Tag Archives: cyprus pilgrimage

Diary of a Pilgrim — Day 4

Saturday 10th

A long, busy, eventful, fruitful and most joyful day. 

Trying to shake off the nuisance of a cold, induced by my temperamental air conditioning I suspect, I gathered myself for a tight schedule of visits. C arrived at the hotel at 11.00. 

He was my guide, chauffeur and auditor on our many visits. Thank you, C.

Our planned itinerary of several monasteries had no relation to what took place. Our first visit however was to the Monastery of Mavrovouni and an audience with Geronda Symeon the translator being monk Porphyrios.

A beautiful Monastery is next to the fields where St Spirydon kept his sheep and goats. They are building a new church made completely of stone. A stone cutter was working whilst we were there.

C’s car overheated and we stopped. I could understand it because it was a hot day. I shared some sympathy with the automobile, indeed I was overheating a little also! We made it to the garden centre and the car overheated again. I bought two olive trees in line with St Amphilochios’ 11th commandment “Love the trees.” We were in Nicosia when the car decided to overheat again. We tried to make it to C’s’ parents’ house but the car had had enough and so we called C’s father to come and collect us. We had an amazing meal…the first of many that day…

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!