Category Archives: Photography

Romanian Pilgrimage: In the Footsteps of the Saints (III) – Sihăstria, Sihla and Secu Monasteries

Following last Friday’s celebration of the memory of Saint Theodora of Sihla, we continue our Romanian pilgrimage through the forests and monasteries that still bear witness to her life of prayer and ascetic struggle.

Leaving behind the holy city of Iași and the places associated with Saint Stephen the Great, our pilgrimage continued into Neamț County, one of Romania’s most remarkable monastic regions. Hidden among forests, mountains and secluded valleys lies a land that has nurtured generations of ascetics, spiritual fathers and saints, whose witness continues to inspire the Orthodox world today.

Our destination was a cluster of monasteries and hermitages closely associated with some of Romania’s most beloved saints: Saint Theodora of Sihla, Saint Elder Cleopa (Ilie) and Saint Elder Paisios (Olaru). Their lives transformed these forests into a living school of prayer, making this region one of the foremost pilgrimage destinations in Romania.

Sihăstria Monastery

Our first stop was Sihăstria Monastery, one of the best-known monasteries in Neamț County, situated in the historical region of Moldavia. Founded in 1655, it has grown into a large monastic complex comprising the old church, the new katholikon, the monks’ cemetery, the bell tower, the winter chapel, the ecclesiastical museum, the library, accommodation for both monks and pilgrims, and a shop offering religious books and devotional items.

Surrounded by forests of remarkable natural beauty, Sihăstria has long been a place of prayer, asceticism and spiritual guidance. It is especially associated with Saint Elder Cleopa (Ilie) and Saint Elder Paisios (Olaru), two of the most revered Romanian elders of the twentieth century, whose wisdom and holiness continue to draw pilgrims from throughout Romania and beyond.

On Sundays and great feast days, thousands of faithful come to Sihăstria, continuing a deeply rooted Romanian tradition of pilgrimage to the country’s great monasteries. Even today, the monastery remains a vibrant spiritual centre where the ancient hesychast tradition is still very much alive.

The Church of Saint Theodora of Sihla

Within the grounds of Sihăstria Monastery stands the Holy Church of Saint Theodora of Sihla, dedicated to one of Romania’s most beloved women saints and greatest ascetics.

The church honours the memory of the seventeenth-century hermit who withdrew into the forests and mountains of Neamț to dedicate her life entirely to prayer, fasting and unceasing communion with God. Today, pilgrims visit this peaceful sanctuary before continuing to her nearby hermitage and the cave where she spent many years in solitude.

The simplicity and serenity of the church beautifully reflect the hidden life of the saint whose witness continues to inspire countless pilgrims seeking a deeper life of prayer.

Saint Theodora of Sihla, one of Romania’s most beloved saints and greatest women ascetics, was born in the region of Neamț during the first half of the seventeenth century. After she and her husband mutually chose to embrace the monastic life, Theodora entered the Skete of Poiana Mărului, where she soon became known for her obedience, humility and deep life of prayer.

Following the destruction of her monastery during the Ottoman incursions, she withdrew into the forests and mountains of Sihla, where, with the blessing of the elders of Sihăstria, she lived as a hermit for more than thirty years. Sustained by prayer, fasting and complete trust in God’s providence, she devoted her life entirely to Christ. According to Romanian tradition, birds brought her bread, while the spring beside her cave provided her with water—a place still known today as Saint Theodora’s Spring.

Shortly before her repose, she received Holy Communion for the last time and peacefully surrendered her soul to God. She was buried beside the cave where she had spent the greater part of her ascetic life, and her tomb soon became a place of pilgrimage. Although her holy relics were later transferred to the Kyiv Caves Lavra, her hermitage, cave and spring continue to draw pilgrims from across Romania and throughout the Orthodox world.

Standing in these silent forests today, one begins to understand why Saint Theodora chose this hidden wilderness. It remains a place where the stillness of nature quietly speaks of a life wholly dedicated to God.

Saints Paisios (Olaru) and Cleopa (Ilie)

Sihăstria Monastery is inseparably linked with two of Romania’s most beloved spiritual fathers of the twentieth century: Saint Elder Paisios (Olaru) and Saint Elder Cleopa (Ilie). Through their lives of prayer, humility and wise spiritual counsel, both elders attracted countless pilgrims and became guiding lights for generations of Orthodox Christians.

Today, their holy relics rest within the monastery, while their preserved monastic cells continue to bear silent witness to lives wholly dedicated to Christ. Pilgrims from across Romania and far beyond come to venerate their relics, visit the humble places where they lived, and seek inspiration from their enduring spiritual legacy.

Saint Paisios (Olaru)

Saint Elder Paisios (Olaru) (1897–1990) was one of Romania’s most beloved spiritual fathers and confessors. Renowned for his profound humility, gentleness and gift of spiritual discernment, he devoted his life to hearing confessions, comforting the afflicted and quietly guiding countless souls towards Christ. Although he sought no recognition, his holiness became known throughout Romania, and pilgrims travelled great distances simply to receive his blessing and fatherly counsel. His peaceful presence and unwavering trust in God’s mercy continue to inspire Orthodox Christians today.

Saint Cleopa (Ilie)

Saint Elder Cleopa (Ilie) (1912–1998) is widely regarded as one of the greatest Romanian elders of the twentieth century. A gifted preacher, theologian and spiritual father, he combined deep asceticism with remarkable pastoral wisdom, making the treasures of the Orthodox faith accessible to thousands through his sermons, writings and personal conversations. His life at Sihăstria Monastery, marked by humility, prayer and fearless witness during difficult times, has left an enduring legacy that continues to attract pilgrims from around the world.

The preserved monastic cells and personal belongings of Saints Elders Paisios (Olaru) and Cleopa (Ilie).

ΓΕΡΩΝ ΘΕΟΚΛΗΤΟΣ ΣΤΗ ΡΟΥΜΑΝΙΑ ΓΙΑ ΑΓΙΟ ΠΑΙΣΙΟ

 Conferință și concert bizantin și coral la Hramul Parohiei Sfântul Ștefan cel Mare, Iași” on YouTube

The Hermitage of Saint Theodora of Sihla

Leaving Sihăstria Monastery behind, our pilgrimage continued through the forests towards one of Romania’s most cherished places of prayer—the Hermitage of Saint Theodora of Sihla.

Hidden among the cliffs and dense woodland, this peaceful retreat marks the place where Saint Theodora spent the greater part of her ascetic life in solitude and unceasing prayer. Nearby are the cave where she lived and the spring that, according to tradition, sustained her throughout those many years in the wilderness.

Even today, the silence of these forests invites every pilgrim to pause, pray, and remember that holiness often blossoms far from the noise of the world.

Photographs of the Church of Saint Theodora of Sihla, currently under construction at the Holy Monastery of Sihla in Romania

Neamț Monastery

Our pilgrimage next brought us to Neamț Monastery, the oldest and one of the most important monastic foundations in the historical region of Moldavia. Often referred to as the “Jerusalem of Romanian Orthodoxy,” it has served for centuries as a great centre of prayer, theological learning and monastic culture.

Its magnificent katholikon was built by Saint Stephen the Great in 1497, while the monastery’s renowned library—one of the oldest and richest monastic libraries in Romania, preserving more than 18,000 volumes—bears witness to its enduring contribution to the spiritual and intellectual life of the Romanian Orthodox Church.

Today, Neamț Monastery remains one of Romania’s foremost pilgrimage destinations, where centuries of prayer continue to shape the life of the monastery and all who visit it.

The Ecclesiastical School

Within the grounds of Neamț Monastery is the Ecclesiastical School, where future clergy, monastics and church workers continue to receive their theological and spiritual formation. It stands as a reminder that Romania’s great monasteries have long been centres not only of prayer, but also of learning, preserving the Orthodox faith through education as well as worship.

Putna Monastery

Our pilgrimage next brought us to Putna Monastery, one of Romania’s greatest spiritual treasures and the heart of Bucovina. Founded in 1466 by Saint Stephen the Great (Voivode), it became both the spiritual centre of his kingdom and the place he chose for his own burial.

More than five centuries later, Putna remains a living monastery and one of the foremost pilgrimage destinations in Romania. Surrounded by the peaceful forests of Bucovina, it continues to draw countless pilgrims who come to venerate the tomb of Saint Stephen the Great, revered not only as a remarkable ruler, but also as a saint whose life united courage, humility and profound faith in Christ.

One of the highlights of our visit was the Museum of Putna Monastery, which preserves an outstanding collection of manuscripts, icons, embroidered vestments, liturgical vessels and other treasures of medieval Moldavia. Together they bear witness to the remarkable spiritual, artistic and cultural heritage that flourished under Saint Stephen’s patronage.

Standing before his tomb, one quickly understands why Putna has remained a place of prayer, remembrance and hope for generations of Orthodox Christians. It is not simply a monument to the past, but a living witness to the enduring faith of the Romanian people.

Photographs: Putna Monastery; the Tomb of Saint Stephen the Great (Voivode); the Chapel of the Holy Relics; the Holy Relics of Saint John of Trebizond; the Museum of Putna Monastery; and the monastery grounds.

The outdoor sanctuary where the Divine Liturgy and other liturgical services are celebrated.

The Chapel of the Holy Relics at Putna Monastery.

The Holy Relics of Saint John of Trebizond, whose feast we had celebrated at his monastery only a few days earlier.

As we left the forests of Neamț and Bucovina behind, one impression remained above all others. Every monastery we visited, every hermitage hidden among the trees, every saint whose relics we venerated, bore witness to the same enduring truth: holiness is born in a life centred on Christ.

From the hidden asceticism of Saint Theodora of Sihla, to the gentle wisdom of Saints Paisios (Olaru) and Cleopa (Ilie), and finally to the steadfast faith of Saint Stephen the Great, this part of our pilgrimage became far more than a journey through beautiful monasteries. It became a journey through living examples of prayer, humility, perseverance and unwavering trust in God. May their prayers accompany us, and may their lives encourage us to seek, each in our own circumstances, the same path that leads to Christ.


As our pilgrimage through Romania drew to its close, we departed with far more than photographs and memories. We left carrying the quiet witness of a land where monasteries still breathe with prayer, where the lives of the saints remain deeply woven into the life of the people, and where history continues to speak through places sanctified by faith and sacrifice.

From the holy city of Iași to the forests of Neamț and Bucovina, from the hidden cave of Saint Theodora of Sihla to the humble cells of Saints Paisios (Olaru) and Cleopa (Ilie), and finally to the tomb of Saint Stephen the Great at Putna, each step of the journey revealed another facet of Romania’s rich Orthodox heritage. Different centuries, different vocations and different circumstances, yet all bore witness to the same Gospel lived with faithfulness and love.

Perhaps that is the greatest gift of pilgrimage. It reminds us that holiness is never confined to one place or one age. The saints whom we honour were ordinary men and women who responded wholeheartedly to God’s call, and their witness continues to encourage all who seek Christ today.

As we returned home, we carried with us not only admiration for Romania’s monasteries and sacred treasures, but also gratitude for the living faith that continues to sustain them. May the prayers of all the saints of Romania strengthen our own pilgrimage, until we too reach the heavenly homeland, where every earthly pilgrimage finds its true fulfilment.

Romanian Pilgrimage: In the Footsteps of the Saints (II) – From Iași to Secu Monastery

Today the Church ascends Mount Tabor. A blessed day to continue our pilgrimage*!

Prayer, Memory and Sacrifice

After the celebrations in honour of Saint Stephen the Great, our pilgrimage through Romania continued with visits to several of Iași’s most treasured holy places.

Our first stop was the Church of Saint Nektarios of Pentapolis, one of the city’s newer churches, where countless faithful gather to seek the prayers of one of the most beloved saints of the modern Orthodox world.

From there we made our way to the magnificent Church of Saint Parascheva of Epivates, the spiritual heart of Iași and the resting place of the incorrupt relics of Romania’s beloved patroness. Throughout the year, pilgrims from across Romania and far beyond come here to venerate the saint whose life of humility and holiness continues to inspire generations of Orthodox Christians.

*Back in 2020, I was surrounded by Romanian saints again!

Beneath the church lies the beautifully arranged Ecclesiastical Museum, whose collections preserve centuries of Romanian Orthodox history through manuscripts, icons, liturgical vessels, vestments and other treasures of the Church. More than a museum, it offers visitors a quiet glimpse into the rich spiritual heritage of the Romanian people.

The Church of the Holy Mandylion of Our Lord and the Holy Brâncoveanu Martyrs

Before leaving Iași, we visited one of the city’s newest Orthodox churches, the Church of the Holy Mandylion of Our Lord and the Holy Brâncoveanu Martyrs. Consecrated in 2021, it is distinguished by its magnificent mosaics, beautifully crafted stained-glass windows and harmonious architectural design.

What makes this church especially remarkable is that many of its mosaics and stained-glass windows were created on site through the dedicated work of the parish priest’s family together with volunteers from the local parish community—a beautiful expression of faith offered through craftsmanship.

The church also features an unusual architectural design. The floor slopes gently towards the sanctuary, allowing even those standing at the very back to participate fully in the Divine Services with an unobstructed view of the Holy Altar.

It is a striking example of how artistic beauty, community dedication and thoughtful pastoral care can come together in the building of a contemporary Orthodox church.

Photographs: The Church of the Holy Mandylion of Our Lord and the Holy Brâncoveanu Martyrs.

Leaving Iași behind, we travelled westward into the wooded hills of Neamț County, one of Romania’s great monastic regions. There, surrounded by forests that have sheltered generations of monks and hermits, stands the historic Secu Monastery, where prayer, history and sacrifice meet remarkably.

Nestled deep within the forests of Neamț County, Secu Monastery is one of Romania’s oldest and most beautiful monastic communities. Hidden in the quiet valley of the River Secu, it has remained a place of prayer and spiritual life for almost five centuries.

Its origins date back to the beginning of the sixteenth century, when a small group of hermits settled in this secluded valley under the guidance of Hieroschemamonk Zosima from nearby Neamț Monastery. Around 1530, they established Zosima’s Hermitage, and a few years later, the Moldavian ruler Petru Rareș built a church for the growing community. His wife, Princess Elena, later enclosed the hermitage with strong stone walls, parts of which still survive today beside the monastery cemetery.

During the following decades, the monastery steadily expanded, receiving generous support from successive rulers of Moldavia. What had begun as a tiny hermitage gradually developed into one of the most important spiritual centres of the region, preserving an unbroken tradition of Orthodox monastic life that continues to this day.

Yet Secu Monastery is remembered not only for its peaceful monastic witness, but also for one of the most moving chapters in modern Greek history.

On 3 July, a memorial service was celebrated at Secu Monastery in honour of the Greek heroes who fell here during the Greek War of Independence.

It was within these monastery walls, in September 1821, that the revolutionary leaders Georgakis Olympios and Ioannis Farmakis, together with their remaining companions, made their final stand against overwhelming Ottoman forces. Choosing death rather than surrender, they transformed the monastery into a place forever linked with both martyrdom and freedom.

The memorial service was held at the very site of their sacrifice and beside their graves. It was a deeply moving act of remembrance and gratitude towards those whose courage marked the closing chapter of the Greek struggle in the Danubian Principalities.

Standing in this quiet monastery today, it is difficult to imagine the violence that once shattered its silence. Yet perhaps that contrast itself speaks most eloquently. The same walls that once echoed with the sounds of battle now resound with prayer, reminding every pilgrim that sacrifice offered for Christ, for freedom, and for one’s neighbour is never forgotten.

Memory eternal to the heroes of Secu Monastery!

May the prayers of all the saints of Romania strengthen our own pilgrimage, until we too reach the heavenly homeland, where every earthly pilgrimage finds its true fulfilment.

May the uncreated light of the Transfigured Christ illumine our hearts, strengthen our faith, and guide us on the path of salvation. May we faithfully hear His voice, follow His Gospel, and reflect His glory in our lives. Blessed Feast of the Holy Transfiguration!

The Joyous Pustinik Comes Back — Day 4, Part 2

Friday the 12th, part 2. Panorama monastery is very beautiful. Set up in the hills above Thessaloniki, one can see the bay. Indeed, we can see over to the place (1) where St. Paisios rests. We venerated Elder Symeon’s tomb (2).

We had two hours of great wisdom. Followed by the blessing from the Hegumenos I. Our discussions were focused on the teachings of St. Simeon the New Theologian, sharing mystical experiences centred on humility.

The teachings of St. Simeon the New Theologian draw heavily from the Desert Fathers. Direct experience of God is something to which all Christians should aim and indeed aspire. The teachings which I read many years ago from St. Symeon the Theologian came flooding back, and the discussion made me want to revisit the books which were formative in my embrace of Orthodoxy. Indeed, the power of the Holy Spirit to change lives is real, and to change individuals, to transform them, and to transform situations in which we find ourselves sometimes feeling rather hopeless.

A theme which, at this time, post-Pentecost days, has been realised in many churches where young people are beginning to return to the church. There is a revival of hope.

The conversation echoed a previous thought about the need for solitude of one‘s self within that space where God exists. If one wants to become a channel of divine grace to others, but this is God’s grace. It is nothing to do with ourselves. It is not ours.

We are nothing, but God makes us something. It’s simply a yes to God in all circumstances. St. Simeon the Theologian emphasises the need to listen to the advice of your spiritual father.

The priest Lev Gillet, in his book, called Encounter at the Well, discusses the situation that our Lord found himself in with a Samaritan woman. Christ, wearied by his journey, asks for some water at Jacob’s well. The martyr St. Philoumenos, who was a priest at the well, was with us in the evening in the form of little prayer cards, those magnetic ones which you attach to your fridges, which we had received earlier in the week from a priest.

We were able to give these to the children. The T family came to greet us, to share their love amongst us, to take a blessing and to sing for us. It was like refreshing water on a hot day.

We Christians thirst for God, and we receive him in fellowship, amongst others who are like-minded. He gives abundantly of His life and of His life-giving spring. The evening concluded with a late meal with M, E, G or J, depending on what you wanted to call him, and A. It was a joyous conclusion to a day of deep discussion, shared experiences, and surprising connections that we made.

Although we should not be surprised by those connections, since we have the same Lord, we have the same Christ, and because in His great love and humility for us, He calls us His friends. Amen.

*

(1) Souroti, the Monastery of St. John the Theologian.

(2) Elder Symeon Kragiopoulos tomb in the monastery. I have posted in the past about this holy elder I had the privilege to meet in my life. I owe him so much! https://orthodoxcityhermit.com/2017/10/01/his-eyes-a-flame-of-fire/

About his life and teachings, visit https://pemptousia.com/2016/07/a-man-of-god-father-symeon-krayiopoulos/

https://pemptousia.com/2016/07/the-silent-assemblies-of-father-symeon-krayopoulos/

https://pemptousia.com/2016/07/father-symeon-a-servant-of-the-holy-mystery-of-confession/

https://pemptousia.com/2016/07/the-center-of-theology-of-father-symeon-krayiopoulos/

https://pemptousia.com/2016/07/father-symeon-he-never-advertised-never-proselytized/

https://pemptousia.com/2016/08/father-symeon-krayopoulos-are-you-afraid-of-death/

The Joyous Pustinik Comes Back — Day 3, Part 1

Thursday the 11th of June, the Feast of St. Luke Symferoupol and the revelation of Axion Estin by the angel Gabriel. 

The journey to St. Kyriaki monastery was quite eventful. St. Kyriaki monastery is where a number of our Antiochian nuns found themselves.

At one point in the journey, engrossed as we were, in deep conversation and with the Paraklesis of St. Luke Symferoupol providing the background ison to our talk, we took a wrong road. My fault, I’m afraid, as I was the co-pilot, supposed to be directing the way.

The sign Local Road did not really do justice to the rather barely marked track that we found ourselves on in this huge field. However, Sat Nav came to the rescue and revealed to us the way that we should go. We needed a U-turn.

U-turns can be life-saving in a religious and a spiritual point of view, from sin and death and the roads which lead to destruction, to the way that leads to Paradise. 

A reliable source told me how beautiful this place was, and indeed there was no hyperbole from that source. 

This beautiful monastery, which is really a hidden gem amidst the beautiful countryside, reminded me of the Hymns of Resurrection from St. Ephraim, also a Syrian.

In his Hymn to the Resurrection, chapter 15, verse 10, he writes this: 

“Let us summon and invite the saints, 

the martyrs, apostles and prophets, 

whose own blossoms and flowers 

shine out like themselves –

such a wealth of roses they have, 

so fragrant are their lilies:

from the Garden of Delights do they pluck them, 

and they bring back fair bunches 

to crown our beautiful feast. 

O praise to You from the saints who are blessed.” 

Sister T told us how the nuns came to be there, and it reminded me of another verse from St. Ephraim the Syrian, verse 12, in the same poem:

“Receive our offering, O our King, 

and in return grant us salvation;

give peace to the land that has been devastated,

rebuild the churches that were burned, 

so that when deep peace has returned, 

we may plait you a great wreath, 

with flowers and people to plait it,

coming in from all sides

so that the Lord of Peace may be crowned. 

Blessed is He who has acted and is able to act.”

*

For those of you who missed it, the story of the Sisters of War and St. Kyriaki monastery in Veria can be read here

The Nuns from Syria to Veria

“Dedication to Christ is the joy of life,” Mother Maria will answer me, instantly solving the questions about the smiling faces of the women in their cassocks. The thriving convent she now runs once languished with only two very old nuns.

The Sisters found refuge from the war in Syria. An old bond brought them here

I had heard a lot, but I couldn’t separate the legend from the truth. I had to wander the plain of Veria. To forget myself for a while in the blooming peach trees – the ones that filled Instagram at the end of March – to pass, full of curiosity, the heavy iron door of the Monastery of Agia Kyriaki. And to face the truth in the bright faces of women of all ages.

In the monastery’s mansion, Arabic coffee awaited me with treats from Aleppo. Yes, from Syria. The nuns pronounce Greek with small – I would say charming – grammatical errors that testify that their mother tongue is different.

Gerasimi is a graduate of Fine Arts. She elaborately decorates the candles for the Resurrection – their sale is a significant source of income for the small monastery.

“God’s Will”

The war in Syria brought here, to Loutro Imathias, an entire sisterhood of nuns from Aleppo. Aleppo, which was also called Veria during the Byzantine Empire. Luck, fate or divine providence?

For my interlocutors, everything is “God’s will”. And one name is constantly on their lips: Paul! The missing Metropolitan of Aleppo.

On Holy Monday 2013, Paul of Aleppo, returning to Syria from Alexandretta in Turkey, decided to go to a village to try to free locals for whom the rebels were demanding ransom. He was accompanied by the Jacobite bishop Yuhanna.

On the way, the two hierarchs were ambushed. Their driver was murdered and they were kidnapped. Everyone then thought that the kidnapping was the work of ISIS jihadists. The State Department rewarded the kidnappers with 5 million dollars. After all, Paul was the fleshly brother of the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East John.Thirteen years since then, the fate of the two archpriests continues to be unknown. But back to the Monastery of Agia Kyriaki, Pavlos is so “present” in all the stories!

“Missing Father” – “He encouraged me to go to the School of Fine Arts.” “He wanted us to study first and then become a nun.” “He showed me the way to iconography.” “He insisted that we learn Greek, the language of the Fathers.” This is what the sisters say of Metropolitan Pavlos of Aleppo, whose fate has been unknown since 2013, when he was kidnapped.

Emiliani and Iliani were taught the art of needlework in Ormylia, the women’s monastery of Simonopetra. Monks from Simonopetra on Mount Athos are still their spiritual leaders today. 

Ten were the first nuns – from the Monastery of the Annunciation of the Theotokos in Aleppo – who found refuge here. “Like Noah who landed his sea-swept ark on Ararat,” I will hear one evening.

All from families of old Romans, that is, citizens of the Byzantine Empire who gradually became Arabic-speaking.

Most from the Valley of the Christians, a natural valley, as large as Kos, near the border with Lebanon.

Philothei rings the monastery bells. For centuries, events in monasteries have been announced by rhythmic metal or wooden sounds that lead the brotherhoods to the Katholicon, a chapel, or the refectory.

Every time they went to distribute medicine and food, the locals would exclaim: “For the sake of Deir el Bisara” – “the nuns of the Annunciation are coming!”

A liturgy in two languages ​​– The Arabic psalms, in the monastery church, are “married” with invocations in Greek: “Lord of Hosts, have mercy on us”. With pilgrims from Alexandria and Veria recognising the same prayer in different words and rejoicing.

But how did the nuns of war find their way to the humble and then unknown Agia Kyriaki?

The current Metropolitan of Veria Panteleimon, in the early 1990s, served as a hieromonk in Thessaloniki. And he had the Syrian Pavlos as his deacon. A graduate of the famous Theological Seminary of Balamand and the Polytechnic University of Latakia – who was then completing his doctorate in theology, while also studying Byzantine music. Paul then became a monk on Mount Athos, where he studied iconography under the most famous iconographers of Athos.

Sister Nikodimi studied Dentistry in Syria. In Greece, she obtained a master’s degree in psychological support for children with cancer and chronic diseases.

Over the years, the hieromonk became the metropolitan of Veria and the deacon the metropolitan of Aleppo. And during the war, he asked his counterpart in Veria for shelter for his spiritual daughters.

One of the photographs of the Metropolitan of Aleppo before his kidnapping in Syria 

The Sisterhood

Thirteen years since then, the sisterhood has thrived and now numbers twenty nuns and four novices.

Hieronymi shows the fruits from the sisterhood orchard to Stavros Theodorakis. The monastery’s “development” plan is to create new cells for the nuns and an orchard with fruit trees and gardens with medicinal herbs. Apple, apricot, and cherry trees have already been planted, and once the cold weather passes, sage, verbena, rosemary, and oregano will follow, on terraces.

And at my Lenten table they serve makhlouta* with red lentils, cumin, and vegetables from the sisterhood’s vegetable garden.

Next to me, the reader, standing, commemorates Pavlos in the present tense.

As if he is absent for a while and they are waiting for him to return.

* Makhlouta means “mix” in Arabic, and that’s exactly what this soup is: a mix of beans and grains, simmered slowly.

Translated from Kathimerini

Photos by Olympia Krasagaki — Text/ Interviews by Stavros Theodorakis — 06.04.2026

The story of the Sisters of War was broadcast by “Protagonists” on Holy Wednesday evening 2026 and can be watched on YouTube here with Arabic and Greek subtitles: Πρωταγωνιστές | Βέροια – Ιερά Μονή Αγίας Κυριακής Λουτρού – 08/04/2026

The Joyous Pustinik Comes Back — Day 2, Part 2

Wednesday 10th, Part 2. 

Even though it is is 31C, it is raining. One of our friends said, “you have brought the rain with you from Manchester.” Indeed, but I drank from the fountain of Christ’s Mercy.

St Efraim the Syrian writes: 

“Thanksgiving be to Him who caused a stream to flow forth 

in the mouths that had been closed,

so that they might give praise without end, through the Son, 

to the worshipful Father.”

Nisiben hymns 69

The evening was spent in conversation with Sister A and S at C’s house. The conversation was pastoral in nature, and the conversation revolved around the vicissitudes of life that we all suffer. Set within that larger framework of God’s divine plan.

It is a blessing to share one another’s burdens and to focus on our faith, our common heritage, within a world which often has taken the wrong direction and that is searching for answers. St Paul, in his letter to the Galatians in chapter 6 v. 2, writes, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” So, in acceptance of these words, we were indeed bearing one another’s burdens, and in so doing, fulfilling that law of Christ, to love God and to love one’s neighbour.

St Porphyrios says, “Christ is everything.” So, we should not add or subtract anything to our Christian faith, since, by adding, we compromise, and by subtracting, we fall short of that perfection which God calls us to. C.S. Lewis calls this “Mere Christianity.” To Wormwood, his nephew, in the Screwtape Letters, he says, what we must do is to keep them in the state of mind I call ‘Christianity and …’, you know, ‘Christianity and Crisis’, ‘Christianity and the New Psychology’, ‘Christianity and the New Order.’” To add to that, perhaps ‘Christianity and Politics.’

The horror of the same old thing is one of the most valuable passions we have produced in the human heart. It creates an endless source of heresies. Pure Christianity, with nothing added and nothing taken away, we find in the monasteries.

C.S. Lewis writes again: “just as we pick out and exaggerate the pleasure of eating to produce gluttony, so we pick out the natural pleasantness of change and twist it into a demand for absolute novelty.” 

Original, authentic and unadulterated Christianity does not need nor seek approval of the world, or indeed embrace its passing fads and fashions and fantasies. It remains steadfast to apostolic order, to true doctrine and to the living tradition.

Any movement that is required is impelled by the action of the All-Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Joyous Pustinik Comes Back — Day 2, Part 1

Wednesday 10th June.

“Now the enemy’s philosophy is nothing more nor less than one confirmed attempt to evade this very obvious truth. He aims at a contradiction.

The good of one’s self is to be the good of another. This impossibility he calls love. He is not content even himself to be a sheer arithmetical unity.

He claims to be three as well as one, in order that this nonsense about love may find a foothold in his own nature.” C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters.

Loving others is that impossible contradiction that we live as Christians. It requires on our part effort, time, perseverance and patience. These four virtues, cultivated by a little hope, will bring forth fruit.

Today the tenth is the feast of St. John Maximovich, who planted the seed of love in the New World, and indeed also in the eastern world, of which his fruit can be seen today in the USA and in the UK, and in many parts where he was present.

The growth of Orthodoxy is witnessed amongst our young people. It was on this day in 1993 that we, Pilgrims to Orthodoxy, met Patriarch Ignatius IV of thrice-blessed memory. We met him in Paris with these virtues and with equal hope, and he greeted us with “Welcome home.”

Home is more than a place. It is a people. It is being among others in that “arithmetical nonsense” where three are one, and one is three.

The resolute and formidable cost of being a Christian, in the early days of the Byzantine Empire, was evidenced today in the Catacombs (1) and the Baptistry of St. John the Baptist, which we visited today, next to Hagia Sophia Church. Burials, liturgies and prayers were carried on side by side in these underground chambers. These Catacombs were connected to one another, to other catacombs of St Demetrius and Hagia Sophia. There was no separation, not even in death.

Earlier on in the day, we visited the churches of St. Nicholas Orphanos (2) and St. Elias, both early 14th-century Byzantine churches with the most beautiful ancient frescoes. At St. Nicholas’s church, there was a constant stream of visitors. Listening to the accents, we heard English, Romanian and German, and like us, they were leaving names of their loved ones to be remembered at the Holy Liturgy.

We also met F., an elderly lady who looked after the St. Nikolaos Orphanos gardens. She asked for a blessing and also that we may remember her son, N.

At St. Elias’s church (3), the parish priest gave us gifts. May he be blessed.

Our Lord is recorded as saying to the Pharisees that if his followers are silenced, even the stones will cry out, and indeed, they do.

Walking in the midday heat, in a rason*, carrying a bag, takes its toll on the body, especially when you have age on your side. But it was a price well worth the experience of visiting prayer-soaked places of worship.

A living metaphor for my morning travels was the lovely tortoise we saw in the grounds of St. Nicholas’s church. Slow and resolute in her circumambulation of the church, carrying her home wherever she went. We saw her and followed her until it was time to make our own way back home.

*

(1) Catacombs of St. John the Baptist

The Catacombs of St. John the Baptist are located south of the Church of Hagia Sophia, underneath the street. Entering the gardens of the catacombs, one can see the ruins of the nymphaeum, a spring dedicated to the nymphs, as well as the thermal baths dating from Roman times. The nymphaeum was converted into a holy water spring during the Christian times, and an underground worship place was built there, in honour of St. John the Baptist.

This Catacomb belongs to the greater secret communication system of Thessaloniki, which has not been fully explored yet! Actually, it consists of numerous catacombs and tunnels, used by the first Christians to practice their worship. One can reach them through the Temple of Saint John the Baptist, hence the name. There are also remnants of the early Christian church.

(2) Church of Agios Nikolaos Orfanos

The church of Agios Nikolaos Orphanos is located at the district of Ano Poli Thessaloniki, near the eastern walls, between the streets Apostolou Pavlou and Irodotou. It used to be the catholicon of a Monastery, from which a small part of the entrance of the propylon. 

We encounter the name Agios Nikolaos Orphanos in two patriarchal documents, in 1635 and 1638, of the Monastery Vlatadon, which was its metochi already from the period of the Turkish Occupation, and to historical sources of 1745.

The origin of the name has intrigued a lot of researchers. For some the name Agios Nikolaos Orphanos is related to the name of the founder of the church which belonged to the family of Orphanos. But it is also related to Saint Nicholas, who showed great care for widows and orphans (Orfanos meaning orphan).

The present day view accepts as the founder of the church the Serbian king Milutin, who had developed intense building activity in Thessaloniki. To this view lead us wall paintings in the church with Agios Georgios Gorgos and Clement of Ochrid, saints that were specially honored in Serbia. The close relations of Milutin with Thessaloniki is due to the fact that he was married to the Byzantine princess Simonis, daughter of empress Irene Palaiologina, who lived in the city.

Nowadays, the church has the form of an oblong, wooden-roofed hall, which is surrounded on three sides with a portico. The portico on the east ends in two chapels.

At the interior of the church the marble screen dates from the period the church was founded, while the capitals date from the Early Christian period.

The church’s excellent wall paintings, frescoes, are true masterpieces and are the best preserved compared with the ones in other churches of Thessaloniki. They date from 1310-1320. Among them, apart the ones dealing with the life of Christ, of particular interest are the themes of Akathist Hymn and the lives of Agios Nikolaos and Agios Gerasimos Ioardanitis.

(3) Church of Prophet Elijah (Profitis Elias)

The church of Prophet Elijah, at some point the catholicon of a monastery, is at a close distance from the basilica of Agios Dimitrios and is one of the most important examples of church architecture from the Palaeologan period (1261-1453) in Thessaloniki.

Its dedication to Prophet Elijah is a more recent one and is because of a corruption of the Turkish name of the mosque Serayli Camii or because the church is built on a hill, where they usually build churches dedicated to the Prophet. According to the most prevalent view the church was initially dedicated to Christ, as it is evident by the numerous Christological scenes that are depicted at the narthex. It is possible that it is identified with the well-known in the sources Monastery of Akapniou.

Its architectural type, four-columned, cross-in-square church with semi-circular conches on the northern and southern side (side choirs), is unique in Thessaloniki. This type is called Athonite triconch. Easy and west of the choirs, four compartments are added. The two eastern ones are the sacristies, and the two western chapels. These are roofed by domes of smaller dimensions than the huge central one. On the west there is the so-called “liti”, that is spacious narthex, necessary for the funational needs of the catholicons of the monasteries. In the years 1956-1961 there were restoration works at the dome, the portico, the chapels and some Turkish additions were removed.

At the interior some wall paintings of the 14th century (1360-1370) still survive, where scenes from the Life of Christ dominate, as well as isolated saints.

* The rasson (also spelled rason, exorasson, or ryassa) is the voluminous, wide-sleeved outer cassock worn by priests, deacons, and monks in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches.

NEAR-DEATH MONASTERY MIRACLES

Conversion miracles, War/ Persecution miracles, Secret Christians

We visited a monastery, where a young British man who wanted to become a catechumen “accidentally” met a British Orthodox priest who was visiting the same morning and “happened” to be a parish priest very near this young man’s hometown. Last but not least, they had booked the same return flight to the UK that Saturday! So, this young man had his first 3 catechesis lessons that morning!

The nuns of war.

From Aleppo to …

Years ago, it was a deserted monastery with only two nuns. But in 2013, the war in Syria brought here a sisterhood from Aleppo. These nuns have experienced the war, and each has a moving story to share. This monastery is now vibrantly alive, full of radiant Joy and warm Love.

All of the sisters have studied at Syrian universities – from Fine Arts to Economics – all come from old Christian families, and most of them have postgraduate degrees in Theology, which they have studied in Greek Universities. Pavlos, the Metropolitan of Aleppo, their spiritual Father, asked them to come here.

This is a monastery where Arabic hymns and psalms mingle along with Greek prayers. But what is most amazing and I have never encountered before in any other monastery I have visited, is their joy and love. This radiant Joy and love are a fruit of their obedience to their spiritual father in everything, and especially to his word. This is what a sister told us: “The most important thing is that Joy in a person, being joyful, is a decision. When we are not joyful in this life, it is a sin against God and His love.

When I was in Thessaloniki, I can’t remember because it’s just one, visiting from one monastery to another, and the spiritual fragrance of those places is filled with the living Christ. I met a Gerontas. I won’t tell you his name because I know some know him, but some believe he is a saint already. And when you are next to a saint, you know it. Remember, Orthodoxy is very physical. I wanted to be near him, because you could feel holiness. He told us a story about a woman from Canada. She was Chinese. And she had a dream of this face, of this Geronda. She had this dream every night for four years in Canada. Four years. Every night, this Geronda would come in her dream and say, “Come see me. I don’t have so much time.” She didn’t know who he was. She didn’t know where he lived. So she went and had a car, and she went on a tour of monasteries in northern Greece. Until she arrived at this particular monastery, where Gerontas lived, “Ah, here you are”. (And then, this Gerontas made particular arrangements for her to be properly catechised and baptised back in Canada with a priest next door to her own house!) You see, there are some hidden Christians.

This Gerontas goes and secretly baptises people in Turkey. There are secret Christians. There are people who want to become Christians. Many Muslims, rather than going to Greece, go to Romania, perhaps.

Other little miracles happened during my stay in Thessaloniki. I asked Gerontas for a word. It’s a tradition in Greece to say, “Give me a word.” Do you have this tradition? He didn’t say anything. He took a sweet out of his pocket and gave it to me. And I knew what he meant. He said, Give, feed people with the sweetness of Christ. You see, he doesn’t speak English. And I don’t speak very much Greek, so he just gave me a sweet. Simplicity is the beauty of Orthodoxy.

This same Gerontas shared with us another monastery miracle. Many years ago, on Mount Athos, a small boat with monks and doctors met another small boat with some Italian students. One of them was so impressed with the holiness of the Fathers that he swapped boats and followed them to their monastery pilgrimage. Years passed by, communication continued between this Gerontas and this Italian student, miracles happened to his family with Gerontas’ prayers, including saving his father’s life from cancer, and now this Gerontas visited him in Italy and made arrangements for his catechism and baptism, again next door, by an Orthodox Italian hieromonk, a former Uniate priest and now a member of Gerontas’ synodeia.

Pilgrimage to Georgia – Day 2: Mtskheta and Jvari

Pilgrimage to Georgia – Day 2: Mtskheta and Jvari

With God’s help, our group continues the pilgrimage to Georgia.

The day began with a journey to the ancient capital of Mtskheta, a place sanctified by centuries of Christian witness and home to several of the most revered holy sites in the country.

1. Svetitskhoveli Cathedral – The Life-Giving Pillar

The group first visited Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, dedicated to the Twelve Apostles. The original church dates back to the 4th century and was commissioned by the first Christian rulers of Georgia: King Mirian and Queen Nana. The current building is from 11th century.

The Cathedral’s name means “the Life-Giving Pillar,” reflecting one of the most treasured holy traditions of the Georgian Church. According to ancient tradition, during the Crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ, a Georgian Jew named Elias was present in Jerusalem. He obtained the seamless robe of Christ from a Roman soldier and brought it back to Mtskheta. His sister, Sidonia, upon touching the garment, was overcome with divine grace and reposed immediately, clutching it to her breast. She was buried with the robe, which could not be separated from her.

Years later, when Saint Nino came to Georgia preaching Christ, she prayed over this burial site. A great cedar tree had grown there, and from it pillars were fashioned for the first church. One of the pillars, however, rose miraculously into the air and could not be set in place until Saint Nino spent the night in prayer. By God’s power, the pillar descended and began to stream myrrh, bringing healing to the faithful. Hence the name: the Life-Giving Pillar.

Icon depicting the miracle with the Life-giving Pillar

Burial place of the Robe of Christ and Sidonia

2. Samtavro Monastery – St Nino and St Gabriel

The group then moved to the ancient Samtavro Monastery, dedicated to the Transfiguration of our Lord.

This holy place is closely connected with Saint Nino. It was here, according to tradition, that she lived and prayed under a humble blackberry bush, establishing her ascetic dwelling while preaching Christ to the Georgian people. Even today, a chapel marks this place, preserving the memory of her quiet but powerful witness.

The monastery holds the relics of the great modern saint of Georgia, Saint Gabriel Ugrebadze who spent the final years of his life there. Known for his boldness, humility, and deep love for Christ, Saint Gabriel lived as a “fool for Christ,” enduring persecution during the Soviet era. His life was marked by repentance, simplicity, and unwavering faith, and many pilgrims come seeking his intercessions.

Chapel of St Nino at Samtavro Monastery

3. A Hidden Treasure – Antioch in Mtskheta

During the free time, part of the group, advised by a local priest who learned that we belong to the Antiochian Church, was led to a hidden treasure away from the main tourist routes: the small monastery, dedicated to Saint Stephen, also known locally as Antioch. Dating back to the 4th century (though rebuilt several times), it bears witness to the early ecclesiastical ties between Georgia and the Church of Antioch.

Before becoming autocephalous, the Georgian Church was under the jurisdiction of Antioch. This monastery is believed to have functioned as a metochion (kind of ecclesiastical representation or “embassy”) of the Antiochian bishops in the region.

The group was welcomed at the monastery by mother Sophia, one of the nuns, who kindly showed the faithful around and told the story of the monastery. For our group, this visit was a particularly meaningful reminder of the historical and spiritual connection between our Churches.

4. Jvari Monastery – The Holy Cross

The day concluded with a visit to Jvari Monastery, dedicated to the Holy Cross (“Jvari” in Georgian means Cross).

According to tradition, it was on this very hill that Saint Nino erected a wooden cross after the conversion of Georgia to Christianity in the 4th century. This cross became a sign of victory and protection for the newly illumined land. The present monastery, built in the 6th century, stands as a witness to that event, overlooking the confluence of the rivers and the ancient city of Mtshketa below.

Confluence of rivers: Mtkvari (Kura) and Aragvi rivers

Standing there, our group chanted “Christ is Risen!” and the Apolytikion of the Holy Cross, giving thanks to God for granting us to venerate these holy places.

On the way back to Tbilisi the group briefly visited the Chronicles of Georgia, created by the sculptor Zurab Tsereteli. This impressive monument stands on a hill overlooking Tbilisi. It is formed of large stone pillars richly carved with scenes: at the lower levels, biblical episodes from the life of Christ, and above them, figures from Georgian history, such as kings, saints, and other notable people, standing as witnesses to the faith and history of the nation.

Pilgrimage to Georgia — Day 1: Tbilisi

Christ is Risen!

With the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Silouan Oner, a group of 29 pilgrims from St George’s Cathedral, together with brothers and sisters from other Orthodox parishes in the UK, began a six day pilgrimage to Georgia, one of the most ancient Orthodox Christian lands.

The group departed London on the evening of 30 April and arrived in Tbilisi in the early hours of Friday 1 May after a five-hour flight.

Holy Trinity Cathedral – View from the Hotel

Walking Tbilisi

Our guide Beka welcomed the group at the airport and led them to the hotel for a short rest before the programme began. The hotel stands close to the magnificent Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi, which the group will visit the following day.

The day focused on a walking tour of the city.

Leaning Tower

The pilgrims crossed the Mtkvari River (Kura River as it’s known internationally) and passed the Berikaoba Sculpture of dancing people and historic Leaning Tower of Tbilisi before reaching the oldest surviving church in the city, the Christians have worshipped there continuously since the sixth century, apart from a short interruption during the Soviet period.

The church is closely connected with the Ancha Icon of the Saviour, linked to the Image of Edessa, the miraculous imprint of Christ’s face sent to King Abgar. The original icon is now kept in the Georgian National Museum, while the church preserves a wonderworking copy. Archpriest Mikhail welcomed the group, and the pilgrims venerated the icon and received anointing with oil from its lamp.

The group then passed the residence of the Patriarchate of Georgia, where the late Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II lived and served for many years. Memory eternal.

The next stop was the Sioni Cathedral, whose present structure dates to the twelfth century. Until 2004 it served as the main cathedral of the Georgian Church and the seat of the Patriarch. The cathedral keeps a relic of the skull of the Apostle Thomas and the Cross of Saint Nino, the Enlightener of Georgia (photos prohibited). It also serves as the resting place of many Georgian patriarchs, including Patriach Ilia II of thrice-blessed memory.

The group continued through the narrow streets of the Old City and reached Vakhtang Gorgasali Square, where they paused for lunch.

After lunch the pilgrims explored the Abanotubani district with its sulphur baths and visited the Leghvtakhevi Waterfall.

The group arrived during Vespers. The interior frescoes have not survived, but the church keeps the relics of the holy Queen and Martyr Shushanik of Armenia. It also commemorates the one hundred thousand martyrs of Tbilisi, who in 1226 refused to trample on the holy icons under the orders of Jalal ad-Din Mingburnu and accepted martyrdom. Their bodies were cast into the river, which according to tradition ran red with their blood.

The final church of the day was the Metekhi Church, dedicated to the Nativity of the Mother of God. The church stands on the left bank of the Mtkvari River, and its present form dates to the thirteenth century.

After a short rest the pilgrims gathered for a traditional Georgian meal. Among the foods weee famous, khachapuri (warm bread filled with melted cheese) and khinkali (dumplings filled with meat and broth). The evening included traditional music and Georgian dances.

This concluded the first day of the pilgrimage. Glory to God!