During the time when Crete was under Venetian rule, a man called Stephen was returning to his village from town. He was a man of good heart and honest. He met other villagers on his way home, and they decided to go home together. On their way, his companions decided to steal some flour from some other locals who were loading it up. He refused to participate and tried to talk the others out of it, but they would not listen, and went ahead with the robbery. Stephen was arrested. All his companions vanished and he was accused of the crime. He pleaded his innocence but he was convicted. The Judge asked him to select his punishment- take out his eyes, or cut off his hands. He chose to have his eyes taken out. After they were removed he was totally reliant on his mother for everything.

One day he decided to go to the Church of The Virgin, and to stay there and beg for alms from the worshippers.He went with his mother. He kissed and venerated the Icon and asked the Monk in charge to allocate him a cell.On the first night his mother was so tired that she fell asleep. He could not sleep. Eventually he fell into a light nap, and felt two hands rubbing his eyes. He woke and wondered who was rubbing his eyes. He saw a woman surrounded by a bright light. She stood in front of him for a while then vanished. He woke his mother up and asked her who had lit the candles.
"I can see the Icon of the Virgin Mary," he said.
His mother told him to go back to sleep.He pressed her more to wake up.
"I am not dreaming," he cried.
She woke up, and to their joy she saw that he had eyes. His eyes were blue! When he had been born his eyes were black!
They gave thanks to the Virgin Mary and they told the story to the Monk. He went and told the Judge. The Judge saw Stephen and confirmed he had his sight. He asked the executioner to come before him ,and asked him to confirm that he had carried out the sentence. The executioner confirmed that he had carried the sentence out and showed the Judge Stephen's two black eyes in a bowl !

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