« THE JOY OF THE SPIRITUAL LIFE…AN INITIAL REFLECTION FROM OUR PILGRIMAGE TO MOUNT ATHOS
Posted on July 28, 2010 in 2005 Pilgrimage to the Skete of St. Anna, Mount Athos - 0 COMMENTS
Our first day… or at least part of it!
by Rev Fr Chris Flesoras
It’s magnificent! After our walk up the 2000 steps to the Skete of Saint Anna, we entered the courtyard of the Kyriakon, that is the main Church dedicated to Saint Anna, which is used on Sundays for services. The courtyard is filled with colors, from the various paints of the buildings to mosaic icons and the Byzantine stripped flagpole that rested upon the retaining wall overlooking the Sea.
At this point, we were greeted by a most hospitable monk, Fr. Theophillos who, with a rather quick speaking Greek, directed us to the informal salon located in the entry to the Church to enjoy a cup of Greek coffee, a piece of loukoumia (a jelly sweet covered in powered sugar) and a glass of cold Athos water. We were to rest for a moment with our fellow pilgrims and sign their guest book, providing our general information, as well as the numbers located on our official passes permitting us to travel to Mount Athos.
After a short while, Petro led us to our rooms. I was led to a single room set aside for visiting clergy, while my two dads were a bit further down the hall to their double room. The rooms were modest, decorated with a few icons upon the walls and very comfortable and utilitarian in design: a bed, nightstand, chair and a small washroom, and the rooms were heated!
We unpacked our items for a three and a half day stay (little did we know), freshened up, and proceeded back down to the courtyard to greet our host, Fr. Cheroubim. Fr. Theophillos again greeted us and led us through a small kitchen and sitting area to a formal salon where Fr. Cheroubim was waiting to receive us. We exchanged greetings and then enjoyed a cup of Greek coffee, a bit more loukoumia, a glass of Athonite water, and a shot of Tsiporo (a strong distilled liquor that was warm all the way down).
As we learned, Fr. Cheroubim has been at the Skete for some 25 years. Upon his graduation from Hellenic College, our undergraduate institution in Boston, he was led to the Skete to study and mature under a most charismatic monk, Fr. Anthimos who reposed in the Lord in 1996. Over the years, Fr. Cheroubim has served as Dikaios on a number of occasions, overseen much of the renovation of and new building at the Skete, and studied for his Ph.D. at the University of Thessaloniki. The topic for his dissertation…the Pan Orthodox experience of the Church of America!
Our discussion shifted to the greatest blessing of the Skete, which is the left foot of Saint Anna. Centuries before, this Holy Relic was gifted to the Skete by the Patriarchate of Antioch. The Holy Relics of Saint Anna are treasures of the Skete of Saint Anna, the Monastery of Kykos on the Island of Cyprus, a Catholic Church in Germany, and now a little parish in Roseville, California. Granted, other pieces of our common matron may have been gifted to various Churches throughout the centuries, but these remain the confirmed and authentic locations of her relics.
Father Cheroubim then explained that the Holy Relic that we would later receive would be gifted us directly from him as he was gifted this myrrh flowing relic from the monastery in Cyprus. He noted that it was after much contemplation and prayer following our initial meeting at the funeral of Metropolitan Anthony that he felt compelled to gift us this relic for the edification of our parish and for the faithful of America. For this act of kindness, we shall forever be grateful.
I must admit though, that I was a bit perplexed as to why a monastery on Cyprus would have the holy relics of Saint Anna? I was reminded that Cyprus was one of the earliest Christian communities being the home to Lazarus himself, who had been raised from the dead by the Lord. In fact, Cyprus w considered so special by Christendom, that it became the first autocephalous Church in the fourth century. As a side note, the struggle for Cyprus that continues between the Greeks and the Turks is often viewed as an ethnic issue. I must say, though, that being reminded of the Christian history of this island allowed me to realize that this is far from the case. The passion that most Greeks have for Cyprus is also deeply rooted in the preservation of this most sacred and historical land of the Christian Church.
As our time was drawing to a close for the afternoon, we offer a few gifts that we had brought for the monks. Papou (Fr. Emmanuel) sent over a number of black scarves. A few parishioners had purchased a few watches that had been requested and offered the monies for a television. We brought dried fruit from California. And, we brought our first gift from the parish of $3,500 toward the iconography for their new chapel. At this point Fr. Cheroubim graciously thanked us and explained that we would have other occasions to exchange gifts, but for now…lunch!
Together, we advanced downstairs to join a handful of pilgrims who had begun eating lunch. A quick prayer and we enjoyed our orzo pasta and calamari, fresh bread, homemade olives, and an orange for desert. It was a simple meal but most tasty. As we concluded our meal, we were told that we would now go to the Church to venerate the Holy Relic of Saint Anna…
