Fire extinguished - rain fell after the procession and the moleben

LATEST NEWS: Sunday, August 12, 2012 (8 a.m.)  - THE FIRE ON MOUNT ATHOS PUT OUT. THE HILANDAR MONASTERY SAVED.

Last night at 10.48 p.m. of local time on Mount Athos  a heavy rain began. According to reports of eyewitnesses, a real downpour happened. 

The Most Holy Theotokos, the Comforter of sadness, not burned in the great fire of 1722 with its prayerful advocacy put out the fiery torch that has been burning for 5 days and devoured everything in sight and came at 1300 m close to the Hilandar. On Saturday the monastery brotherhood held a procession and the moleben on the line of the fire, believing in the protection of Most Holy Theotokos to which all Mount Athos is devoted. Monks bore the icon of the Theotokos " The Comforter of sadeness" and the part of the Precious cross". The wonder-working icon was once again stronger than the devastating fire.

Yesterday, in afternoon hours, a decisive battle was fought to save the monastery of Hilandar. After many hours of the struggle, after the first thunder, around 22.45 enormous amount of rain poured onto the whole area that had been cought in the fire. The fire was definetely stopped and its main part put out.. 

It is estimated that about 4000 hectars of the forest was burnt and the greatest part is on the property of Hilandar. 

Source: hilandar.org