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Our father among the [[saint]]s '''Spyridon of Trimythous the Wonderworker''' (Greek: Σπυρίδων ca. 270-348) was a 4th fourth century [[bishop]] who was present at the [[First Ecumenical Council]]. He is also commonly referred to in Corfu as ''Keeper of the City'' (Greek: ο πολιούχος), since he is also the [[patron saint ]] of that island (this is where his [[relics ]] are located and venerated). He is commemorated by the church on [[December 12]].

Spyridon was born in the village of Ashia (''askia'' - "without shade"), Cyprus (270 AD) and died in Trimythous, Cyprus (348 AD). He was a peasant farmer and shepherd and had no educationwas not educated. Spyridon was married and had a daughter, Irene. After his wife died, he and his daughter both entered into [[monasticism]]. He later became the [[Bishop]] of Trimythous (during the reign of [[Constantine the Great]]) and continued in piety for which he was greatly known.

He is the [[patron saint]] of potters (from the miracle of the potsherd).

During the Maximilian persecutions (295 AD) he was arrested and exiled. In 325 AD, he was present at the [[First Ecumenical Council]] of [[Nicea]] where he astonished many with his simple explanations of the [[Orthodox Church|Orthodox]] Faith. Though not well-educated, he surprised everyone at the Council of Nicea by converting a famous philosopher to Orthodoxy from [[Arianism]]. He explained the unity and diversity of the Trinity by holding up a brick, then commonly thought to be a combination of the elements fire, earth and water; as he spoke, fire blazed from the top of the brick while water gushed out underneath. There too, at Nicea, he met St. [[Nicholas of Myra]], with whom he formed a lasting friendship.

When he arrived back home from Nicea a woman told him that she had given his daughter, who had died while he was away, some jewelry for safekeeping. Now that his daughter was dead, no one could find where she had put them. Spyridon went to his daughter's grave, spoke to her, and was able to restore the jewelry to its owner.

To this day St. Spyridon's [[Incorruptibility|incorrupt ]] [[relics]] at his [[shrine ]] in Corfu continue to manifest the power of God, wondrous in His saints. He is called the "walking [[saint]]" because the silk slippers which clothe the feet of his relics wear out each year and are replaced on his [[feast day]]. His miracle in Corfu against the Turkish invasion of 1716 is commemorated on [[August 11]].

* '''The Tolstoy family story''' - The Tolstoy family, have also adopted St. Spyridon as their patron saint. In the 15th century, Andrei Tolstoy chose the saint as the family's patron and he remains so in both branched to this day. There are stories that say, that the Grand Prince of Muscovy Basil II(1425-1462) gave a gold cross to Andrei, with relics of the saint inside. This apparantly apparently survives and is owned by Count Nikolai Tolstoy, the most senior member of the Tolstoy family.