A Visit to the Ioannis Theologos Monastery

Spectacular views from the peaceful grounds of this well-kept, 11th century Orthodox monastery in Athens. Most monasteries are far from urban areas and this one was...in the 11th century! That is the Acropolis on the right overlooking the city.

you can see the port in the distance

This was truly a treat. We had a personal tour with our prof around the monastery, past the nun's cells, through the grounds, and into their small, but ultra-clean and compact church. The frescos are fairly new (19th century!) and I was absolutely amazed at the vibrant colors. This is how ALL frescos look when they are younger; we have been seeing so many older churches and monasteries, we had no idea what they were 'supposed' to look like!

in the highest dome, Jesus is the King of the Universe - that particular fresco is original

an ascetic saint is pictured along with the others - saints are extremely important
to Orthodox Christians

Jesus and the seven angels depicted in the book of Revelation; this church is
named after John the Theologian, author of the prophetic and last book in the Canon

Forgive me if I went a little overboard on the photos, but the artwork was exquisite, and the colors were fantastic!

This monastery, like so many other Orthodox churches and monasteries, are built atop the ruins of pagan temples and/or sanctuaries. Above, you can see a (blurry) pic of a Roman column they incorporated into the architecture of the church.

We were then escorted to where the nuns gather for meals and treated to a conversation with one of the nuns, Nun Nektari (I know I am slaughtering her beautiful name). She was the sweetest soul, and patiently answered all our questions and comments. She had some words of wisdom for us, and then insisted  we eat some of the best loukoumi I have had yet, along with some other treats.

This really was an enjoyable class field trip with my favorite prof, Dr. Despina Iosif.

How to make Greek coffee

We bought a briki and we also have been buying the very brand of coffee she is showing in this video. Chuck is gonna give it a go!

This lady in the video is definitely Greek - you can tell by how she gives directions!

So, what is the difference between Greek coffee and Turkish coffee?  As it turns out, absolutely nothing! Don't believe me? Read more about it HERE.

Ossios Loukas Monastery

Hosios Loukas (Greek: Ὅσιος Λουκᾶς) is a historic walled monastery situated near the town of Distomo, in Boeotia, Greece. It is one of the most important monuments of Middle Byzantine architecture and art, and has been listed on UNESCO's World Heritage Sites, along with the monasteries of Nea Moni and Daphnion.

The monastery of Hosios Loukas is situated at a scenic site on the slopes of Mount Helicon. It was founded in the early 10th century AD by the hermit, Venerable (Greek: Hosios) St. Luke (Greek: Lukas), whose relics are kept in the monastery to this day. The hermit (not the Evangelist of the Gospel of Saint Luke, but a hermit who died on 7 February 953) was famous for having predicted the conquest of Crete by Emperor Romanos. It was unclear if he was referring to Romanos I, the emperor at the time. However the island was actually reconquered by Nicephorus Phocas under Romanos II. It is believed that it was during the latter's reign (959-963) that the Church of the Theotokos (Panagia) was constructed. The main shrine of the monastery is the tomb of St. Luke, originally situated in the vault, but later placed at the juncture of the two churches. The monastery derived its wealth (including funds required for construction) from the fact that the relics of St. Luke were said to have exuded myron, a sort of perfumed oil which produced healing miracles. Pilgrims hoping for miraculous help were encouraged to sleep by the side of the tomb in order to be healed by incubation. The mosaics around the tomb represent not only St. Luke himself, but also hegumen Philotheos offering a likeness of the newly built church to the saint.

liturgical books for prayers and chants - no instruments in an Orthodox Church, or monastery

Byzantine architecture and decor/design is amazing!

Hosios Loukas is the largest of three monasteries surviving from the Middle Byzantine period in Greece. It differs from the Daphnion and Nea Moni in that it is dedicated to a single military saint. St. Lukes' prophecy about the reconquest of Crete is commemorated by the image of Joshua on the exterior wall of the Panagia church: Joshua was considered a model "warrior of the faith", whose help was especially effective in the wars waged against the Arabs. The Katholikon contains the best preserved complex of mosaics from the period of the Macedonian Renaissance. However, the complex is not complete: the original image of Christ Pantocrator inside the dome is missing, as are the figures of archangels normally placed between the upper windows. There is evidence that the monastery was reputed all over Byzantium for its lavish decoration, liberally applied to all surfaces. Apart from revetment, carving, gold and silver plate, murals, and mosaics (especially imposing on curving surfaces), the interior featured a choice assortment of icons, chandeliers, silk curtains, and altar cloths. Only a fraction of these items are still in situ, most notably colored marble facings and window grilles. Notwithstanding the losses, the Katholikon "gives the best impression available anywhere today of the character of a church interior in the first centuries after the end of Iconoclasm". ~wiki

originally, these mosaics had semi-precious gems for color, however now they are painted

Jesus washes the feet of his disciples in one scene, and the crucifixion in another

Jesus defeating death, breaking the gates of Hades, releasing Adam and Eve (to the right),
with Constantine and his queen to the left.

Relics: St. Luke himself is under the church, according to my professor. St. Barbara is on display for veneration and supplication, as well. I asked if there were any other relics here, but was told no.

St. Barbara (complete) - these relics are extremely important to Orthodox Christians;
they are believed to not decay in death, and emit a sweet smell - it is very much
believed that they also can mediate needs to G-d and facilitate miracles on behalf
of those who venerate her

"The catholicon is built over a large crypt, shaped as a cross-in-square church, with groin vaults forming the roof. It is dedicated to Aghia Varvara (St. Barbara) and contains three tombs: the one in the north wall is the tomb of Hossios Loucas. The roof and much of the walls are covered with wall paintings, dated to the first half of the 11th century." ~http://odysseus.culture.gr/

When we arrived, the sky had opened up and absolutely poured on us. By the time we entered the monastery, we were all soaked. We enjoyed the presentations and information given, but were not able to fully appreciate the exterior architecture due to the weather. (I have never heard such intense thunder in my life.) Also, I must say, that even though a handful of monks live on-site, this felt more like a touristy stop. Their little gift shop was disappointing, with manufactured icons and such. I much preferred the hand-made items at the monastery at Mistra, with the sweet nuns there.

"Our class discussion on monasteries was a timely one, as we visited the Ossios Loukas Monastery on our way to Delphi last Friday. There were three groups of students with three different professors, and frankly I wanted to hear what all of them had to say! I gleaned a few interesting tidbits from each of them, but mostly I was interested in was how it felt. I noticed immediately that it felt markedly different from the Pantanassa's Monastery that we visited when we climbed Mystra during our Peloponnese field trip a few weeks ago.

We were told less than a handful of monks live at the Ossios Loukas Monastery, and when I entered the Church, it didn’t feel like there had been service there for a long time (although I know that may not be the case). The absence of chairs for the faithful and carpet on the floor made me think that this Church was mostly used for student groups and tourists. It was fabulous to see the relic of St. Barbara, although some of the other students were a little disturbed by her presence. I stayed behind close to the relic to see if I could detect anything similar to a sweet smell denoting a saint, but with so many people going through there, and the candle burning close by, I was unable to smell anything I would classify as a saintly odor. I was rather disappointed, honestly.

We were also told that St. Luke, as he was called, is under the Church. I did inquire if there were other relics on-site, but was told no. As we explored further, we were told about the beautiful artwork and the scenes depicted - we were appropriately awed by the age of everything. Who wouldn’t be? I have to say that I was rather disappointed with the gift shop we were invited to see, however; it seemed that all the things were manufactured or imported for the tourists. I didn’t look too far into the section of the shop that had food items – I am not sure if those items are produced on-site or not. This was not the case at Pantanassa’s Monastery on Mystra.

That monastery had the sweetest spirit about it. As we walked up, one of the nuns was working in the garden and was very welcoming in her reserved demeanor. I was thrilled after studying so much about ascetics last semester – I finally was in a real monastery, not just reading about them! As we continued, we were told that their Church was undergoing restoration; even so, they still hold Divine Service in that little Church. We were allowed to enter and take some photographs. What a treat! After, the head mother met us and invited us to their little gift shop, as it were. It was just a room where they had laid out some of the things they had made, along with Turkish Delight (I’m still a little unsure whether I actually like this confection or not, but it was so nice of them to offer if to us). I couldn’t have been more eager to purchase something from such a sweet place, if only to show my respect for their dedication and way of life. This is more of what I expected from visiting a monastery, not at all like the touristy-feel at Ossios Loukas.

If the Ossios Loukas Monastery would have felt different to me spiritually, no amount of rain would have dampened my spirits nor my visit. As it was, the intense downpour and thunderstorm made our walk through the grounds similar to walking upstream in an overfull creek. In the end, I am glad we got to stop; my companion got some really interesting photos of 11^th century Byzantine art, as well as getting a good, long look at a relic. Unfortunately, and to my complete surprise, my camera mysteriously erased all my photos from inside the Church.  I chalked it up to St. Barbara not wanting her photo taken." 

~a reflection written for my Eastern Orthodox Church class

The Travelers

Our Delphi Accommodations

European bathrooms

Hotel Acropole

poor Chuck - every time he tries to take care of something, I want him to smile for a pic!

I am pretty smiley in this pic after just having lost all the pics I took at the monastery.

We stayed in the modern town of Delphi. So, we were absolutely soaked to the bone from walking around in a torrential downpour, the bed was rather stiff, the heat was a bugger to get going, the floor was ice cold, and the shower was a challenge. But, the breakfast was delicious, and I think this was the cutest hotel we have stayed at yet. Unfortunately, I was such a drowned rat when we arrived, I didn't even think of snapping pics of the lobby or front of the hotel. I did get some pics of the room, though.

Ancient Delphi

Our second Field Trip found our tour buses heading to Delphi, the sight of the ancient Oracle and worship center for the Olympian god Apollo. Apollo, the young god whom every Greek man wanted (and maybe still wants) to emulate, accepted worship and supplication 9 days out of (every month), 9 months of the year. The remainder of the year, the god of wine, dance, and music - Dionysos - filled his shoes. The site also had an Oracle - a woman who was specially appointed to give answers to those in need. Fascinating, indeed.

Temple of Apollo at Delphi

This ancient sight is wonderful- much more than I had heard. I was totally captivated with walking the beautiful grounds, looking at all the inscriptions, and attempting to rebuild the buildings in my mind. If the weather would have been a bit better, it would have been unimaginatively gorgeous. Now I know why they thought this was the 'navel of the world' - when you stand by the Theater built on the anciently terraced mountainside, it feels like you can see the whole world.

view from Modern Delphi (not sure what little town that is, though)

[The slideshow  shows both Ancient and Modern Delphi]

Delphi.

Apollo squinted in the bright sunlight and calmly tensed his muscles as he pulled his bow. He released his arrows one after the other until Python's blood was spilled and his life escaped in the thin air. Python-dragon,the faithful guardian of Ge's sacred ground, had guarded the hill for hundreds of years until his encounter with "far-reaching" Apollo. The new god despite his serene nature, or perhaps because of it, was triumphant in the epic battle, and with his victory he gained the right to call the rolling slopes of Delphi his sanctuary.

 Oracle at Delphi 

 Delphi was inhabited since Mycenaean times (14th - 11th c. B.C.) by small settlements who were dedicated to the Mother Earth deity. The worship of Apollo as the god of light, harmony, and order was established between the 11th and 9th centuries. Slowly over the next five centuries the sanctuary grew in size and importance. During the 8th c. B.C. Delphi became internationally known for the Oracular powers of Pythia--the priestess who sat on a tripod, inhaled ethylene gasses, and muttered incomprehensible words that foretold the future.

 The ancient people of the Mediterranean had such faith in Pythia's view of the future that no major decision was made without consulting the Oracle of Delphi first. Greek and foreign dignitaries, heads of state, and common folk made the pilgrimage to the Delphi sanctuary, and paid great sums for Pythia's oracles. Since the sanctuary only served the public a few days over nine months out of the year, great sums were paid by the more affluent ones in order to bypass the long line of pilgrims. 

Plutarch served as a priest at Delphi, and in his histories he has left many details about the inner workings of the sanctuary. Pythia entered the inner chamber of the temple ("Adyton"), sat on a tripod and inhaled the light hydrocarbon gasses that escaped from a chasm on the porous earth. After falling into a trance, she muttered words incomprehensible to mere mortals. The priests of the sanctuary then interpreted her oracles in a common language and delivered them to those who had requested them. Even so, the oracles were always open to interpretation and often signified dual and opposing meanings.

 "You will go you will return not in the battle you will perish" was an example of this duality of meaning. The above sentence can be interpreted two different ways depending where the comma can be placed. If a comma is placed after the word "not" the message is discouraging for him who is about to depart for war. If on the other hand the comma is placed before the word "not", then the warrior is to return alive.

Delphi Sanctuary

 Such was the importance of the Oracle at Delphi that the ancients believed it to be the center ("Omphalos") of the world. The oracle advised the great Persian Kings of the time, and when the Persians were poised to sack Athens, Themistokles turned the advice of the Oracle to a winning strategy that led to the Greeks' victory in the naval battle of Salamina. The Oracle had simply advised that "wooden walls" would aid to victory, and Themistokles interpreted walls to mean the wooden ships of the Athenian fleet.

 To commemorate the triumph of Apollo over Python the sanctuary organized the Pythian Games every four years which were athletic events much like the Olympics. In the 20th century Angelos Sikelianos organized a modern version of the Delphic games.

From the 7th c. B.C. and at least until the 4th c., the sanctuary of Delphi was part of the Amphictyonia. The Amphictyonia alliance protected the site from many invaders, and above all it prevented the Phocians who lived in the surrounding land from controlling it. In 356 B.C. the Phocians allied with the Athenians and the Spartans captured the sanctuary of Delphi, and in desperate need to finance their war they stripped the temples from the precious offerings. They held control of the grounds only for a short time until king Philip of Macedon liberated the sanctuary.

In 339 B.C. Philip interfered once again against the Amphictyonic alliance when the Krissans trespassed on Apollo's sacred grounds. Philip punished the Krissans, and consequently in 338 c. B.C. defeated the combined armies of the Athenians and the Spartans, thus becoming the dominant force in Greek affairs.

The sanctuary of Delphi fell into Roman hands in 191 B.C, and was stripped of its treasures by General Sylla in 86 B.C. in order to finance his siege of Athens, and three years later Delphi was razed by the Thracian Maedi who -legend has it- extinguished the sacred fire which had been burning uninterrupted for centuries.

Despite some building revivals by the Romans, the Oracle of Delphi lost its influence over the next few centuries, and its spiritual fire was gradually extinguished as Apollo's worship was replaced by a new religion imported from the East: Christianity.

History courtesy of Ancient-Greece.org

A Very Wet Walk Around Delphi

photos don't even begin to show how much rain was coming down...

I got such a charge of out all the hotels named after Olympian gods - here's Apollo

(well, this isn't a god, but close!)

Athena (see the rain? those are rain splashes on my camera lens, too)

Artemis

Pan (not sure I want to stay here, actually - I've seen this guy...)

Hermes

this isn't a hotel, but a great sign for a 'super-market' - hahad! I'm pretty sure
they don't have the same definition of supermarket that we do!

this was a city of stairs - on a mountainside, what do you expect?

this may have been the supermarket from the street side - yep, that's pretty super!

more stairs

and, the reward for all those stairs - cappuccino & baileys - aaaaahhhhh.