Category Archives: A PhotoDiary of little things

Diary of a Pilgrim — Day 8 — Wednesday — Part B

The taxi driver was surprised to learn that I had never been to Mount Athos. He used his komboloi prayer beads with great alacrity as he drove me to the airport. Whether out of faith or stress I cannot say. I gave him a tip and he kissed my hand. Again I am not sure if these two events were concomitant.


I have passed through the checks and security. Indeed one kind lady official seeing me with my rasson( cassock) ushered me into the fast priority lane. The irony is that my flight is delayed by more than one hour. Nevertheless, it was considerate of her and I am not sure if the same level of respect would be offered in Manchester.


Passing through the shops I saw some traditional Cypriot crafts including icons and “ancient ” vases. My curiosity was aroused when I saw some loaves of bread. I couldn’t resist picking one up to discover that it was made of pottery/ ceramics!


Recognising the fake from the real, the false from the true is a matter of discernment and one which we should seek, especially in spiritual matters since it is a gift of the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12: 10

Diary of a Pilgrim — Day 8 — Wednesday — Part A

Traveling light : Luke 22:35
“Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?”
“Nothing,” they answered.”

The packing is almost completed. One can just imagine what it would be like for Britain’s largest family with 22 children. Of course they are from Morecambe. I recall years ago when Pilgrimage to Orthodoxy met with his Beatitude Ignatios ( of thrice blessed memory) in Paris I took a small case for the weekend. On the coach to meet with his Beatitude from the hotel I asked one of our brethren where was his case, he pulled out a tooth brush from his top pocket with the words: ” here it is !” Some of you know him. He now has the longest beard in the Archdiocese! Once again I find myself in that waiting period but making the most, quietly, of the time here amongst new friends.The reception staff ,one Cypriot one Romanian, last evening talked with me about monasteries in Cyprus and Romania. It was a joyful conversation. They said “why don’t you come and live here in Cyprus father? ” I replied with a wry smile” I don’t think my Archbishop or my people would like it!”
Such are the vagaries of the English language that a word can have more than one meaning which can be confusing but sometimes revealing!
It is important not only that we travel light, but perhaps more importantly that we travel with the Light of Christ , bringing it to all He has given us to meet.
Be a traveling light!

Diary of a Pilgrim — Day 7 – Tuesday — Part B

The Silver Lining

After every trial comes a blessing. I went to collect the icon of St Amphilochios. Ioanna had it ready and gave it as a gift. She was so pleased I had introduced her to this saint who she didn’t know that she offered to paint an icon for our Parish. Dimitri from church kindly translated my thankyou letter.I bought some more komboskini and crosses and blessed them on the relics of St Lazarus. As I was praying with my hand on the relics for some of our people I felt a surge of energy through my fingers and joy.

As it was my last full day, I went to my favourite cafe and had prawns with chips and a glass of local white wine. No Octopus! Sophia( I named her) the cat spotted me ( ah here is the clerical guy) sat at my feet pleading once more for the prawns tail ends. Yet again I gave in to her petition.I have so many gifts that I needed to distribute some of them otherwise my suitcase would be too heavy I was given a rose cordial and some basil from my visit to Nicosia.Together with an icon of the Mother of God of Patmos I gave them to the daughter of a priest Pater Makarios who fell asleep in the Lord in 2019.

As I was about to leave the church I saw the Russian lady who I met on the first day in church. We sang some hymns together in Russian and Greek…..others started quite spontaneously joining in with usI shared the last of my icon cards, St Dimitrios to a lady whose son just happened to be called…

You guessed it!

Diary of a Pilgrim — Day 3

Friday  9th

Mavrovouni Holy Monastery of Saint George

Time Management and Interruptions

” We have no grandmas( giagiades) in this community; you are the Church. ” 
This was my reply to a group of Cypriot students who, when faced with my request for them to build and decorate the Epitaphion for Pascha ten years ago, exclaimed ”  but father our giagias do this in Cyprus.”

 Meeting A… today took me back in time to those days when we had to build a church every week…

.. Then, we made our way to the Metropolis where his grace Bishop Nektarios of Kition afforded me more than 30 minutes of his precious time. 

The time we offer to others is indeed a grace reflecting the time that God gives to us. We will find when we allow the Lord into our schedule and daily agendas, time is stretched.

We must not think that time belongs to us or even that we can manage time.  If we are not interrupted then we are of no use to God or humans. We only have to look in the Gospels to see that our Lord Jesus Christ was continually interrupted in His earthly ministry. Time belongs to God alone.

Metropolitan Philaret writes: “In unforeseen events let us not forget that all are sent by God.” When we seek first the kingdom of God, everything falls into place and time(kairos).

I recall trying to persuade some anxious students to come to church during their exams. I said : Don’t worry God will give you more time, a clear mind and a peaceful spirit for your revision!”

“It worked father, you were right !”

God is good!

Adam and Eve my little apple trees

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Grown from pips!

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Kimberly, Tom and Kristian

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Dear Friends in Christ,
I hope that you are all well and safe. I apologise for my disappearance but I have recently started “offcially” chanting at two (!) parishes in the suburbs of Thessaloniki. In fact, I am so busy chanting all the time (or preparing for the services) and I spend so much time in church that I sometimes have to politely decline a chanting obedience since I cannot be in both parishes at the same time 🙂
Church services in Greece have dramatically multiplied since the release of the lockdown, for as long as it lasts, so chanters are in great demand as there is no end to our vigils, processions and forty days liturgies!

How are the churches doing in your countries?

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PS. Not my hand 🙂 This is from a spiritual brother in Lesvos who is the closest I have known of a “bird whisperer” 🙂
Christ is in our midst!

Keeping Ison

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Dear friends in Christ,

Let me introduce to you my feathered sisters who daily assist me in Matins and Vespers . Please help me with names.

Εν Χριστώ

My “congregation”

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From left to right:

Say cheese-plant!

Kimberly the cucumber; Basil the Basil plant; Kristian the yellow pepper; Petra the variagated palm; Catharis the server; Irene the peace plant; Tom the tomato plant; Panteleimon the palm 
By a Joyoys Pustinnyk

“Emerald Lake” – Skra Waterfalls

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A Photo/ Video Blog

 

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hblrCVzmb-Y

 

Memories of Greek historical moments are mixed with the rare beauty of nature and the turquoise waters of an ancient lake.

These are the emotions one feels and the images that one sees as a visitor of Skra, the waterfalls and the famous “emerald lake”.

Skra is only 4 km away from the borders with FYROM and it spreads on the Northeast slopes of Paiko at an altitude of 520m. Its previous name was Lioumnitsa, while the current one is due to the proximal top Skra di Legken that during the First World War was the place of the homonymous battle field (Skra – Ravine). The battle was a decisive one for the course of the Greek State and the First World War.

With its characteristic proud old plane tree in the center of the village, Skra is considered to be a place of celebration in honor of the homonym battle, while every year on 17th of May a memorial ceremony for the officers and the soldiers of that battles belonging to the so called Greek Division of Crete and Archipelago is held at the Monument to those who died in 1918.

Since May 2002, the Museum of the First World War- Skra Battle has been operating in Skra, housed in a specially constructed area. The Museum exhibition presents relics, photos and historic documents from the Macedonian battles of the First World War, as well as from the victorious Skra battle. The well known victorious battle took place on May 17, 1918.

Near this settlement, the visitor faces a small miracle of nature. Through a wonderful path one can reach an area with rich vegetation, where one meets the first waterfall of Skra, at the root of which there is a small cave with stalactites. A little further on the path, the visitor is stunned by the beauty of the small “Blue Lake” or “Emerald Lake”, which owes its aquamarine emerald color of the water to the calcified and fossilized organisms of its bottom. Continuing on the path, the vegetation thickens and the ground is steeper. Here, one can see the second waterfall of Skra that falls with thunder over the rocks creating a stunning natural landscape.

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On my way to physiotherapy

st raphael's chapel3Saints Raphael, Nikolaos and Irene chapel happens to be literally next door to my physiotherapist’s clinic. I always visit it briefly before my treatment. I pray to the Saints’ to illumine my physiotherapist and bless me with a speedy healing.

 

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The chapel is one of the many small shrines scattered here and there, in practically every neighbourhood in Greece, an important part of the Greek culture. If a family has a special devotion to a Saint, and most of them have, then they get a licence and build a chapel for the public, in the loving memory of a grandmother or grandfather. This is a responsibility for all generations to come and they pay particular attention to its  being always clean, well-cared and its candles lit, day after day.

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Passersby pause briefly for a respite from their hectic schedule, get inside, light a candle, add their own petitions and always end by offering thanks and prayers for the founder.

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Memory Eternal to Anastasios Tataridis for this chapel!

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