overlooking the sea from the Monastery of St Arsenios in the mountains
Monasteries are places of healing and light. The Monastery of St Arsenios is one such place.
N.b.This is as close as I came to Agion Oros in the distance!
Another little miracle enabled us to meet Theologos and Vaiga with children again . We were joined by a priest from Germany Fr Victor with his Presbytera and children. The usual courtesies were extended to us, loukoumi, coffee and biscuits along with the necessary water!
Geronda Theoklitos joined us and he afforded us a great deal of his precious time even though he had many confessions to hear.. It was a true blessing to meet him.God it seems bends time in order for those who seek Him to receive His grace . Time is not really measured in monasteries. Of course there are set times for worship and work but one does not sense time passing.
I told Geronda of the mutual ministry we have at our parish and he quoted a greek proverb “Το ‘να χέρι νίβει τ’ άλλο και τα δυο το πρόσωπο” which when translated goes something like : ” The one hand washes the other hand and both wash the face “. I suppose we have similar saying” many hands make light work.”Washing the feet is an act of service and humility, but washing the face brings cleansing and refreshment.He gave another word:St Anthimos of Chios: “ εκείνο το ´γιατί κι εκείνο το ´εγώ´ που έχομεν, αυτά μας απομακρύνουν απο τον Θεό και μας χωρίζουν απο αυτόν» — «this “why” and this “I” which we have, these distance us from God and separate us from Him.”
The proximity of hospitality and holiness is palpable in Orthodox monasteries. Faith ,food and fellowship are inseparable. For some visitors monasteries are places not only of refreshment but of healing where quiet can replenish the soul and regenerate the spirit. It is most important for Orthodox Christians to renew their spiritual batteries. Such peace was abundant at Panorama monastery. Sister S shared the typicon and structures of monasticism and we glimpsed the evening service before heading back to Thessaloniki. I think words alone cannot convey the experience of visiting monasteries. For those who truly seek God then they are places where His energies are to be found…in abundance!
– “The orthodox monastics are like the lighthouse. The lighthouse has to be always on the rocks by the sea. Do you want them to go and live into the city and be added to the other street lights? They can not become a lantern and be placed into the city’s roadside. The orthodox monastic is like a remote lighthouse, that stands high on the rocks, directing the ships of this world with their flashes, and upon the open seas the ships are orientated in order to reach their destination, which is God.” Saint Paisios of Mount Athos from the book: Spiritual Awakening
I had never thought one can really “bend”, transcend Time until I spent last week together with my little Abouna. Together, we drove hundreds of miles, visited a number of Holy monasteries, met Gerondas, received holy words, but most importantly, for me at least, we transcended Time into Kairos, ie. made a Leap unto God’s Saving Time, God’s Providence for our salvation.
How many dimensions exist in reality? And which dimension were we travelling together with Abouna?! Which dimension is Love? Fifth? This ‘travelling’ has probably been one the most liberating, healing experiences ever in my life, especially since I was so stressed, worked out and nearly burnt out in my obediences the last twelve months. Though the truth is that I was really stressed, worked out and burnt out by my own mind.
“Time is relative; its only worth depends upon what we do as it is passing.” as Einstein wisely pointed out to us. And “ there are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle”. And: “God does not play dice with the universe.” Or with our lives. How true all these! And all this I experienced first-hand during these four days together with Abouna.
God is indeed the master of time and circumstance: “And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding.” Daniel 2:21
“The Lord gave us chronos time, calendar time, that we may turn it into kairos time, salvation time, time filled with opportunities for us to respond to God’s gracious invitation to the Kingdom”. ~Fr. Anthony Coniaris
Little did I understand those quotes and how literally they are to be taken before I became Abouna’s chauffeur, guide, interpreter and secretary for four days and a witness to how God scandalously intervenes in our lives and plans and provides the precise timing, reversals, cancelations and interruptions so that we meet the “right” people in the “right” place! I became a witness to all these miracles, but also to Abouna’s ease at this “normal”, swimming, flying, floating in Kairos.
***God has a way of surprising us and altering our plans.The visit to St Dimitrios shrine was full of such delightful God- intervening surprises.***
Indeed, a plethora of details is to follow, but let it suffice for the time being to say that this 4 days’ intensive course into Abouna’s daily time ‘management’ have drastically changed my experience of Time, and hopefully this ‘meta-noia’ will last. The list of my obediences after his visit is the same, or even longer, but I somehow have “more” Time, and I certainly have more Joy and Gratitude and Thanksgiving.
Time and stress seem to have loosened their grip on me. “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:34) I have also, immediately—in obedience— started taking two half days off for hesychia and have resumed my Byzantine chanting lessons which I had sadly given up before summer because “I had no time …”. And I feel that this is only the beginning in this so post-quantum, and yet so ancient, and so St Porfyrios, and indeed all the saints’ experience of flying in Kairos:
“Poor people… We live, we read books […] and yet we remain in a relaxed state, recklessly living without Christ. Christ is different. When He comes to a person, entering his soul, the soul changes. A soul [that knows Christ] lives everywhere: on the stars, in the spiritual world, in the Universe. Life without Christ is not real life. … Christ is the new life. Christ is everything. He is joy. He is life. He is the light, the true light, allowing a person to rejoice, to fly, to see everything and everyone. … Love Christ and prefer nothing to His love. He is the source of life, He is everything. Everything most beautiful is in Christ.”
Glory to God for all things! Vignettes from our 4 days together to follow soon …
Creation is groaning … Another young wild horse of Petala found dead yesterday, after losing habitat
Abouna’s Feedback on my Reflection
*** God it seems bends time in order for those who seek Him to receive His grace . Time is not really measured in monasteries. Of course there are set times for worship and work but one does not sense time passing.***
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“May it be blessed
I think this is a most clearly distilled profile of our time with Christ. I don’t think it is in any way an alternative diary but a complementary (with an e) account of our joint experience. I too found this to be so true.
Indeed in my first day’s diary I think I mention so many blessings in such a short time. I find St Porphyrios words so poignant for they dispense our lived experience in Christ in such a lyrical way.
The people that we met were so lovely. The Christian soul is often seen in the eyes. I wrote to Theologos and said when I met his family heart spoke to heart and spirit to spirit.
William Blake in his poem “Eternity” wrote
“He who binds to himself a joy Does the winged life destroy; But he who kisses the joy as it flies Lives in eternity’s sun rise.”
Monastery of St John the Forerunner at Metamorfosi
The drive from Thessaloniki to Halkidiki was furnished by olive trees but to remind us of the fragile nature of our planet there was the faint smell of smoke in the air. (*) As St Paul says in Romans 8″ creation is groaning “. Our first visit on the itinerary was the Monastery of St John the Forerunner at Metamorfosi. Although it has a strict typikon we were allowed to sing a glorious trilogy of apolytikia and Kyries. We were joined by Baia and Theologos.
… and four of their ten children.. Konstantinos overheard my English tones and introduced me to his wife Marina and mother Gabriela who lives in London. A most interesting exchange of spiritual experiences ensued. Gabriela studied at Lancaster university at the same time as I was studying by Post Graduate certificate of education at St Martin’s college now University of Cumbria ( Lancaster campus)and having been brought up in the middle east she is looking forward to Dmitry’s ordination to the diaconate in September in Arabic. Two priests joined us with their families for monastic hospitality “metrio cafes parakalo ” the most delicious cake, loukoumi and much needed water. It was after all 37c.
On to Ormilia monastery where Marta and Alexandra have stayed. We venerated the tomb of the founder Geronda Emilianos. K. said she wanted me to meet a nun who spoke better English than me ” if that’s possible” K. added with playful wit, ” This is Mother P. I was not at all offended or diminished by K. words, especially when I learned that mother P was born and brought up five miles from where I was born.
Ormylia monastery, Holy Convent of the Annunciation
We were in the company of people from Cyprus who had connections with our parish, a Belgian priest and a Serbian priest whose Metropolitan and Professor respectively sit on the same International Commission as me.Lunch time beckoned it was 4.00 after all. A wonderful local cafe near K’s beach house where we were joined by Nikos. We made the short journey to K’s beach house where we met the Romanian family who were staying there. You can’t get much closer to the sea! If you rolled over in bed you would be splashing in the gentle waves!
On to St Paisios Monastery where we met friends of Sayedna. We joined the queue to venerate the tomb of St Paisios. A little boy repeatedly took the blessing from priests in the queue. The light of joy shone in the eyes of the faithful, reflecting the Light of Christ. Everyone we met today, those wearing the angelic habit and those who were faithful Pilgrims were happy. God is glorified in his saints.
St. Paisios’ tombSt. Paisios poem above his tomb
Above his tomb, inside the monastery yard, on a marble plaque is found a humble poem written by himself:
“Here life has come to an end
Here my breath has stopped. Here the body will be buried, And my soul will rejoice. My Saint dwells here, [St. Arsenios of Cappadochia] And that is my honour. I believe he will pity
My miserable soul
He will pray to the Saviour
To have the Virgin Mary with me.”
“God wants us, above all, to be happy and to enjoy inner peace. God is not a tyrant who pesters and intimidates us, but instead he wants us to be free.”St. Paisios
(*) Due to fires raging all over Greece at the time of this pilgrimage
Rom. 8:22 Alone, scared, shocked, and confused, with no mate, and no offspring, this black vulture is staring at his home, his natural habitat, Dadia Forest, all burnt out. The fire in Evros is finally in remission, where extinguishing efforts continue for the 17th day. As reported by ERT, as of Sunday evening 3/9/2023, there is no active front, however, more than 930,000 (!) acres have already turned to ash. A minimum of a 150 years (!) estimated by scientists that is required for Nature to heal and restore this forest.
Why are there so many cafes next to churches? a priests like coffee; b to attract business; c a place to chat after the services. Well, maybe all of the above. The liturgy in the world is often conducted over food and drink. This is where friends make social discourse and where social discourse makes friends.
We were opposite to St Dimitrios church about to visit the catacombs, outside an icon shop. There we met two priests from Cyprus fr Andreas and fr Irenaeus. Fr Andreas with his Presbytera invited us to join them for coffee at a cafe. Our conversation outlasted the coffees as we made connections of places and people we knew. The Orthodox Church is both large and small. One can be sure that you will know someone in common.
The catacombs of St. Demetrios
After a long joyful conversation we parted friends exchanging contact details. Asked if I was on viber I shook my head. After visiting the quite remarkable catacombs of St Dimitrios, the intended visit to a clerical tailor did not materialise either metaphorically or literally. So we visited the monastery church of St Theodora where we venerated the relics of the saint and those of St David the tree dweller of Thessaloniki.
Lunch time is very flexible in Greece ,late afternoon seems as good a time as any other. My eremital instinct was beginning to re emerge so my kind hosts allowed me to take some quiet in my room or as my host said ” escape.”
” Wishing for a quiet life, St David fled to the seclusion of an almond tree.”
Fellowship and hesychia are both needed in the Christian life.
Sometimes one can fit a lot of events into a short space of time. The planned itinerary however has a way of being changed. God has a way of surprising us and altering our plans.The visit to St Dimitrios shrine was full of such delightful God- intervening surprises. K. and I had been talking about the visit of the ladies choir from Thessaloniki some years ago to Holy Cross for Great week. Lo and behold who should walk into St Dimitrios but Maria the ladies choir director! K. and I then sang the supplication to St Dimitrios and the apolytikion for Holy Cross and Ti Ypermaho for the Mother of God. A lady asked me for a blessing who was surprised i was an English Orthodox as she lived in London. Then another lady spoke to me about a certain pilgrimage she was on led by a certain Abouna Justin from Lebanon from whom we learned that he was a student at Balamand of Abouna Samir some years ago.After our two hours with St Dimitrios we went for a long walk to various churches and bumped into Maria again quite by “coincidence.”
St. Gregory Palamas Relics
Outside the Holy Church of the Virgin Mary Acheiropoietos (Ιερός Ναός Παναγίας Αχειροποιήτου) Holy Church of the Virgin Mary Acheiropoietos (Ιερός Ναός Παναγίας Αχειροποιήτου), we met a fr Spyridon who gave us a beautiful icon of the Mother of God. Then we went to the 4th c. St Sophia’s Church in the city centre followed by veneration St Gregory Palamas in his church. An amazing coincidence I had said the Jesus prayer for all the passengers!Later as we were seated at a local fine taverna toasting our Dmitry we learned of Dmitry’s success at his PhD. Strange that we had been with St Dimitrios most of the evening. 🤔
C.S. Lewis once wrote: “A secret Master of the Ceremonies has been at work. There are no “coincidences” when you walk with Jesus”
“Life of the soul is union with God, as life of the body is union with the soul. As the soul was separated from God and died in consequence of the violation of the commandment, so by obedience to the commandment it is again united to God and is quickened. This is why the Lord says in the Gospels, ‘The words I speak to you are spirit and life’ (Jn. 6:63).”St Gregory Palamas
The dark grey skies of Manchester belie the future sun 3 hours to the east. We pass through dark days physically and mentally as human beings and often assume ” that is how it is.” Yet how much more we appreciate the sun when our usual weather is rain, and how much more we appreciate the rain when we have unremitting heat.The” wings” of the iconostasis were repaired yesterday by two of the faithful. Great! “Ready for take off!”one of the faithful e mailed me to say. Me too….as we are called to board the flight.
The sun comes out as we climb the steps into the aeroplane. I pray the Jesus prayer for all the passengers and crew 33 rows x6 plus pilot,copilot and 4 crew…you do the maths. Then I say prayers for all the faithful. Descending onto terra firma one is hit with the wall of heat 34c. It was a great joy to see two other English Orthodox priests fr S and fr D as we pass through customs. Fancy that! Three Othodox priests all bound for Thessaloniki and all three English men, not a Greek priest in sight. God has a sense of humour. K. is there to meet me at the airport,a great joy. The years and distance slip away.
We drive to the city centre and go for a refreshing Greek Salad at a local Taverna by the sea. My room at the hotel is rather too spacious and although a siesta beckons (I have been awake since 2.30 this morning) I am not really tired, plus I have a very important appointment with St Dimitrios at 6.00 p.m. Greek time 4.00 p.m. British time. To be continued…
Glory to God through your prayers I have returned home.The title of my diary was set really by one of our parishioners when , before I left , he wished me a :”blessed pilgrimage.” At first I thought this a little odd, a good holiday, yes, which means holy day, but pilgrimage? It is not as though I was going to Jerusalem ( well not until October). I understand the spiritual element of the word but looking up the Latin origin “peregrinus” it means “a foreigner.” The Romanian word is the same for pilgrim.
In the book of Leviticus we read: “When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not wrong him. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.”
Our Lord, His most holy Mother and Joseph were also foreigners in Egypt when Christ was a child. Our Lord met with the Samaritan woman, the Syrian phoenician woman and commended the one grateful leper of the ten who were healed , “has no one returned to thank God except this foreigner?” Our Lord Jesus Christ said “love your neighbour as yourself “echoing the words of the Old testament law and when asked who is my neighbour , he used the example of a Samaritan, a foreigner.
Luke 13:29 And they shall come from the east and from the west, and from the north and from the south, and shall sit down in the Kingdom of God.
There are no boundaries in God’s kingdom and no foreigners.
A couple of terns at the lake of Kastoria, dying together from exhaustion, in each other’s wings, after their last migration journey back from Africa. Source: Time Machine
Dear Friends and spiritual children in Christ,
I was praying for you and I offer three of my poor poems in humility for your strengthening! Two of them are directly related to the Feast of the Transfiguration on 6th. the first for spiritual sons (and daughters).
But first some words from St Porphyrios:
“Whoever wants to become a Christian must first become a poet. That’s what it is! You must suffer. You must love and suffer–suffer for the one you love. Love makes effort for the loved one. She runs all through the night; she stays awake; she stains her feet with blood in order to meet her beloved. She makes sacrifices and disregards all impediments, threats, and difficulties for the sake of the loved one. Love towards Christ is something even higher, infinitely higher.
And when we say ‘love’, we don’t mean the virtues that we will acquire, but the heart that is pervaded by love towards Christ and others. We need to turn everything in this direction. Do we see a mother with her child in her arms and bending to give the child a kiss, her heart overflowing with emotion? Do we notice how her face lights up as she holds her little angel? These things do not escape a person with love of God. He sees them and is impressed by them and he says, ‘If only I had those emotions towards my God, towards my Holy Lady and our saints!’ Look, that’s how we must love Christ our God. You desire it, you want it, and with the grace of God you acquire it.”
― Saint Porphyrios, “Wounded by love “ The Kite
John 3:8 “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Look upward to the sky
And allow your wings to fly
Upon the glorious breath of God
In the sunrise of your youth.
Soar swiftly with an eagle’s strength,
Measure the height, breadth, depth and length.
Reach heavenward, dear son by the sacramental
strings on earth,
Hold firm to the lifeline and anchor of new birth.
Let the Holy Spirit lift you high
And allow your wings to fly
Upon the glorious breath of God
In the sunrise of your youth.
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Amma Syncletica said, “In the beginning there are a great many battles and a good deal of suffering for those who are advancing towards God and, afterwards, ineffable joy. It is like those who wish to light a fire. At first they are choked with smoke and cry, until they obtain what they seek. As it is written, “Our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:24); so we also must kindle the divine fire in ourselves through tears and hard work.”
The Transfiguration
Mark 9:2 “Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James and John and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and he was transfigured before them.”
Possess your soul with patience,
Let the seasons bear their own time.
Lighten your heart with love,
For passion beats to an uncertain pulse.
Provide your mind with peace
Since idle imagination is a deadly weapon.
Still your tongue with silence
So that you may allow the Word to speak to you.
Open your hands to offerings
In order to give generously and to receive gracefully.
Guard your eyes with goodness
To become a pupil of Light.
Place your feet in poverty.
That you may walk in the way of the saints.
Feed your stomach with friendship
So that you may nourish and sustain the lonely.
Breathe into your nostrils the air of beauty
For the Holy Spirit gives life to the canvass of creation
Humble your ears to holiness
That you may become deaf to the whispers of pride.
Wash your skin with wisdom
That you may be clean from the accretions of the world.
Commend your life to Christ
So that you may be transfigured into His likeness.
“My soul, seek the Only One . . . My soul, you have no part with the earth; for you are from heaven. You are the image of God: seek your First Image. For like strives after like. Each object finds its rest in its centre and element — fish in water, fire in its upward movement everything strives to its centre. My soul, you are an immaterial spirit, immortal. . . In Him alone you will find your rest.”
St. Tikhon of Voronezh
Changed
Luke 9:29:
“As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered and His robe became white and glistening.”
They ascended Tabor’s mountain heights, to contemplate and pray,
But Peter James and John, the friends, had a revelation on that day.
Blazing glory in the flesh of Christ, they saw the uncreated Light
Which was hidden for a season, now clear within their sight.
Blinding, glistening, ultra- white was the appearance of His face,
The splendour of the Godhead could be seen within our race.
Moses and Elijah from of old appeared full bright within the cloud,
Peter said “Let’s build three booths, if we are allowed!?”
He was silenced by the Father’s voice and filled with holy fear.
The friends shine in glory now like Christ and with Him appear
In heaven: the blessed communion is transferred to us on earth
To help us scale the heights of Tabor and to aid our spiritual birth.
May we indeed acquire the Spirit and grow into the likeness of the Son
May we be changed to shine like Him, and them, when our earthly course is run.
Abba Pachomius said,
”A sinner like me does not ask God that he will see visions, for that is against His will and wrong. Hear all the same about a great miracle: if you see a man pure and humble, that is a great vision; for what is greater than such a vision, to see the invisible God in His temple, a visible man?”
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
ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN FAITH AND LIFE 