RM wanted to speak with a monk, and just before we left we were blessed to meet with Fr. Makarios, a French convert to Orthodoxy who's been a monk at Simonos Petras for 27 years. He has written many articles and does some translating (he translated the Synaxarion into French). He is friends with the family of our French friend here in Panorama, Emmanuelle (my Greek classmate).
Anyway, RM was very glad to get to talk with him. Here's what he had to say:
Finding a monk that spoke English was difficult, especially for me. On the last day I was blessed to speak with Fr Makarios, who gave some great advice. The monastic life is to be experienced, but kept separate from the parish life. Go to the monastery and experience the love and then go back to the parish and love everyone.
We didn't get to speak very long with Fr Makarios, as the van was leaving to take all the pilgrims to the port of Dafni. He invited us to come visit him again though, which is great!
Anyway, as for the photos: the top one was taken from just outside the main church. The bottom two photos are of Dafni, taken out of the van as we rode there.
2 comments:
Thanks for the update...glad you had a safe journey, RM, and that the old suitcase made it. Wonderful photos of Mt. Athos...
Blessed Nativity to you all.
Love, MOM
Hi Gregory, Pelagia, and "RM" - Marina Graham turned me on to your blog site tonight at Christ the Savior. Athanasios and I have enjoyed reading your blogs about Greece (LOVED the Greek Phronima blog! - true, so true)and the photos and commentary about your trip to the Holy Mtn. We were there in May (I stayed in Ouranopoli)and it was nice reading about your experiences from another perspective. Kala Christouyenna kai evtihismenos to neo etos (I think that's how it's said over there) filakia,
eleni schumacher
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