historically gathered to celebrate abundance and prepare for the leaner months ahead.

This particular Corn Moon is especially potent, as it coincides with a total lunar eclipse—the second and final of the year. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes directly between the sun and the moon, casting a shadow that temporarily obscures the moon’s light. During this eclipse, the moon will take on a reddish hue, often referred to as a blood moon, due to the scattering of sunlight through Earth’s atmosphere.

From a magical perspective, eclipses are moments of heightened energy and transformation. They represent a cosmic pause, a reset, and an invitation to confront what lies in shadow. The Corn Moon, already associated with fruition and gratitude, becomes a powerful time for rituals that honour both light and darkness. Practitioners may engage in spellwork focused on:

*Harvest and abundance: Giving thanks for what has manifested, both materially and spiritually.
*Cleansing and release: Letting go of outdated beliefs, habits, or relationships.
*Shadow work: Exploring the hidden aspects of the self with compassion and courage.

The full moon in September 2025 rises on Sunday the 7th, reaching its peak at 18:08 UTC. Known in traditional lore as the Corn Moon, this lunar phase is deeply entwined with the agricultural rhythms of the Northern Hemisphere. It heralds the time when corn and other late summer crops are harvested, and communities historically gathered to celebrate abundance and prepare for the leaner months ahead.

This particular Corn Moon is especially potent, as it coincides with a total lunar eclipse—the second and final of the year. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes directly between the sun and the moon, casting a shadow that temporarily obscures the moon’s light. During this eclipse, the moon will take on a reddish hue, often referred to as a blood moon, due to the scattering of sunlight through Earth’s atmosphere.

From a magical perspective, eclipses are moments of heightened energy and transformation. They represent a cosmic pause, a reset, and an invitation to confront what lies in shadow. The Corn Moon, already associated with fruition and gratitude, becomes a powerful time for rituals that honour both light and darkness. Practitioners may engage in spellwork focused on:

*Harvest and abundance: Giving thanks for what has manifested, both materially and spiritually.
*Cleansing and release: Letting go of outdated beliefs, habits, or relationships.
*Shadow work: Exploring the hidden aspects of the self with compassion and courage.

This is also a time when divination is particularly insightful. Tarot readings, pendulum work, and dream interpretation can reveal truths that are normally obscured, offering clarity and direction.

The Full Moon in September 2025 is a rare and powerful convergence of celestial forces. Not only is it the Corn Moon, but it is also a total lunar eclipse occurring in the sign of Pisces—the zodiac’s dreamer, mystic, and spiritual healer. This combination creates a lunar event of exceptional emotional depth and magical potency.

Pisces is the final sign of the zodiac, representing dissolution, endings, and the return to source. It is ruled by Neptune, the planet of dreams, illusions, and divine inspiration. When the Full Moon occurs in Pisces, especially during an eclipse, the veil between worlds becomes thin, and the subconscious rises to meet the conscious mind. This is a time when intuition is heightened, emotions run deep, and spiritual truths may surface with startling clarity.

🌊 Emotional Significance: Sensitivity, Release, and Healing

Emotionally, the Pisces Full Moon invites us to soften, surrender, and feel. It is a lunar tide that washes over the psyche, dissolving barriers and exposing hidden wounds, longings, and truths. You may find yourself more sensitive than usual—tears may come easily, dreams may be vivid, and old memories may resurface with uncanny precision.

This eclipse in Pisces is not about punishment or chaos; it is about release and renewal. It asks us to let go of emotional baggage, outdated narratives, and illusions that have kept us stuck. The energy may feel overwhelming, but it is also deeply healing. It is a cosmic invitation to forgive, to grieve, and to make peace with the past.

Pay close attention to your dreams, your gut feelings, and the subtle signs around you. Pisces speaks in symbols and whispers, not logic. Emotional clarity may come not through analysis, but through surrender.

🔮 Magical Significance: Intuition, Divination, and Spiritual Cleansing

Magically, the Full Moon in Pisces is a prime time for intuitive work, divination, and spiritual cleansing. This is not a moon for rigid spellcraft or structured rituals—it is a moon for flowing with energy, trusting your instincts, and connecting with the unseen.
Ideal magical workings include:

*Dream magic: Keep a dream journal, perform lucid dreaming rituals, or use mugwort and amethyst to enhance dream recall.
*Divination: Tarot, scrying, pendulum work, and rune readings are especially potent under Pisces’ influence.
*Water rituals: Baths, ocean offerings, and moon-charged water can be used for purification and emotional healing.
*Spirit communication: The veil is thin—ancestral work, mediumship, and channeling are more accessible now.

Pisces also governs creativity and imagination, making this a powerful time for artistic expression as a form of magic.

Painting, poetry, music, and dance become sacred acts under this moon, allowing you to channel divine energy into form.

🌌 Spiritual Significance: Dissolution, Unity, and Transcendence

Spiritually, the Pisces Full Moon is a portal to the divine. It dissolves the ego’s boundaries and reminds us of our interconnectedness with all life. This eclipse may bring revelations about your soul’s path, karmic patterns, or spiritual purpose. It is a time to retreat, reflect, and realign with your higher self.

Themes of oneness, compassion, and transcendence are central. You may feel called to meditate, pray, or engage in acts of service. Pisces teaches that true spiritual power lies not in control, but in surrender. It is the sign of the mystic, the healer, and the visionary.

This moon may also bring endings—relationships, roles, or beliefs that no longer serve your evolution may fall away. Trust that what leaves is making space for what is more aligned. As one astrologer put it, “The universe is re-organising your life’s blueprint—your job is to let go of the grip and allow the magic to unfold.”

🧘 Integration: How to Work with the Pisces Eclipse Energy

To align with this Full Moon’s energy, consider the following practices:

*Create a sacred space with candles, water bowls, and soft music. Let the atmosphere reflect the gentle, mystical nature of Pisces.
*Write a release letter to an old version of yourself, then burn it under the moonlight.
*Perform a cleansing bath with sea salt, lavender, and moon-charged water.
*Meditate on compassion, visualising yourself and others bathed in healing light.
*Trust your intuition—if something feels off, it probably is. If something feels right, even if illogical, explore it.

🌑 The New Moon and Solar Eclipse: Seeds in the Darkness

Two weeks after the full moon, on Sunday the 21st of September, the moon enters its new phase at 19:54 UTC. The new moon is traditionally a time of stillness, introspection, and new beginnings. It marks the start of the lunar cycle, when the moon is invisible to the naked eye, cloaked in darkness and mystery.
This new moon is accompanied by a partial solar eclipse, visible in parts of the southern Pacific. Solar eclipses occur when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, casting a shadow that partially obscures the sun’s light. While less dramatic than a total eclipse, the partial eclipse still carries significant energetic weight.

In magical practice, the new moon is ideal for:

*Setting intentions: Writing down goals, dreams, and desires for the coming cycle.
*Spiritual renewal: Engaging in meditation, journaling, or quiet reflection.
*Banishing and protection: Removing negative influences and reinforcing boundaries.

The eclipse adds a layer of urgency and potency to these workings. It is a time to plant metaphorical seeds in the fertile soil of the subconscious, trusting that they will grow in the coming months. Because this new moon falls just one day before the autumn equinox, its energy is especially aligned with themes of transition, balance, and preparation.

🍂 Mabon and the Autumn Equinox: The Sacred Balance

On Monday the 22nd of September, the wheel of the year turns once more as we arrive at the autumn equinox, known in Pagan and Wiccan traditions as Mabon. This is one of two points in the year when day and night are of equal length, symbolising perfect balance between light and dark.

Mabon is the second of the three harvest festivals, following Lammas and preceding Samhain. It is a time of thanksgiving, reflection, and inner harmony. Named after the Welsh god Mabon ap Modron, whose myth speaks of captivity, mystery, and eventual liberation, the festival invites us to consider what we have gathered and what we must now release.

Celebrating Mabon often involves:

*Feasting and gratitude: Preparing meals with seasonal produce such as apples, squash, and root vegetables.
*Altar decoration: Using symbols of the season—acorns, pinecones, autumn leaves, and candles in warm hues.
*Balance rituals: Lighting white and black candles to represent duality and harmony.
*Divination and introspection: Consulting the tarot, runes, or oracle cards to gain insight into the coming season.

Mabon is also a time to honour ancestors and the cycles of life and death. As the veil between worlds begins to thin, many practitioners begin preparing for Samhain, the most spiritually charged sabbat of the year.

🪄 Magical Workings for September: Aligning with the Season

The energies of September are rich and multifaceted, offering numerous opportunities for magical practice. Whether you follow a structured tradition or simply feel drawn to the rhythms of nature, this month invites you to engage with both the seen and unseen worlds.

Rituals for the Full Moon and Eclipse

*Create a gratitude circle with friends or fellow practitioners, sharing what you’ve harvested in your life.
*Perform a release ritual by writing down what no longer serves you and burning the paper under the moonlight.
*Use moon water.
New Moon and Solar Eclipse Practices
*Craft a vision board or intention jar filled with symbols of your goals.
*Engage in shadow journaling, exploring fears, desires, and hidden truths.
*Perform a banishing spell using black salt, protective herbs, and affirmations.

Mabon Celebrations

*Host a harvest feast, inviting loved ones to share food and stories.
*Decorate your home with seasonal symbols, creating a sacred space that reflects the turning of the year.
*Conduct a balance meditation, visualising the equilibrium of light and dark within yourself.

🌬️ Everyday Magic: Living in Harmony with September’s Energies

You don’t need elaborate rituals to connect with the magic of September. Simple, mindful acts can be just as powerful:

*Take walks in nature, collecting fallen leaves and observing the changing colours.
*Brew herbal teas with ingredients like cinnamon, apple, and ginger to warm the spirit.
*Light candles at dusk and reflect on the balance of your day.
*Keep a seasonal journal, noting dreams, emotions, and spiritual insights.

🌌 A Month of Transition, Mystery, and Magic

September is a threshold—a liminal space between the brightness of summer and the introspective quiet of autumn. The full Corn Moon and its eclipse illuminate what has come to fruition; the new moon and solar eclipse beckon us inward; and Mabon, with its sacred balance, offers a moment of stillness and reverence.

For witches, mystics, and seekers alike, this is a time to honour the cycles of nature, to give thanks, and to prepare for the descent into the fertile darkness of the year’s end. Whether through ritual, reflection, or simple acts of seasonal awareness, September invites us to live in harmony with the Earth, the moon, and ourselves.

For ritual outlines, incantations and activity ideas, visit the link below:

https://sanctarosablog.wordpress.com/2025/09/01/september-mysteries/

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01/09/2025

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🍂 September Whispers 🍂  As the wheel turns and the days begin to soften, September arrives like a gentle guide—inviting ...
01/09/2025

🍂 September Whispers 🍂

As the wheel turns and the days begin to soften, September arrives like a gentle guide—inviting us to pause, reflect, and realign. This month carries the energy of transition, balance, and deep spiritual awakening.

🌕 With the Full Moon in Pisces, the veil between worlds thins. Dreams speak louder, intuition flows freely, and healing becomes sacred. Let your heart listen.

🌑 The New Moon offers a blank canvas. Set intentions. Plant seeds. Trust the quiet magic of beginnings.

🌾 Mabon, the Autumn Equinox, reminds us to honor both light and shadow. Give thanks for the harvest—of lessons, love, and growth.

🔮 September is a time for:

- Candle rituals and moon baths
- Journaling your dreams and desires
- Connecting with ancestors and spirit guides
- Using herbs like lavender, mugwort, and sage
- Working with crystals like amethyst, moonstone, and citrine
- Surrounding yourself with colors of gold, deep orange, and forest green

Let this month be your sanctuary. A time to come home to yourself. A time to remember that magic lives in the quiet, in the turning leaves, and in the rhythm of your breath.

✨ Blessed September, dear souls. May it be mystical, meaningful, and full of light.

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01/09/2025

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31/08/2025

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The Transition from Mother to Crone 🌿 In the realm of archetypal psychology, the Crone emerges not as a passive figure o...
31/08/2025

The Transition from Mother to Crone 🌿

In the realm of archetypal psychology, the Crone emerges not as a passive figure of decline, but as a potent symbol of transformation. She is the final embodiment of the tripartite feminine cycle—Maiden, Mother, Crone—and unlike the earlier stages, she does not seek to nurture or seduce. Her arrival is often abrupt, summoned not by choice but by necessity. To say that life forces one into the Crone archetype is to acknowledge a moment of profound reckoning—a crossing of thresholds where the familiar dissolves and deeper truths begin to surface.

The Crone is not merely an old woman. She is the keeper of mysteries, the one who has walked through fire and emerged with her essence intact. In myth, she appears as Hecate at the crossroads, Baba Yaga in her hut of bones, or the Morrígan cloaked in raven feathers. She is feared because she cannot be manipulated. She speaks in riddles, sees through pretence, and holds the keys to endings that are also beginnings. In the psyche, she arises when one has endured enough to cease performing, to cease pleasing, and to begin living with radical authenticity.

Her presence is rarely gentle. She arrives through loss, through the collapse of identity, through the stripping away of roles that once defined a person. Menopause, bereavement, solitude—these are her gateways. Yet within these stark passages lies the initiation into a deeper way of being. The Crone does not offer comfort; she offers clarity. As Clarissa Pinkola Estés writes,

“The crone sees far… with the heart’s eyes, with the soul’s eyes.”

Her vision is not clouded by sentimentality or social conditioning. She sees what is, and she names it.

To embody the Crone is to become paradoxical. One may be rendered invisible by a culture obsessed with youth, yet simultaneously become more visible to the soul. There is a shedding—not just of societal expectations, but of illusions. The Crone teaches that power does not lie in dominance, but in presence. She does not seek validation; she is the validator. Her wisdom is not theoretical—it is earned through silence, endurance, and the long, slow turning of inner seasons.

In esoteric traditions, the Crone is linked to the waning moon, to the element of earth, and to the underworld. She is the guardian of thresholds, the midwife of death and rebirth. Her gifts are not easily received, for they require surrender. But for those who accept her invitation, she offers liberation—the freedom to speak without apology, to live without masks, to love without condition.

🌿 Being in-between the Mother and the Crone is a liminal space

This transition is quietly potent, often overlooked, and deeply transformative. It is not a fixed identity but a passage, a threshold where one begins to loosen the grip of roles that once defined her, while not yet fully stepping into the stark clarity of the Crone. This in-between is rich with paradox: the body may begin to whisper of endings, yet the heart still pulses with the rhythms of care, creation, and connection.

The Mother archetype is expansive. She gives, she holds, she builds. Her energy is outward, nurturing others, anchoring families, careers, communities. But as the years pass, something begins to shift. The giving becomes more selective. The holding less automatic. There is a subtle turning inward, a quiet questioning:

What of me? What remains when the children no longer need, when the work no longer defines, when the mirror reflects a face I’m still learning to recognise?

This is the terrain of the in-between. It is not marked by ceremony, yet it is sacred. It is the time when a woman begins to reclaim her own voice—not the one shaped by duty or desire, but the one that has waited patiently beneath the surface. There may be grief here, for the loss of youth, for the fading of roles that once gave purpose. But there is also relief. A softening. A spaciousness. The beginning of a new kind of power.

In this space, intuition sharpens. One begins to see through things—through people, through patterns, through pretence. The Crone is near, whispering truths that are not always easy to hear. But she does not demand arrival. She waits. She watches. She allows the woman to shed what no longer serves, to gather what is essential, to prepare.

And so, the in-between is a time of gathering. Of listening. Of choosing. It is a time to honour the life that has been lived, and to begin shaping the life that is still to come—not for others, but for oneself. It is a time to walk slowly, to speak deliberately, to love fiercely but wisely.

To be in-between is to be on the cusp of sovereignty. It is not a decline—it is a deepening. And though the world may not name it, may not celebrate it, it is one of the most powerful thresholds a woman will ever cross.

The shift into the Crone phase can be jarring, particularly when the mind still clings to the vitality and allure of the maiden or mother. There’s a dissonance—a quiet rebellion—as the body begins to whisper truths the spirit isn’t quite ready to hear. Yet there’s no shame in indulging in one final flourish, a last dance with the familiar before surrendering to the deeper wisdom that awaits. That moment of celebration, of defiance even, is part of the rite. It marks the threshold—not as a loss, but as a conscious farewell to what once was, and an honouring of what is to come.

When life forces you into the Crone archetype, it is not a punishment—it is a calling. It is the soul’s way of saying: you are ready. Ready to stop pretending. Ready to claim your truth. Ready to walk not behind others, but beside the unknown, with your own light as guide.

Helen Demetriou

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Cradled in the Womb of the Goddess — Our Earthly Home 🌏We dwell within the sacred belly of Mother Earth, immersed in a f...
31/08/2025

Cradled in the Womb of the Goddess — Our Earthly Home 🌏

We dwell within the sacred belly of Mother Earth, immersed in a field of energy that surrounds us like amniotic fluid. This divine essence nourishes and protects us throughout our journey here, just as we were once held in the womb of our human mother. To grow—physically, emotionally, spiritually—we must breathe in this life-giving energy and allow it to flow through us.

Yet there are moments when we feel hollow, disconnected, and lost. These are the times when we resist the natural rhythm of life, when we turn away—knowingly or not—from the path our soul chose before incarnating. Have you noticed how life becomes tangled and heavy when we ignore our inner compass, when we silence the voice of intuition that gently nudges us toward truth?

In our resistance, we begin to isolate ourselves—from each other, from the Earth, from the sacred fluid that sustains us. We construct false wombs, artificial containers that lack the nourishment and protection of the true womb of Gaia. Within these illusions, everything feels murky, distorted, and uncertain. But when clarity returns—when we awaken to our truth—we shed the false shell and rejoin the living, reconnected to the pulse of life.

One truth I’ve gathered on my earthly travels is this: progress cannot be halted. To resist it is to invite suffering. I’ve learned that surrendering to my soul’s calling is the only way to stay whole, to remain balanced. I inhale the sacred breath of this living womb and offer my growth as a beacon to others navigating their own currents.

You are held. You are cherished. You are embraced by the Earth and the cosmos—before birth, throughout life, beyond death, and in every sacred transition your soul undertakes. Celebrate your growth. Honour the wisdom that blooms when you accept your mission and stop fighting the tide.

With love always,
Helen Demetriou 💗

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Image by Unknown

Nymphalis Antiopa Butterfly Eggs 🦋 Sacred Geometry in Nature 📸 Shanna Pixels🌿
30/08/2025

Nymphalis Antiopa Butterfly Eggs 🦋 Sacred Geometry in Nature

📸 Shanna Pixels

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The Archetype of the RevealerSaint Phanourios is commemorated annually on 27 August in both the Orthodox and Roman Catho...
27/08/2025

The Archetype of the Revealer

Saint Phanourios is commemorated annually on 27 August in both the Orthodox and Roman Catholic traditions.

The earliest known account of Saint Phanourios dates to the 14th century, when, during the Ottoman occupation of Rhodes, workers repairing the city walls stumbled upon the ruins of an ancient church. Amidst the rubble, they discovered a remarkably well-preserved icon depicting a youthful soldier-saint undergoing a series of tortures.

Twelve smaller scenes surrounded the central image, each illustrating a different torment inflicted upon him—being scourged, imprisoned, and burned, among others. Despite the brutality depicted, the saint’s countenance remained serene and resolute, embodying the Orthodox ideal of martyrdom through steadfast faith. The icon bore the name “Phanourios,” inscribed in fresh lettering, as though newly painted.

Little is known about Phanourios’ earthly life. Tradition holds that he was a Roman soldier, possibly living during the early centuries of Christianity, though no definitive historical records confirm this. His martyrdom, as depicted in the icon, suggests he suffered under pagan persecution, possibly during the reign of Diocletian or another emperor hostile to Christians. Some accounts associate him with the island of Rhodes, while others link him to Crete and Cyprus, where his veneration spread rapidly following the icon’s discovery. In Crete, he is often depicted slaying a dragon, a motif that echoes the iconography of Saint George and symbolises triumph over evil.

Saint Phanourios is not merely a historical martyr; he functions as an archetype of divine revelation. His very name, derived from φανερώνω (“to reveal”), positions him as a spiritual intermediary between the hidden and the manifest. In esoteric Christian thought, this aligns him with the principle of apokalypsis—the unveiling of divine mysteries. Unlike saints who are known for specific deeds or teachings, Phanourios is known for his ability to make known what is lost, forgotten, or obscured. This includes not only physical objects but also spiritual truths, forgotten aspects of the self, and hidden paths of destiny.

In this way, he mirrors the Hermetic concept of the psychopomp—a guide of souls through the liminal spaces between worlds. His icon, discovered in ruins and surrounded by scenes of torment, becomes a visual mandala of transformation: suffering leading to illumination, obscurity giving way to clarity.

The Twelve Tortures as Initiatory Trials

The twelve scenes of torture depicted around his central iconographic image are not merely historical representations of martyrdom—they can be interpreted as symbolic stages of spiritual initiation. In mystical traditions, the number twelve often signifies completeness and cosmic order (e.g., twelve zodiac signs, twelve apostles, twelve gates of the heavenly Jerusalem). Each torment may represent a trial of the soul, a purification of the ego, or a confrontation with a shadow aspect of the self.

From an esoteric standpoint, these scenes can be read as allegories of the soul’s journey through suffering toward divine union. The serenity of Phanourios’ face amidst these trials suggests that he has transcended the pain, embodying the Orthodox concept of theosis—the process of becoming one with God.

The Candle and the Dragon

In many icons, Phanourios holds a candle, a symbol rich with mystical significance. The candle represents illumination, the light of Christ, and the inner flame of the soul. It is also a tool of invocation—used in rituals to summon divine presence or clarity. In this context, Phanourios becomes a bearer of light in darkness, a spiritual torchbearer guiding seekers through confusion and loss.

In Cretan iconography, he is sometimes shown slaying a dragon. This image evokes the mythic motif of the hero confronting chaos. The dragon, often symbolic of primal fear, temptation, or spiritual ignorance, is subdued by the saint—not through brute force, but through divine authority. This act mirrors the inner battle of the mystic: confronting and integrating the shadow to attain wholeness.

The Phanouropita as Ritual Offering

The tradition of baking Phanouropita is more than folk custom—it is a ritual act of spiritual reciprocity. The cake, made with 7, 9 or 11 ingredients (odd numbers being spiritually significant in Orthodox numerology), is offered in gratitude for revelations received. The act of baking becomes a form of embodied prayer, a tactile invocation of divine assistance. Sharing the cake with others reinforces the communal nature of grace—what is revealed to one benefits all.

In Orthodox tradition, odd numbers are often associated with divine completeness, spiritual ascent, and mystery. Unlike even numbers, which suggest balance and closure, odd numbers evoke movement, transcendence, and the idea that the divine cannot be neatly divided or contained.

- 3 is perhaps the most sacred number, representing the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It symbolises unity in diversity and is often used in blessings, prayers, and liturgical repetitions (e.g. “Lord have mercy” chanted three times).
- 7 is biblically significant as the number of spiritual perfection and completion. The seven days of creation, the seven sacraments (in broader Christian theology), and the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit all reflect this.
- 9 is associated with the nine ranks of angels, a celestial hierarchy that plays a key role in Orthodox cosmology.
- 11 while less commonly referenced, appear in folk traditions and ritual practices, often linked to offerings or votive acts, such as the number of ingredients in a Phanouropita.

Some practitioners whisper intentions or names of lost things while preparing the cake, imbuing it with spiritual purpose. In this way, the Phanouropita becomes a vessel of manifestation, a physical conduit for metaphysical revelation.

The Saint’s Mother and the Mystery of Redemption

The tradition of praying for Saint Phanourios’ mother—despite her reputed sinfulness—adds a profound layer of esoteric meaning. It suggests that even those who seem beyond redemption are not forgotten in the spiritual economy. Phanourios’ intercession for his mother reflects the mystical principle of anamnesis—the remembrance of souls in prayer, which can transcend time and death.

This tradition also touches on the concept of spiritual inheritance: the idea that the prayers and virtues of one soul can affect the fate of another. In Orthodox mysticism, the communion of saints is not merely a theological abstraction—it is a living network of intercession, memory, and grace.

Saint Phanourios, then, is far more than a patron of lost keys or forgotten wallets. He is a liminal figure—a revealer of hidden paths, a guide through spiritual obscurity, and a symbol of divine light emerging from ruin. His cult invites us to engage with mystery, to seek what is lost not only in the world but within ourselves, and to trust that revelation is always possible, even in the darkest places.

Helen Demetriou

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Limassol

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