About Orthodox shrines: Christian shrines, Orthodox shrines of Greece, Orthodox shrines of Crete, the most famous shrines, the temple of St. Titus the Apostle, Paliani Monastery, Kaliviani Monastery, photo shrines, map, how to get there
If we talk about Orthodox shrines, then the first thing to do is to look at Jerusalem - the cradle of Christianity. In addition, on the territory of the modern there are also Christian shrines, but this is far from known to every believer. I would like to recall about and (it houses the chapel of the Burning Bush). We have already talked about these holy places in our posts. Today invites you to visit holy places, get acquainted with Orthodox shrines.
Orthodox shrines in Greece
On the territory of present-day Greece, a great many ancient Christian shrines have been preserved, dating back to the time of the apostles of Christ. In addition, in Greece there are temples built during the Byzantine Empire - the cradle of Christianity. One of the closest Apostles of Jesus Christ - Paul - came to Greece to preach Christianity and had here one of his best students - Titus, who was born and raised on the island.
Good advice from the Travel Assistant: when going to holy places, be sure to wear strict clothes, women need to cover their heads with a scarf, as a sign of respect for faith and believers.
We will begin our story from the island of Crete Greece, it is here that more than seven hundred ancient Christian monasteries and temples have been preserved. The most visited of them are located in Heraklion and its environs:
The most famous:
- Temple of St. Apostle Titus (Heraklion)
- Paliani Monastery (Panagia Paliani, near Heraklion)
- Agarafu monastery (near Khudetsi)
- Monastery of Kera Kardiotissa (near the Lassithi Plateau)
- Monastery of Vrontisio (near Zaro)
- Monastery of George Sgiu Illumination (Monofotsi)
- Monastery of Pallianis (Venerato) Monastery of Our Lady of Juveniotissa (Khudetsi)
Temple of St. Apostle Titus in Heraklion
In this temple (the Cathedral of the Heraklion Archdiocese of the Cretan Orthodox Church), today the remains of the face of St. Titus, the Apostle, who saw Jesus Christ and was in his immediate environment, are kept. It was the Holy Apostle Titus, a native of Cyprus, who "had the indescribable happiness of seeing Jesus Christ, of hearing the Divine teaching from His own lips...". Also, on behalf of the Apostle Paul, Titus monitored the spread of Christianity on the island and appointed presbyters of the Church.
The first Temple, built in honor of the Apostle Titus in 961, was very simple, rebuilt many times and was destroyed in the middle of the fifteenth century. In 1446, the construction of a new church was completed on the site of the old one, but in 1508 it suffered greatly from an earthquake, and in 1544 from a fire. However, after these disasters, all the relics of the temple and the Holy relics were carefully preserved. First of all, we are talking about the face of St. Titus, as well as the icon of the Mother of God "Panagia Mesopanditissas".
In 1557 the church was rebuilt from scratch. He was great! In 1669, the city of Khandak, which housed the temple of St. Titus, fell under the pressure of the Turks. The holy relics again had to be saved. This time they were hidden in Venice. And the temple was converted into a mosque.
In 1856, the island was again subjected to the force of an earthquake and the temple was thoroughly destroyed. The Grand Vizier of the empire, Ali Pasha, ordered the construction of a new one (Geni Dzami), while retaining its old name - the temple of St. Titus. In 1922, this magnificent example of a Christian shrine was returned to the Orthodox Church, and in 1925 it was consecrated by the Metropolitan of Crete.
The Temple of St. Titus is an architectural monument in which elements of Ottoman art and skillful architecture of Byzantine masters of architecture intertwined. His style is very reminiscent of the temples of Constantinople, decorated with decorative crowns carved from stone.
In 1966, Venice returned the Holy relics - the remains of the face of St. Titus. But the Holy Icon of the Mother of God "Panagia Mesaponditissas" has not yet been returned to the Temple, continues to remain in Venice (, the Cathedral of Della Salute).
The church honors St. Titus on August 25 (old style), or September 7 - according to the new one. He lived for 94 years and was always distinguished by meekness, love for his neighbors and mercy.
Monastery of Panagia Paliani
This Orthodox shrine is a very ancient convent. It is located about 25 km from Heraklion.
It is said that the first records of it appeared much later than it was built. For the first time in the annals there is information about the monastery, dated 632 AD. Why is he so famous among Christians?
On the site where the monastery was built, the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, Panagia Faneromeni, appeared to the world. Before the construction of the monastery, there was an impenetrable forest in these places. One day it caught fire. The people who put out the fire found a miraculous icon in the place of the burnt trees. Praying to the face of the Mother of God, over time, believers began to notice that the tree depicted on the icon began to sprout and take roots. Time passed, the tree grew, but the icon began to disappear in its branches.
Today, next to the Paliani Monastery, built on the site of a miracle of God, a magnificent ancient myrtle tree grows, in the branches of which only children can see the face of the Most Holy Theotokos. And the branches, and the bark, and the leaves of the myrtle are considered healing. A copy of the Panagia Faneromeni icon, painted from the original in ancient times, is now kept in the monastery and helps pilgrims all over the world.
The monastery of Panagia Paliani was destroyed several times during its existence, but was restored again thanks to the labors of believers and prayers to the Most Holy Theotokos.
- Iraklion 700 11, Greece
- Eparchiaki Odos Veneratou - Kiparissou
- tel. 2810 335840-7
Orthodox shrines Kaliviani monastery
In the very south of Crete, on the coast of the Gulf of Messara, in a place of the same name, 40 km from the city of Mires, there is the oldest Orthodox shrine - the monastery of Kaliviani.
Today it is a nunnery, but during the Byzantine era, male monks prayed here and had their own abode. On the territory of the monastery, there is a temple of the miraculous image of the Most Holy Theotokos of the Life-Giving Spring, dated to the fourteenth century AD.
The icon of the Mother of God, bearing the same name, is considered the main shrine of the monastery. In the cathedral church of the Kaviliani Monastery, a list of the miraculous icon of the Most Holy Theotokos Root of Jesse is also kept. In the icon case with the image there is a plate saturated with the world from the original icon, which is currently stored on the island of Andros.
Shrines of Greece
It is known that Ancient Greece is the cradle of European culture. And indeed it is. Homer, Aeschylus, Plato and Aristotle were all Greeks. The conquests of Alexander the Great brought the seeds of this great culture to the very depths of Asia. Rome, which conquered Greece in the 2nd century BC could not, and did not want to, abandon the Greek achievements. Until the fall of Rome, and even more so during the period of the Byzantine Empire, Greek was the language of science, poetry and theology. All miraculously preserved ancient texts of the Gospel are written in Greek. Therefore, in the earliest period of the spread of Christianity, it was especially important to convey the Word of God precisely to Greece, which had changed in many respects, but did not lose the glory of the primary source of European civilization. The main role in the enlightenment of this country, the change of pagan shrines of Greece to Christian ones, was played by the missionary journey of the holy Apostle Paul in the 50s of the 1st century after the Nativity of Christ.
Shrines of Athens
Church of St. Apostles, Athens, Greece.
Parthenon
Surprisingly, when it comes to the ancient Parthenon, which strikes the imagination even now, its pagan history is always remembered. However, we must remember that for more than 1000 years it was a Christian church! An inexhaustible stream of pilgrims aspired to this shrine of Greece. After all, they kept here: the gospel, copied by St. Queen Helena, the relics of St. teacher Macarius of Egypt, as well as other relics, information about which is not left. Time and war have taken their toll. During the period of Turkish occupation, the Parthenon was even a mosque. Now it is a museum that attracts the attention of not only tourists, but also numerous pilgrims.
Nearby is the famous Areopagus, where the holy Apostle Paul preached. Little has survived from the place where the most distinguished and educated citizens of Athens listened to strange and unusual words about the Son of God, who atoned for human sins, about love for enemies, about the Kingdom not of earth, but of Heaven. The stone steps on which St. Pavel, little has changed in almost 2000 years, but how Athens itself has changed! From the center of pagan philosophy, they turned into a stronghold of Orthodoxy and the capital of Orthodox Greece. 
Church of Saint Nicholas, Athens
The shrines resting in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens tell us about the tragic fate of Christianity during the period of Turkish rule. In this temple are the relics of St. Gregory V - Patriarch of Constantinople. In 1821, an anti-Turkish uprising of the Greeks for independence began, which was mercilessly suppressed by the invaders. The victims of the regular army of the Sultan were women, the elderly and children. All anger at the failure to suppress the uprising was thwarted by the Turks on the elderly primate of the Church. He was tortured and then hanged from the gates of the Patriarchy in Constantinople. The body was thrown into the Bosphorus, but the captain of the Russian ship picked it up and transported it to Odessa. In 1871, the relics were solemnly returned as a shrine to the already independent liberated Greece.
Shrines of Thessaloniki
Basilica of Saint Demetrius
The first church on the site of the dungeon, where, according to legend, Saint Demetrius was martyred (according to another version, over his grave) was built between 313-323. A hundred years later, in 412-413, the Illyrian nobleman Leontius, in memory of his deliverance from paralysis, built the first large church between the ancient baths that had turned into ruins and the stadium. The altar part of the built church was located above the alleged burial place of the saint, and during its construction his relics were found, secretly buried there, according to the life, by Thessalonian Christians in 306.
This ancient port city is now the second largest after Athens in terms of population. It had great military, commercial and political significance in the first centuries after the birth of Christ. The heavenly patron of Thessaloniki is the Holy Great Martyr Demetrius, who at the beginning of the 4th century became the commander of the city's garrison. His parents were secret Christians and raised their son with love for the Lord, in piety and faith. The persecution of Christians then subsided, then resumed again. Once Demetrius received an imperial decree on the adoption of the most cruel measures to eradicate Christianity. Neither the fear of losing such an important post, nor even the fear of inevitable torment and execution, did not trouble his heart. He not only directly and publicly confessed the faith of Christ, but denounced idolatry and called on everyone to turn to the true faith. The emperor, realizing all the impotence of his earthly power, in anger ordered the execution of Demetrius. The saint accepted martyrdom in the premises of the Roman baths, near the arena for gladiators. The Christians of Thessaloniki hid the body of St. Demetrius in a well not far from this place. Later, a majestic temple was erected over the grave of the saint. The relics of St. Demetrius is one of the main shrines of Greece, which Orthodox people from all over the world come to worship.
In the center of the city rises the majestic Metropolitan Cathedral in honor of St. Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessaloniki, known primarily for his theological works in justification and defense of unceasing prayer - hesychasm.
In the vicinity of Thessaloniki there is also the holy monastery of Greece - the monastery of St. app. and Evangelist John the Theologian. Here lie the relics of St. Arsenius of Cappadocia and Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain. St. Arseny was born in the small village of Faras in the territory of modern Turkey. Ordained a deacon, he remained in his native village and tried, despite the strictest ban on the part of the Turks, to teach children the Greek language. Strict fasting and prayerful anticipation bore fruit - the gift of healing and foresight. Saint Arsenios fearlessly defended Faras from the oppression of the Turks and unclean robbers, who knew about the saint and were afraid to cause any harm to the inhabitants if they found out that he was nearby. Many miracles by the will of God were performed by St. Arseny and at the end of his earthly journey. Here, in the monastery of St. John the Theologian - the relics of another ascetic of piety, Elder Paisius the Holy Mountaineer, whom St. Arseny. Elder Paisius for a long time carried out a prayer service on Mount Athos, and then was the confessor of a convent, having acquired the grace of God with his righteous life.
Shrines of Corfu
Covered with verdant forests framed by the azure sea, the island of Corfu is not only a fertile, but also an amazingly beautiful place. The light of Christianity was shed on this land around the year 37, when Sts. Jasson and Sosipater - apostles from the seventy. Thus, Corfu was consecrated before the rest of Greece. One of the most important relics of Greece, the relics of St. Spiridon.
The future saint was born and lived in Cyprus, in the small town of Trimifunta. He did not receive any education, he was a simple shepherd, but his pious disposition, meekness and goodwill were known to the whole district. Having been widowed, Spiridon became a monk and continued to serve God as he served people, without ceasing to help the inhabitants of his native village. The grateful inhabitants elected him Bishop of Trimifunta. In the year 325, the First Ecumenical Council was held in Nicaea, at which the Orthodox defended the Creed with difficulty from the Aryan heretics, who considered God the Father higher than God the Son. Suddenly, a previously unknown Bishop Spiridon stepped forward. He held out his hand with a piece of tile in it. By the will of God, a miracle happened: a flame burst out of the tile, water flowed out and dry clay remained - three elements confirming the unity and inseparability of the Holy Trinity. The heretics were put to shame, and the future saint, despite the fame gained after this event, modestly, as befits a Christian, continued his ministry in Trimifunt. Subsequently, the relics of the saint were transferred to Corfu, where many miracles are performed to this day through his prayerful intercession.
In total, there are more than 800 churches and monasteries on the island.
Patras
Church of St. Adreus in Patras.
Among the shrines of Greece, for the Russian pilgrim, the relics of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called are of particular importance. According to legend, the apostle preached not only in the Greek lands, but also consecrated the place of foundation of the future capital of Russia, Kiev, and even reached the upper reaches of the Dnieper.
The Word of God found attentive and sincere listeners in the inhabitants of Patras. After some time, as the life of the holy apostle tells, the majority of the population adopted Christianity. Statues of pagan gods were broken, wealthy citizens distributed property to the poor, the poor, having no money, helped in any way they could to anyone who asked. And only the imperial power could not come to terms with the triumph of the true faith. The apostle was crucified upside down on an X-shaped cross. So the apostle himself asked, out of humility, who did not consider himself worthy to accept the same cross as the Savior. A crowd of thousands was ready to rebel in order to save their beloved teacher, but the apostle called them to obedience to the authorities and forgiveness of enemies. The relics of the saint and part of the cross on which he was crucified rest in the majestic cathedral of the city of Patras.
Meteora
An amazing feeling of solitude and quiet prayerful joy embrace the pilgrim in the monasteries of Meteor. Based on huge, miraculous pillars of rock, they become a symbol of surrendering oneself into the hands of God. Now only a few monks labor in each of them, but there were times when Meteors were centers of theology and educational activities. In the monastery of St. First Martyr Stephen in Meteora rests his head, as well as a particle of the relics of the Hieromartyr Charalambius, who suffered during the persecution in the 3rd century BC. after Christmas.
Pilgrimage to the shrines of Greece, of course, is not limited to the listed cities and monasteries. A special theme is the holy islands of Greece, in particular Fr. Patmos, where he preached and labored in the prayerful works of St. Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian
International Pilgrimage Center "Pokrov"
Northern Greece
Convent of St. app. and ev. John the Evangelist is a 30-minute drive from Thessaloniki. Quiet abode located in the small town of Suroti. The Athonite elder Paisios Svyatogorets helped to found the monastery. Once he was approached by women who wanted to found a monastery where they could live according to the strict rules of Athos. Soon the elder found a wonderful picturesque place for a convent, received a blessing from the bishop for its founding, and in 1967 the first sisters settled in the monastery. Now there are 67 of them, and they really live according to the old Athos traditions. Services are held by candlelight without electricity. Another tradition, typical of many monasteries in Greece, has been preserved in the monastery - to treat visitors with Turkish delight and cold water. To get to the monastery, you need to climb up the mountain. So this meal comes in very handy.
One of the main shrines of the monastery is the grave of the elder Paisios Svyatogorets, thousands of pilgrims strive for it. Near the grave there is always one of the nuns who keeps order. People tend to come here to honor the memory of this amazing man. 
Elder Paisios Svyatogorets, in the world Arseniy Eznepidis, was born in Faras Cappadocia (Turkey) in 1924 in a large family. Two weeks after the birth of Arsenius, the Farasian Greeks fled from Turkey to Greece. Before leaving, Saint Arsenius of Cappadocia (1841-1924), who was then the parish priest in the village, christened the boy and gave the child his name. He also uttered the words that became prophetic for Paisius: "I want to leave a monk behind me."
As a child, little Arseny loved to read the lives of the saints, his older brother even took away and hid books from him. Arseny spent his youth in the city of Konitsa, where he studied at school and received the profession of a carpenter. The Greek Civil War (1944-1948) began, he was drafted into the army. After serving, Arseny went to Athos, in 1954 he accepted a cassock with the name Averky. And two years later he was tonsured into a small schema with the name Paisios. From 1958 to 1962 he lived in the Konitsky Monastery in the village of Stomio, after which he went to Sinai. He spent two years in the skete of the Holy Martyrs Galaction and Epistimius on Mount Sinai, where his cell is still preserved, but then, due to a lung disease, he returned to Athos and settled in the Iberian Skete.
In 1966, the disease developed so badly that Father Paisius had most of his lungs removed. It was then that several women approached him with a request to help found a monastery.
Father Paisios constantly supported the monastery and twice a year, until his death on July 12, 1994, he came to visit the sisters from Athos. He died in Suroti and is buried there. As the sisters say, that's right. If he had been buried on Mount Athos, women would not have been able to come to him. The relics of St. Arseny of Cappadocia, it was no coincidence that they ended up in the monastery, in the creation and in the life of which Father Paisios played a huge role. They were born in the same village, and it was St. Arseniy baptized Father Paisius, giving the child his name, prophetically saying: "I want to leave a monk behind me." This happened in Faras of Cappadocia, where St. Arseniy of Kapadokia was the parish priest at that time.
At an early age, Arseniy Kapadoksky lost his parents. He was educated at the seminary in Smyrna (modern Izmir, Turkey). At the age of 26, he took monastic vows at the monastery of John the Baptist in Zinji Dere in Caesarea (modern Kayseri, Turkey), was ordained a deacon and sent by Metropolitan Paisios II to Faras to teach children to read and write from church books.
In 1870, the Monk Arseny was ordained a priest and elevated to the rank of archimandrite. He made 5 pilgrimages to the Holy Land, which is why he was called Hajj Efendi. The pastoral activity of the monk continued in Faras until the age of 55. He instructed and confirmed in the faith the inhabitants of the Greek enclave, which was constantly under the threat of destruction. The Monk Arseny foresaw the coming trials - wars and exodus from his native land. In 1924, during the resettlement of the Greeks of Asia Minor, he accompanied his flock and died 40 days after arriving in Greece on the island of Corfu. The relics of the monk were transported first to the city of Konitsa, and then to the monastery of John the Theologian in Suroti.
Monastery of St. Anastasia the Solver is located near the city of Thessaloniki. The Holy Great Martyr Anastasia the Patterner is his patroness and intercessor. There is an opinion of scientists that she tied up where her monastery stands today.
St. Anastasia was born and raised in Rome at the end of the 3rd century. Her mentor and teacher of faith was the holy martyr Chrysogon. From childhood, leading a good Christian life, she kept herself clean and strengthened in virtues. Desiring to devote his life to Christ, St. Anastasia visited persecuted Christians in prisons and dungeons. She supported them spiritually and helped financially by distributing her inheritance. Even during her lifetime, the Saint received from God the gift of healing and helped many sick and suffering people.
The saint is called the "Great Martyr", as she courageously endured all the grave tortures and torments. She is also called the “Secretress”, because she was given the power from the Lord to heal bodily and spiritual diseases. In her prayers, she is asked to release the bonds of the unjustly condemned and to give comfort to those who are imprisoned. It is also customary for a saint to ask for protection from witchcraft spells.
St. Theophania, the queen of Byzantium, identified this monastery as royal, in 888 she donated large financial resources for the needs of the monastery. The imperishable relics of Empress Theophania are to this day in the Patriarchal Cathedral in Constantinople. She is considered the first embellisher of the monastery. At the same time, the monastery was presented with a gift of St. the relics of the Patron of the monastery - the head and part of the right leg of the Great Martyr, which are now kept in the temple of the monastery and are its main Shrine. Then the monastery fell into decay, it was preserved by a miracle. In 1522 Saint Theon found the holy monastery of the Destroyer in a state of desolation. It was he who restored it and made it prosperous.
St. Theon was abbot in the monastery he revived, and then in 1535 he was elected Metropolitan of the city of Thessaloniki. Holy and imperishable relics of St. Theons are located in the monastery church to the right of the iconostasis.
In 1821, the monastery was badly damaged by the Turks, who destroyed and burned it. Since the rich library, archives and many monastery treasures burned down at that time, information about the history of the monastery from the 9th to the 16th century that has come down to us is very scarce.
Kalambaka is not a very large city with a population of 11.5 thousand people. It is the capital of the district of the same name, which occupies the northern part of the Trikala prefecture. It is located at an altitude of 247 meters above sea level. Nearby are the famous Meteor rocks.
People come to Meteora from all over the world. This unique place is breathtakingly beautiful. Smoothly polished impregnable rocks, like pillars, connect the sky and the earth saturated with Christianity. Meteors got their name not by chance, in Greek "Meteors" means "soaring in the sky" or "suspended between heaven and earth." Almost 30 million years ago, nature created incredible rocks on the flat surface of the Thessalian plain, then they were at the bottom of the ocean, the water knocked sand down and gave them amazing forms that it did not leave anywhere else in the world. But this place attracts tourists not only with its picturesque landscape. The strongest energy of the holy place is felt here. Since the 10th century, Meteora has been one of the largest monastic complexes in Greece. These impregnable rocks have become a symbol of faith, austerity, repentance and renunciation of worldly goods. For many centuries, monks have lived on the peaks, for whom the rocks have become not only a place where you can quietly and calmly indulge in the service of God, but also find reliable protection during the Turkish conquests. At first, the monks lived in caves and rocky depressions, then monasteries gradually began to form. Until the 20s of the last century, it was possible to get into the monasteries only with the help of a system of stairs, scaffolding and rope structures. Most often, monks and pilgrims used nets and baskets, which were lifted to the peaks with the help of hand blocks. All these methods of ascent caused fear and excitement among those who wanted to get to the top. At a height of several tens of meters, a strong wind begins, which shakes and threatens to disrupt structures that are unreliable at first glance. The ascent to the monasteries became a kind of test of faith. Now, of course, there are roads and stairs carved into the rocks. Once there were 24 monasteries, now there are only six monasteries: Transfiguration, St. Varlaam, St. Nicholas, Barbara or Rusana, the Holy Trinity and St. Stephen. Two of them are female.
When the Rusana Monastery was founded is not exactly known, as well as the origin of its name. Perhaps the monastery was founded by Rusanos, a native of the town of Rusana. According to another version, the monastery was founded in 1288 by hieromonks Nikodim and Benidikt. The authentic facts can only be attributed to the fact that in 1545, with the permission of the Metropolitan of the city of Larisa Vissarion and the hegumen of the Big Meteors monastery, the brothers hieromonks Joasaph and Maxim built a monastery katholikon in the Byzantine style on the site of the destroyed Church of the Transfiguration and restored the monastery. Unfortunately, the monastery was often plundered, and few relics remained of it. Those that have survived are now in the Transfiguration Monastery (Big Meteora). In 1940, the monastery fell into decay and lost its monks. Since 1950, for 20 years, Elder Eusevia from the neighboring village of Kastraki single-handedly preserved the three-story building of the monastery, which is currently functioning as a nunnery in a renovated form, which received its second name in honor of St. Barbarians.
In the Monastery of St. Stefan, located in a very picturesque place on a huge rock, is easy to get to. To visit it, you just need to cross one bridge. It is the richest of the meteor monasteries. The first thing that pilgrims saw before 1927 when they got to the monastery was a bricked-up slab with the inscription “6770. Jeremiah”, which was located in the arch above the entrance to the monastery and meant that a certain hermit named Jeremiah lived on this rock as early as 6770 from the creation of the world, that is, in 1192 from the birth of Christ. There is a version that this hermit and other monks built here a small chapel of St. Stephen and several cells. However, the monastery itself was built at the end of the 14th century by Anatoly Katakuzinos and Philotheus of Siatin, whose images are depicted in a small church on the territory of the monastery. At the end of the 19th century, the monastery was inhabited by 31 monks, but by 1960 it was almost empty, in 1961 it was converted into a convent, and today it is flourishing. There is an exhibition of monastery treasures in the refectory of the monastery.
In 1340, Athanasius Meteorsky founded a monastery on the highest and largest rock, which is known as the Transfiguration or Big Meteors. The monastery got its name in honor of the main temple, which was built in 1388. As noted, it was built in the likeness of Athos temples. The founders of the monastery, Saints Athanasius and Iosaph, are buried inside the temple in its northern limit. Iosaph, the last Serbian king, cut his hair as a monk and did a lot for the monastery: he expanded the Transfiguration Cathedral, decorated it with icons and provided it with the necessary sacred vessels. The cathedral is decorated with magnificent frescoes, which were made in 1522, unfortunately, the name of the master has not come down to us. The temple is also famous for its skillful gilded iconostasis, which was made in 1971. There is a large number of valuable icons of the XIV-XVI centuries, and in the former refectory there is a museum of monastery treasures. Among the treasures of the monastery, the following stand out: the most ancient Greek manuscript of 861; a double-leaf icon of the Mother of God, a contribution by Maria Palaiologos, sister of one of the founders of the monastery; part of the Golden Bull with the signature of Emperor Andronicus Palaiologos; a fully embroidered shroud of the 14th century; four icons of the 16th century: the Nativity of Christ, the Crucifixion of Christ, the Passion of Christ, Our Lady of Sorrows. Not far from the entrance to the monastery is the skete of St. Athanasius. It was there that the founder of the monastery lived and prayed.
Until 1922, they climbed the rock in a grid, as it was not safe, steps were cut through the rock. But the grid is still not forgotten and is used to lift provisions and other items necessary for the life of the monastery.
Monastery of St. Nikolai Anapavsas is probably the most unusual of the meteors and stands out because of the features of its construction. The monastery seems to be huddled on a small rock, which forced the monks to think about placing temples and cells in such a way that everything was functional. This is how this magnificent monastery appeared, a labyrinth of several levels that fascinates pilgrims. Presumably, the monastery was founded in the 12th-13th centuries, when the first monks appeared on the rock. It was founded by the monk Nikanor by the name of Anapavsas, after whom the monastery got its name.
In total, the monastery has 3 levels. On the first one is the church of St. Anthony. On the area of the altar in 4 sq. meters can be only one clergyman.
On the second level is the Cathedral of St. Nicholas, the katholikon of the monastery was built in 1527. The cathedral was built in the shape of a windowless rectangle and topped with a low dome, while the porch of the cathedral is so spacious that it seems that it was originally built as a monastery courtyard. The altar is forced to face north. The walls of the cathedral are decorated with frescoes by Theophanes Strelidzas, an outstanding icon painter of the Cretan school. On the third level there are cells, an old refectory used as a reception room for honored visitors, a small church of St. John the Baptist and the crypt with the skulls of the monks.
Demetrius of Thessalonica came from the city of Thessalonica, where his father was governor of the Roman proconsul in Thessaloniki (Thessaloniki) and a secret Christian. When his father died, Emperor Maximian appointed him proconsul of the city. His main task was to protect the city. However, Demetrius returned to Thessaloniki and, instead of eradicating Christianity, as the emperor commanded, he himself began to confess Christianity in front of everyone and began to teach the inhabitants of the city the Christian faith. When the emperor found out about this, he immediately wanted to deal with Demetrius. Demetrius, foreseeing this, indulged in strict fasting and prayer and asked to distribute all his property to the poor. The emperor entered the city and immediately summoned Demetrius to him. He boldly recognized himself as a Christian and was imprisoned. At night, an angel came down to him, comforting and strengthening him in his feat. Later, in prison, he was brutally stabbed to death with spears. Faithful servant of Demetrius, St. Lupp collected the blood of the holy Great Martyr on a towel and soaked his ring in it. With these shrines he began to heal the sick. The body of the martyr Demetrius was thrown to be devoured by wild beasts, but the Thessalonica Christians secretly betrayed him to the earth. During the reign of Emperor Constantine, it was erected over the grave, and a hundred years later, during the construction of a new majestic temple, the incorruptible relics of the holy martyr were found. From the 5th century, with the cancer of St. Demetrius, the outflow of fragrant myrrh begins, therefore St. Demetrius receives the name Myrrh-streaming. St. Demetrius became the patron and protector of his family Thessalonica when the barbarians approached the city. Repeatedly, the pagan Slavs retreated from the walls of Thessalonica at the sight of a formidable bright youth who walked around the walls.
Saint Gregory Palamas was born in Constantinople into a noble family. His parents tried to teach him from a young age both human and especially Divine wisdom. Gregory from an early age sought to give all his strength to the service of God. Despite the fact that Gregory was from a wealthy family, he despised wealth, always walked in poor clothes and behaved like a poor man. Some even thought he was crazy. At the age of twenty, he finally decided to take the monastic dignity and go into the wilderness. Soon, with his brothers, he retired to Athos. In 1350 he returned to Thessaloniki. In 1354 he was captured by the Turks, but a year later he was released. Over the past three years, St. Gregory performed many miracles and healed many sick people. In 1368 Gregory Palamas was canonized as a saint.
Northwest Greece
Once Igoumenitsa was only a fishing village. During the period of the Turkish rule in Greece, it was a small town called Grava. In 1913, the town was liberated from the Turks, and in 1938 it took its modern name. The city took its final shape after World War II.
Corfu is probably one of the most famous Ionian islands in Greece, with an area of 593 km². The island is very picturesque and attracts tourists from all over the world with its small coves and wonderful beaches. The island has an ancient history, mentions of it can be found even in ancient Greek myths. Many peoples left their mark on it: the Romans and the Normans, the Goths and the Venetians, the Turks and the French, the British and the Russians. This could not but affect the culture of the island, rich in monuments and temples. The Orthodox on the island have their own shrines.
The inhabitants of the island of Corfu, or, as it is also called Kerkyra, know Admiral Fedor Fedorovich Ushakov well and revere his name. His squadron liberated Corfu in 1799. After knocking out the French from the island, Ushakov restored the Orthodox episcopate on it after almost five centuries of absence of the Orthodox Church on Corfu. The admiral also contributed to the creation of the first Greek state in the Ionian Islands after the fall of the Byzantine Empire. In 2002, a monument to Admiral F.F. Ushakov was opened in Corfu near the New Fortress.
Cathedral Church in the name of the Greek Empress Theodora. Righteous Empress Theodora went down in history as an icon-protector. She was the wife of the Greek king Theophilus the iconoclast (829-842), but did not share her husband's convictions and secretly venerated holy icons. When her husband died, she ruled the state instead of her infant son Michael. Theodora did a lot for Orthodoxy. Her merits include the fact that she restored icon veneration, returned and ensured that the iconoclasts were cursed. Righteous Theodora did a lot for the Holy Church. She brought up in her son Michael a firm devotion to Orthodoxy. When Michael grew up, she was removed from government and, after spending 8 years in the monastery of Saint Euphrosyne in deeds and reading Divine books (the Gospel written by her hand is known), she died peacefully around the year 867. Her relics in 1460 were given by the Turks to the inhabitants of the city of Kerkyra.
Church of St. Spyridon of Trimifuntsky is the most famous religious monument. St. Spyridon was born in Rome in the III century on the island of Cyprus, from childhood he was devout and led a righteous life. He helped the needy, the sick, children. For his deeds, God rewarded him with the gift of miracles. There are many miracles performed by St. Spiridon. Once, during the Divine service, the fir oil burned out in the lamp, and it began to fade. The saint was upset, but the Lord consoled him: the lamp miraculously filled with oil. In the reign of Emperor Constantine the Great (306-337), he was elected bishop in one of the cities in Cyprus. But, even as a bishop, he was able to combine pastoral ministry with works of mercy. Spiridon was a great defender of the faith and fought heresy. It is known that he took part in the First Ecumenical Council in 325 in Nicaea. After his death, his relics were buried in Constantinople, and when the capital of Byzantium fell to the Turks, the Orthodox leaving the city took them with them. They came to Corfu in 1489. It is not known exactly how he was associated with Corfu before he became St. Spyridon, the patron saint of the island. But the story survives that he saved the island from the plague in 1553. Later, he stood up for the island as early as 1630, when Corfu was threatened by famine, and in 1716, when the Turks attacked him. It is said that he appeared dressed as a monk, holding a candle, and sowed panic among the Turks. The day of their patron on the island is celebrated on December 12 on a large scale. The first church of St. Spiridona was located in the town of Sarokas, but it had to be destroyed when the city walls were being built. The current church was built in 1590. The temple was built in the style typical of the Ionian islands. Inside there are huge gold and silver chandeliers, a marble iconostasis, an unusual-looking icon in gold frames on the vault. Throughout the cathedral and above the shrine with relics, a large number of metal figurines depicting ships, cars and individual parts of the body hang on chains - gratitude from the parishioners who received the help of the saint. The temple contains the incorruptible relics of the saint in a silver sarcophagus of the 19th century. Every day, hundreds of people come to the temple to venerate this shrine, and these are not only tourists, but also local residents who love and honor their patron very much.
Southern Greece (Peloponnese)
Patras is a city on the Peloponnese peninsula. In accordance with Christian history, this is the place of martyrdom of St. Andrew. Andrew the First-Called spent the last years of his life in Patras, here he preached the faith of Christ, created a large Orthodox community. By order of the proconsul Achaia Egeat, he was sentenced to martyrdom on the cross.
St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called was born in Bethsaida. John the Baptist himself was his teacher. The Apostle Andrew and the Apostle John the Theologian were the first to follow the Lord. After the Descent of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Andrew went by lot to preach the Word of God to the Black Sea countries, passed through Asia Minor, Macedonia, Chersonese, and ascended the Dnieper to the place where Kiev is now located. Apostle Andrew accomplished many feats in the name of faith, his path ended in the city of Patras. Here, by the laying on of hands, the First-Called Apostle healed many people, including the wife and brother of the ruler. But the ruler of Aegeat, embittered, ordered the crucifixion of St. Apostle so that he suffered for a long time - not by nailing his hands and feet to the cross, but by tying them. That cross was not ordinary, but beveled, because the Apostle considered himself unworthy to die on the same cross on which Jesus was crucified. Such a cross has become a symbol of the Orthodox faith and is called "Andreevsky".
Two days of St. The apostle from the cross taught the assembled townspeople. The people who listened to him sympathized with the martyr and demanded that he be taken down from the cross. Fearing an uprising, the ruler ordered an end to the execution.
But the Apostle wanted to accept death in the name of Christ, and the soldiers could not untie the hands of the martyr. Suddenly, a bright light illuminated the cross. When it stopped, people saw that St. The apostle had already committed his soul to the Lord.
Church of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called in Patras was built in the early twentieth century in the tradition of Western architecture. Its huge dome is visible from afar from the sea, because the temple stands right on the shore of the Gulf of Corinth. In the church are the head of St. Apostle Andrew and the cross on which he was crucified. The modern cathedral was built on the very spot where the apostle was executed. Nearby you can see a cave with a spring, which, according to legend, scored at the place of his death.
Also in Patras are the relics of the Apostle Paul.
The Apostle Paul was not one of the twelve apostles. He, originally bearing the Hebrew name Saul, belonged to the tribe of Benjamin. The Apostle Paul was born in the Cilician city of Tarsus. In his youth, he participated in the persecution of Christians. Once Saul was illuminated by the brightest light, from which he fell blind to the ground. From the light came a voice: "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" To Saul's question: "Who are you?" The Lord answered: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” Shortly thereafter, he became an apostle. Paul was a very learned and wise man. He created numerous Christian communities in Asia Minor and the Balkan Peninsula. Paul's letters to communities and individuals form a significant part of the New Testament and are among the main texts of Christian theology. The Apostle Paul was distinguished by the fact that he sought to convey to the pagans the Divine Revelation not only adequately, but also convincingly, understandably, beautifully. He speaks to people in a language they can understand. The sermon that the Apostle Paul read in Athens in the Areopagus, where all the Athenian meetings were held at that time, went down in history. At that time, Athens was not only a center of learning, but a city of idols. There is an opinion that Paul, when he arrived in Athens, was confused by the majesty of this city. However, this did not stop him from making his speech. Although historically it is believed that the majority of Athenians did not change their views, many still came to believe. Among them were Dionysius the Areopagite and many others.
Mega Spilio Monastery or the Great Cave is located at an altitude of 924 meters near the town of Kalavryta. There is an icon of the Virgin Mary, created from wax and aromatic substances by the Evangelist Luke. Evangelist Luke was born into a Greek family and was very educated, he was a doctor by profession. The author of one of the four Gospels, he created the Acts of the Apostles, was sent by the Lord to preach about the kingdom of heaven. It is believed that it was he who painted the first icons of the Most Holy Theotokos. However, the wax icon located in Mega Spilio is unique. It was thanks to her that a monastery arose. It was created in 362 around the cave where it was found. The building of the monastery has 8 floors, and there is a feeling that it is built into the rock. The monastery was destroyed many times, and there were fires in it, but the icon has survived to this day. The walls of the church of the monastery are covered with frescoes. Also, handwritten Gospels and surplices are kept here.
Central Greece
The holy relics of the martyr Gregory and the Cathedral of the Annunciation. The future Patriarch of Constantinople Gregory was born into a poor family and was named George. He studied on the island of Patmos. Soon he became a monk with the name Gregory. The ascetic way of life, great knowledge in secular and theological sciences, made him known to the Metropolitan of Smyrna Procopius. He was ordained a deacon, then a presbyter, and in 1785 he was consecrated a bishop and became the successor to Metropolitan Procopius. In 1792 St. Gregory was elected Patriarch of Constantinople.
The saint did a lot for his flock. Despite the fact that the Turks hindered the spread and preservation of Christianity in Greece, St. Gregory repaired old and built new Orthodox churches, urging the people not to change the Christian faith.
It is not surprising that the Turkish ruler did not like all this. After the third return to the patriarchate, when the massacre of the Turks against Christians began, the patriarch was taken and, after much torment, hanged in 1821.
The Turks forbade the burial of the body of the holy martyr. It was given to the Jews, who tied stones to the saint's neck and threw him into the sea.
Body of St. Gregory, who miraculously got rid of the stone, was found by Greek sailors and transported to Odessa, where he was buried in the Trinity Church in the northern part of the altar. In 1871, the holy relics of Patriarch Gregory were transferred from Odessa to Athens and placed in the Cathedral of the Annunciation. The temple was built in the 19th century, it was consecrated in 1862. The construction was slow, the architects were replaced by one another, so its architecture cannot be called unambiguous. It is believed that it was built in the "Hellenic Byzantine tradition", but some believe that it is not as beautiful as real Byzantine temples.
Aegean islands
Euboea Island has an unusual feature, it is connected to the mainland by a 14-meter bridge, as it is very close to the mainland. It is the second largest island in Greece after Crete. The bridge is not the main feature of the island, the water under it in the Evrip Strait is much more interesting: it either rushes at a frantic speed, then practically freezes, and after a few hours, picks up speed again, but, surprisingly, moves in the other direction.
The island is a favorite vacation spot for the Greeks themselves, it is especially popular among the Athenians, because from Athens to it - only 88 kilometers. But there are few tourists here, which makes the island even more attractive with its hot springs, beautiful beaches, green forests and beautiful mountains.
The temple of the righteous John the Russian, one of the most revered saints in Greece, is located on the island of Euboea in the town of Neoprokopion, where his relics are also kept. This saint lived an amazing, blessed, but at the same time full of torment life. He was born in the 17th century in Little Russia, got into the service of Peter I. He fought a lot and wandered around the world a lot, but he was always full of humility and firmly professed the holy Faith. Many miracles are attributed to him. During the war, the saint was taken prisoner by the Turks and was sent into slavery in Asia Minor, where he endured torment for a long time.
Monastery of St. David of Euboea is located near the church of St. John the Russian. Funds for the construction of the monastery of St. David, who lived in the 16th century, collected on the territory of present-day Romania, Moldova and Russia. The most valuable of these gifts are still kept in the monastery. The monastery houses the relics of its founder, St. David of Euboea, as well as the Holy Head of St. Basil the Great. The great saint of God and God-wise teacher of the Church Basil was born in the city of Caesarea in 330. He was not only a pious believer, but also an educated man who knew secular sciences. His father was in charge of his education. Basil traveled a lot in search of new knowledge, he was in Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Mesopotamia. However, he felt that the main thing for him was not worldly sciences, but service to the Lord. So he went to Egypt, where monastic life flourished. When Basil the Great returned to Athens, he did much to become the Truth of the Faith and converted many to it.
Elder Jacob of Euboea lived a pious, but very difficult and full of bodily suffering life. He was born on November 5, 1920, into a devout family that was closely associated with the Church. As a child, Jacob and his family had to leave their homeland of Libya because of the oppression of the Turks. By the will of God, he was destined to get to the island of Euboea. There he went to school and there he began to lead a righteous and ascetic life. Even as a child, his favorite toy was a censer, which he made himself. All the neighbors were proud of him and saw in him a real man of God. Soon he was entrusted with the keys to the temple: the village did not have its own priest, he came from a neighboring village once every two weeks. Residents of neighboring villages, when they had any difficulties, turned to him for help. James was called to anoint with oil and read prayers over the sick, women who had difficult births, over the possessed, and in other needs. Jacob could not continue to study at school, as he had to work to help his family.
His path to monasticism was a long one. First he lost his parents and was forced to take care of his sister, then he had to fulfill his duty to his country and served in the army. After returning, he took on any job in order to collect a dowry for his sister Anastasia. It was only when she got married that he felt ready to become a monk. He began to think about returning to the Holy Land. One day, St. David said that Jacob's mission was to revive the monastery, which he once founded here. His tonsure took place on November 30, 1952. And he devoted his whole life to serving God and restoring the monastery. When her age approached fifty, he began to be overcome by illnesses that had tormented him since childhood. However, what worried him most was his heart. He was ill for a long time. Restoring the monastery of St. David, who chose the elder as his spiritual heir, bringing healing and peace to thousands of suffering souls, Father Jacob passed away on November 21, 1991. The monastery has preserved his cell and many personal items that bear information about the life of this holy man.
“So, leaving Troas, we arrived straight at Samothrace, and the next day at Naples…” (Acts 16:11).
According to a legend preserved on the island, the Apostle Paul landed in the port of the ancient city, modern Pagliapoli. In memory of this event, a three-aisled early Christian basilica was subsequently built on this site, during the construction of which fragments of architectural details of ancient buildings were also used. Paleopolis is located 7 km northeast of the modern. port of Kamariotisa. The main resort of the island - Therma - has been used since Roman times. There are hot springs here.
Kavala (ancient Naples). The temple is holy. Nicholas, which is located near the port at the place where the Apostle Paul first stepped ashore. Behind him stands a low cylindrical column in honor of the landing of the Apostle Paul. “So, having set off from Troas, we arrived directly at Samothrace, and the next day at Naples”(Acts 16:11).
The ancient city of Philippi- archaeological reserve. “From there to Philippi: this is the first city in that part of Macedonia, a colony. We spent several days in this city.”(Acts 16:12). From Naples, the Apostle Paul went to Philippi along the ancient road Via Ignatia and, most likely, entered the city from the east side. This road is a large stone blocks.
Chapel of St. Lydia stands by the river in which she was baptized. This river is called Gaggiti. A temple now stands on the site of the prayer house. The place that is traditionally considered the home of Lydia is now built into the Hotel of Lydia, which is located at the entrance. “On the same Sabbath day, we went outside the city to the river, where, as usual, there was a prayer house, and, sitting down, we talked with the women who had gathered there. And one woman from the city of Thyatira, named Lydia, who sold scarlet, honoring God, listened; and the Lord opened her heart to hear what Paul was saying. When she and her household were baptized, she asked us, saying: if you have recognized me as faithful to the Lord, then enter my house and live with me. And convinced us(Acts 16:13-15).
The place where the apostle Paul healed a maid possessed by a divinatory spirit is not far from the ancient square. The young maidservant, the soothsayer, owed her strength to the spirit of the Serpent, who possessed her. This serpent is associated with the ancient Greek Mantle at Delphi, known throughout the ancient world thanks to the prophecies of the god Apollo, who speaks with the voice of the Pythia. “It happened that when we were going to the prayer house, we met a certain maid, possessed by a divinatory spirit, who, through divination, brought a great income to her masters. As she followed Paul and us, she cried out, saying: These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation. She did this for many days. Paul, indignant, turned and said to the spirit: In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you to come out of her. And the spirit went out at the same hour. Then her masters, seeing that the hope of their income had disappeared, seized Paul and Silas and dragged them to the square to the rulers.(Acts 16:16-19).
The ruins of the prison where the apostles Paul and Silas were imprisoned is a small building that looks like a cave, not far from the entrance to the ancient square. It was on the ancient square that the apostles Paul and Silas were beaten with sticks. “The people also rebelled against them, and the governors, tearing off their clothes, ordered them to be beaten with sticks. And having given them many blows, they threw them into prison, ordering the prison guard to keep them strong.”(Acts 16:22-23).
"Passing through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue"(Acts 17:1)
The Apostle Paul passed through these cities when he went to Thessalonica on his second journey.
Monastery Vlatadon in the old city. On the territory of the monastery is ancient chapel of St. Paul. According to the first version, this place was a synagogue where the Apostle Paul preached. “... they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. Paul, according to his custom, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths he spoke to them from the Scriptures, revealing and proving to them that Christ must have suffered and risen from the dead, and that this Christ is Jesus, whom I preach to you. And some of them believed and joined Paul and Silas, both from the Greeks who honor God, a great multitude, and from noble women there are not a few ”(Acts 17:1-4).
According to the second, the house of Jason stood here, where the apostle Paul stayed and in whose courtyard he prayed. “But the unbelieving Jews, having become jealous and taking from the square some worthless people, gathered in a crowd and revolted the city and, having approached the house of Jason, tried to bring them out to the people”(Acts 17:5).
Agios Pavlos area outside the walls of the Old City. The oldest temple stands at the intersection of Kastron and Leoforos Ohi streets in a green area, next to a chapel, a holy spring and a cave in which the Apostle Paul stayed when leaving Thessaloniki. According to legend, the holy spring arose from the tears of the Apostle Paul - he spent the night here, outside the city walls, and prayed with tears. The new church rises above the whole area, located behind the old park. It contains part of the relics of the Apostle Paul.
Veria. In Veria, not far from Platia Orologia, behind the school building on Mairomiksali Street, there is an open chapel in memory of St. apostle Paul. Four ancient marble steps lead to the main icon, on which the Apostle Paul stood preaching. “The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas to Berea by night, where they arrived and went to the Jewish synagogue. Those here were more prudent than those of Thessalonica: they received the word with all diligence, daily examining the Scriptures to see if this was true. And many of them believed, and there are quite a few honorary women and men from the Greeks.(Acts 17:10-12). “But when the Jews of Thessalonica learned that the word of God was preached by Paul in Berea, they came there too, stirring up and stirring up the people. Then the brethren immediately released Paul, as if he were going to the sea…”(Acts 17:13-14).
According to local tradition, he was sent from Veria by ship, first to Aegignon (today's Kalindros), and then to the coastal city of Methoni (now called Eleutherochori). From there he sailed by ship to Athens.
Athens. By the time the apostle Paul arrived in Athens, life in that city was far from its former splendor. Here he first preached to the pagans in their territory. In Antioch, he addressed them in the synagogue, and in Athens, which had long ceased to play the role of a large prosperous trading center, there was no Jewish community, it moved to new colonies: Patras, Nikopol and Corinth. The Apostle Paul was the first Christian missionary to preach in this illustrious city, the intellectual stronghold of the Greco-Roman world. Indeed, Athens was still the main university of the empire; they enjoyed the well-deserved fame of the city of philosophers, on the streets of which one could hear the disputes of Platonists, Stoics and Epicurians. Other intellectual centers had already arisen - in Rome, Alexandria, Antioch and Tarsus - but Athens held the palm of unconditional primacy. Despite the decline in spirit, outwardly the city was as beautiful as ever. He held fast to his ancient traditions and monuments, festivals and sacrifices. While waiting in Athens for the arrival of the Apostles Silas and Timothy, the Apostle Paul must have had time to see enough of the temples sparkling with gold and rich colors, and the statues of a host of Greek and foreign gods erected on high pedestals in temples, in the courtyards of rich and noble citizens, in public buildings and on the streets. He begins his famous address to the Athenians with the words: "Athenians! In everything I see that you are, as it were, especially pious: for, passing and examining your shrines, I also found an altar on which is written: "TO THE UNKNOWN GOD ...".
H.V. Morton notes that, by mentioning the altars dedicated to the Unknown God, the apostle Paul, as always, adapts the form of expression of Christian teaching to the peculiarities of the perception of his listeners. In this case, he did not quote from Hebrew texts that meant little to the Athenians, but offered them something that they understood. It was a great start, filled with local color and promising an unusual continuation. For all who listened to him that day, altars with an inscription TO THE UNKNOWN GOD were part of their daily lives. Everyone knew the story of the plague that struck Athens six centuries before the birth of Christ. Then, having made sacrifices to all known gods and seeing that the plague did not recede, the Athenians asked for help from the Cretan prophet Epimenides. He drove a flock of white and black sheep to the Areopagus and allowed them to roam where they pleased. He waited until the sheep lay down to rest in their own chosen places, and in these places they were sacrificed to a "suitable god." The plague stopped, after which it became a tradition to erect altars to unknown deities, and not only in Athens.
Descending from the temple mount along the ruins of the Propylaea (ancient gates), a large rocky ledge is visible below on the right (it is separated from the temple mount by a path starting at Plaka area and winding along the northern side of the Acropolis). An ancient rock-hewn staircase of fifteen or sixteen steps leads to the top of a rock with a smooth, as if polished, surface, dotted with crater-like holes. This peak was specially leveled many centuries ago. This is Apec (or Areopagus), an ancient venue for the famous meetings of the Athenians, to whom the apostle Paul preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ. According to some, he could address the assembly from the agora (marketplace) located below, but according to local Orthodox tradition and the assertion of many historians, he stood on the Areopagus itself. If so, then the apostle Paul climbed these stone steps and, standing on a ledge of a rock above Athens spread out under his feet, told his listeners that God "does not live in temples made by hands" (while pointing at the marble temples crowning the Acropolis behind him , and a thirty-foot statue of Athena, whose golden spear gleamed so brightly at the tip that even sailors could see it off the coast of the southern tip of Attica).
For a pilgrim who wants to remember the words of the Apostle Paul, being on the top of the Areopagus, it is best to come here early in the morning or late in the evening, when the sun sets behind the Acropolis, shining with the splendor of colors - very special shades of red and gold so characteristic of Greece - and it seems as if the words of the Apostle still resound here. “While waiting for the apostles Silas and Timothy in Athens, Paul was troubled in spirit at the sight of this city full of idols. He reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with those who worshiped God, and daily in the square with those who met. Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to argue with him; and some said: “What does this sueslov want to say?"and others: "he seems to be preaching about foreign deities", because he preached to them Jesus and the Resurrection. And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus and said: Can we know what this new doctrine is that you preach? For you put something strange into our ears; so we want to know what it is? The Athenians, and all the foreigners living among them, spent their time in nothing more than in speaking or listening to something new.
And standing in the midst of the Areopagus, Paul said: Athenians! From everything I see that you are, as it were, especially pious; For as I was passing by and examining your shrines, I also found an altar on which is written: "to the unknown God." This one whom you, not knowing, honor, I preach to you: God, who created the world and everything in it, He, being the Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man and does not require the service of human hands, as if having in need of something, Himself giving to all life and breath and everything; From one blood He made the whole human race to dwell on all the face of the earth, appointing predetermined times and limits to their habitation, So that they would seek God, if they would not feel Him, and if they would not find Him, although He was not far from each of us: For we By them we live and move and have our being, as some of your poets said: "we are His and their generation." Therefore, we, being the race of God, should not think that the Deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, which has received its form from the art and invention of man. So leaving the times of ignorance, God now commands people everywhere to repent; For He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness, by means of a Man whom He has ordained, giving proof to all by raising Him from the dead. When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some scoffed, while others said: We will hear from you about this at another time. So Paul went out from among them. Some of the men who joined him believed; among them was Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris, and others with him.(Acts 17, 16-34).
Of all these thousands of idolaters, philosophers and orators, there were only a handful of people who believed his words. We know only three of them by name: Holy Martyr Dionysios the Areopagite, who, according to legend, was a judge of the council of the Areopagus, which consisted of only nine members; St. Hierotheos (perhaps he was also a member of this Council), who later became the first Bishop of Athens, and a woman named Damaris.
Corinth. After a sermon in Athens and a famous speech at the top of the Areopagus, the apostle Paul set off along the coastal road to Corinth. Corinth in the time of the Apostle Paul was a unique city that was part of the Roman colonies in Greece. In Corinth, the holy Apostle Paul stayed at the house of a Jewish couple, Akila and Priscila. They, like him, were engaged in the manufacture of tents and sails, and the holy apostle began to work together with them, earning his livelihood. Aquila and his wife had only recently arrived in Corinth in connection with Claudius's order that "all Jews should leave Rome." Roman historians explain this expulsion by the desire to put an end to the actions of the Jews “at the instigation of a certain Crestus”, which involuntarily suggests that already at this stage we are dealing with disputes among the Jews regarding the Gospel.
In the spring, Silas and Timothy finally joined Paul. They saw him preaching with great enthusiasm in the synagogue, and his success, as was to be expected, stirred the Jews. Their hostility reached such a pitch that they blasphemously reviled Christ in the middle of the synagogue. In response, Paul “shake the dust from his clothes” (a symbolic gesture of rejection among the Israelites, known since the time of the prophet Nehemiah) and exclaimed: “Your blood is on your heads; I am clean; henceforth I go to the Gentiles.” And he left this synagogue forever. From that day on, the Corinthian Christians gathered in the house of the Roman Titus Justus. Among the Jews who followed the apostle were Aquila, Priscila, and Crispus, the head of the synagogue, whom Paul himself baptized and who later became the head of the local Church. Turning to preaching among the Gentiles, Paul preached with no less enthusiasm than in the synagogue, and it was in a Gentile environment that he reaped a bountiful harvest. Greetings in his letters to the Corinthians sound more like lists of citizens of the Roman city-state than an appeal to the inhabitants of the Greek-Jewish colony: Titus, Gaius, Fortunatus, Tertius.
On that night, when the apostle Paul left the synagogue forever, the Lord spoke to him in a vision: “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will harm you, because I have many people in this city”(Acts 18:9-10). Perhaps anticipating the beginning of a vengeful confrontation that followed him all the way through the land of Asia Minor and most of Greece, St. Paul thought to leave Corinth just as he left Thessaloniki, Philip and Berea. However, he stayed here for a year and a half, which turned out to be the longest period of his stay anywhere since the day he began his missionary journeys. The Jews, however, who rejected the good news of Christianity, at that time waited, looking for the right moment to strangle the newborn Church and expel the apostle from Corinth. Finally, with the arrival of the new proconsul of Achaia, Junius Gallio, they decided that now they had such an opportunity. They realized that they could hardly influence the proconsul by making accusations of attacking Jewish traditions, and they decided to oppose Paul. Gallio was not just the ruler of a Roman colony, but the brother of Seneca, the famous philosopher and teacher of Nero, and the uncle of the Roman poet Lucian. Excellently educated, coming from a good family, a wonderful speaker, Gallio was considered among his contemporaries as a charming, friendly person and a shrewd leader. Unlike the rulers Philip and Thessaloniki, he could not be frightened by a crowd that started religious strife. The Jews, however, bringing Paul to his trial with shouts: “He teaches people to honor God not according to the law,” hoped that the law, officially protecting Judaism, would be on their side. In addition, they expected that the performance they had arranged would make a great impression on Gallio as a new person in a new place. However, he answered coldly: “If there were any offense or malice, then I would have reason to listen to you; but when there is a dispute about doctrine and about names and about your law, then decide for yourself: I do not want to be a judge in this. And drove them out of judgment. They did not have time to leave the courtroom when the Greek pagans who had gathered there, enraged by these fabricated accusations, surrounded the head of the synagogue, Sosthenes, and thoroughly beat him. Gallio paid no attention to this.
Next to the temple built in honor of Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Corinth, there is a marble monument, in which, in four languages, including Russian, the so-called "Hymn of Love". It is also necessary to visit the market square - the place where the apostle Paul preached. The first letter to the Corinthians was written by him three years after he, together with Aquila and Priscilla, left from there to Ephesus; the second - about a year later, when he was in Macedonia, before his last visit to Corinth.
After visiting Corinth, the Apostle Paul continued his missionary journey and came to the eastern port of Corinth (it has been preserved), which is called Kekhreon (Kenchrei), where shaved head off(Acts 18, 18). Here, having made a stop at the Corinth Canal, which was built at the end of the 19th century to connect the two seas of the Aegean and Ionian, one should definitely remember the holy martyr Galina of Corinth, who suffered in 258 under Emperor Decius. She was drowned with a stone around her neck in the ancient port of the old city of Corinth. Then the Apostle Paul returned to Asia Minor, to Jerusalem, again to Macedonia. In Jerusalem, he was taken into custody and sent to Rome. Eusebius writes that after two years of imprisonment in Rome, Saint Paul was released, and he preached the gospel of Jesus Christ for another ten years. Then he returned to Rome. Here the apostle Paul accepted martyrdom. This happened on June 29, 67 or 68 from the Nativity of Christ.
antique Nikopol, where the Apostle Paul preached after his release in Rome “When I send Artema or Tychicus to you, hasten to come to me in Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there” (Titus 3, 12). The activity of the Apostle Paul turned Nikopol into the largest Christian center of its time. The picturesque ruins of Nikopol are located near Preveza.
Research by Alexei Mishin.
Convent of St. app. and ev. John the Evangelist is a 30-minute drive from Thessaloniki. Quiet abode located in the small town of Suroti. The Athonite elder Paisios Svyatogorets helped to found the monastery. Once he was approached by women who wanted to found a monastery where they could live according to the strict rules of Athos. Soon the elder found a wonderful picturesque place for a convent, received a blessing from the bishop for its founding, and in 1967 the first sisters settled in the monastery. Now there are 67 of them, and they really live according to the old Athos traditions. Services are held by candlelight without electricity. Another tradition, typical of many monasteries in Greece, has been preserved in the monastery - to treat visitors with Turkish delight and cold water. To get to the monastery, you need to climb up the mountain. So this meal comes in very handy.
One of the main shrines of the monastery is the grave of the elder Paisios Svyatogorets, thousands of pilgrims strive for it. Near the grave there is always one of the nuns who keeps order. People tend to come here to honor the memory of this amazing man.
Elder Paisios Svyatogorets, in the world Arseniy Eznepidis, was born in Faras Cappadocia (Turkey) in 1924 in a large family. Two weeks after the birth of Arsenius, the Farasian Greeks fled from Turkey to Greece. Before leaving, Saint Arsenios of Cappadocia (1841-1924), who was then the parish priest in the village, christened the boy and gave the child his name. He also uttered the words that became prophetic for Paisius: "I want to leave a monk behind me."
As a child, little Arseny loved to read the lives of the saints, his older brother even took away and hid books from him. Arseny spent his youth in the city of Konitsa, where he studied at school and received the profession of a carpenter. The Greek Civil War (1944-1948) began, he was drafted into the army. After serving, Arseny went to Athos, in 1954 he accepted a cassock with the name Averky. And two years later he was tonsured into a small schema with the name Paisios. From 1958 to 1962 he lived in the Konitsky Monastery in the village of Stomio, after which he went to Sinai. He spent two years in the skete of the Holy Martyrs Galaction and Epistimius on Mount Sinai, where his cell is still preserved, but then, due to a lung disease, he returned to Athos and settled in the Iberian Skete.
In 1966, the disease developed so badly that Father Paisius had most of his lungs removed. It was then that several women approached him with a request to help found a monastery.
Father Paisios constantly supported the monastery and twice a year, until his death on July 12, 1994, he came to visit the sisters from Athos. He died in Suroti and is buried there. As the sisters say, that's right. If he had been buried on Mount Athos, women would not have been able to come to him. The relics of St. Arseny of Cappadocia, it was no coincidence that they ended up in the monastery, in the creation and in the life of which Father Paisios played a huge role. They were born in the same village, and it was St. Arseniy baptized Father Paisius, giving the child his name, prophetically saying: "I want to leave a monk behind me." This happened in Faras of Cappadocia, where St. Arseniy of Kapadokia was the parish priest at that time.
At an early age, Arseniy Kapadoksky lost his parents. He was educated at the seminary in Smyrna (modern Izmir, Turkey). At the age of 26, he took monastic vows at the monastery of John the Baptist in Zinji Dere in Caesarea (modern Kayseri, Turkey), was ordained a deacon and sent by Metropolitan Paisios II to Faras to teach children to read and write from church books.
In 1870, the Monk Arseny was ordained a priest and elevated to the rank of archimandrite. He made 5 pilgrimages to the Holy Land, which is why he was called Hajj Efendi. The pastoral activity of the monk continued in Faras until the age of 55. He instructed and confirmed in the faith the inhabitants of the Greek enclave, which was constantly under the threat of destruction. The Monk Arseny foresaw the coming trials - wars and exodus from his native land. In 1924, during the resettlement of the Greeks of Asia Minor, he accompanied his flock and died 40 days after arriving in Greece on the island of Corfu. The relics of the monk were transported first to the city of Konitsa, and then to the monastery of John the Theologian in Suroti.
Monastery of St. Anastasia the Solver is located near the city of Thessaloniki. The Holy Great Martyr Anastasia the Patterner is his patroness and intercessor. There is an opinion of scientists that she tied up where her monastery stands today.
St. Anastasia was born and raised in Rome at the end of the 3rd century. Her mentor and teacher of faith was the holy martyr Chrysogon. From childhood, leading a good Christian life, she kept herself clean and strengthened in virtues. Desiring to devote his life to Christ, St. Anastasia visited persecuted Christians in prisons and dungeons. She supported them spiritually and helped financially by distributing her inheritance. Even during her lifetime, the Saint received from God the gift of healing and helped many sick and suffering people.
The saint is called the "Great Martyr", as she courageously endured all the grave tortures and torments. She is also called the “Secretress”, because she was given the power from the Lord to heal bodily and spiritual diseases. In her prayers, she is asked to release the bonds of the unjustly condemned and to give comfort to those who are imprisoned. It is also customary for a saint to ask for protection from witchcraft spells.
St. Theophania, the queen of Byzantium, identified this monastery as royal, in 888 she donated large financial resources for the needs of the monastery. The imperishable relics of Empress Theophania are to this day in the Patriarchal Cathedral in Constantinople. She is considered the first embellisher of the monastery. At the same time, the monastery was presented with a gift of St. the relics of the Patron of the monastery - the head and part of the right leg of the Great Martyr, which are still kept in the temple of the monastery and are its main Shrine. Then the monastery fell into decay, it was preserved by a miracle. In 1522 Saint Theon found the holy monastery of the Destroyer in a state of desolation. It was he who restored it and made it prosperous.
St. Theon was abbot in the monastery he revived, and then in 1535 he was elected Metropolitan of the city of Thessaloniki. Holy and imperishable relics of St. Theons are located in the monastery church to the right of the iconostasis.
In 1821, the monastery was badly damaged by the Turks, who destroyed and burned it. Since the rich library, archives and many monastery treasures burned down at that time, information about the history of the monastery from the 9th to the 16th century that has come down to us is very scarce. Kalambaka is not a very big city with a population of 11.5 thousand people. It is the capital of the district of the same name, which occupies the northern part of the Trikala prefecture. It is located at an altitude of 247 meters above sea level. Nearby are the famous Meteor rocks.
People come to Meteora from all over the world. This unique place is breathtakingly beautiful. Smoothly polished impregnable rocks, like pillars, connect the sky and the earth saturated with Christianity. Meteors got their name not by chance, in Greek "Meteors" means "soaring in the sky" or "suspended between heaven and earth." Almost 30 million years ago, nature created incredible rocks on the flat surface of the Thessalian plain, then they were at the bottom of the ocean, the water knocked sand down and gave them amazing forms that it did not leave anywhere else in the world. But this place attracts tourists not only with its picturesque landscape. The strongest energy of the holy place is felt here. Since the 10th century, Meteora has been one of the largest monastic complexes in Greece. These impregnable rocks have become a symbol of faith, austerity, repentance and renunciation of worldly goods. For many centuries, monks have lived on the peaks, for whom the rocks have become not only a place where you can quietly and calmly indulge in the service of God, but also find reliable protection during the Turkish conquests. At first, the monks lived in caves and rocky depressions, then monasteries gradually began to form.
Until the 20s of the last century, it was possible to get into the monasteries only with the help of a system of stairs, scaffolding and rope structures. Most often, monks and pilgrims used nets and baskets, which were lifted to the peaks with the help of hand blocks. All these methods of ascent caused fear and excitement among those who wanted to get to the top. At a height of several tens of meters, a strong wind begins, which shakes and threatens to disrupt structures that are unreliable at first glance. The ascent to the monasteries became a kind of test of faith. Now, of course, there are roads and stairs carved into the rocks. Once there were 24 monasteries, now there are only six monasteries: Transfiguration, St. Varlaam, St. Nicholas, Barbara or Rusana, the Holy Trinity and St. Stephen. Two of them are female.
When the Rusana Monastery was founded is not exactly known, as well as the origin of its name. Perhaps the monastery was founded by Rusanos, a native of the town of Rusana. According to another version, the monastery was founded in 1288 by hieromonks Nikodim and Benidikt. The authentic facts can only be attributed to the fact that in 1545, with the permission of the Metropolitan of the city of Larisa Vissarion and the hegumen of the Big Meteors monastery, the brothers hieromonks Joasaph and Maxim built a monastery katholikon in the Byzantine style on the site of the destroyed Church of the Transfiguration and restored the monastery. Unfortunately, the monastery was often plundered, and few relics remained of it. Those that have survived are now in the Transfiguration Monastery (Big Meteora).
Meteora - Orthodox monasteries on the rocks (Greece)
In 1940, the monastery fell into decay and lost its monks. Since 1950, for 20 years, Elder Eusevia from the neighboring village of Kastraki single-handedly preserved the three-story building of the monastery, which is currently functioning as a nunnery in a renovated form, which received its second name in honor of St. Barbarians.
In the Monastery of St. Stefan, located in a very picturesque place on a huge rock, is easy to get to. To visit it, you just need to cross one bridge. It is the richest of the meteor monasteries. The first thing that pilgrims saw before 1927, when they got to the monastery, was a bricked-up slab with the inscription “6770. Jeremiah”, which was located in the arch above the entrance to the monastery and meant that a certain hermit named Jeremiah lived on this rock as early as 6770 from the creation of the world, that is, in 1192 from the birth of Christ. There is a version that this hermit and other monks built here a small chapel of St. Stephen and several cells. However, the monastery itself was built at the end of the 14th century by Anatoly Katakuzinos and Philotheus of Siatin, whose images are depicted in a small church on the territory of the monastery. At the end of the 19th century, the monastery was inhabited by 31 monks, but by 1960 it was almost empty, in 1961 it was converted into a convent, and today it is flourishing. There is an exhibition of monastery treasures in the refectory of the monastery.
In 1340, Athanasius Meteorsky founded a monastery on the highest and largest rock, which is known as the Transfiguration or Big Meteors. The monastery got its name in honor of the main temple, which was built in 1388. As noted, it was built in the likeness of Athos temples. The founders of the monastery, Saints Athanasius and Iosaph, are buried inside the temple in its northern limit. Iosaph, the last Serbian king, cut his hair as a monk and did a lot for the monastery: he expanded the Transfiguration Cathedral, decorated it with icons and provided it with the necessary sacred vessels. The cathedral is decorated with magnificent frescoes, which were made in 1522, unfortunately, the name of the master has not come down to us. The temple is also famous for its skillful gilded iconostasis, which was made in 1971. There is a large number of valuable icons of the XIV-XVI centuries, and in the former refectory there is a museum of monastery treasures. Among the treasures of the monastery, the following stand out: the most ancient Greek manuscript of 861; a double-leaf icon of the Mother of God, a contribution by Maria Palaiologos, sister of one of the founders of the monastery; part of the Golden Bull with the signature of Emperor Andronicus Palaiologos; a fully embroidered shroud of the 14th century; four icons of the 16th century: the Nativity of Christ, the Crucifixion of Christ, the Passion of Christ, Our Lady of Sorrows. Not far from the entrance to the monastery is the skete of St. Athanasius. It was there that the founder of the monastery lived and prayed.
Until 1922, they climbed the rock in a grid, as it was not safe, steps were cut through the rock. But the grid is still not forgotten and is used to lift provisions and other items necessary for the life of the monastery. Monastery of St. Nikolai Anapavsas is probably the most unusual of the meteors and stands out because of the features of its construction. The monastery seems to be huddled on a small rock, which forced the monks to think about placing temples and cells in such a way that everything was functional. This is how this magnificent monastery appeared, a labyrinth of several levels that fascinates pilgrims. Presumably, the monastery was founded in the 12th-13th centuries, when the first monks appeared on the rock. It was founded by the monk Nikanor by the name of Anapavsas, after whom the monastery got its name.
In total, the monastery has 3 levels. On the first one is the church of St. Anthony. On the area of the altar in 4 sq. meters can be only one clergyman.
On the second level is the Cathedral of St. Nicholas, the katholikon of the monastery was built in 1527. The cathedral was built in the shape of a windowless rectangle and topped with a low dome, while the porch of the cathedral is so spacious that it seems that it was originally built as a monastery courtyard. The altar is forced to face north. The walls of the cathedral are decorated with frescoes by Theophanes Strelidzas, an outstanding icon painter of the Cretan school. On the third level there are cells, an old refectory used as a reception room for honored visitors, a small church of St. John the Baptist and the crypt with the skulls of the monks.
Demetrius of Thessalonica came from the city of Thessalonica, where his father was governor of the Roman proconsul in Thessaloniki (Thessaloniki) and a secret Christian. When his father died, Emperor Maximian appointed him proconsul of the city. His main task was to protect the city. However, Demetrius returned to Thessaloniki and, instead of eradicating Christianity, as the emperor commanded, he himself began to confess Christianity in front of everyone and began to teach the inhabitants of the city the Christian faith. When the emperor found out about this, he immediately wanted to deal with Demetrius. Demetrius, foreseeing this, indulged in strict fasting and prayer and asked to distribute all his property to the poor. The emperor entered the city and immediately summoned Demetrius to him. He boldly recognized himself as a Christian and was imprisoned. At night, an angel came down to him, comforting and strengthening him in his feat. Later, in prison, he was brutally stabbed to death with spears.
Faithful servant of Demetrius, St. Lupp collected the blood of the holy Great Martyr on a towel and soaked his ring in it. With these shrines he began to heal the sick. The body of the martyr Demetrius was thrown to be devoured by wild beasts, but the Thessalonica Christians secretly betrayed him to the earth. During the reign of Emperor Constantine, it was erected over the grave, and a hundred years later, during the construction of a new majestic temple, the incorruptible relics of the holy martyr were found. From the 5th century, with the cancer of St. Demetrius, the outflow of fragrant myrrh begins, therefore St. Demetrius receives the name Myrrh-streaming. St. Demetrius became the patron and protector of his family Thessalonica when the barbarians approached the city. Repeatedly, the pagan Slavs retreated from the walls of Thessalonica at the sight of a formidable bright youth who walked around the walls.
Saint Gregory Palamas was born in Constantinople into a noble family. His parents tried to teach him from a young age both human and especially Divine wisdom. Gregory from an early age sought to give all his strength to the service of God. Despite the fact that Gregory was from a wealthy family, he despised wealth, always walked in poor clothes and behaved like a poor man. Some even thought he was crazy. At the age of twenty, he finally decided to take the monastic dignity and go into the wilderness. Soon, with his brothers, he retired to Athos. In 1350 he returned to Thessaloniki. In 1354 he was captured by the Turks, but a year later he was released. Over the past three years, St. Gregory performed many miracles and healed many sick people. In 1368 Gregory Palamas was canonized as a saint.
Northwest Greece
Once Igoumenitsa was only a fishing village. During the period of the Turkish rule in Greece, it was a small town called Grava. In 1913, the town was liberated from the Turks, and in 1938 it took its modern name. The city took its final shape after World War II.
Corfu is probably one of the most famous Ionian islands in Greece, with an area of 593 km². The island is very picturesque and attracts tourists from all over the world with its small coves and wonderful beaches. The island has an ancient history, mentions of it can be found even in ancient Greek myths. Many peoples left their mark on it: the Romans and the Normans, the Goths and the Venetians, the Turks and the French, the British and the Russians. This could not but affect the culture of the island, rich in monuments and temples. The Orthodox on the island have their own shrines.
The inhabitants of the island of Corfu, or, as it is also called Kerkyra, know Admiral Fedor Fedorovich Ushakov well and revere his name. His squadron liberated Corfu in 1799. After knocking out the French from the island, Ushakov restored the Orthodox episcopate on it after almost five centuries of absence of the Orthodox Church on Corfu. The admiral also contributed to the creation of the first Greek state in the Ionian Islands after the fall of the Byzantine Empire. In 2002, a monument to Admiral F.F. Ushakov was opened in Corfu near the New Fortress.
Cathedral Church in the name of the Greek Empress Theodora. Righteous Empress Theodora went down in history as an icon-protector. She was the wife of the Greek king Theophilus the iconoclast (829 - 842), but did not share her husband's convictions and secretly venerated the holy icons. When her husband died, she ruled the state instead of her infant son Michael. Theodora did a lot for Orthodoxy. Her merits include the fact that she restored icon veneration, returned and ensured that the iconoclasts were cursed. Righteous Theodora did a lot for the Holy Church. She brought up in her son Michael a firm devotion to Orthodoxy. When Michael grew up, she was removed from government and, after spending 8 years in the monastery of Saint Euphrosyne in deeds and reading Divine books (the Gospel written by her hand is known), she died peacefully around the year 867. Her relics in 1460 were given by the Turks to the inhabitants of the city of Kerkyra.
Church of St. Spyridon of Trimifuntsky is the most famous religious monument. St. Spyridon was born in Rome in the III century on the island of Cyprus, from childhood he was devout and led a righteous life. He helped the needy, the sick, children. For his deeds, God rewarded him with the gift of miracles. There are many miracles performed by St. Spiridon. Once, during the Divine service, the fir oil burned out in the lamp, and it began to fade. The saint was upset, but the Lord consoled him: the lamp miraculously filled with oil. In the reign of Emperor Constantine the Great (306-337), he was elected bishop in one of the cities in Cyprus. But, even as a bishop, he was able to combine pastoral ministry with works of mercy. Spiridon was a great defender of the faith and fought heresy. It is known that he took part in the First Ecumenical Council in 325 in Nicaea. After his death, his relics were buried in Constantinople, and when the capital of Byzantium fell to the Turks, the Orthodox leaving the city took them with them. They came to Corfu in 1489.
It is not known exactly how he was associated with Corfu before he became St. Spyridon, the patron saint of the island. But the story survives that he saved the island from the plague in 1553. Later, he stood up for the island as early as 1630, when Corfu was threatened by famine, and in 1716, when the Turks attacked him. It is said that he appeared dressed as a monk, holding a candle, and sowed panic among the Turks. The day of their patron on the island is celebrated on December 12 on a large scale. The first church of St. Spiridona was located in the town of Sarokas, but it had to be destroyed when the city walls were being built. The current church was built in 1590. The temple was built in the style typical of the Ionian islands. Inside there are huge gold and silver chandeliers, a marble iconostasis, an unusual-looking icon in gold frames on the vault. Throughout the cathedral and above the shrine with relics, a large number of metal figures depicting ships, cars and individual parts of the body hang on chains - gratitude from the parishioners who received the help of the saint. The temple contains the incorruptible relics of the saint in a silver sarcophagus of the 19th century. Every day, hundreds of people come to the temple to venerate this shrine, and these are not only tourists, but also local residents who love and honor their patron very much.
Southern Greece (Peloponnese)
Patras is a city on the Peloponnese peninsula. In accordance with Christian history, this is the place of martyrdom of St. Andrew. Andrew the First-Called spent the last years of his life in Patras, here he preached the faith of Christ, created a large Orthodox community. By order of the proconsul Achaia Egeat, he was sentenced to martyrdom on the cross.
St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called was born in Bethsaida. John the Baptist himself was his teacher. The Apostle Andrew and the Apostle John the Theologian were the first to follow the Lord. After the Descent of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Andrew went by lot to preach the Word of God to the Black Sea countries, passed through Asia Minor, Macedonia, Chersonese, and ascended the Dnieper to the place where Kiev is now located. Apostle Andrew accomplished many feats in the name of faith, his path ended in the city of Patras. Here, by the laying on of hands, the First-Called Apostle healed many people, including the wife and brother of the ruler. But the ruler of Aegeat, embittered, ordered the crucifixion of St. Apostle so that he suffered for a long time - not by nailing his hands and feet to the cross, but by tying them. That cross was not ordinary, but beveled, because the Apostle considered himself unworthy to die on the same cross on which Jesus was crucified. Such a cross has become a symbol of the Orthodox faith and is called "Andreevsky".
Two days of St. The apostle from the cross taught the assembled townspeople. The people who listened to him sympathized with the martyr and demanded that he be taken down from the cross. Fearing an uprising, the ruler ordered an end to the execution. But the Apostle wanted to accept death in the name of Christ, and the soldiers could not untie the hands of the martyr. Suddenly, a bright light illuminated the cross. When it stopped, people saw that St. The apostle had already committed his soul to the Lord.
Church of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called in Patras was built in the early twentieth century in the tradition of Western architecture. Its huge dome is visible from afar from the sea, because the temple stands right on the shore of the Gulf of Corinth. In the church are the head of St. Apostle Andrew and the cross on which he was crucified. The modern cathedral was built on the very spot where the apostle was executed. Nearby you can see a cave with a spring, which, according to legend, scored at the place of his death.
Also in Patras are the relics of the Apostle Paul.
The Apostle Paul was not one of the twelve apostles. He, originally bearing the Hebrew name Saul, belonged to the tribe of Benjamin. The Apostle Paul was born in the Cilician city of Tarsus. In his youth, he participated in the persecution of Christians. Once Saul was illuminated by the brightest light, from which he fell blind to the ground. From the light came a voice: "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" To Saul's question: "Who are you?" - The Lord answered: "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting." Shortly thereafter, he became an apostle. Paul was a very learned and wise man. He created numerous Christian communities in Asia Minor and the Balkan Peninsula. Paul's letters to communities and individuals form a significant part of the New Testament and are among the main texts of Christian theology. The Apostle Paul was distinguished by the fact that he sought to convey to the pagans the Divine Revelation not only adequately, but also convincingly, understandably, beautifully. He speaks to people in a language they can understand. The sermon that the Apostle Paul read in Athens in the Areopagus, where all the Athenian meetings were held at that time, went down in history. At that time, Athens was not only a center of learning, but a city of idols. There is an opinion that Paul, when he arrived in Athens, was confused by the majesty of this city. However, this did not stop him from making his speech. Although historically it is believed that the majority of Athenians did not change their views, many still came to believe. Among them were Dionysius the Areopagite and many others.
Mega Spilio Monastery or the Great Cave is located at an altitude of 924 meters near the town of Kalavryta. There is an icon of the Virgin Mary, created from wax and aromatic substances by the Evangelist Luke. Evangelist Luke was born into a Greek family and was very educated, he was a doctor by profession. The author of one of the four Gospels, he created the Acts of the Apostles, was sent by the Lord to preach about the kingdom of heaven. It is believed that it was he who painted the first icons of the Most Holy Theotokos. However, the wax icon located in Mega Spilio is unique. It was thanks to her that a monastery arose. It was created in 362 around the cave where it was found. The building of the monastery has 8 floors, and there is a feeling that it is built into the rock. The monastery was destroyed many times, and there were fires in it, but the icon has survived to this day. The walls of the church of the monastery are covered with frescoes. Also, handwritten Gospels and surplices are kept here.
Central Greece
The holy relics of the martyr Gregory and the Cathedral of the Annunciation. The future Patriarch of Constantinople Gregory was born into a poor family and was named George. He studied on the island of Patmos. Soon he became a monk with the name Gregory. The ascetic way of life, great knowledge in secular and theological sciences, made him known to the Metropolitan of Smyrna Procopius. He was ordained a deacon, then a presbyter, and in 1785 he was consecrated a bishop and became the successor to Metropolitan Procopius. In 1792 St. Gregory was elected Patriarch of Constantinople.
The saint did a lot for his flock. Despite the fact that the Turks hindered the spread and preservation of Christianity in Greece, St. Gregory repaired old and built new Orthodox churches, urging the people not to change the Christian faith.
It is not surprising that the Turkish ruler did not like all this. After the third return to the patriarchate, when the massacre of the Turks against Christians began, the patriarch was taken and, after much torment, hanged in 1821.
The Turks forbade the burial of the body of the holy martyr. It was given to the Jews, who tied stones to the saint's neck and threw him into the sea.
Body of St. Gregory, who miraculously got rid of the stone, was found by Greek sailors and transported to Odessa, where he was buried in the Trinity Church in the northern part of the altar. In 1871, the holy relics of Patriarch Gregory were transferred from Odessa to Athens and placed in the Cathedral of the Annunciation. The temple was built in the 19th century, it was consecrated in 1862. The construction was slow, the architects were replaced by one another, so its architecture cannot be called unambiguous. It is believed that it was built in the "Hellenic Byzantine tradition", but some believe that it is not as beautiful as real Byzantine temples.
Aegean islands
Euboea Island has an unusual feature, it is connected to the mainland by a 14-meter bridge, as it is very close to the mainland. It is the second largest island in Greece after Crete. The bridge is not the main feature of the island, the water under it in the Evrip Strait is much more interesting: it either rushes at a frantic speed, then practically freezes, and after a few hours, picks up speed again, but, surprisingly, moves in the other direction.
The island is a favorite holiday destination for the Greeks themselves, it is especially popular among the Athenians, because from Athens to it - only 88 kilometers. But there are few tourists here, which makes the island even more attractive with its hot springs, beautiful beaches, green forests and beautiful mountains.
The temple of the righteous John the Russian, one of the most revered saints in Greece, is located on the island of Euboea in the town of Neoprokopion, where his relics are also kept. This saint lived an amazing, blessed, but at the same time full of torment life. He was born in the 17th century in Little Russia, got into the service of Peter I. He fought a lot and wandered around the world a lot, but he was always full of humility and firmly professed the holy Faith. Many miracles are attributed to him. During the war, the saint was taken prisoner by the Turks and was sent into slavery in Asia Minor, where he endured torment for a long time.
Monastery of St. David of Euboea is located near the church of St. John the Russian. Funds for the construction of the monastery of St. David, who lived in the 16th century, collected on the territory of present-day Romania, Moldova and Russia. The most valuable of these gifts are still kept in the monastery. The monastery houses the relics of its founder, St. David of Euboea, as well as the Holy Head of St. Basil the Great. The great saint of God and God-wise teacher of the Church Basil was born in the city of Caesarea in 330. He was not only a pious believer, but also an educated man who knew secular sciences. His father was in charge of his education. Basil traveled a lot in search of new knowledge, he was in Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Mesopotamia. However, he felt that the main thing for him was not worldly sciences, but service to the Lord. So he went to Egypt, where monastic life flourished. When Basil the Great returned to Athens, he did much to become the Truth of the Faith and converted many to it.
Elder Jacob of Euboea lived a pious, but very difficult and full of bodily suffering life. He was born on November 5, 1920, into a devout family that was closely associated with the Church. As a child, Jacob and his family had to leave their homeland of Libya because of the oppression of the Turks. By the will of God, he was destined to get to the island of Euboea. There he went to school and there he began to lead a righteous and ascetic life. Even as a child, his favorite toy was a censer, which he made himself. All the neighbors were proud of him and saw in him a real man of God. Soon he was entrusted with the keys to the temple: the village did not have its own priest, he came from a neighboring village once every two weeks. Residents of neighboring villages, when they had any difficulties, turned to him for help. James was called to anoint with oil and read prayers over the sick, women who had difficult births, over the possessed, and in other needs. Jacob could not continue to study at school, as he had to work to help his family.
His path to monasticism was a long one. First he lost his parents and was forced to take care of his sister, then he had to fulfill his duty to his country and served in the army. After returning, he took on any job in order to collect a dowry for his sister Anastasia. It was only when she got married that he felt ready to become a monk. He began to think about returning to the Holy Land. One day, St. David said that Jacob's mission was to revive the monastery, which he once founded here. His tonsure took place on November 30, 1952. And he devoted his whole life to serving God and restoring the monastery. When her age approached fifty, he began to be overcome by illnesses that had tormented him since childhood. However, what worried him most was his heart. He was ill for a long time. Restoring the monastery of St. David, who chose the elder as his spiritual heir, bringing healing and peace to thousands of suffering souls, Father Jacob passed away on November 21, 1991. The monastery has preserved his cell and many personal items that bear information about the life of this holy man.
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