Panorama Monastery Dormition of the TheotokosOn our way back from St. Arsenios Monastery
Some years ago I learned that numbers are not important. The number of people attending Church is not an accurate indicator of either faith or success; however one measures success? Geronda Theoklitos of St Arsenios monastery confirmed this independently of my thoughts when he said ” look after your small flock.” ” God looks at the heart not on the outward appearence” as the prophet Samuel said to Jesse, the father of David. I have passed through security and passport control. The flight is delayed. Time to pray. We pray that God will keep us all in his love. “Wherefore, O you who fear the Lord, praise Him in the places where ye now are. Change of place does not effect any drawing nearer unto God, but wherever you may be, God will come to you, if the chambers of your soul be found of such a sort that He can dwell in you and walk in you.” St Gregory of Nyssa 8
Greece and its next plague of Egypt … This and the following images show the devastating effect of the storm Daniel on its eastern coast.
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“Then He said, ‘Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.’ And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. So it was, when Elijah heard it…” 1 Kings 19:11-13
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The travelling guide’s diary—2
Some Abouna quotes and vignettes that struck my attention during his little pilgrimage … all in a ‘still small voice’ which ended up in silence …
The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent! (Ex. 14:13-14).
*About Joy in Christ and Suffering: “Christ has offered us so much joy in meeting twice at such a short time [I am bound to travel to the UK end of September] barely a month apart, because we are going to suffer when all this ends.”
*About House Blessings: why did Abouna say such fervent prayers at the blessing of a particular house — his eyes were ablaze!— and he completely ‘ignored’ another house we visited? He barely stayed there 5 min and even suggested we all have coffee outside (!) at the neighbouring cafe. Such hurry, such ‘rudeness’! He barely even looked at their icon corner!
*About Monastic Calling and Monasteries: So many lengthy discussions and inquiries all these days, on foot, or inside the car during the long car drives, about which monastery to choose and become a monastic, even at the monasteries we visited, inquiring/ discussing with the monastics themselves about their monastery typikon … yet no conclusive answer … only silence! Just hints about city hermits …
*Gerondas Theoklitos of St. Arsenios of Vatopedi holding Abouna tightly and hugging him so tightly! A scene I will never forget! What a surprise! I always thought Gerondas Theoklitos was very strict and never expressed his emotions!…
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
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
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…
ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN FAITH AND LIFE 