tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-301092492024-03-07T11:57:05.529+02:00Edwards in GreeceFr. Gregoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17972564279342838393noreply@blogger.comBlogger826125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30109249.post-56462783802763202032015-08-09T15:47:00.000+03:002015-08-09T15:47:00.168+03:00Stopover in Komotini<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">At the beginning of July, we took a family trip to Constantinople/Istanbul, which is about 9 hours away by car. To break up the long trip, we spent a night in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komotini" target="_blank">Komotini</a>, an interesting city harkening back to the days of the Ottoman Empire, with large Muslim and Jewish minorities.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We found a hotel with a great swimming pool for the kids, which is just what they needed after 5 hours in the car.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">After a swim, we went into Komotini to find some dinner. Here are the kids enjoying the ice cream at the end of the meal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The next day, it was back on the road.</span></div>
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Fr. Gregoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17972564279342838393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30109249.post-86251082342682442122015-08-06T19:00:00.003+03:002015-08-07T12:36:04.218+03:00The Holy Belt of the Theotokos<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our parish celebrated its feast day of the Holy Unmercenary Healers Cosmas and Damian on July 1 in grand fashion this year. First, the bishop, Metropolitan Ignatius, came to serve the Liturgy. We thus enjoyed a Hierarchal Liturgy, with the deacon reading from the ambon. In the photo above, you can see the bishop's back during the Gospel reading. In the background, you can make out the deacon perched up in the ambon.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My friend Fr. Gabriel from a neighboring parish also came to serve with us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We also had the blessing to host two small pieces of the Holy Belt of the Theotokos, which are treasured at our Metropolis' Monastery of Panagia Xenia in Almyros (about 1 hour from here). The two pieces were given to the monastery in 1551 by Vatopaidi on Mt. Athos, which hosts the rest of the Holy Belt (that is known to exist). I don't know of any other pieces that exist.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I had spoken with the abbess of the monastery for several months about this, and she and the sisters finally agreed, as they loan out the relic very rarely. The Metropolitan also gave his blessing. Thus, the abbot and one of the sisters arrived with the Holy Belt at 7:30 on the morning of the feast day. We met the Holy Belt out on the main road and processed back to the church with it, where we continued Orthros until the bishop came a short time later.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">At noon, we performed Holy Unction next to the Holy Belt and finally, in the evening, we celebrated Vespers together with the Paraklesis to the Holy Belt. The abbess and the other sister, who remained all day in the church next to the Holy Belt, then left about 8:45 to take it back to the monastery. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We are very grateful to them and the bishop for this great blessing.</span></div>
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Fr. Gregoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17972564279342838393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30109249.post-16955596797175156872015-06-25T16:52:00.000+03:002015-06-25T16:52:00.029+03:00Triplets' Sixth Birthday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">The triplets recently celebrated their 6th birthday. The day began with a friend coming over and opening some presents, as you can see above.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Then I took the kids to an indoor playground so that Pres. Pelagia would have time to prepare the house for the big party. Despite being June, the weather here has been unpredictable, and that day was full of rain and thunderstorms.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Pelagia decorated the balcony with balloons and homemade hula hoops, which all the kids took home with them after the party.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We even found a clown to come to the party for a few hours for games and face painting in the courtyard.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDy1JUo8FM83sZmZ_7baiPCfOH1L7yy8VLmwbc8mZ-Aqw1xr5TSCS89FMnvDjHmvPqQH9Xs_lA55aZ0qDJIHl7u37s0D_tgdC8z1Um2tdkVF7iLsCdO4mRBWDZZAwfrKquwUQVw/s1600/IMG_8669.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDy1JUo8FM83sZmZ_7baiPCfOH1L7yy8VLmwbc8mZ-Aqw1xr5TSCS89FMnvDjHmvPqQH9Xs_lA55aZ0qDJIHl7u37s0D_tgdC8z1Um2tdkVF7iLsCdO4mRBWDZZAwfrKquwUQVw/s320/IMG_8669.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here they were playing something like dodgeball.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiZF2jLZcKiWjt85me8gzd34F27Aq8H60DvNuMfJgRqoBCVY6PnFvaNySMqcirNGZYT0vWksn8cnft8UQAqlxjF3WiqXzt205n9LLWBNtO7xvdYdaT4g8MnqTDug0n7y_5IV5m8A/s1600/IMG_8656.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiZF2jLZcKiWjt85me8gzd34F27Aq8H60DvNuMfJgRqoBCVY6PnFvaNySMqcirNGZYT0vWksn8cnft8UQAqlxjF3WiqXzt205n9LLWBNtO7xvdYdaT4g8MnqTDug0n7y_5IV5m8A/s320/IMG_8656.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Finally, it was time for pizza and cake. Pelagia made three individual cakes and each of the kids helped design their own cake.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw2WZnU4z1ANkk5QFVKC-UgVVGfZwhjsxPBTAwhLD8Uxg_NlWJfNB8bV9nASCJeArfvD4U9iBX7lmAZw8TAt856E-rpI1zprRiEczDNN8JYaWhgbphabwNEKN-2vtax7MoG9lHnw/s1600/IMG_8711.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw2WZnU4z1ANkk5QFVKC-UgVVGfZwhjsxPBTAwhLD8Uxg_NlWJfNB8bV9nASCJeArfvD4U9iBX7lmAZw8TAt856E-rpI1zprRiEczDNN8JYaWhgbphabwNEKN-2vtax7MoG9lHnw/s320/IMG_8711.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">They were topped with sparkling candles.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRWJ78lApMsP5zv6GMblBHm3lJSPhGRkvIp58TorPLH1aktDep04IeH7TDbAjc50UvPsNE0bYg_Nocl_R8eCCCxNU8eq-41lrvxq28q9sn_pELH7wMF5Yu0VTMgyreoIR8_zGj4Q/s1600/DSCN0113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRWJ78lApMsP5zv6GMblBHm3lJSPhGRkvIp58TorPLH1aktDep04IeH7TDbAjc50UvPsNE0bYg_Nocl_R8eCCCxNU8eq-41lrvxq28q9sn_pELH7wMF5Yu0VTMgyreoIR8_zGj4Q/s320/DSCN0113.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Before being consumed with ice cream.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPW4aR3Md8uh8iwyQg1IzE4T6_SucoWffpj9p0YLgFtGsZTykIRiJQH04SqJV6Q7FuW_tWdtWzw1VoORAPAtvrotaYZaRNiNr6TPqnLtv417TFW0ulO6yMRQACpbHT75K_DjQWpQ/s1600/IMG_8735.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPW4aR3Md8uh8iwyQg1IzE4T6_SucoWffpj9p0YLgFtGsZTykIRiJQH04SqJV6Q7FuW_tWdtWzw1VoORAPAtvrotaYZaRNiNr6TPqnLtv417TFW0ulO6yMRQACpbHT75K_DjQWpQ/s320/IMG_8735.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Phoebe with her cake.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGruQ4VIV2V4-wVYge8FJKfh5Sf8eOh7hhEcIxqL_W35_C1-0rPbYfscHpGMXMFlsynkAZZO2M3tj5F_7ygA2S-RMHcJOiaXjeCzH6T68MHWTToLq1lD4uXvYtQt9pAopaswFZCA/s1600/DSCN0124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGruQ4VIV2V4-wVYge8FJKfh5Sf8eOh7hhEcIxqL_W35_C1-0rPbYfscHpGMXMFlsynkAZZO2M3tj5F_7ygA2S-RMHcJOiaXjeCzH6T68MHWTToLq1lD4uXvYtQt9pAopaswFZCA/s320/DSCN0124.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Paul as Captain America.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYEtnVzTyfkwfEz8iEB_SSVTw7t2j2idqhvEdSwfZBZefwQqhMfMGf-bTwSPL64zu8QT8HcUVyaMOxR1wRLfecYLfWOmtTlfcggCyMXFD6u9VqNIYb6Jmeidy9u37XOzxRrsbGZA/s1600/IMG_8747.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYEtnVzTyfkwfEz8iEB_SSVTw7t2j2idqhvEdSwfZBZefwQqhMfMGf-bTwSPL64zu8QT8HcUVyaMOxR1wRLfecYLfWOmtTlfcggCyMXFD6u9VqNIYb6Jmeidy9u37XOzxRrsbGZA/s320/IMG_8747.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Then, high on sugar, the kids went back to play more with the clown.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXYV-pKgdYeqAYhi_EnE5dVJLtGKlqemL5AjvRz7yBgNN7pcMfl_GYtV05WwN9Uzq2XIXUzhxe0-nONGWMZutGC4ZKcoy2tOlBzdSEHQ9U2EL3qy6bvqQKP-7MVLTK742vEx_t3w/s1600/IMG_8764.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXYV-pKgdYeqAYhi_EnE5dVJLtGKlqemL5AjvRz7yBgNN7pcMfl_GYtV05WwN9Uzq2XIXUzhxe0-nONGWMZutGC4ZKcoy2tOlBzdSEHQ9U2EL3qy6bvqQKP-7MVLTK742vEx_t3w/s320/IMG_8764.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The party ended with some small fireworks, which the kids loved. Just as the party was ending, the hiatus from the rain ended, with everyone joking that we must have "some good connections" for the weather to have held out so perfectly for the party.</span></div>
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Fr. Gregoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17972564279342838393noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30109249.post-17559971612741709122015-06-23T16:35:00.004+03:002015-06-23T16:35:42.417+03:00May and June in Makrinitsa and Portaria<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipC1AHajpI77bmFNsrULwSNnjQQ8cjQfniOi2wL5XCX2WQCmt4r2S7TO4zdn-bOFEtiL4rj-ehaYLamxCOPJAHi0GOGrZZCawkyodRY482dU0yyniRqj3ujCo8Nwbjc4uYxzs19w/s1600/IMG_8614.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipC1AHajpI77bmFNsrULwSNnjQQ8cjQfniOi2wL5XCX2WQCmt4r2S7TO4zdn-bOFEtiL4rj-ehaYLamxCOPJAHi0GOGrZZCawkyodRY482dU0yyniRqj3ujCo8Nwbjc4uYxzs19w/s320/IMG_8614.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">May and June seem to be the favorite time for academic conferences, and our Metropolis hosted several groups. Twice recently I gave a tour of Makrinitsa and Portaria, which gave me an opportunity to learn a bit more about Makrinitsa. In fact, it was the first time I had ever managed to go into Makrinitsa's enormous main church, and learn about its history.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Above is a photograph from inside the church of a sculpted stone relief of the Divine Visitation, dating from the 13th century. It is one of the few pieces preserved from the original monastery built on this spot some time between 1205 and 1215, which was dedicated to the Divine Visitation of the Mother of God. The monastery had royal benefactors and grew in importance until the 17th century, when it seems to have disappeared. No one is sure whether it was destroyed by the Turks or whether it was gradually abandoned.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In any event, it was rebuilt on the same spot as a large church dedicated to the Mother of God in 1767, using parts of the original church.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In 1955, the church was almost completed destroyed by the earthquakes that rocked this region. It was rebuilt according to the same dimensions and plan in 1963.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHqYguJSRscCnavsr5T17Q-qEN9sz9CnKfxbFHw-tuW-V-c5MRrS2kQ1yxnTFJX6Qc4fiGwGCTlGCnMxjfkbSLM9bMnvszrvzPziLYewWeHOsJscTeKk6jjt2lTsYdqK5AxXikUw/s1600/IMG_8623.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHqYguJSRscCnavsr5T17Q-qEN9sz9CnKfxbFHw-tuW-V-c5MRrS2kQ1yxnTFJX6Qc4fiGwGCTlGCnMxjfkbSLM9bMnvszrvzPziLYewWeHOsJscTeKk6jjt2lTsYdqK5AxXikUw/s320/IMG_8623.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">May and June also mark the beginning of the season for weddings and baptisms. We were invited to a reception after a baptism recently, and the kids had a good time particularly with the bubble machine. Here you can see Damiani chasing the bubbles.</span></div>
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Fr. Gregoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17972564279342838393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30109249.post-16769912108439086932015-06-10T16:47:00.000+03:002015-06-10T16:47:00.733+03:00Damiani's Second Birthday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrBP2Kd3PD3b6ZBONJfT6juZyKEG-3abQW5tn0DqC2Pa_i4FMN7AzyhMqnjgvA_IUm8yGu1zsDiivEdIz0foDlwXLE97lCWuCs-NlOv9Ak_uXNY5dW_wzn-fGjq-I_9OxzzIK28g/s1600/IMG_8551.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrBP2Kd3PD3b6ZBONJfT6juZyKEG-3abQW5tn0DqC2Pa_i4FMN7AzyhMqnjgvA_IUm8yGu1zsDiivEdIz0foDlwXLE97lCWuCs-NlOv9Ak_uXNY5dW_wzn-fGjq-I_9OxzzIK28g/s320/IMG_8551.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">June 3 marked Damiani's second birthday, which was marked by opening a few presents.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBG92GNECSBT-QIVDqYlj3F_0GfaATVnD_J8fKmWlmh9ITcXnWC4-q4mOksPPAapoUyTjYa_R9U6l2sg9T1M2QmCtkhdFlOnqjvZDBZ44BoWas6ffmlQxiBbnoOxUDgblJDNl6XA/s1600/IMG_8560.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBG92GNECSBT-QIVDqYlj3F_0GfaATVnD_J8fKmWlmh9ITcXnWC4-q4mOksPPAapoUyTjYa_R9U6l2sg9T1M2QmCtkhdFlOnqjvZDBZ44BoWas6ffmlQxiBbnoOxUDgblJDNl6XA/s320/IMG_8560.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">With the help and eager interest, of course, of her brothers and sisters.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkNXJn2iXEmxI5TJP_9O5Gv_3mXcMbW-2BBRKjSaEVn8tYPfpaYIEI52Pwo2IkMpNYZy73nQHgHbA4Am5f1SbhB7MXXFpTIMaO69xCwp0ykQ6dVP9atNX1utEbaCIAiw1GyCz6fw/s1600/IMG_8563.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkNXJn2iXEmxI5TJP_9O5Gv_3mXcMbW-2BBRKjSaEVn8tYPfpaYIEI52Pwo2IkMpNYZy73nQHgHbA4Am5f1SbhB7MXXFpTIMaO69xCwp0ykQ6dVP9atNX1utEbaCIAiw1GyCz6fw/s320/IMG_8563.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMF5uzGodopTM2obJ3VMeI-MzqniVeC5d-xbh40UdmlGDJc0LalOoCZIvE3N9jf7B8R6SmOc-wcFhufraUFICiZMqvZneGXCtyX94-_akVZHb7LwEg7i79DJatFJ8In_p8RLjbaA/s1600/IMG_8566.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMF5uzGodopTM2obJ3VMeI-MzqniVeC5d-xbh40UdmlGDJc0LalOoCZIvE3N9jf7B8R6SmOc-wcFhufraUFICiZMqvZneGXCtyX94-_akVZHb7LwEg7i79DJatFJ8In_p8RLjbaA/s320/IMG_8566.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And which, included, among other things, a small inflatable pool for behind the house.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkL4Goqi0lIPiulP0aWBOdYaTex0w2GNsv85J0VDq0MYpYGmVjfXzbkRfSWbLINaPONjIlPSACLoGSA2rr8bTBwlcsYduhX_K0FQYaeDGX5hqs4roaXLlQWENtahL8cwLjg6OROw/s1600/IMG_8573.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkL4Goqi0lIPiulP0aWBOdYaTex0w2GNsv85J0VDq0MYpYGmVjfXzbkRfSWbLINaPONjIlPSACLoGSA2rr8bTBwlcsYduhX_K0FQYaeDGX5hqs4roaXLlQWENtahL8cwLjg6OROw/s320/IMG_8573.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And, best of all, a chocolate cake decorated with mint frosting in the shape of a turtle, which is Damiani's favorite animal at the moment.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRO7w8gkPkBmYH_aPl2ebZPDa83eCqCsy2jlHpx2oR1eT8CE09Ge4UOAyk8MOdU67rcMcQQxEQspRe1okaT11zys5K0e6cXdjmUyn-E6cU6stTQMgkfmQeIDvZAjV_wv4TDpHCww/s1600/IMG_8575.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRO7w8gkPkBmYH_aPl2ebZPDa83eCqCsy2jlHpx2oR1eT8CE09Ge4UOAyk8MOdU67rcMcQQxEQspRe1okaT11zys5K0e6cXdjmUyn-E6cU6stTQMgkfmQeIDvZAjV_wv4TDpHCww/s320/IMG_8575.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here she is giving the turtle a kiss.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And here she is getting ready to blow out the candles.</span></div>
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Fr. Gregoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17972564279342838393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30109249.post-91748957425498849662015-06-08T16:21:00.000+03:002015-06-08T16:21:00.231+03:00The National Gardens in Athens<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR7bPwzihq32EEG6Yx-pAnN0j0h9sjgcpfvm3zYD8p2iz7g6HlFluvhfgcT2etjOTnMByJDNczICSOP1Uer1DG8aUPUPPGI9NcaoYMlaJBkumFox5tGl76C6jc-hmRhEgN-X1xlQ/s1600/IMG_8545.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR7bPwzihq32EEG6Yx-pAnN0j0h9sjgcpfvm3zYD8p2iz7g6HlFluvhfgcT2etjOTnMByJDNczICSOP1Uer1DG8aUPUPPGI9NcaoYMlaJBkumFox5tGl76C6jc-hmRhEgN-X1xlQ/s320/IMG_8545.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">After we finished our work at the US Embassy, we took the subway over to the National Gardens in the center of the city. The kids enjoyed the subway.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmekdNirpn0eswKUTa_WKaWlEG_9AiRjT6gpOGUHd6mU5iD_VVxNUeQX1yLrJr_PQEZR0icKTn62APNkyrc4AQKzpT_DaYczjnfw4D-We4BLjytuy0vsxuIQj9nIeXkXl_hgnPpA/s1600/IMG_8521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmekdNirpn0eswKUTa_WKaWlEG_9AiRjT6gpOGUHd6mU5iD_VVxNUeQX1yLrJr_PQEZR0icKTn62APNkyrc4AQKzpT_DaYczjnfw4D-We4BLjytuy0vsxuIQj9nIeXkXl_hgnPpA/s320/IMG_8521.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here we are the Parliament Building and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which is ceremoniously guarded by three traditionally clad guards. They stand motionless and stone-faced, changing places only on the half-hour. People can pose next to them, but only with serious poses. Just before we reached the guards (you can see them in the background), we fed seeds to the birds, who actually came and stood on our arms to eat them out of our hands.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-gbeLtEKu5wIIEqJhGcPCyZiqIfUWwhu632l1nn3b8dQ2XNJP1vbGyeERuINADMaprF_3zHL-zDvNXOmMHebNDqiaToE3EH1Y8ZU9DvwVGylGRZkTaTNcaB4gbWzoM0wo5mcCA/s1600/IMG_8527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-gbeLtEKu5wIIEqJhGcPCyZiqIfUWwhu632l1nn3b8dQ2XNJP1vbGyeERuINADMaprF_3zHL-zDvNXOmMHebNDqiaToE3EH1Y8ZU9DvwVGylGRZkTaTNcaB4gbWzoM0wo5mcCA/s320/IMG_8527.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Paul was the only one brave enough to try it.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitbXkm93r9k25jKIldd39kieawNu0HVbbCzoS6FcYscwr8Lj9lPuQ6jcSRRdUnV8et0aNbX-8TuqKu6CbojVc4WACxPbSG8omrjGAVXTd2YUD1g7i0yGF2XS5CJIRQWq2YG8glSg/s1600/IMG_8534.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitbXkm93r9k25jKIldd39kieawNu0HVbbCzoS6FcYscwr8Lj9lPuQ6jcSRRdUnV8et0aNbX-8TuqKu6CbojVc4WACxPbSG8omrjGAVXTd2YUD1g7i0yGF2XS5CJIRQWq2YG8glSg/s320/IMG_8534.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We then headed into <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Garden,_Athens" target="_blank">the National Gardens</a>, which were built in 1840 as the King's gardens, directly behind his palace (which is, today, the Parliament building). I told the kids the story of how the course of history was changed in these gardens in 1920, when King Alexander, who was out for a stroll, was bitten by a pet monkey and died three weeks later. His death brought the return of his father, King Constantine, whose pro-German sympathies changed the delicate European alliances and led, possibly, to the Greeks' loss of Constantinople and western Asia Minor.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPe35j1iHh32u-9a9WnwvvnXa9TslDH-78NNK45OZrf4XaV7hVYUEhdywUCq0gWVtODb0j0lgEpTdUyy7AQYR9xm01s4vAPc2wL27UN0EKC7rQaHsmiru26UhCX4bQBQ6Do0blBw/s1600/IMG_8537.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPe35j1iHh32u-9a9WnwvvnXa9TslDH-78NNK45OZrf4XaV7hVYUEhdywUCq0gWVtODb0j0lgEpTdUyy7AQYR9xm01s4vAPc2wL27UN0EKC7rQaHsmiru26UhCX4bQBQ6Do0blBw/s320/IMG_8537.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I assured them, however, that there were no monkeys in the Gardens today. Instead, there were lots and lots of turtles, which Damiani loves.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFzQvdFI11h_phgQVh05hmOy8eg6hlzAhuLuZGLyd1V3ywuqfO0YQIVoExmJ0dCH3Pdmi0QQP0D43wBt8y1SHCjpEZNyaGkrcevOyuNqywvbehTqMXqDGEkB2-0EbFdDXjGG7hIQ/s1600/IMG_8540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFzQvdFI11h_phgQVh05hmOy8eg6hlzAhuLuZGLyd1V3ywuqfO0YQIVoExmJ0dCH3Pdmi0QQP0D43wBt8y1SHCjpEZNyaGkrcevOyuNqywvbehTqMXqDGEkB2-0EbFdDXjGG7hIQ/s320/IMG_8540.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here is a great mass of turtles. The Gardens also have a large playground area for the kids, where, of course, we spent some time. In all, it's really a very nice respite in the middle of bustling Athens.</span></div>
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Fr. Gregoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17972564279342838393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30109249.post-69894930635972470412015-06-06T16:02:00.000+03:002015-06-06T16:02:00.245+03:00Lake Vouliagmeni<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="300" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d25215.71254857479!2d23.772338450000003!3d37.8143106!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x14a1eab895bfffff%3A0xfd575cfdf3a4a9e1!2sVouliagmeni+Lake+Natural+Spa+Waters!5e0!3m2!1sen!2s!4v1433422512918" style="border: 0;" width="400"></iframe></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Recently, we had to take the kids to the US Embassy in Athens in order to renew their passports. This was quite a hassle, so we made the best of it by combining it with a trip to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vouliagmeni#Lake_Vouliagmeni" target="_blank">Lake Vouliagmeni</a>, which the kids thoroughly enjoyed.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrH9IgsMtNg875DiylxT-ddqSoZX7L2mBrz_AogJhHkUTs83cCwoAs4v3lkwtkD7dYJObbeicQsJhp1oeZQroq5wNPw3kkpkLspemdq7Lhp0uwV0YnG1U_BbeY2KoNMFQe8vmSag/s1600/IMG_2120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrH9IgsMtNg875DiylxT-ddqSoZX7L2mBrz_AogJhHkUTs83cCwoAs4v3lkwtkD7dYJObbeicQsJhp1oeZQroq5wNPw3kkpkLspemdq7Lhp0uwV0YnG1U_BbeY2KoNMFQe8vmSag/s320/IMG_2120.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The first thing you notice is the small fish tickling your feet. Actually, though, they are feasting on your dead skin, and people come from far and wide for this spa treatment. The kids actually said they didn't feel anything, so I guess they don't have enough dead skin.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0__QxFjo3Cc_rd2vVFzGj_stzpFnnGU1J58GrKbaHypC9o7-_g6YHI8zatBUbRMhU4PgerEkbXAPzKdKYOYey9S2HVVDMelljnOouiC6Z5xFVkOggdU6Nn7IdOshHacjqWntaGw/s1600/IMG_2121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0__QxFjo3Cc_rd2vVFzGj_stzpFnnGU1J58GrKbaHypC9o7-_g6YHI8zatBUbRMhU4PgerEkbXAPzKdKYOYey9S2HVVDMelljnOouiC6Z5xFVkOggdU6Nn7IdOshHacjqWntaGw/s320/IMG_2121.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The green dot in the middle of the photo above is one of the kids floaties. Paul grabbed one and headed out full-steam for the middle of the lake.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbS6gd46hWTqbiFv-Y1kV1axaSTGj6WYZS613Oo-mfIKaQAkUsYrhjgFNox2708smwtsHVwNqStamhh4g-dffRZuo4I_n9WTSH4NYf5yekHCUgEsq16USoPwyeZUEKaZqfbQVzXg/s1600/IMG_8502.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbS6gd46hWTqbiFv-Y1kV1axaSTGj6WYZS613Oo-mfIKaQAkUsYrhjgFNox2708smwtsHVwNqStamhh4g-dffRZuo4I_n9WTSH4NYf5yekHCUgEsq16USoPwyeZUEKaZqfbQVzXg/s320/IMG_8502.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here's Phoebe at one of the stairs, where the hungry little piranha fish tend to gather.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZYnlbmbzCQOclAF4FntYsl0hR16Bc8FW6Irhx_Cv5S1oMzm4o55OrWkvXJiplBzg1nDvx3iZ_cpam_QmblxhwcL3fi9wJOpISov97dIx0NOaxEyroc1t8_dpLXp1F7jEyuZUlGg/s1600/IMG_8506.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZYnlbmbzCQOclAF4FntYsl0hR16Bc8FW6Irhx_Cv5S1oMzm4o55OrWkvXJiplBzg1nDvx3iZ_cpam_QmblxhwcL3fi9wJOpISov97dIx0NOaxEyroc1t8_dpLXp1F7jEyuZUlGg/s320/IMG_8506.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As you can see, it's a gorgeous location in a suburb of Athens, far from the chaos of the city.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNY0NK9nJi4GhUJjOnaAaAWCZguY5AiiZAW9CUdXXTmRE8aHVQbRJSnXcI4pULYTdU4pkqHsZiJIBxMKnPLKSa9lx5HZX7UegBfhHB9GzZc_wXVCS-I_BsrGmxBxV-9ZXIj6Ubcg/s1600/IMG_8507.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNY0NK9nJi4GhUJjOnaAaAWCZguY5AiiZAW9CUdXXTmRE8aHVQbRJSnXcI4pULYTdU4pkqHsZiJIBxMKnPLKSa9lx5HZX7UegBfhHB9GzZc_wXVCS-I_BsrGmxBxV-9ZXIj6Ubcg/s320/IMG_8507.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl_ObWXiBF1aS9EwOL62mTXga0PEwNbeH_JTmd-n3tfBOW4i5wdvWnbGF7WGAxpUHEsOSXNGqRqluzjcRoinpbFn1TITxl56zOwWFiT5yw-UNpSYaFdHX5LrHyqBXVZhyphenhyphenZpH-ADw/s1600/IMG_8510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl_ObWXiBF1aS9EwOL62mTXga0PEwNbeH_JTmd-n3tfBOW4i5wdvWnbGF7WGAxpUHEsOSXNGqRqluzjcRoinpbFn1TITxl56zOwWFiT5yw-UNpSYaFdHX5LrHyqBXVZhyphenhyphenZpH-ADw/s320/IMG_8510.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here are Pelagia and Benny watching the fish tickle their feet.</span></div>
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Fr. Gregoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17972564279342838393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30109249.post-10988868973741388992015-06-04T15:20:00.000+03:002015-06-04T15:20:00.381+03:00Around Town<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijI1FPvS_HpEhNW4qe-bNi9CYOwSMDe7d23JaqcbXaHctkAULLh1b_8CGcxeJ7gJIIdD9kXYRaj2lu-To6Ik4SnQQy5gCmtS2lIoi-kwDLRwApz4R_OBelrxxR8fJSCVI_OcR_Zw/s1600/IMG_8477.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijI1FPvS_HpEhNW4qe-bNi9CYOwSMDe7d23JaqcbXaHctkAULLh1b_8CGcxeJ7gJIIdD9kXYRaj2lu-To6Ik4SnQQy5gCmtS2lIoi-kwDLRwApz4R_OBelrxxR8fJSCVI_OcR_Zw/s320/IMG_8477.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The long-awaited spring weather has given us the opportunity to get outside and work in the garden areas around the church. Above, you can see that even Damiani has been helping out. Pelagia has established a sort of "work party" every Friday. To this point, it's just me, Pelagia, Damiani and our catechumen Omari (from Congo), but we're getting some things done.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOhWl5Wyo0wMaYrtpb2snW4wRNSfvnvPUntbuCOzVyRTIurU5PvkqD5-rJElhb0qPKmUJpA_BMPhjCFueZct3ViczBQ_XTPd-gq-pYRvpupNjxoAxQxgvvWzczg8fTYgRJsQP8jg/s1600/IMG_8489.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOhWl5Wyo0wMaYrtpb2snW4wRNSfvnvPUntbuCOzVyRTIurU5PvkqD5-rJElhb0qPKmUJpA_BMPhjCFueZct3ViczBQ_XTPd-gq-pYRvpupNjxoAxQxgvvWzczg8fTYgRJsQP8jg/s320/IMG_8489.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We had some friends over for a BBQ, and their kids brought their inline skates. Our kids were very excited about them. Here's Benny trying them out.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Last week, I was asked to give a tour of Portaria and Makrinitsa to a group of Catholic theologians from Bari who were meeting in our region. Here we are at the other parish in Portaria, St. Nicholas. The group included one wonderful Catholic nun from Tanzania, who is in charge of an orphanage near Mt. Kilimanjaro. She is working on her doctorate in ecumenical theology at Bari. You can see her on the right in the photo above.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">When I went to meet the group at their conference, I ran into the local religion/culture reporter, who had been trying to track me down for a story. Not able to escape, I spoke with her, and she published <a href="http://www.taxydromos.gr/%CE%A4%CE%BF%CF%80%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%AC/177540-%CE%91%CE%BC%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%B1%CE%BD%CF%8C%CF%82-%CE%B9%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%AD%CE%B1%CF%82-%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B7%CE%BD-%CE%A0%CE%BF%CF%81%CF%84%CE%B1%CF%81%CE%B9%CE%AC-~-%CE%91%CF%80%CF%8C-%CF%84%CE%B7%CE%BD-%CE%91%CE%B3%CE%B3%CE%BB%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%B1%CE%BD%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%AE-%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B7%CE%BD-%CE%9F%CF%81%CE%B8%CF%8C%CE%B4%CE%BF%CE%BE%CE%B7-%CE%B5%CE%BA%CE%BA%CE%BB%CE%B7%CF%83%CE%AF%CE%B1.html#.VW2nFYFuRhY.facebook" target="_blank">this very nice article</a> in the local paper. <a href="https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=el&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.taxydromos.gr%2F%CE%A4%CE%BF%CF%80%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%AC%2F177540-%CE%91%CE%BC%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%B1%CE%BD%CF%8C%CF%82-%CE%B9%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%AD%CE%B1%CF%82-%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B7%CE%BD-%CE%A0%CE%BF%CF%81%CF%84%CE%B1%CF%81%CE%B9%CE%AC-~-%CE%91%CF%80%CF%8C-%CF%84%CE%B7%CE%BD-%CE%91%CE%B3%CE%B3%CE%BB%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%B1%CE%BD%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%AE-%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B7%CE%BD-%CE%9F%CF%81%CE%B8%CF%8C%CE%B4%CE%BF%CE%BE%CE%B7-%CE%B5%CE%BA%CE%BA%CE%BB%CE%B7%CF%83%CE%AF%CE%B1.html%23.VW2nFYFuRhY.facebook&edit-text" target="_blank">Here is the Google Translate version</a>.</span></div>
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Fr. Gregoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17972564279342838393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30109249.post-70759666540684238532015-05-18T22:55:00.000+03:002015-05-18T22:55:00.372+03:00Conference in Athens<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNP_mYzWVxNJI0JSDgqsk8vuBPkWGF5gO1Gnp-inoxi74H82CpCJbVWLKyBXv4xZEXOoWM2yx5ZrrCL2zBiYJtFQ9VR-gmgp0EM36KOvoXtyAFXR3BTzux6IXHeT6yowISuNt4Vw/s1600/IMG_8416.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNP_mYzWVxNJI0JSDgqsk8vuBPkWGF5gO1Gnp-inoxi74H82CpCJbVWLKyBXv4xZEXOoWM2yx5ZrrCL2zBiYJtFQ9VR-gmgp0EM36KOvoXtyAFXR3BTzux6IXHeT6yowISuNt4Vw/s320/IMG_8416.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I recently had the chance to go down to Athens for a fascinating conference on <a href="http://www.dmopc15.com/" target="_blank">Digital Media and Orthodox Pastoral Care</a>, which basically examined if and how the Orthodox Church should use the new digital media.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3LPIr81uFIa88DSk0e-_B28QdvtahlliPMXGGSX-FZ1bJT1MpUxmDjHCZrMVcuTzDmB4oWWjH-jev3t8bIVAIij0MoDDX7wl6ANe60_7rPJ1LNUFftKBijmRmrxCTv9C4pDBi4w/s1600/IMG_8431.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3LPIr81uFIa88DSk0e-_B28QdvtahlliPMXGGSX-FZ1bJT1MpUxmDjHCZrMVcuTzDmB4oWWjH-jev3t8bIVAIij0MoDDX7wl6ANe60_7rPJ1LNUFftKBijmRmrxCTv9C4pDBi4w/s320/IMG_8431.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">On evening I was there, the organizers (mainly <a href="http://pemptousia.com/" target="_blank">Pemptousia</a>) took us out to dinner along the seaside. It was a chance for me to visit with my fellow American, Fr. Patrick O'Grady (right), as well as Prof. <a href="http://orthodoxwiki.org/Jean-Claude_Larchet" target="_blank">Jean-Claude Larchet</a> (left).</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAFpGoT3eC9hZKV7E2DAyrm4mz6wplwoFQk2nfkk1H85cKcHjwTUH5c4LHAfjLbzpDaF0LlJDMb8IdaZrUwnyjuNlquMd7jKvh8gZHVOtSA1v6AzRPEOT_ApwDh6sBYQhyphenhyphenLLGumA/s1600/IMG_8469.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAFpGoT3eC9hZKV7E2DAyrm4mz6wplwoFQk2nfkk1H85cKcHjwTUH5c4LHAfjLbzpDaF0LlJDMb8IdaZrUwnyjuNlquMd7jKvh8gZHVOtSA1v6AzRPEOT_ApwDh6sBYQhyphenhyphenLLGumA/s320/IMG_8469.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The next morning, I attended a seminar put on by the Volos Academy for Theological Studies. Thanks to the Farah Foundation, an Orthodox philanthropical institute, the Volos Academy puts on an annual lecture and seminar series. This year's speaker was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Swinburne" target="_blank">Prof. Richard Swinburne</a>, who is most famous as being the counterpart to New Atheism's Richard Dawkins in the public debate about the existence of God. Swinburne, a convert to Orthodoxy, spoke in Athens and Volos on the existence of God and the problem of evil (theodicy). I was fortunate to be able to host him in Portaria and we had a lovely conversation for several hours as we walked from Portaria to Makrinitsa.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Swinburne's visit to Greece came as a counterpoint to the recent visit of Richard Dawkins, who spoke in Athens at the presentation of the translation of one of his books into Greek.</span></div>
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Fr. Gregoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17972564279342838393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30109249.post-10420417501677299452015-05-16T21:46:00.000+03:002015-05-16T21:46:00.566+03:00May Day at Panagia Xenia and Amaliapoli<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="300" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m35!1m12!1m3!1d395579.6104200348!2d22.570976298822288!3d39.23229873257523!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!4m20!1i0!3e0!4m5!1s0x14a712d5571b8b47%3A0x400bd2ce2b99f10!2sPortaria%2C+Magnesia+Prefecture%2C+Greece!3m2!1d39.3897164!2d22.998225299999998!4m5!1s0x14a751fdf9dded9d%3A0x7d2bb6383107a8af!2sVrinena%2C+Greece!3m2!1d39.067004499999996!2d22.8096183!4m5!1s0x14a744315681e0ab%3A0xf15e8095c3a5b7d!2sAmaliapoli%2C+Almyros%2C+Greece!3m2!1d39.168928!2d22.888381!5e0!3m2!1sen!2s!4v1430852002958" style="border: 0;" width="400"></iframe></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As you may know, May 1 is a holiday in Europe, celebrating workers' rights. In Greece, it is also connected with an ancient Greek (pagan) custom of going out into the countryside at the start of spring to collect flowers and weave a wreath. This is the one holiday in Greece that has no connection with the Church.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW8PVcE2G-2NTfm9TnRDpxxIYlQq0EAX1wQqlHwu_wPfIFuawbHRhH7QxYcKNfu2d_4LKsXpmafTUIDF3hoAF4zTlMgJ6_7xrey9L7mt3BjHl_CnvweJD41jB7uHfZ2gzO6Syq1Q/s1600/IMG_8373.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW8PVcE2G-2NTfm9TnRDpxxIYlQq0EAX1wQqlHwu_wPfIFuawbHRhH7QxYcKNfu2d_4LKsXpmafTUIDF3hoAF4zTlMgJ6_7xrey9L7mt3BjHl_CnvweJD41jB7uHfZ2gzO6Syq1Q/s1600/IMG_8373.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In any event, schools are closed, so we decided to take a trip with the kids to the <a href="http://imd.gr/site/en/catalog/poi/20/157" target="_blank">Monastery of (Lower) Panagia Xenia</a>. There, we met with the Gerontissa and were able to venerate one of the monastery's most treasured relics, two small pieces from the Holy Belt of the Theotokos. According to the inscription on the reliquary, they were given to the monastery by Vatopaidi Monastery of Mt. Athos in 1552. The Gerontissa told us that they say the belt is made from camel hair, and you can see where it was embroidered and protected with gold and silver thread during the Byzantine period.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">For the kids, perhaps even more exciting were the monastery's deer (above) and quail (below).</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitxSck3AcEonUm-9fv85z0LV7q6nwNWV901DEH7NJxizsABwuVhfwl5Fqn4ZKbg1VQqycMYLwzQOW3mKCIB5WGeBzjma6-Mp_rE9Wl_XObmBJ4fkii_zZGI9_5jkq51PmLde_c6w/s1600/IMG_8374.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitxSck3AcEonUm-9fv85z0LV7q6nwNWV901DEH7NJxizsABwuVhfwl5Fqn4ZKbg1VQqycMYLwzQOW3mKCIB5WGeBzjma6-Mp_rE9Wl_XObmBJ4fkii_zZGI9_5jkq51PmLde_c6w/s1600/IMG_8374.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWeymqc-z7wxNU1MFdKzjTL6LmEtfOScNqiuibFfVP0JeU2ssSNBbr3mHo0ryFEfcV8B1rDtEvsDTesa7G6j6n6vpd_zpIwZgCghnY-uGj1zjTaekr1lDVPiG5VtL6HDOZxjRqSg/s1600/IMG_8377.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWeymqc-z7wxNU1MFdKzjTL6LmEtfOScNqiuibFfVP0JeU2ssSNBbr3mHo0ryFEfcV8B1rDtEvsDTesa7G6j6n6vpd_zpIwZgCghnY-uGj1zjTaekr1lDVPiG5VtL6HDOZxjRqSg/s1600/IMG_8377.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here's Dami looking at the quail. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju0S6eZM0__PyTVftRuTgDrHKIbb_9CgmEOos-jEm2pCBXK2l2WAUi9wnQADURoUOy6NdRwDI0qvtoBKB3SRKFeVirAdTBpDJp_-AN1CX336uQR5utM6a3tt2HUsmsH8IdpRJBtw/s1600/IMG_8378.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju0S6eZM0__PyTVftRuTgDrHKIbb_9CgmEOos-jEm2pCBXK2l2WAUi9wnQADURoUOy6NdRwDI0qvtoBKB3SRKFeVirAdTBpDJp_-AN1CX336uQR5utM6a3tt2HUsmsH8IdpRJBtw/s1600/IMG_8378.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And here's the entrance to the monastery.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRCtSZS4stT-7xBV2KsR8dPJds12Y8JoTRt5OOUTNzTqB3y7XWfUtjIcGkEVXq6t0BLHr8Ntf9zAyQ_TkKRmErmxPWCjt0-JlzMSc5z4rwD_brXeMQyif1NFBg5zXJsmpAk94dxQ/s1600/IMG_8381.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRCtSZS4stT-7xBV2KsR8dPJds12Y8JoTRt5OOUTNzTqB3y7XWfUtjIcGkEVXq6t0BLHr8Ntf9zAyQ_TkKRmErmxPWCjt0-JlzMSc5z4rwD_brXeMQyif1NFBg5zXJsmpAk94dxQ/s1600/IMG_8381.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">After our visit to the monastery, we headed over to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaliapoli" target="_blank">Amaliapoli</a>, a picturesque town on the shore. We tried to find a place to eat, but the town was hopping for the holiday. Nevertheless, the kids had a good time sticking their feet in the ocean, playing at the playground, and--especially--playing with a snail they found in front of the church.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSNey5tbmEJchDa6KYjTlPGCFfxksKdsKnhtGey9yi-fIQuQvGIIQl0YUKwVWoQOT1wJCyFPSmC9LdnGYDpfcneO8VMxIvuADMMbf9eCgq88LSuj0GTB77zfNK8xYBIFJYecgT2w/s1600/IMG_8384.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSNey5tbmEJchDa6KYjTlPGCFfxksKdsKnhtGey9yi-fIQuQvGIIQl0YUKwVWoQOT1wJCyFPSmC9LdnGYDpfcneO8VMxIvuADMMbf9eCgq88LSuj0GTB77zfNK8xYBIFJYecgT2w/s1600/IMG_8384.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ4BRbJq9jB1c-SjBM4FfU8O5EipVTSSP6kulQ3DEAQcspDKEqAcd2ctFKQwrHrkojGjeQEppk9aGr0Kxnmb9Sdhm7QqWr8Y7hIosaavjGj4soYMQrwcU7WP7E0sEiYEMrfOOMTw/s1600/IMG_8387.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ4BRbJq9jB1c-SjBM4FfU8O5EipVTSSP6kulQ3DEAQcspDKEqAcd2ctFKQwrHrkojGjeQEppk9aGr0Kxnmb9Sdhm7QqWr8Y7hIosaavjGj4soYMQrwcU7WP7E0sEiYEMrfOOMTw/s1600/IMG_8387.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here they are with the snail.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The church, dedicated to the Transfiguration, is built on a slope overlooking the ocean.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNvXHt_6vr6U0jmZkHJPpzCuXGBjetgcSvQBiIwVPF_9fGgco9e5DGs2_hQh6VdNhsLKr5FWhzSsRvyOsKt3JSzbZj_S3EKpU6RkXbQbv1U1A0OmWOo5KyBms4YJTOXDdRlPleiw/s1600/IMG_8396.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNvXHt_6vr6U0jmZkHJPpzCuXGBjetgcSvQBiIwVPF_9fGgco9e5DGs2_hQh6VdNhsLKr5FWhzSsRvyOsKt3JSzbZj_S3EKpU6RkXbQbv1U1A0OmWOo5KyBms4YJTOXDdRlPleiw/s1600/IMG_8396.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxAZ4ZcHI1deZuo000iE9r5Sy_r3dtzVmwV7qRz8mPyPsHLEiepm_M1m9WskB09wwzkGTV-SbxDNJDxchbwsRrMFQoS_nfEP-fUHi0uwiz4jFbDz2X2i8n8joIRCB8OSQxuVgvYg/s1600/IMG_8399.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxAZ4ZcHI1deZuo000iE9r5Sy_r3dtzVmwV7qRz8mPyPsHLEiepm_M1m9WskB09wwzkGTV-SbxDNJDxchbwsRrMFQoS_nfEP-fUHi0uwiz4jFbDz2X2i8n8joIRCB8OSQxuVgvYg/s1600/IMG_8399.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The kids also found some turtles -- including baby turtles -- that were being cared for, it seems, by one of the restaurants.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Gf6HgzkcsUPZ3oU00zXGo5AdqTtAVCbOWvAyqW0Zp54mCRh9dT9_U-rdITAo67R9mM4-2cq3YsfPRhbHWCrmihugDRHdc-bs-0HMe3gRqfcp-b1q3krkC_DiTchdKKYqHGf91A/s1600/IMG_8401.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Gf6HgzkcsUPZ3oU00zXGo5AdqTtAVCbOWvAyqW0Zp54mCRh9dT9_U-rdITAo67R9mM4-2cq3YsfPRhbHWCrmihugDRHdc-bs-0HMe3gRqfcp-b1q3krkC_DiTchdKKYqHGf91A/s1600/IMG_8401.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfxTYk4cFbog1gZYGzJxW3gK4PygM_PqB5dcujNHTlSxRYuawQHOxn9uhQ94gTkmzDAdS08ewbV74W1SCb1-7YV5ZfhzV3ZVC8v8-6Ry0OKFMA7RcaXcyhFJaLK-t0YKAQyzqzSQ/s1600/IMG_8402.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfxTYk4cFbog1gZYGzJxW3gK4PygM_PqB5dcujNHTlSxRYuawQHOxn9uhQ94gTkmzDAdS08ewbV74W1SCb1-7YV5ZfhzV3ZVC8v8-6Ry0OKFMA7RcaXcyhFJaLK-t0YKAQyzqzSQ/s1600/IMG_8402.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And here they are playing in the water on a very nice, warm day.</span></div>
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Fr. Gregoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17972564279342838393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30109249.post-56474053842105185322015-05-14T13:09:00.000+03:002015-05-14T13:09:00.173+03:00Mt. Athos, Part 2: Hike to the Top of Mt. Athos<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6wz4_CKvE4FvOfCcZJNLB4CMGS5J07iKOU9dtExlgmzg9rZqtpnQ7lyil7Z_GashkBHGGy8IwUj9Q3Qcg59cgtv0x0ytborT9cdIoUR5RVbGOzJmLTJm7wJQj0T3wBkQP6S8fPg/s1600/IMG_8223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6wz4_CKvE4FvOfCcZJNLB4CMGS5J07iKOU9dtExlgmzg9rZqtpnQ7lyil7Z_GashkBHGGy8IwUj9Q3Qcg59cgtv0x0ytborT9cdIoUR5RVbGOzJmLTJm7wJQj0T3wBkQP6S8fPg/s320/IMG_8223.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">On our first full day at the cell, we decided to hike up to the peak of Mt. Athos, which stands at 2033 meters (6670 feet). It turns out Kerasia is the best starting point for this hike, so it was a great opportunity. My friend Iakovos went about an hour up with us, to make sure we found the right trail. We also went with two older gentlemen who were also visiting the cell.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVXQMfhDmcjLs7vPmi8quTQndCNVNdjqDGn1zje25R_ardfbLVJRWKNzcad61T9FIVU6LDjYQj-o8XMXIwsCNYRmBL6uOiXJ1CmTUKOatqfP71BcnFmxd2wujaQWRly9cbSAnd3A/s1600/IMG_8224.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVXQMfhDmcjLs7vPmi8quTQndCNVNdjqDGn1zje25R_ardfbLVJRWKNzcad61T9FIVU6LDjYQj-o8XMXIwsCNYRmBL6uOiXJ1CmTUKOatqfP71BcnFmxd2wujaQWRly9cbSAnd3A/s320/IMG_8224.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here I am with Iakovos during a brief stop.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3iugwLWFjLmQ7SFWsf0IbJXWlEPjV9qh1tQFd6NnXRl87Vrz3kiYBwLpQCU8iWVHdyZhD3n3PJpS4BVWZRgNTN8u2DTiCAuciiqKSHDChTEmO4m45DD924g5IHvqEE9bheaL95w/s1600/IMG_8286.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3iugwLWFjLmQ7SFWsf0IbJXWlEPjV9qh1tQFd6NnXRl87Vrz3kiYBwLpQCU8iWVHdyZhD3n3PJpS4BVWZRgNTN8u2DTiCAuciiqKSHDChTEmO4m45DD924g5IHvqEE9bheaL95w/s320/IMG_8286.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We left the cell (500 meters) at 8:00 AM and reached the refuge, called Panagia (1500 meters) at 11:00 AM. The refuge has about 15-20 bunk beds in a single hall, along with a rudimentary kitchen and a chapel. We stopped to take our photo at the cross marking the spot, and then took a rest in the kitchen and filled up on fluids and bread. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEtFvu85Q5o8BANA6f-bKHwDoNY0DMaBfTziLUNQFByREsezLlocBEaweVd9WkTsT5sC1tvITsoss6Ix09yy6_clf771J81Oln60zUAu6wZWpJbCptOcHsZEB9uhr4VY-TiLBs4w/s1600/IMG_8293.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEtFvu85Q5o8BANA6f-bKHwDoNY0DMaBfTziLUNQFByREsezLlocBEaweVd9WkTsT5sC1tvITsoss6Ix09yy6_clf771J81Oln60zUAu6wZWpJbCptOcHsZEB9uhr4VY-TiLBs4w/s320/IMG_8293.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We also went into the chapel, prayed a petition and sang some apolytikia.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx_ziqcW4LeIglw8KKOFU3LBKmdJ4PDQpWC2hbCjqP0XM2KT_7aefZax9-dBRhi9ZwMFfpec1oiAsfuBChTw42O2mHy2Om4TqCc-T8RIhA5Ki3GJGQKBEmtBH5KqaJyWkNAGgjQA/s1600/IMG_8306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx_ziqcW4LeIglw8KKOFU3LBKmdJ4PDQpWC2hbCjqP0XM2KT_7aefZax9-dBRhi9ZwMFfpec1oiAsfuBChTw42O2mHy2Om4TqCc-T8RIhA5Ki3GJGQKBEmtBH5KqaJyWkNAGgjQA/s320/IMG_8306.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Then we set out again to conquer the last 500 meters, and reach the chapel at the peak, dedicated to the Transfiguration.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCn94f9UmMbGVgcKvIss_HYf7xwwfFnNiWB_AE3a79OSGz2yoztw9HChipuuNjpQk-9ae30Y-DD8mqqUzPVeCgRZZ_fRJIY1K0OJmA-iowiojSm_MQ75zpDNVuXGmwV_QbSL6BUA/s1600/IMG_8305.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCn94f9UmMbGVgcKvIss_HYf7xwwfFnNiWB_AE3a79OSGz2yoztw9HChipuuNjpQk-9ae30Y-DD8mqqUzPVeCgRZZ_fRJIY1K0OJmA-iowiojSm_MQ75zpDNVuXGmwV_QbSL6BUA/s320/IMG_8305.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As you can see from the photos, the last 300 meters or so had quite a bit of snow. The wind was also quite strong, making it cold up there.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-cTgG_XufKiRx2tC5yQmjpXbVYjl-yStcKYYugSHVRpU6WGiy0wj98KnC16uVxlLZcNw9WiGMLYbJRjv0Q4oekBVlH0S5coO8ChhdsaGfjHsl33XmzmGP-VWAv8-Ld4PrmWp6iA/s1600/IMG_8301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-cTgG_XufKiRx2tC5yQmjpXbVYjl-yStcKYYugSHVRpU6WGiy0wj98KnC16uVxlLZcNw9WiGMLYbJRjv0Q4oekBVlH0S5coO8ChhdsaGfjHsl33XmzmGP-VWAv8-Ld4PrmWp6iA/s320/IMG_8301.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I hadn't expected to climb to the top and I didn't have good shoes, so I actually stopped about 200 meters short of the peak, when it became clear that the semblance of a trail was impassable due to snow and ice. Three of the other four decided to scramble up the rocks to the top, while I went back down to the refuge with the other man.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsGePUMsm2o6oX0v3QEXhy1LwYupbmbwVdjofbGSHi3KTJG2YHmbnRx1WfyLAOd0ehTBHf-QtEZ1Xe_0LgRibnRYIVJ22OKbAF-04Ve9ol9ATnYracabSBDoRvd7UTJA45X09WcQ/s1600/IMG_8311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsGePUMsm2o6oX0v3QEXhy1LwYupbmbwVdjofbGSHi3KTJG2YHmbnRx1WfyLAOd0ehTBHf-QtEZ1Xe_0LgRibnRYIVJ22OKbAF-04Ve9ol9ATnYracabSBDoRvd7UTJA45X09WcQ/s320/IMG_8311.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I headed back down to the cell at about 1:15 and reached there around 4:00. The others came back around 5:00.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdN1Aigb_trGgjE43c3SI3ly0w7xsLgVEKn2ldNxyV__OjCHuUv_RkeJ2JOtYE4azrIUI2KtOqGWZXiFaXiLFT2fmftJG-L6DiFRtGODIQmhVqAK0tzrGc4Uo3qKM8IqGAl33vUA/s1600/IMG_8336.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdN1Aigb_trGgjE43c3SI3ly0w7xsLgVEKn2ldNxyV__OjCHuUv_RkeJ2JOtYE4azrIUI2KtOqGWZXiFaXiLFT2fmftJG-L6DiFRtGODIQmhVqAK0tzrGc4Uo3qKM8IqGAl33vUA/s320/IMG_8336.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The next day, boy, were we sore! So we spent the day reading, relaxing, and talking with Fr. Theologos about St. Paisios.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyHVeTP4Cg6ZVYWTTgSlxd-oBwP0r6E1c2MdyhgwtiOqcL_mL9V0uIBtSeYnEax16BxwBlgSdPuwYvW8vNMaqWaL-h5toJbypkesqPLn18vspPMhVhFxS1GJIiWxYrz0s8UtkJiQ/s1600/IMG_8349.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyHVeTP4Cg6ZVYWTTgSlxd-oBwP0r6E1c2MdyhgwtiOqcL_mL9V0uIBtSeYnEax16BxwBlgSdPuwYvW8vNMaqWaL-h5toJbypkesqPLn18vspPMhVhFxS1GJIiWxYrz0s8UtkJiQ/s320/IMG_8349.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We also went up to a neighboring cell dedicated to St. George. There are only a few other cells in Kerasia, and it seems that most of them are "zealots" (i.e., "Old Calendarists"). This was also the case with the large cell of St. George, which has about 10 monks. Ironically, they themselves are split now into two groups. But they were very kind to us during our visit, and they showed me their woodworking workshop, where they make incredible ecclesiastical products. They gave me a CD with photos of all their work. When I get time, I'll post some photos. Really, it's some of the best work I've ever seen.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqtk8m6ywjLDfZ7LhPwvOxjZTIlNnEYWBriiVv1ZjJwwFYvdTwvcRil_Q4X9CbWJjeyIO4gB6rQXO8TKOCsavKTcoUohptAUwMHNZNIVqMx3Mzychn9uIGBq5aBrG9NGoSRQg5BQ/s1600/IMG_8347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqtk8m6ywjLDfZ7LhPwvOxjZTIlNnEYWBriiVv1ZjJwwFYvdTwvcRil_Q4X9CbWJjeyIO4gB6rQXO8TKOCsavKTcoUohptAUwMHNZNIVqMx3Mzychn9uIGBq5aBrG9NGoSRQg5BQ/s320/IMG_8347.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A photo of the church at St. George's from the backside.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRnA-yX0XHa1LNfbcdTP7QYDZddWKHsnC-mMKJrjn7H8n3vvA6OIiKapePQEhdX2maM86sGsaVaN9F9Ow68Wq0VbaQBB93L2zmwQrF1Q-JcfQ6kCRu5Dj5mLja6Byj4N9q8ys42w/s1600/IMG_8315.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRnA-yX0XHa1LNfbcdTP7QYDZddWKHsnC-mMKJrjn7H8n3vvA6OIiKapePQEhdX2maM86sGsaVaN9F9Ow68Wq0VbaQBB93L2zmwQrF1Q-JcfQ6kCRu5Dj5mLja6Byj4N9q8ys42w/s320/IMG_8315.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And here's a photo of me as we hiked up to St. George's. What you see in the background is the Cell of St. John the Theologian, where we stayed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">For more photos from the pilgrimage, click <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153173884305861.1073741939.672535860&type=1&l=7b1fa082fb" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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Fr. Gregoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17972564279342838393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30109249.post-28564868605389617452015-05-12T12:51:00.000+03:002015-05-12T12:51:00.063+03:00Mt Athos, Part 1: Kerasia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">I recently had the unexpected chance to go to Mt Athos with my chanter and good friend Nikos, as well as another mutual friend, Apostolis. As is wont to happen, the plan changed drastically, and we ended up spending the whole time with my friend Iakovos, an American convert who studied in Thessaloniki with me and who now is a novice at the cell of St. John the Theologian in Kerasia, one of the most remote and ascetic parts of Mt. Athos.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The cell's elder, Fr. Theologos, kindly sent Iakovos down to get us from the port, along with three mules. It's about a 1.5-2 hour hike straight up from the port (see above) to Kerasia, which is at about 500 meters.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here I am on my donkey.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And here is the donkey behind me, carrying our bags.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">About halfway up, we made a stop in the shade so that Iakovos could disappear into the woods and say "Christ is risen!" to an old Russian ascetic who lives in a shack somewhere hidden in the forest. The purpose was also to check up on him and make sure he was okay.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A bit further up, Iakovos pointed out a small green shack hidden in the forest. This was another ascetic's home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Finally, we reached the cell. We sat on the balcony and enjoyed the traditional Athonite greeting of water, tsipouro (distilled alcohol), and loukoumi ("Turkish delight").</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here are some more photos from the scenic balcony.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Fr. Theologos studied architecture in Paris before becoming a monk, and still works designing churches. His spiritual father, St. Paisios, recommended that he help Archbishop Anastasios of Albania with missionary work, so he spent 10 years as a missionary in Congo-Brazzaville and another 10 years in Albania.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">On our final evening with him, we finally managed to get him to sit down with us and tell us stories about his experiences with the newly canonized St. Paisios.</span></div>
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Fr. Gregoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17972564279342838393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30109249.post-56182556477724720682015-05-10T11:49:00.000+03:002015-05-12T08:27:52.091+03:00Around Portaria<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKbi1XQhNu-4HtImzeYOv_Flm6Q7iJJZ4pkbnDihlQFQ5Hmmr6YjLo2JBEsmxNn88EJdmOufRnjEkrObqQjAnRb9RT4EunSq3TZDzsLEQY2E8BYrhWNjCdp1PQDMUYZBkhoGzQAg/s1600/IMG_8155.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKbi1XQhNu-4HtImzeYOv_Flm6Q7iJJZ4pkbnDihlQFQ5Hmmr6YjLo2JBEsmxNn88EJdmOufRnjEkrObqQjAnRb9RT4EunSq3TZDzsLEQY2E8BYrhWNjCdp1PQDMUYZBkhoGzQAg/s320/IMG_8155.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Not far from our house, we have a chapel dedicated to St. George, built in 1765, where we celebrate his feast day. Here is a photo from just before we began Vespers service. In the foreground is our friend Alexandros, who immigrated from Afghanistan about 12 years ago. He is now becoming a novice on Mt. Athos. After the service, he told <a href="http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2013/06/a-former-taliban-from-afghanistan-is.html" target="_blank">his amazing story</a> in our parish hall, located next door to St. George's, while we had some tea and cookies.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4B9YMKwG8vY_N3wElomCcEvsM_hVTqet9slB312lWYE-EKMuae1xWwWp86WawlFOWATHNpt-9sHoMhUcsQRV9eKrK_k2_RHkNFtCMgvnhj7ubNmDpk9IaysEkKbvEcZfjmRnpQ/s1600/IMG_8170.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4B9YMKwG8vY_N3wElomCcEvsM_hVTqet9slB312lWYE-EKMuae1xWwWp86WawlFOWATHNpt-9sHoMhUcsQRV9eKrK_k2_RHkNFtCMgvnhj7ubNmDpk9IaysEkKbvEcZfjmRnpQ/s320/IMG_8170.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">After Liturgy for the feast of St. George, our neokorisa (church cleaner) clowns around at the coffee hour by wearing the beret of one of our parish council members.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We had our first BBQ of the year the other day. The boys love climbing up on the covered area out in our yard.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfucy3Zvl3ns19QNEY0vVyjrvzMt838FnTOM6T16jLBC3kOL3l8Rb7vP8waL5jFmJtdvO5DByDQvOBjORgAaWeu9nLtXkYQLPa-FIRKZHisccrFxptMLlcDU8kh1xFUnRO2bgdEA/s1600/IMG_8176.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfucy3Zvl3ns19QNEY0vVyjrvzMt838FnTOM6T16jLBC3kOL3l8Rb7vP8waL5jFmJtdvO5DByDQvOBjORgAaWeu9nLtXkYQLPa-FIRKZHisccrFxptMLlcDU8kh1xFUnRO2bgdEA/s320/IMG_8176.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">On Friday, April 24th, the bishop came to celebrate Divine Liturgy for all the school children in Portaria--pre-school, kindergarten, and elementary school. In Greece, there's a actually a law that says kids have to attend church once a month on a school day. This, however, was different. The bishop has been going around doing "Catechetical Liturgies" for school kids of all ages. Essentially, the Liturgy takes place out in the center of the church, and the bishop stops at a few points to explain what is happening in the Liturgy. Everywhere he has gone, the kids--as well as teachers and parents--have been very enthusiastic. Many--if not most--don't understand almost anything that is happening in the church services. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The kids have been on Portaria's soccer team since the fall, and they recently had their first tournament on a Saturday. Portaria's team is in green. In the background, behind a cypress tree, you can see one of our chapels, dedicated to St. Symeon the Stylite.</span></div>
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Fr. Gregoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17972564279342838393noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30109249.post-10841178021076470792015-05-08T11:20:00.000+03:002015-05-08T11:20:00.761+03:00Nafplion, Part 3: Palamidi, Nemea, Thebes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">On the last day, we began with a visit to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palamidi" target="_blank">Palamidi Castle</a> overlooking Nafplio. It's an enormous castle, built by the Venetians in only 3 or 4 years (1711-1714). Incredibly, though, after building it, they left it manned with only 80 soldiers. It was thus taken by the Ottomans after only 1 year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The view from the top.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjugYV3o-5VOCg9ZDi8tI-5-CxMonnfedAmdoAGB1GYYdDFD8o42buHhZ3i3dL-XdTwZ0Yq9Ma-Qh3nK14_j4azj2ak4G-vqAcFpo1erI2gyDfbcAm411NK6pt-ox65aNjSKilOYg/s1600/IMG_8061.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjugYV3o-5VOCg9ZDi8tI-5-CxMonnfedAmdoAGB1GYYdDFD8o42buHhZ3i3dL-XdTwZ0Yq9Ma-Qh3nK14_j4azj2ak4G-vqAcFpo1erI2gyDfbcAm411NK6pt-ox65aNjSKilOYg/s320/IMG_8061.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The key attraction for the kids was seeing the prison where Theodoros Kolokotronis was held. We even went down into this cramped, damp, lightless hole, where Kolokotronis spent 10 months awaiting execution, before being pardoned because he was needed to lead a new battle. It seems the Greeks only stop fighting each other when there's someone else to fight.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ympp0-TuNBBV0oAxNK0v3ELHLrDCQo-cijnKmagn5pGcAW8xfeMq6p5W_qG8CU5yWJW8VFR_rEcmBV4ayRPBPG3osj87y65NdPwFJbAkar0G-sFt6AIjH7lo-IwOauolpoFW9g/s1600/IMG_8066.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ympp0-TuNBBV0oAxNK0v3ELHLrDCQo-cijnKmagn5pGcAW8xfeMq6p5W_qG8CU5yWJW8VFR_rEcmBV4ayRPBPG3osj87y65NdPwFJbAkar0G-sFt6AIjH7lo-IwOauolpoFW9g/s320/IMG_8066.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here are the girls entering the dungeon cell.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here are the kids hiding under a series of arches.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja2SK0h26uv38wS7XJ7ePiedh8qG3T_Ljm4X59BceLmmo2M5FEuHFn6_kC6H6oRMMBHWIn3yJAVBeXdbcAudXrdeAyW53KxvTv6zg-7l573Y-bHPnBnLicm_ZFgPxGiG9BIgsfEQ/s1600/IMG_8085.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja2SK0h26uv38wS7XJ7ePiedh8qG3T_Ljm4X59BceLmmo2M5FEuHFn6_kC6H6oRMMBHWIn3yJAVBeXdbcAudXrdeAyW53KxvTv6zg-7l573Y-bHPnBnLicm_ZFgPxGiG9BIgsfEQ/s320/IMG_8085.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">What an incredible view. If you squint, you can see Pelagia and Dami out at the end of the castle wall.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsij3EXIsaXaA81uXaEjnyoF8FlT4dbPvUyt4qTG2A19rjmkfsVYmWnoJ18srXFXXrtsuIjXHt4D8_sn-1-B3ZIQKAwf-FM6-IQpjXwsV0ZcBhSiNdCLJhy4jkteDcKSFBuJzCWw/s1600/IMG_8098.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsij3EXIsaXaA81uXaEjnyoF8FlT4dbPvUyt4qTG2A19rjmkfsVYmWnoJ18srXFXXrtsuIjXHt4D8_sn-1-B3ZIQKAwf-FM6-IQpjXwsV0ZcBhSiNdCLJhy4jkteDcKSFBuJzCWw/s320/IMG_8098.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And here they are walking down one of the ramps.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="300" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m35!1m12!1m3!1d805477.5025190553!2d22.522937237552863!3d37.944527108886405!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!4m20!1i0!3e0!4m5!1s0x149ffa9cc1517963%3A0x84e450db6d640b8!2sNafplion%2C+Greece!3m2!1d37.5673173!2d22.8015531!4m5!1s0x14a006b14388e00d%3A0xd2d6ffe6a49d0433!2sArchaelogical+site+of+Nemea%2C+Nemea%2C+Corinthia%2C+Greece!3m2!1d37.809048!2d22.710542999999998!4m5!1s0x14a0fc275854b959%3A0x5364a1a6d75481b2!2sThiva%2C+Boeotia%2C+Greece!3m2!1d38.322579!2d23.320430899999998!5e0!3m2!1sen!2s!4v1430812568922" style="border: 0;" width="400"></iframe></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">After Palamidi, we started the long trek back home, stopping first at the <a href="http://www.ancient.eu/nemea/" target="_blank">ancient site of Nemea</a>, the site of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nemean_lion" target="_blank">Hercules' first labor</a>.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicqNUXHnQwGI_dN3GhzgjXt5trzjSrSQRQSQmC0G2yvbsED8CyfSVGGDzHymYAges8Un3npb8Ti1HI_inaMW4QtsWIEmUK9B5yZ1EEi0HWejzBI5R1UAUBku_effG_nk7TRyAvrA/s1600/IMG_8115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicqNUXHnQwGI_dN3GhzgjXt5trzjSrSQRQSQmC0G2yvbsED8CyfSVGGDzHymYAges8Un3npb8Ti1HI_inaMW4QtsWIEmUK9B5yZ1EEi0HWejzBI5R1UAUBku_effG_nk7TRyAvrA/s320/IMG_8115.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here you can make out the boys sitting at the base of one of the columns of the massive Temple of Zeus. Three of the columns have remained standing since it was built ca. 330 BC.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpILSGBouU2fq9XYX4K5CmEfWoyDbovnDhSIjyafaYwBs8kGFdYG6St-96KsVWScqUrXRQr01461cNqjhjzdxfuEhHWJwXIx4pbT4pBXf_4NE7hRqCb_3K3bSz0U2loTsWf-v5uw/s1600/IMG_8117.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpILSGBouU2fq9XYX4K5CmEfWoyDbovnDhSIjyafaYwBs8kGFdYG6St-96KsVWScqUrXRQr01461cNqjhjzdxfuEhHWJwXIx4pbT4pBXf_4NE7hRqCb_3K3bSz0U2loTsWf-v5uw/s320/IMG_8117.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here's Dami, with the Temple of Zeus in the background.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuNKBzti-iEwMopklpl-LgrPGgvmwFjxxyrArDUQIa1lu-Dam_6YCQvsgcGgL7uf4ZvGSmLg_3261cFgNAD9znpglEyrIJvKDtvf59kQYwdIbh3JKyImrD5pTn_hDGflp3yUJkBQ/s1600/IMG_8123.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuNKBzti-iEwMopklpl-LgrPGgvmwFjxxyrArDUQIa1lu-Dam_6YCQvsgcGgL7uf4ZvGSmLg_3261cFgNAD9znpglEyrIJvKDtvf59kQYwdIbh3JKyImrD5pTn_hDGflp3yUJkBQ/s320/IMG_8123.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Nemea was also the site of the Nemean Games. They recently discovered a tunnel that connected the athletes' locker room with the stadium. Here is everyone walking through the tunnel into the stadium. And here are the boys racing each other, just as they did in ancient times, while Pelagia and Dami stand next to what I guess was an altar.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjhKCJ0JJDt1UK5OXsnYh9ORRA_vSaf-HFfKs_lkyhpkFHxhI4nSsJPNMWnUd3I8SAYJ7FcKOD4MQAhbtaloo6C7-6mybIo8jWmLJz_jV5JRdVkr0xJCyevrfe07GLLBMBDrHGJA/s1600/IMG_8128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjhKCJ0JJDt1UK5OXsnYh9ORRA_vSaf-HFfKs_lkyhpkFHxhI4nSsJPNMWnUd3I8SAYJ7FcKOD4MQAhbtaloo6C7-6mybIo8jWmLJz_jV5JRdVkr0xJCyevrfe07GLLBMBDrHGJA/s320/IMG_8128.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">After Nemea, it was back into the car until we hit Thebes. There is very little left of the ancient city, and the modern town is built around the little that is left. In fact, we ate at a little restaurant that was next to a playground for the kids, as well as an "archaeological site" with no less than three signs denoting it. I couldn't see anything, so I asked, and our waiter pointed at a big rock next to us, covered in weeds and trash, that he said was related to the great ancient Greek poet <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pindar" target="_blank">Pindar</a>. Indeed, there was also a modern monument to Pindar. I've looked into this a little, and the only thing I can guess is that perhaps they say it was the site of the house of Pindar, who was born in Thebes. <a href="http://www.pothos.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3730" target="_blank">They say that Alexander the Great spared only his house when he razed the city in 331 BC</a>, out of reverence for the great poet.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmOMQBY8Wm1Lkv-2fvxzTbYwXuHDeSshB7GD3tF-OmnY2lTUWYocnKPOnyRE7Q2KuLe-s0W5q3J0XXur7w-TMzXZI-rsQYV6WC3ohsvCFaB-5uQUxMqC4MMchXRZ-m3bpHpWbGug/s1600/IMG_8136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmOMQBY8Wm1Lkv-2fvxzTbYwXuHDeSshB7GD3tF-OmnY2lTUWYocnKPOnyRE7Q2KuLe-s0W5q3J0XXur7w-TMzXZI-rsQYV6WC3ohsvCFaB-5uQUxMqC4MMchXRZ-m3bpHpWbGug/s320/IMG_8136.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">That's the rock behind the sign pole.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkj5FAE8nR9iG1zR_-d-rXcMGOW01H-DSLhbdj917Z2xI_Iam6qbnpRQK6Qr1liz8lm2PPhBvAKQgPobBJWRvUWHl0126sSTn7OBW8CtWFQZvFQwqdAXq4bFt8smvVcrfk6wvdUw/s1600/IMG_8140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkj5FAE8nR9iG1zR_-d-rXcMGOW01H-DSLhbdj917Z2xI_Iam6qbnpRQK6Qr1liz8lm2PPhBvAKQgPobBJWRvUWHl0126sSTn7OBW8CtWFQZvFQwqdAXq4bFt8smvVcrfk6wvdUw/s320/IMG_8140.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Finally, we took a brief look at the remains of the city's castle, which are used to house the city's archaeological museum. Unfortunately, the museum was closed for renovations, so we headed home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">For all the photos from the trip, click <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153173783640861.1073741938.672535860&type=1&l=81a393cc88" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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Fr. Gregoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17972564279342838393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30109249.post-44884067323884469232015-05-06T19:21:00.000+03:002015-05-06T19:21:00.349+03:00Nafplion, Part 2: Mycenae<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrkunFnEJA-FazXtJsIv5Ew0ZZFcJeyfwP-tfZSN7IGMXI1cJmsECKS9JJHS0Cjcv4l3ca3AusniTFosDVFyfUpMtYdO39Hmxc4jjaEFxF1SgzCX2g_heaFkDpqLbKzox8B-GErA/s1600/IMG_7981.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrkunFnEJA-FazXtJsIv5Ew0ZZFcJeyfwP-tfZSN7IGMXI1cJmsECKS9JJHS0Cjcv4l3ca3AusniTFosDVFyfUpMtYdO39Hmxc4jjaEFxF1SgzCX2g_heaFkDpqLbKzox8B-GErA/s320/IMG_7981.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We started off the second day by again exploring the city of Nafplio. We even rented a 6-person bike-car, which was extremely difficult to get up even the slightest incline with only 2 of the 6 pedaling. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Hot from the biking, we then took off our shoes and put our feet in the water. Nafplio has some of the best weather in all of Greece, and it was certainly true during our visit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In the afternoon, we drove out to the ancient city of Mycenae, the capital of the famous Mycenaean civilization, which flourished from about 1600-1100 BC.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here are the boys at the famous <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion_Gate" target="_blank">Lion Gate</a> entrance to the city. The massive stones used to build the walls were conjectured to have been built by cyclopses, as it is difficult to imagine how else they were built. One modern analysis estimates that it would have taken 10 years of continuous work to build the walls using mules, and over 100 years without mules.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The girls were tired of "old rocks piled on top of each other," so it was just the boys and I exploring Mycenae.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The kids have been studying Greek mythology in school, and the boys especially like Hercules, which is part of what inspired our trip, as Mycenae was the seat of King Eurystheus, who usurped the throne from Hercules' family, and who assigned Hercules his 12 labors. During our exploration of the site, we even found the throne room and were able to imagine where the king sat as he devised these labors.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here's Paul taking a break near the top.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">One of the most interesting parts was the cistern, which was basically a long tunnel dug right down the middle of the hill. Without any light at all except the flashlight on my phone, the boys and I walked all the way down to the bottom.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">When we came out, the girls were flying our kite in the parking lot. You can see Mycenae in the background, a hill set between two mountains.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And finally, after a lot of exploring in the hot sun, it was time for ice cream.</span></div>
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Fr. Gregoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17972564279342838393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30109249.post-83824899086025120302015-05-04T19:02:00.000+03:002015-05-04T19:02:00.476+03:00Nafplion, Part 1: Epidauros<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">After the stop at the Athens Zoo, it was on to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nafplio" target="_blank">Nafplion</a>, the first capital of the modern Greek state.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here we are, during our first day in Nafplion, at the statue of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodoros_Kolokotronis" target="_blank">Theodoros Kolokotronis</a>, one of the heroes of the Greek revolution. Before Greek Independence Day (March 25), the kids learned in their kindergarten about the revolution and its heroes, and Benny has been particularly enamored with Kolokotronis.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The next stop was the Church of St. Spyridon, where another hero, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ioannis_Kapodistrias" target="_blank">Ioannis Kapodistrias</a>, the first president of Greece, was assassinated. We even inspected the hole in the wall left by the bullet that missed him. After visiting that small church, we wandered around the alleys (see above), eventually making our way to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaeological_Museum_of_Nafplion" target="_blank">Archaeological Museum of Nafplion</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Afterwards, we stopped by a very nice park on the seaside.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-AHxzrdBDPe_dsa6palW0eHAUdy4StENNMqu1iFEZCkm6rWP4-wXjyutSraf7s-LIgFaDZnPVOHKGERWph4r4RuZzcocNRJKAkP16TSR9taY1pZfy-9xbYcKF3yAL2nPNrvke6w/s1600/IMG_7877.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-AHxzrdBDPe_dsa6palW0eHAUdy4StENNMqu1iFEZCkm6rWP4-wXjyutSraf7s-LIgFaDZnPVOHKGERWph4r4RuZzcocNRJKAkP16TSR9taY1pZfy-9xbYcKF3yAL2nPNrvke6w/s320/IMG_7877.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And then had a pizza on the boardwalk. In the background you can see the island of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bourtzi_(Nafplio)" target="_blank">Bourtzi</a>, which hosts a Venetian castle. Unfortunately, the castle was closed for repairs, so we didn't take the boat over to the island.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBL5OVknv9Rdo62e6Y5aN5hs57FBnobCg5pzuJY7FnpmafBkweTqIIl35xCYcnZfwFeZ9BuwmgUTYI1jWpMH_ErCyti655zc9vGQ_afZcl-c55fdTj5UbiHN73jPQGoPlGVrppAA/s1600/IMG_7878.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBL5OVknv9Rdo62e6Y5aN5hs57FBnobCg5pzuJY7FnpmafBkweTqIIl35xCYcnZfwFeZ9BuwmgUTYI1jWpMH_ErCyti655zc9vGQ_afZcl-c55fdTj5UbiHN73jPQGoPlGVrppAA/s320/IMG_7878.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">On the hill in the background of the photo above, you can see another Venetian castle, the large <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palamidi" target="_blank">Palamidi Castle</a>, which overlooks the city.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYBLLSk5KH7rJk6jl_qeuuZIePptNFL0tlt5nEMZcgIvEqPuiz6JF3E1EVgwEAO3s6Dw3xSz9dAxFNdId6yXLNsFBI315O_4_hyphenhyphen_tA1_vQulGmsFFpTr_Mi2AjRe6V89MSWdTamQ/s1600/IMG_7887.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYBLLSk5KH7rJk6jl_qeuuZIePptNFL0tlt5nEMZcgIvEqPuiz6JF3E1EVgwEAO3s6Dw3xSz9dAxFNdId6yXLNsFBI315O_4_hyphenhyphen_tA1_vQulGmsFFpTr_Mi2AjRe6V89MSWdTamQ/s320/IMG_7887.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In the afternoon, we headed over to the ancient site of Epidauros. On the way, we stopped by what is claimed to be <a href="http://www.visitnafplio.com/visitnafplio.com/Mykines/Entries/2010/3/18_Verdens_eldste_bro.html" target="_blank">the oldest surviving bridge in the world</a>, built by the Mycenaeans about 1200 BC.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzu-AEmsnbrPtXnvdp7VNJ2gj0pYRdnBcvjpPV7OIxGIMdze_xdrnkm3oH7MHDnMFshFGPGJ7q7Hb0gBKzcTHsLQdqcZX2IGZbng_AezbOE4qsRa_CCxZSYeBwskBTeZ28lJBNAg/s1600/IMG_7889.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzu-AEmsnbrPtXnvdp7VNJ2gj0pYRdnBcvjpPV7OIxGIMdze_xdrnkm3oH7MHDnMFshFGPGJ7q7Hb0gBKzcTHsLQdqcZX2IGZbng_AezbOE4qsRa_CCxZSYeBwskBTeZ28lJBNAg/s320/IMG_7889.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And here we are exploring the ancient site of Epidauros, which was a cult site for the worship of Asclepius, the healer god, from at least the 6th c. BC.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoW_Cwmi7VbmBQRR_OxpPBD4l79xhyphenhyphen2k5Bs511AaB9U808TANp-vqcxJU6rhMOuGYs5zwBWqNc0wo66YZq_Gczv300Y92Xc_wlFknNxPmb0CbhlkPHw3o7CvHSVrL97F4kGasZcw/s1600/IMG_7904.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoW_Cwmi7VbmBQRR_OxpPBD4l79xhyphenhyphen2k5Bs511AaB9U808TANp-vqcxJU6rhMOuGYs5zwBWqNc0wo66YZq_Gczv300Y92Xc_wlFknNxPmb0CbhlkPHw3o7CvHSVrL97F4kGasZcw/s320/IMG_7904.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfW98I9D-en7ToavI8MiKeMiPmBS-RqLh61QYd_bZsn9hMeJ7AKW7HwfsVaIzj2VEOn_2YTquAjCs6ell0Xwca_1DdvKLNXJUEd-cTZMoP2WZFxMAFZrhvXsGR0OaqAASlDUGoGA/s1600/IMG_7912.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfW98I9D-en7ToavI8MiKeMiPmBS-RqLh61QYd_bZsn9hMeJ7AKW7HwfsVaIzj2VEOn_2YTquAjCs6ell0Xwca_1DdvKLNXJUEd-cTZMoP2WZFxMAFZrhvXsGR0OaqAASlDUGoGA/s320/IMG_7912.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Epidauros was, in fact, the most famous healing center in the ancient world. There was a large, long, rectangular building called the <i style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 22px;">enkoimeteria, </i>i.e., the sleeping hall. Those who were sick would sleep in this hall, and the Asclepius would appear to them in their dreams to advise them of their course of treatment. The museum at the site even displayed some of the surgical instruments that doctors of that time used there. The kids had fun pretending to be asleep on the benches that have been preserved in the hall.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQDMuTgwZePtwtqb-MGWshTDUI6inKDS79CS_bd9K8CIaaCntMusJ626n4y5IeEAcCCizTziF9JZGMGGDRBeIBQLdYIHRde0IS41dAmTumKVF8czaX6_raKzqNqVOFTFdZcVIBng/s1600/IMG_7914.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQDMuTgwZePtwtqb-MGWshTDUI6inKDS79CS_bd9K8CIaaCntMusJ626n4y5IeEAcCCizTziF9JZGMGGDRBeIBQLdYIHRde0IS41dAmTumKVF8czaX6_raKzqNqVOFTFdZcVIBng/s320/IMG_7914.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The site was also connected with games held in honor of Asclepius. In the background of the photo above is the race track. You can discern the posts demarcating the runners' lanes.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYHymdoh7Lq0tkPmaLGhsjFtMjUPnw6M48ULJ7dJufeafcJ9f_CCgyEJYis0e8rAsB8wyMjobcVqaMDmbIQUyCpgbNpIHgIx28jbA8jxzRZhKc47RHCHHz5f0puFK_nUpsZK47w/s1600/IMG_7920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYHymdoh7Lq0tkPmaLGhsjFtMjUPnw6M48ULJ7dJufeafcJ9f_CCgyEJYis0e8rAsB8wyMjobcVqaMDmbIQUyCpgbNpIHgIx28jbA8jxzRZhKc47RHCHHz5f0puFK_nUpsZK47w/s320/IMG_7920.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here's Dami in front of a section of the sleeping hall.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitxtXAU838TXoTc6zV5Sikjry0i9sgJKw5xqhvV3iEov7zCS3fb_UeFzmKHrwWCNbn_R9PwJd7BlJnrJIiNixZc23Idm53t5LkUQbEOjIxOXFtwNMc4a61ZVt6KrRHBvnpwZtRFw/s1600/IMG_7923.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitxtXAU838TXoTc6zV5Sikjry0i9sgJKw5xqhvV3iEov7zCS3fb_UeFzmKHrwWCNbn_R9PwJd7BlJnrJIiNixZc23Idm53t5LkUQbEOjIxOXFtwNMc4a61ZVt6KrRHBvnpwZtRFw/s320/IMG_7923.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here we are walking over to the famous theatre. Dami is trying on Pelagia's sunglasses.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_a-_YME0nNjj14q_Ia917G82VNCBD1kbdt8OjRORSxJ_MUjXYWijRDPHKx1O0aLXz3aascPSSLAEdPH_epyWGj3lPqHo3Cg2BStUufeDxMx-lpEe0f2l0D8_ahzEUXUFSK7sKcA/s1600/IMG_7933.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_a-_YME0nNjj14q_Ia917G82VNCBD1kbdt8OjRORSxJ_MUjXYWijRDPHKx1O0aLXz3aascPSSLAEdPH_epyWGj3lPqHo3Cg2BStUufeDxMx-lpEe0f2l0D8_ahzEUXUFSK7sKcA/s320/IMG_7933.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And here's the theater. The kids ran up to the top. Here's Phoebe running back down again.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUj4Z8nIsqhjjwOVlZT28HNauq3Gpg_90pJUQYj_r1lpFtzfMxTpirp6BkrRXm7CsgrjbdlP4nX8Ti0y-SHY4Pi7nzs-QO8RTYi24I5DC3b2BbeoYdWYVy4w5Hd75HGnpFJ_O8OQ/s1600/IMG_7936.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUj4Z8nIsqhjjwOVlZT28HNauq3Gpg_90pJUQYj_r1lpFtzfMxTpirp6BkrRXm7CsgrjbdlP4nX8Ti0y-SHY4Pi7nzs-QO8RTYi24I5DC3b2BbeoYdWYVy4w5Hd75HGnpFJ_O8OQ/s320/IMG_7936.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We spent quite a long time in the theatre testing out the acoustics, which were truly astonishing. In the photo above, you can barely see the kids all the way at the top of the theatre on the opposite side. Despite the distance, we could hear each other perfectly clearly. As for the people standing at the center of the stage, you could even hear them snap their fingers.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLTFDL2dyrnZbq5GEwXucOQ_mtyadJrtoEsAxCDWpS6aYkLgS5h_Ma7qbcrTGY4idhMBBwB-i_QDrR0FIK4C3zHzBCKqCbd_q1KSEDz_5Dp3ncydLJd762ghS2fCiyyzHOAOF0hQ/s1600/IMG_7946.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLTFDL2dyrnZbq5GEwXucOQ_mtyadJrtoEsAxCDWpS6aYkLgS5h_Ma7qbcrTGY4idhMBBwB-i_QDrR0FIK4C3zHzBCKqCbd_q1KSEDz_5Dp3ncydLJd762ghS2fCiyyzHOAOF0hQ/s320/IMG_7946.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The kids ran back and forth to the other side to test out the sound, as well as up and down. They had an excellent workout. They say that the acoustics are achieved both by the design as well as by the materials used in construction (limestone, marble, etc.).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Stay tuned for more posts from the trip.</span></div>
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Fr. Gregoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17972564279342838393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30109249.post-60769797681999781362015-04-25T14:16:00.000+03:002015-04-25T14:16:11.858+03:00Trip to the Athens Zoo<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFoK0OIX2Zh9MsublilefIuAzwkfxh_D7l0tWuRfEAvjbN1ZEIfFmqSUiP91y9WUG66ygP2UY73IwJ8eqWYFSdPHoipej9UyccyAxtsk5mrXIUj15MTQ9PdgGBDCi24gKd2LtLBQ/s1600/IMG_7777.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFoK0OIX2Zh9MsublilefIuAzwkfxh_D7l0tWuRfEAvjbN1ZEIfFmqSUiP91y9WUG66ygP2UY73IwJ8eqWYFSdPHoipej9UyccyAxtsk5mrXIUj15MTQ9PdgGBDCi24gKd2LtLBQ/s1600/IMG_7777.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Christ is risen!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">After Pascha, while the kids were off of school, we took a trip southward for our first trip into the Peloponese. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">To break up the long trip, we stopped at the Athens Zoo. Since it was lunch time when we arrived, we first went to <a href="http://www.stekitouandrea.gr/" target="_blank">a nearby restaurant</a> that we visited the last time we went to the zoo. It's perfect for kids, since the second floor is an indoor playground for kids.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9wF90k_9sKUltG1lYKYfrrA1_-HM5GV80EwKCkY29s063b4uEO83QA_VpJQ7IqzgogFVPdNniwqdukTLoVK0-odlI7bDUhyWcfP-uYJNeKVBUfjPyCI2lexI9W56nfyhQx3EZSQ/s1600/IMG_7782.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9wF90k_9sKUltG1lYKYfrrA1_-HM5GV80EwKCkY29s063b4uEO83QA_VpJQ7IqzgogFVPdNniwqdukTLoVK0-odlI7bDUhyWcfP-uYJNeKVBUfjPyCI2lexI9W56nfyhQx3EZSQ/s1600/IMG_7782.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Then we spent most of the afternoon in the zoo. My favorite spot is the enclosed lemur area, where you can interact with the frisky lemurs. Here the kids are observing the lemurs over in the grass.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmAuBzRRXFGF2C9p5va4oec_KPL1l8DK3WlrlRouGOlZGmusHmoAgXl0uc_7tjzesM54xV6zzzsJAsjtJKeWVp3-WX3hxQudFZ-g2oK2oQsF0OcWk3PDm26xyAHpjEVHfeYvr18A/s1600/IMG_7794.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmAuBzRRXFGF2C9p5va4oec_KPL1l8DK3WlrlRouGOlZGmusHmoAgXl0uc_7tjzesM54xV6zzzsJAsjtJKeWVp3-WX3hxQudFZ-g2oK2oQsF0OcWk3PDm26xyAHpjEVHfeYvr18A/s1600/IMG_7794.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But then the lemurs got closer, climbing on the tree branches above our heads. Here's Phoebe petting one's tail.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ9NMosA1zIisA1AE5pDc-dwCTaAdxM05R-0304zjNZR44WmVqMJx85_w2fn5EnbNTty46XgkkXV7PLFkd9W590v0jSpBqSYlqAEyBiOJdQz6DQQ9slbwfReEidPHHNoUzfyUZdA/s1600/IMG_7799.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ9NMosA1zIisA1AE5pDc-dwCTaAdxM05R-0304zjNZR44WmVqMJx85_w2fn5EnbNTty46XgkkXV7PLFkd9W590v0jSpBqSYlqAEyBiOJdQz6DQQ9slbwfReEidPHHNoUzfyUZdA/s1600/IMG_7799.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you're lucky, you can even get them to come to you. Here's one on Pres. Pelagia's shoulders.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf-pRujebI8lgOEk-Z-SLvc1tM2zVM5FdjRArTBZ42YQezyidZncpMinPF3y9TpWxKiG9anW8mJoGS6B50KYHQDvH1nyPs5fViG8ZDQ7whuWSaUGH6cNS-djBeBeD-hNqzeifXBQ/s1600/IMG_7802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf-pRujebI8lgOEk-Z-SLvc1tM2zVM5FdjRArTBZ42YQezyidZncpMinPF3y9TpWxKiG9anW8mJoGS6B50KYHQDvH1nyPs5fViG8ZDQ7whuWSaUGH6cNS-djBeBeD-hNqzeifXBQ/s1600/IMG_7802.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here we are visiting the bears after an ice cream break.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And here we are outside the reptile house.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">One of the last stops was an area with farm animals, where the kids can interact with the animals and feed them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And, finally, here's Damiani trying to talk with a wallaby. She loves animals, and so was particularly delighted with the zoo.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">For more photos, click <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153153449355861.1073741932.672535860&type=1&l=962e49083c" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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Fr. Gregoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17972564279342838393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30109249.post-91026593547853945582015-02-28T13:55:00.000+02:002015-02-28T13:55:00.061+02:00Trip to Mt Athos with Paul<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Earlier in February, I had the opportunity to bring one of my boys to Mt. Athos for the first time. We went there to meet my good friend Raif, who used to live here in Portaria but has now returned to his native Germany. (<a href="http://edwardsingreece.blogspot.gr/2014/05/trip-to-germany.html" target="_blank">We went to visit them in Hamburg last year</a>.) It was the first time I've managed to visit Mt. Athos since moving to Portaria. (I think <a href="http://edwardsingreece.blogspot.gr/2011/09/simonopetra-and-grigoriou.html" target="_blank">this</a> must have been my last visit.) Paul and Benny decided between them that Paul would go this time, and Benny would go next time. Above you can see Paul's diamonitirion, or "visa" for entry to Mt. Athos.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our group also included three Greek friends of Raif, as well as two of his German friends. One of the Greeks, Vasilis, has many friends on Mt. Athos, and he arranged our whole trip. Above, you can see Paul looking out the window of the boat as we passed <a href="http://www.macedonian-heritage.gr/Athos/Monastery/Dochiariou.html" target="_blank">Dochiariou Monastery</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">After reaching the Athonite port of Daphne, we then took the bus up to Karyes, where we went to visit Vasilis' long-time friend, Fr. Symeon of <a href="http://www.macedonian-heritage.gr/Athos/Monastery/Dionysiou.html" target="_blank">Dionysiou Monastery</a>, who happens to be the Agios Protos (first monk, head of the Holy Committee overseeing Mt. Athos) this year. His office is in the administrative building of Karyes, overlooking the famous <a href="http://www.macedonian-heritage.gr/Athos/Town/Karyes.html" target="_blank">Protaton</a> church. Here you can see Paul checking out the Protaton from the door to the administrative building.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And here we are together on the stairs. Paul was being camera shy. I'm awaiting many more photos from our trip from the others.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx1xtNcX5O9whKb6nmCDzokXINIpsxmlkqWXSYHCAUQ6R-8CiBNu9lXipWLdqNDQ5yfPtSmmJEebwgIqjROylxquWZsTzrnFuIlUKQSUOW9ZZtwmPjfhDbOdHKmECRk8U6HSCMGQ/s1600/IMG_7540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx1xtNcX5O9whKb6nmCDzokXINIpsxmlkqWXSYHCAUQ6R-8CiBNu9lXipWLdqNDQ5yfPtSmmJEebwgIqjROylxquWZsTzrnFuIlUKQSUOW9ZZtwmPjfhDbOdHKmECRk8U6HSCMGQ/s1600/IMG_7540.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We then headed to the Holy Cell of the Nativity of the Mother of God, also known as Marouda, which belongs to <a href="http://www.macedonian-heritage.gr/Athos/Monastery/Chilandariou.html" target="_blank">Hilandar Monastery</a>. Like most cells on Mt. Athos, this one is headed by an elder and a small number of disciples. In this case, there is just one other monk, Fr. Paul, as well as several novices or potential novices. The elder is Fr. Makarios, who spent many years at <a href="http://www.macedonian-heritage.gr/Athos/Monastery/Filotheou.html" target="_blank">Philotheou</a> before taking on the project of rebuilding a dilapidated cell, as is commonly the pattern. Like many monks on Mt. Athos, he struck me as quite unique (some might say eccentric), and full of grace. His character was evident throughout the cell, which was very simple but also decorated in a lively way. Above you can see Paul next to many of the paintings that adorn the outside walls of the buildings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here Paul is looking out over the balcony of the guest quarters down to the small central church. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I had the blessing of the serving the Divine Liturgy there with Fr. Makarios both mornings. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Along the outside walls of the guest building is a mural with the life of Alexander the Great, apparently painted by a man from Volos who frequently visits the cell.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">There was still snow on the ground in many places. Here you can see the cell's view down on the <a href="http://www.macedonian-heritage.gr/Athos/Skete/Saint%20Andrew.html" target="_blank">Skete of St. Andrew</a> in Karyes. To understand more about this cell, see <a href="http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2013/06/a-former-taliban-from-afghanistan-is.html" target="_blank">this very interesting article</a> about the baptism there (on the spot where Paul is standing) of a former Taliban Afghani last year. This man, who took the name Alexander, is something like a novice there, and I had the good fortune to get to talk to him a bit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Fr. Makarios has quite a sense of humor. Unlike many monasteries, which post serious warnings forbidding smoking (which most Greeks then ignore), Fr. Makarios has a different approach. Here the sign says: "Smoke freely and without fear. Smoking helps you lose weight and rest," picturing however a man getting sick and dying from smoking.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">At one point, we took a walk around the area of Karyes. Our first stop was to the nearby monastery of <a href="http://www.macedonian-heritage.gr/Athos/Monastery/Koutloumousiou.html" target="_blank">Koutloumousiou</a>. Above you can see Paul in the courtyard, just outside the katholikon.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here we are back at the cell of Marouda. The monks loved the wild animals (especially cats) who gathered there, and so did Paul. He even shared some of his milk with them in a saucer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Another time, we took a walk to St. Andrew's Skete. You can see the massive church and bells in the background above.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOdDdzbnXPyyTq_etiPpFMBr1ktk1E74BDsexitAAq3j5f034EoJe_ucprjBxi88Myo3keJk7RXPrzYufKKlli0DTlDKn5EMDNE-ISCXQckkatZGD-xvDmAXSa4-a-rofQGF5y_A/s1600/IMG_7606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOdDdzbnXPyyTq_etiPpFMBr1ktk1E74BDsexitAAq3j5f034EoJe_ucprjBxi88Myo3keJk7RXPrzYufKKlli0DTlDKn5EMDNE-ISCXQckkatZGD-xvDmAXSa4-a-rofQGF5y_A/s1600/IMG_7606.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here are some of the small "everyday" bells they use.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcADprBTJUeXT5ASPeadVmtTUJPAVKJXDplfsgbEHgRSSN5IMXHwd9ggwZmaBEWTtjjmhBhLR0moCKoIUlUZLZBiWwblDfZLbdtL1S0cJaat19tAex1qg_hOvr-C2WcYf2bQR-bw/s1600/IMG_7613.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcADprBTJUeXT5ASPeadVmtTUJPAVKJXDplfsgbEHgRSSN5IMXHwd9ggwZmaBEWTtjjmhBhLR0moCKoIUlUZLZBiWwblDfZLbdtL1S0cJaat19tAex1qg_hOvr-C2WcYf2bQR-bw/s1600/IMG_7613.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">One of the monks took us up to the winter chapel, housing a large fragment of the skull of St Andrew the Apostle, which we had the blessing to venerate.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Sog6Ktqhg-4mLBgriOIkhlvYEyajvPypGWNy1a-wumT_eYYDbJZ2gIGzUO0y_iBTBH0-Jr-oP-DxE-1KzdQNmXuF_dQg4V5zPtnfAXvvUW258sYy8ntW5ORulV5HCIBUFo_fQw/s1600/IMG_7623.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Sog6Ktqhg-4mLBgriOIkhlvYEyajvPypGWNy1a-wumT_eYYDbJZ2gIGzUO0y_iBTBH0-Jr-oP-DxE-1KzdQNmXuF_dQg4V5zPtnfAXvvUW258sYy8ntW5ORulV5HCIBUFo_fQw/s1600/IMG_7623.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Finally, before leaving, we stopped again at the administrative building to say goodbye to Fr. Symeon, who had hosted us in his cell for lunch one day. As is the custom, Fr. Symeon brought out a bowl of chocolates. He then said Paul could make the second round, which he later did. You can see him getting into the Athonite spirit of hospitality above.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFXhHq0jsS0nyJf6ukQR3tt1jlsKpeREu0LsB7i1k9IesT1u_MXbVZSbOL9wRTPrLe8sbg3uQkTkJFAnOXdNkpWBYXXPWeHi6xIZ7exe8Rxga3ah_l96tjFlN9wToaQIvWoqREvA/s1600/IMG_7639.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFXhHq0jsS0nyJf6ukQR3tt1jlsKpeREu0LsB7i1k9IesT1u_MXbVZSbOL9wRTPrLe8sbg3uQkTkJFAnOXdNkpWBYXXPWeHi6xIZ7exe8Rxga3ah_l96tjFlN9wToaQIvWoqREvA/s1600/IMG_7639.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Although it was cold while we were there, the sun was out. On the return boat trip, we were able to spend most of the time out on the deck, where we fed the seagulls who fly alongside the boat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">For more photos, click <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153003223590861.1073741917.672535860&type=1&l=f71e4df864" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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Fr. Gregoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17972564279342838393noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30109249.post-17977245857815450072015-02-26T12:00:00.000+02:002015-02-26T12:00:01.531+02:00Trip to Servia, Western Macedonia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="300" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m29!1m12!1m3!1d1566919.8080989763!2d21.21893126455383!3d39.910282117454024!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!4m14!1i0!3e6!4m5!1s0x14a712d5571b8b47%3A0x400bd2ce2b99f10!2sPortaria%2C+Magnesia+Prefecture%2C+Greece!3m2!1d39.3897164!2d22.998225299999998!4m5!1s0x135830e0cf8c43b9%3A0x3decc3818dc7a5cc!2sServia%2C+Greece!3m2!1d40.1858788!2d22.002802!5e0!3m2!1sen!2s!4v1424191769974" style="border: 0;" width="400"></iframe></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">At the end of January, we made a trip to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Servia,_Greece" target="_blank">Servia</a> to meet some friends from Florina (as a halfway point). It is an ancient city that served as the passageway between Macedonia and Thessaly, and through which passed Alexander the Great and the Apostle Paul.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYtrFtTh9Tvw7FVzI-Vw5rTspkV2ZF_-jC5Ye-a52pxfefqlXcMZdyCc3Pg3KLApTiDy12O8V7x8FQ7iqcHB764uEl1EjuBPEX78DzS-SK0kxrPYGAL1wMcHnSP3HmpD18yYjujA/s1600/IMG_7411.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYtrFtTh9Tvw7FVzI-Vw5rTspkV2ZF_-jC5Ye-a52pxfefqlXcMZdyCc3Pg3KLApTiDy12O8V7x8FQ7iqcHB764uEl1EjuBPEX78DzS-SK0kxrPYGAL1wMcHnSP3HmpD18yYjujA/s1600/IMG_7411.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We visited the town's acropolis, which included several churches, including these ruins of a 7th century basilica dedicated to St Demetrios.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjghH3fyI_FtcOJEVF6K0tt9R8cxFzy4pvLOeAMUW42c64aTNiD5YsAzsNN6VMMA8lVolAjhX4HnGuf_glOYHXJsy4NPl-ETGZjagQp15uasdM1HmwyTPdZ10O5vgOKPXDYX1ns8A/s1600/IMG_7416.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjghH3fyI_FtcOJEVF6K0tt9R8cxFzy4pvLOeAMUW42c64aTNiD5YsAzsNN6VMMA8lVolAjhX4HnGuf_glOYHXJsy4NPl-ETGZjagQp15uasdM1HmwyTPdZ10O5vgOKPXDYX1ns8A/s1600/IMG_7416.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc653n4S4lzLWaPCRFUCk7uPsSMRuA6zqGok1268oWCqrb6aksSsl9F84AInrFbKgFJTGSuyfS7L0bAVS6XBiKhdEkYA_dh1IAmIZl5hIz33SMO-GVNneMXiRjtS2Ay63V18lwlQ/s1600/IMG_7420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc653n4S4lzLWaPCRFUCk7uPsSMRuA6zqGok1268oWCqrb6aksSsl9F84AInrFbKgFJTGSuyfS7L0bAVS6XBiKhdEkYA_dh1IAmIZl5hIz33SMO-GVNneMXiRjtS2Ay63V18lwlQ/s1600/IMG_7420.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy0JqKQN_YFwfgtcXCwk28NI1lLhREjCrKj1kQ6kcZE9ATLtM-iFyS_FeECl5c8zMx96wfrULbR0ACR344Gcl0bJ4mS5mbArl2pPEOgkT_E1Y0U-Aaiim5y9ve_iwl5N5wHCb1Kg/s1600/IMG_7423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy0JqKQN_YFwfgtcXCwk28NI1lLhREjCrKj1kQ6kcZE9ATLtM-iFyS_FeECl5c8zMx96wfrULbR0ACR344Gcl0bJ4mS5mbArl2pPEOgkT_E1Y0U-Aaiim5y9ve_iwl5N5wHCb1Kg/s1600/IMG_7423.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The ruins are exposed and unguarded and, unfortunately, have been suffered from graffiti over the years, some of it obviously recent.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiOlmCfEVCxhzZjzN7oOTs4Ucm8cPpeEhFYHtqpnOw8S-68pcrDo3iEiFeimEMWXhIlSpv3QAtiX45xpy9RmfHzDyBqwGR2qgffSQGqHzbH7Qu9CeR41CqAvNv7qK7QAfgNXc_zQ/s1600/IMG_7428.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiOlmCfEVCxhzZjzN7oOTs4Ucm8cPpeEhFYHtqpnOw8S-68pcrDo3iEiFeimEMWXhIlSpv3QAtiX45xpy9RmfHzDyBqwGR2qgffSQGqHzbH7Qu9CeR41CqAvNv7qK7QAfgNXc_zQ/s1600/IMG_7428.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Although the weather wasn't clear, there was still a remarkable view over the city and surrounding region.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg96b2900ZHNzyoscFZOQG1_S3MqA50RpfKwI9YqOE-ott0Yh_KcCQMXMUIsLRA_eV9zwkeIh54iOMLaESSip-vnsoFlV4fRjd_Hs0TXfzb53qAaP0aHCpIHXyLzJgzpNo73_YJuQ/s1600/IMG_7437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg96b2900ZHNzyoscFZOQG1_S3MqA50RpfKwI9YqOE-ott0Yh_KcCQMXMUIsLRA_eV9zwkeIh54iOMLaESSip-vnsoFlV4fRjd_Hs0TXfzb53qAaP0aHCpIHXyLzJgzpNo73_YJuQ/s1600/IMG_7437.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi32f9yo076n-a2ymIqhgERmHLt1rhESIAH1JgWfh_2lBriOLJBHaVL_cG6htJzyOmLasfns8QfYzN-vBkwfewb0DmktYbCZ_fzA68cT16hw2ZbHoyqwSnc3RWpNQr1ZT7pznE-ng/s1600/IMG_7439.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi32f9yo076n-a2ymIqhgERmHLt1rhESIAH1JgWfh_2lBriOLJBHaVL_cG6htJzyOmLasfns8QfYzN-vBkwfewb0DmktYbCZ_fzA68cT16hw2ZbHoyqwSnc3RWpNQr1ZT7pznE-ng/s1600/IMG_7439.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We also explored the ruins of the castle, where we found a tiny chapel. Here we crossed a wooden plank to go see the chapel, which still had the altar intact.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghKXr0-Em8tu1e0gS3ck-TIlDVUUGDJPH9j5sY50VoQg50yEfQbmt-RbaV2HjotTaUVhuUcDxHu0W_aZJlRyE4Gnwi_u1Ah7bzllvDYH7QijrL1OAJ5im965iaGuLTRKPbmYhaFw/s1600/IMG_7455.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghKXr0-Em8tu1e0gS3ck-TIlDVUUGDJPH9j5sY50VoQg50yEfQbmt-RbaV2HjotTaUVhuUcDxHu0W_aZJlRyE4Gnwi_u1Ah7bzllvDYH7QijrL1OAJ5im965iaGuLTRKPbmYhaFw/s1600/IMG_7455.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A view from part of the castle ruins.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfItv9kxGovtq4O0jF8iooON3L4Rv65WjUN0kGoI9lBOhJpIU9wwMkIjfzSsx3SLL_GFsbCvoXjW-y28D7T1BQ56VULmvphcqlUQFZujgKDQ4VRZYT6d-LwnQIcts0HqF2NBAdiA/s1600/IMG_7463.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfItv9kxGovtq4O0jF8iooON3L4Rv65WjUN0kGoI9lBOhJpIU9wwMkIjfzSsx3SLL_GFsbCvoXjW-y28D7T1BQ56VULmvphcqlUQFZujgKDQ4VRZYT6d-LwnQIcts0HqF2NBAdiA/s1600/IMG_7463.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Perched on top of this craggy rock is what they call the Monastery of Sts. Theodore. In its current form, it is little more than a small chapel, next to which appears to have been the acropolis' cistern. It's hard to imagine how it was a full-fledged monastery, but it retains that designation.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieN3qYYac6TPjvEm7sq-colIZ3cMFqQdyvwX2cwSouctdb5IuIzO3Zp5pbQY6rZDvK1a1naBdKLd1IdkzCGfPm3AkNM3eQjM-tIlwaiUbJ4NTz_Wmz7Tzq1xrMs21XSFJkI3Yidw/s1600/IMG_7465.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieN3qYYac6TPjvEm7sq-colIZ3cMFqQdyvwX2cwSouctdb5IuIzO3Zp5pbQY6rZDvK1a1naBdKLd1IdkzCGfPm3AkNM3eQjM-tIlwaiUbJ4NTz_Wmz7Tzq1xrMs21XSFJkI3Yidw/s1600/IMG_7465.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Outside the western entrance door to the chapel.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8xWTjui7zd8Xqk4pIUrY3tYQyC_fZzRW7Dif2Rc-wp_BJvQkqpwyHW9CCdQ4jBb8hA2EBjZj7cUEuVNtA2Sn2IN8irM0RWi7dkvvZ6LB_ekI8PC8rMYELzzTwy1azL5D9x_Sysg/s1600/IMG_7469.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8xWTjui7zd8Xqk4pIUrY3tYQyC_fZzRW7Dif2Rc-wp_BJvQkqpwyHW9CCdQ4jBb8hA2EBjZj7cUEuVNtA2Sn2IN8irM0RWi7dkvvZ6LB_ekI8PC8rMYELzzTwy1azL5D9x_Sysg/s1600/IMG_7469.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Another small chapel, dedicated to the Holy Unmercenaries. We ate with our friends at a good restaurant right across from this chapel.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie4sFp-z_EPMN9J1ZdQlPyNqeZsKy7I8b2zKcfcN9uNqrZvRlebJyAsbglerhRA4f_7zcA8z8GFtaeEaQls7x9gCLIhx9TMWNEHFzZZh0NTwZMRTEdHL-XctQL2ncVpzoNy02byw/s1600/IMG_7470.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie4sFp-z_EPMN9J1ZdQlPyNqeZsKy7I8b2zKcfcN9uNqrZvRlebJyAsbglerhRA4f_7zcA8z8GFtaeEaQls7x9gCLIhx9TMWNEHFzZZh0NTwZMRTEdHL-XctQL2ncVpzoNy02byw/s1600/IMG_7470.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In the restaurant, they had this rendering of what the acropolis once looked like.</span></div>
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Fr. Gregoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17972564279342838393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30109249.post-13081886354581251582015-02-22T12:00:00.000+02:002015-02-22T12:00:02.482+02:00The Blessing of the Waters (Pool) Theophany 2015<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">The beginning of the New Year was full of snow and very cold northern winds. Nevertheless, we had one brave soul--a fireman--who was eager to jump into the pool to retrieve the cross at Theophany. Unfortunately, our parish does not have any natural bodies of water where we could perform the outdoor blessing of the waters, so we do it at the largest body of water we have--the pool at the <a href="http://www.xeniaportarias.gr/" target="_blank">Xenia Palace Hotel</a>. In the photo above, you can see the snow still on the ground.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A few brave souls huddled together for the service, while others observed from the (warm) cafe above.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The wind was howling so much that we couldn't get the icon to stand up at all.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Apostolis was the only one brave enough to dive in, so there wasn't much competition. Afterwards, they hurried him off to the spa room at the hotel so that he could get dressed and get warm. Afterwards, we warmed up with some hot coffee in the cafe, and then I was off to bless houses.</span></div>
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Fr. Gregoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17972564279342838393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30109249.post-83403368512523277272015-02-20T14:44:00.000+02:002015-02-20T14:44:00.264+02:00Snowing in the New Year<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Contrary to popular belief, it does snow in Greece. Not often, but it does snow. This is our 9th winter in Greece and this is the first time we had any real snow that stuck. This snow storm hit on New Year's Eve and left about 40-50 cm here in Portaria. Down in Volos, surprisingly, it was actually worse, leaving about 80 cm. Because this area is not accustomed to snow, most things grind to a halt. In the whole metropolis, I think only the central church downtown had Liturgy on January 1. Although Portaria's central road was cleared rather quickly, it took days to open up the cobblestone paths leading to our house.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Meanwhile, the kids enjoyed the snow. Above is a photo from the front door of our house, looking at the southern side of the church.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Playing in the snow on the trampoline.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Benny sliding down stairs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Benny went for a walk with me to the cars to see what state they were in.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Phoebe in front of the house.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Paul in the church courtyard. Normally you could see Volos and the water behind him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">On the hill below our house, we tried to fashion a sled run, but I don't think it was steep enough.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Damiani eating an icicle that formed on the roof of our house.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The kids made snowmen with their friends. The sky cleared and you can again see Volos and the water below. </span></div>
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Fr. Gregoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17972564279342838393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30109249.post-26962723558241458062015-02-18T13:18:00.000+02:002015-02-19T12:35:33.147+02:00Pilgrimage to St John the Russian<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">During the kids' Christmas break, we took a trip down to Evia to venerate the incorrupt relics of St John the Russian. To break up the trip, we first stopped in the ancient town of Aidipsos, which has been famous for thousands of years for its thermal springs. It is mentioned by numerous ancient writers, such as Plutarch, Strabo, and Aristotle.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #343434; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype';"><span style="font-size: large;">According to mythology, the goddess Athena asked the god of fire Hephaestus, to bring to the earth’s surface warm waters suitable for soothing and healing, so that her protégé, the legendary hero Hercules could come and rest after each feat. The god Hephaestus did what his beloved sister asked. He hit the bowels of the earth with his divine hammer and immediately warm thermal waters sprang.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #343434; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype';"><span style="font-size: large;">According to the historian Plutarch, in antiquity, Edipsos was a place where people from all over Greece met to bathe, to relax, discuss and have fun. The famous Roman general Sulla used the baths for the same purpose. Today, there are ruins of the baths, bearing the name ”Baths of Sulla.” Aidipsos was visited even by the Emperors Hadrian, Marcus Aurelius, Septimius Severus, Pertinos, and the empress Julia Dovna. There are also pedestals of statues of Constantine the Great and the Byzantine emperor Theodosius.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Above is a photo from the ferry.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Apart from the history, the most important for the kids was the fact that it had a playground!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here we are inside the cave of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulla" target="_blank">Sulla</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #1c1c1c; font-family: "Palatino Linotype"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">At the entrance of the "cave" are two
massive pedestals of statues with inscriptions in honor of the Roman Emperor
Hadrian and Septimius Severus, dedicated by the municipality Istieas.</span><span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here the kids are running on top of the cave mound. To the left, you can see the town's church dedicated, appropriately, to the Holy Unmercenary Healers.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHbRkPhSS2eAWbZpU7OybdsHhJ9cwd1hw-6nW6IrEXYGZKQD5PhrX2nMzajTLA3lbU6q8TGoNvVPXAOwg0WV-RdZ-UCknG2QWEWBWzUs-LcQCi2tNZ6oR032fU25S1ChdtbPyB8Q/s1600/IMG_7134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHbRkPhSS2eAWbZpU7OybdsHhJ9cwd1hw-6nW6IrEXYGZKQD5PhrX2nMzajTLA3lbU6q8TGoNvVPXAOwg0WV-RdZ-UCknG2QWEWBWzUs-LcQCi2tNZ6oR032fU25S1ChdtbPyB8Q/s1600/IMG_7134.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The city has a complex system of pipes that channel the 80 some hot springs to various locations. Here can you see the steam rising out of the ground from pipes that are near the surface. Some of the town's hotel even have the hot spring water piped directly into their hotels for their own spas.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4KFnrNY_gcL3yUOsKcvYTFWh87hmwtQCNPm3MZUQxL7ftdbZxiCGuLqkPk_XmqmL0951hodtwvD22nCV2zsKLiuUPaKq9DrG13OQvZBxKMDd8XNcysOixK0AuSJH8-ljF_49sUQ/s1600/IMG_7138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4KFnrNY_gcL3yUOsKcvYTFWh87hmwtQCNPm3MZUQxL7ftdbZxiCGuLqkPk_XmqmL0951hodtwvD22nCV2zsKLiuUPaKq9DrG13OQvZBxKMDd8XNcysOixK0AuSJH8-ljF_49sUQ/s1600/IMG_7138.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here is Pres. Pelagia and Damiani in front of the ruins of all old bath house.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You can see the steam rising from the water as it is channeled over to the town's spa area.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyrjNmWLHMU0CuEhTHcMhwygOZkyKRU0nVXDGY6-uslwK9rIVHBs56k5toL30bwNOyk4ddUHn7MYrdxzdIRvC0l7Eoj2BGC2JV5NcR8ObArD8SZSAZrN54KGQI_6ei7XoTgPBgUA/s1600/IMG_7141.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyrjNmWLHMU0CuEhTHcMhwygOZkyKRU0nVXDGY6-uslwK9rIVHBs56k5toL30bwNOyk4ddUHn7MYrdxzdIRvC0l7Eoj2BGC2JV5NcR8ObArD8SZSAZrN54KGQI_6ei7XoTgPBgUA/s1600/IMG_7141.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Several springs well up along this small stretch of beach.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here's one bubbling up from the ground. Even though it was December, you could reportedly boil an egg just by placing it there.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRzb5W1jwnnOcloxhLQwnDzV0XLb0oaIixqjaaGzS-CCQ60zAg3hudxh9bkGDum5EqQNslETd1N4ua2E0U56ELcxMFkr-6iJjxZaQcs6DxDOR83izfotpn2jklWbWfgX3S0m9CVw/s1600/IMG_7163.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRzb5W1jwnnOcloxhLQwnDzV0XLb0oaIixqjaaGzS-CCQ60zAg3hudxh9bkGDum5EqQNslETd1N4ua2E0U56ELcxMFkr-6iJjxZaQcs6DxDOR83izfotpn2jklWbWfgX3S0m9CVw/s1600/IMG_7163.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And here's another spring emerging from a rock and emptying into the ocean. Although the ocean was quite cold, the areas where the hot springs entered the ocean were nice.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikpXaRRil_zmeoe9JwObV4J-znIMU5NEIC255XR2qEreff4yZd8oJsYQCmGwOPcYDIHu-SIo4sD7kVNTR_sKy90SP8GdsXE2hHWGVGU1WHsvhUk3K5vgVO-3Sr7gVqRSjjMF8grg/s1600/IMG_7173.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikpXaRRil_zmeoe9JwObV4J-znIMU5NEIC255XR2qEreff4yZd8oJsYQCmGwOPcYDIHu-SIo4sD7kVNTR_sKy90SP8GdsXE2hHWGVGU1WHsvhUk3K5vgVO-3Sr7gVqRSjjMF8grg/s1600/IMG_7173.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We then continued our trip down to venerate the incorrupt relics of St John the Russian. You can read his inspiring life <a href="http://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.gr/2009/05/st-john-russian-new-confessor.html" target="_blank">here</a>. His relics are not housed in a monastery, but rather in what is called a "shrine," which is closer to being a parish church.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">For more photos, click <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153000044005861.1073741913.672535860&type=1&l=6e7ec58012" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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Fr. Gregoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17972564279342838393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30109249.post-13011409204163679052015-02-16T12:30:00.001+02:002015-02-16T12:30:26.362+02:00Trip to Santa's Village in Trikala<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="300" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m29!1m12!1m3!1d788865.8136136187!2d21.792447491591926!3d39.43526942226643!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!4m14!1i0!3e6!4m5!1s0x14a712d5571b8b47%3A0x400bd2ce2b99f10!2sPortaria%2C+Magnesia+Prefecture%2C+Greece!3m2!1d39.3897164!2d22.998225299999998!4m5!1s0x1359193322772e5f%3A0x400bd2ce2b99fc0!2sTrikala%2C+Greece!3m2!1d39.555731699999995!2d21.7678951!5e0!3m2!1sen!2s!4v1424080322800" style="border: 0;" width="400"></iframe></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Just before Christmas, we went back to the Christmas village in Trikala, which is considered the best in Greece. <a href="http://edwardsingreece.blogspot.gr/2014/02/visit-to-christmas-village-in-trikala.html" target="_blank">Here's the post from our trip last year</a>.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaa1LCXkuE0e5UykXmtii4G34sw9JS8XDujbPNXA7Kf_9251q5XaWes_dSN8bP4oid_L_PANyAcZV99mTVvuDBbT_a96M597FJw453oywrnP1vbQ-KdVrRpnU5a9u5xs8gF-PBsw/s1600/IMG_6897.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaa1LCXkuE0e5UykXmtii4G34sw9JS8XDujbPNXA7Kf_9251q5XaWes_dSN8bP4oid_L_PANyAcZV99mTVvuDBbT_a96M597FJw453oywrnP1vbQ-KdVrRpnU5a9u5xs8gF-PBsw/s1600/IMG_6897.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We began with face painting.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-vtLTMqQme9Pnoaenp9ePgwhalhOdv4gg87lCRk4Xmj89qry2d5MtQfbURjh4L2mBaC1goChdNPZ1BZOQV-DWKJxsNwqcdDp-pBfkRSsuZnqqLY3QTjypUEE9GQMDQB3CYMFMUQ/s1600/IMG_6903.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-vtLTMqQme9Pnoaenp9ePgwhalhOdv4gg87lCRk4Xmj89qry2d5MtQfbURjh4L2mBaC1goChdNPZ1BZOQV-DWKJxsNwqcdDp-pBfkRSsuZnqqLY3QTjypUEE9GQMDQB3CYMFMUQ/s1600/IMG_6903.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We then stopped at the Playmobil exhibit, where the kids could play with the toys on display. Phoebe really connected with Santa's "elves."</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The village is located at an abandoned mill along a river, a picturesque location.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpaFxy03oLGDSU3PVGIRb8ADHDZXBaiQmYqPN5xvwiQNoZXRmYYJmMBF1ALMgZ7HxyR0uv4NoL2nKGL5F9WM0XDfVCcLR1vT8PvwF9JTb21WknvxdIYyFac6_DIzQXzk1qAcFCoA/s1600/IMG_6908.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpaFxy03oLGDSU3PVGIRb8ADHDZXBaiQmYqPN5xvwiQNoZXRmYYJmMBF1ALMgZ7HxyR0uv4NoL2nKGL5F9WM0XDfVCcLR1vT8PvwF9JTb21WknvxdIYyFac6_DIzQXzk1qAcFCoA/s1600/IMG_6908.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We then took turns at bumper cars. Here Pelagia and Phoebe are getting ready for collision.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4wyc25H3N0mQw6sVmgL9_5P8ynwVWZOCXi8ImwvB4iUpKzCRylCsLOPCg6FNo7sUoSvJ7LK3r7LvrMyfcDVl_AHNTHkMD_2SZUOPftdKVCd7O6IEcPEd7BDiWU89rA0u18_W7ZA/s1600/IMG_6925.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4wyc25H3N0mQw6sVmgL9_5P8ynwVWZOCXi8ImwvB4iUpKzCRylCsLOPCg6FNo7sUoSvJ7LK3r7LvrMyfcDVl_AHNTHkMD_2SZUOPftdKVCd7O6IEcPEd7BDiWU89rA0u18_W7ZA/s1600/IMG_6925.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">All the kids together.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And here they are visiting Santa/St. Vasilios.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Damiani is at a stage where she LOVES animals, so she was really excited to meet some lambs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">One of the highlights of the trip -- cotton candy, which, in Greek, is called "hair of the old lady."</span></div>
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Fr. Gregoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17972564279342838393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30109249.post-27067911756883558752015-02-13T18:50:00.000+02:002015-02-13T18:50:00.192+02:00Christmas Show<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Just before Christmas, Portaria's kindergarten of 12 (25% of which are ours!) put on its Christmas show, featuring songs, dance, and an appearance by Santa/St. Basil. Above is a sample video from the show, which features the Greek version of Little Drummer Boy. (The kids at the school gave me a pre-show performance the previous week, when I was invited to come speak to the kids about my trip to Bethlehem and the meaning of Christ's Nativity.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Above you can see the kids dancing with their teachers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And here they are singing a song.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And here was the school's Christmas wish list, posted outside the door to the school, in which each kid stated what he wanted St. Basil to bring him. Paul, in the top slot, wanted "a red and gold Transformer with a gold-colored weapon." Phoebe, in the third slot, wanted: "A doll that can be both a person and a mermaid, and also a doll house." Finally, Benny, in the fifth slot, wanted: "An Anakin Skywalker figure, holding a light saber."</span></div>
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Fr. Gregoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17972564279342838393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30109249.post-8021278748363164242015-02-11T18:25:00.000+02:002015-02-11T18:25:00.297+02:00Santa's Village/Christmas Fair in Volos<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Just before Christmas, I took the triplets to Volos' Santa's Fair/Christmas Fair. It's a pretty small affair that only began in recent years (from what I understand), but they're trying to grow it. It's basically a carnival/fair that happens to have a house where kids can get their picture taken with Santa/St. Basil. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The first stop was the ice skating rink, but only Paul would do it. We were there early before anyone else, so one of the rink's workers helped Paul.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The big hit, though, was the super-trampolines, which the boys did. Again, we were there early, so the guy let them have a really long turn and did all kinds of tricks with them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here's Paul doing a flip.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And here's Benny getting up really high.</span></div>
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Fr. Gregoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17972564279342838393noreply@blogger.com0