The local pagan population decided on a rather ingenious way of dispensing with the local Christians – flood them, and their church! The plan was to divert the courses of two rivers so that they would flood both the church, and a local spring/shrine dedicated to the Archangel Michael.
Michael, however, had other plans – he appeared, caused a great earthquake, and re-routed the rivers to an underground course thus saving the church, and the spring dedicated to him.
Cool huh!?
It is interesting that Michael has a significant role in early church talismans – magical papyri often invoke him, either alone, or with the Theotokos, as a means of protection against daemons, illness (daemons), misfortune (daemons), and even the lack of a lover (daemons)!
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