It’s a miracle! No, really, it’s pretty impressive
This is genuinely weird. This is the chapel of Saint Theodora in Vasta, Greece. It’s maybe a thousand years old – nobody’s sure – and it’s got seventeen large trees growing out of its walls and roof and there are no roots penetrating the inside.
According to the Orthodox Wiki (who knew there was an Orthodox Wiki?)
Many researchers have spent years studying this structure, even X-raying the walls, but have no explanation for the roots of the trees. In 2003, a geophysical report was presented at the 4th Symposium of Archaeometry in Greece. The results of this investigation proved that the roots followed the gaps existing inside the stone wall of the chapel creating repulsion stresses between the stones and thus reaching the ground.
Perhaps there’s an engineer among us who can explain what “repulsion stresses” are. Grok failed me. Well, I failed me…Grok did his best.
There’s a stream that runs under it. So I guess they just…pull sustenance up through the stones? Beats me.
Here’s a blog that has more pictures.
Posted: August 7th, 2025 under religion.
Comments: 11
Comments
Comment from thefritz
Time: August 7, 2025, 4:44 pm
404 – Page not found on your link for the blog
Comment from Pupster
Time: August 7, 2025, 4:47 pm
Here ya go, Fritz.
https://theoliveandthesea.com/%ef%bb%bfthe-church-of-saint-theodora-of-vasta/
Comment from thefritz
Time: August 7, 2025, 4:50 pm
Thanks Pupster!
Comment from Uncle AL
Time: August 7, 2025, 7:41 pm
I did in fact know there was an Orthodox ☦️ Wiki! Most of us who attend the Holy Spirit Orthodox Church here in Sarasota County have used it a time or two.
Comment from durnedyankee
Time: August 7, 2025, 10:51 pm
Ah…
I….
never mind, why be a skeptic asshat, they ain’t hurting anybody.
You go Theodora!
Comment from Veeshir
Time: August 8, 2025, 4:21 am
I always thought repulsion stress was the stress I felt when mom made me eat brussel sprouts.
That’s cool though.
I’ve never seen anything like that.
Comment from ExpressoBold Pureblood
Time: August 8, 2025, 11:23 am
I just discovered another stoat on x.com…
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Comment from S.Weasel
Time: August 8, 2025, 3:01 pm
Durned, if you mean it looks like those roots have well and truly penetrated the walls at the front – I had the same reaction. But I think what they mean is they haven’t broken through to the interior. Inside pictures seem to confirm this.
Comment from S. Weasel
Time: August 8, 2025, 3:38 pm
Yes, I follow furrystoat. I follow every account with weasel or stoat in the name, unless they turn out to be asshats.
Comment from Some Vegetable
Time: August 8, 2025, 6:09 pm
Well, since you’re interested in all Weaselly things; I was listening to old British Comedy radio, and came across a show called, “The Museum Of Curiosity.”
One of the contributions to the museum was the (officially determined) funniest joke in the world, which I won’t bore you with here.
This naturally led me to research the funniest joke in several individual countries….according to LaughLab.
Interestingly enough, here is the officially funniest joke in England:
Top Joke in England
Two weasels are sitting on a bar stool. One starts to insult the other one. He screams, “I slept with your mother!” The bar gets quiet as everyone listens to see what the other weasel will do. The first again yells, “I SLEPT WITH YOUR MOTHER!” The other says, “Go home dad you’re drunk.”
Comment from Durnedyankee
Time: August 9, 2025, 11:23 am
There’s some stuff. I’m often needlessly analytical, a jaded sceptic. Other times I’m the farm boy wandering in the carnival and for the price of a nickel believing the old painted donkey is the thousand year old zebra that carried Scheherazade down the aisle on her wedding day and occasionally grants wishes. 🤔
I try to remember faith and hope are often miracles waiting to happen.
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