On Monday, we finally got a chance to actually see something of Thessaloniki. We started the day off with visits to ecclesiastical shops, and then hit the highlights -- the Cathedral of St. Gregory Palamas with his relics, the Monastery of St. Theodora of Thessaloniki (with her relics as well as those of St. David of Thessaloniki), Agia Sophia (where St. Gregory Palamas preached his sermons on the uncreated energies of God), and the first-century catacombs (which St. Paul himself may have very well visited). All this was punctuated by a coffee with Fr. Spyridon at Panagia Acheiropoietos and gyros next to the Rotunda.
In the photo above, Fr. Dn. Nathaniel and Fr. Joseph survey the ground above the catacombs. In front of them is the baptismal font in which the Emperor St. Theodosius was baptized and a column from the pre-Christian pagan temple that once stood on this spot, alongside a Roman bath.
In the evening, we had some fellowship time at the house with Pres. Pelagia and the babies. At Pelagia's request, Fr. Joseph played some tunes on the guitar, including some old songs from the EOC hymnal.
Paul enjoying all the attention.
Here, Sava is throwing Paul up in the air, while Stephen spins Benjamin around on the table Pelagia made.
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