Until recently, the activities of “Agias Athanasia of Egaleo” were known, who, in addition to the visions and contacts she claimed to have had with the Panagia, left her written messages on her chest…

Now there is the “Saint or Mother or Ossia Catherine of Thessaloniki“, who had even created a “divine fund”. In this, religious believers deposited their stake, which amounted to tens of thousands of euros, and if they refused, they “risked great evils, such as death, serious illnesses, etc.”.

However, “Saint Athanasia” passed away on February 20, 2020, at the age of 87. She was suffering from a rare disease called nodular dermographism. It is a rash that often appears after pressure or rubbing of the skin and disappears in less than an hour.

In the 1960s and ’70s, taking advantage of her skin condition, she said that Panagia was writing messages on her body. The official Church had excommunicated her in 1967, but restored her in 1980, when she was “rebaptized,” and with the help of numerous donations from believers, she continued her controversial charitable works, focusing on the “Panagia Faneromeni” nursing home, which she had founded in 1961 in Mandra, Attica.

She sought “Ossia Ekaterina” for moral support

In the summer of 2005, the owner of a pastry shop was in a bad psychological state because her brother had divorced and also died. So she was looking for moral support. She had heard from acquaintances about “Ossia Catherine” that she was “a person who had the grace of God, was committed to the divine and the Orthodox faith and helped to solve any problem, which is why she was called ‘Saint or Mother or Ossia'”

After learning where she lived, he visited her at her home. She immediately took her to her bedroom, where she presented her with a carpeted frame depicting a shadow.

The “saint” told her that “this is the face of Jesus Christ appearing before her, because she has the divine gift, is blessed and converses with God.” Of course, as it turned out, this depiction was due to an intervention of the “Ossia” on the carpet.

Subtle Trust

The shopkeeper began to visit her regularly. She gave her advice on how she should handle her personal and professional matters. This created the belief in the psychologically vulnerable woman that if she followed her advice, she would ensure prosperity, happiness and a better future. Otherwise, that is, if she did not follow what he suggested, she would face the wrath of God.”

A friendly relationship soon developed between them. The pastry shop owner now showed her blind trust. For this reason, in fact, in addition to calling her “Saint or Ossia”, he called her houses “monasteries”.

As stated in the court order, “holding a cross in her hand,” she initially gave her advice and teachings “unselfishly to establish trust in her”. After making sure that he had convinced her of her divine abilities, he told her that “God gave her verbal orders regarding property contributions from the believers to her and that in case the believers failed to comply, great evils (death, serious illnesses) would befall them, creating in her a climate of intimidation and anxiety.”

Tutoring for hire and the “circle of 12 disciples”

Shortly afterwards, the “Osia” announced that her teaching would no longer be provided for free, but for 50 euros a week and an additional 50 euros for the “divine texts” she handed over for reading.

But she took a further step: she created a “circle of 12 disciples”-as many as the Apostles, “who, if they followed her advice, could have a happy and rich life, provided they built up a ‘divine fund’ which would satisfy the needs of God expressed through her.” Again, she was convinced by what the “Saint” said and joined the group.

God’s commands, of course, came via… texting and began with the phrase “God’s command”. They were concerned about “the purchase of various goods such as food, cosmetics, furniture, electrical appliances, painting, wallpaper for her main house, etc.”

The messages were accompanied either by threats, e.g. “you want two shadows on both your lungs and it is not a threat, it is a divine warning, quite damaging”, or by blackmailing phrases such as “if you want your children to marry, I order as…”

A total of 68,600 euros in the “divine fund”

Furthermore, the “Saint” urged a partner of the confectioner and later her partner to approach her, as “he was also in a difficult psychological situation”. Eventually, both mentally vulnerable people were convinced and paid a total of 68,600 euros to the “divine fund”.

According to the Supreme Court, “St. Catherine” had “the sole purpose of illegally obtaining income, taking advantage of the religiosity, naivety and fear she had created” in both of them. He was ordered by the Supreme Court to repay the amount of 68,600 euros, plus compensation of 1,000 euros to each of them for moral damages.

He was criminally sentenced to five years in prison for felony fraud. Still, under the Criminal Code of Syriza, the offense was reclassified as a misdemeanor and became subject to a statute of limitations.