Touring Tvrdos

After the Liturgy, we walked with Bishop Atanasije out to the monastery's gardens, where they have all sorts of trees and plants growing. The monastery is famous for its rakia, which is flavored with herbs they pick there. In the photo above, Bishop Atanasije and Fr. Stevan are picking herbs.

We then walked over beside the church, where the monks are building a guest house to entertain pilgrims. The photo above is the beautiful view from the window of the guest house, and below is the small building itself, along with drawings for other items to be built.

This is a photo of the front of the church, with the newly built guest house behind it on the right.

Next we walked down to the river, where the monks have recently built a wine-making facility in which they can produce their own wine from grapes grown in the area around the monastery. There are two interesting Reuters news articles about it here and here. Bishop Maxim, the monastery's abbot, Fr. Sava, and Fr. Stevan (a local married priest and iconographer) are pictured in the photo above.

We took a break to get warm next to the fire in the little shack next to the winery building, where two local men help the monks make the rakia. Behind Fr. Sava in the photo above, you can see the barrel where the rakia is being made. Of course, the two men insisted that we taste some.

The inside of the enormous winery building, with the latest wine-making equipment.

Walking back up the stairs to the monastery, with the church in the background.

A view around the back of the church.

Before we left, we had hot tea (a delicious blend of local mint, honey, and lemon) and discussion with Bishop Atanasije and Bishop Grigorije. Above is me with Bishop Atanasije.

Fr. Sava, the monastery's abbot, accompanied us on the next phase of our pilgrimage, but before we left the area we went once again to visit Bishop Grigorije's new cathedral in Trebinje. Above is a view from the balcony in the back of the church.

Then we set off on our trip to Kosovo, driving south from Herzegovina, through Montenegro and into the western part of Kosovo, which is known as Metohija. The proper (Serbian) name of the area is Kosovo and Metohija. Metohija is from a Greek word meaning property that is owned by a monastery. There are so many important monasteries in this area that most of the land was originally owned by them, hence the name. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

We broke up the trip, which was about 5 or 6 hours, by stopping to eat in the capital of Montenegro, Podgorica. The photo above is of me and Fr. Sava standing in front of Montenegro's new cathedral in Podgorica, which is currently under construction.

For all the photos of this phase of the trip, click here.

Divine Liturgy at Tvrdos

On Saturday morning, we celebrated the Divine Liturgy, with Bishop Maxim and Bishop Atanasije presiding, three priests serving (including me), and one hierodeacon. This was the second Liturgy I served at this monastery, the first being my first one as a deacon back in December 2007. This time was much easier!

Shortly before the start of the Liturgy.

The deacon reads the Gospel.

The Great Entrance.

After the Liturgy, the monks served everyone hot tea just outside the entrance to the monastery and listened as Bishop Atanasije spoke for awhile, telling stories and jokes (see photo above). An archondariki (guest house) for hosting people for such things is currently being built, as I will cover in my next post.

There's another report of our whole pilgrimage on the diocese's website here.

Traveling to Trebinje, Herzegovina

Early Friday morning, I flew to Belgrade to meet with my bishop, Bishop Maxim. In the morning, I visited with my friend, Rastko Jovic, who is also working on his PhD with the same professor as I am, and we discussed our work. In the afternoon, I met up with Bishop Maxim and we left on a pilgrimage which would take us to Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Kosovo.

First, we took a short flight from Belgrade to Tivat, Montenegro, a beautiful coastal resort town. We were picked up at the airport by a faithful lay person from the city of Trebinje, Herzegovina and taken there, a drive of about 1.5-2 hours. The fastest route involves a short ferry ride near Tivat, and the photo above is of the ferry coming to pick us up.

First, we were taken into the city of Trebinje, where Bishop Maxim was greeted by Bishop Grigorije of Zahumlje and Herzegovina. We were taken inside the newly constructed cathedral (photo of the apse above) and then next door to the newly constructed diocesan headquarters and episcopal residence for a brief visit with Bishop Grigorije.

We then drove the few miles over to Tvrdos Monastery, where Bishop Maxim was greeted by Bishop Atanasije Yevtich and the monastery's brotherhood. We venerated inside the church, which is built on the foundations of a 5th century church, and then went to eat and visit with Bishop Atanasije.

I was fortunate enough even to get to speak with Bishop Atanasije about my own PhD research and get his opinion. (See photos below.)

For more photos, click here.

The Holy Monastery of the Honorable Forerunner in Serres

On Sunday afternoon, I took Rebecca to visit the Monastery of the Honorable Forerunner in Serres, which is about 1.5 hours north of here.

My friends Paris and Dimitris also came along for their first visit to the monastery. We arrived around 4:30 or 5:00 and venerated inside the main church (see Rebecca just outside in the first photo), and then decided to go for a walk around the outside of the monastery until Vespers began at 6:00. From the front (second photo is at the entrance) or inside the monastery, it seems not particularly large, but from the back one can really appreciate its scope.

Built in the 13th century by two Athonite monks, the monastery was once home, at its peak, to a brotherhood of 700 monks. Over 2000 monks worked out their salvation with fear and trembling (Phil 2:12) at this monastery, including St Raphael, before entered a period of decay in the early 20th century. About 30 years ago, Elder Ephraim of Philotheou reestablished it as a women's monastery, and it now has 29 nuns and several novices.

The third and fourth photos are from our walk around to the back of the monastery.

The bottom photo is of the inside of the monastery, just as you enter the front gate.

At 6:00, we had the Ninth Hour, Vespers, Paraklesis to the Panagia, and Small Compline, and then we were invited into the guest house to visit with our friend, the American nun Katherine.

Sister Katherine is a young American convert to Orthodoxy who came to Greece 5.5 years ago to become a nun, and we have been fortunate to befriend her in our time here. Unfortunately, our last visit to her and the monastery was two years ago, before I was ordained a deacon!

We spent about 1.5 hours visiting with Sister Katherine and the monastery's "second" (in command), Sister Vrienni, and Sister Pahomia (who spent some time at the women's monastery in Florida while we were in Florida), before heading back home close to 9:00.

For a few more photos, click here.

The Babies Hit the Beach

On Thursday, we celebrated Pelagia's nameday with Divine Liturgy at St. Basil's Church in the middle of the campus of Panorama's private Orthodox Christian school, Apostolos Pavlos (Apostle Paul). Priests from our parish of St. George's serve the school, which has over 1200 kids from K-12. During the school year, there are usually at least two weekday liturgies per week, and the grades take turns coming to church. Their teachers lead them in singing all the responses. It was here (photo to the left) that I served my first Liturgies after my ordination to the priesthood in February. I will especially always remember the very first Liturgy, which was with the kindergartners, who all enthusiastically sang the Trisagion Hymn. After the Liturgy, the day was full of people coming by and calling to wish Pelagia a happy nameday, as is the pious custom here. Να μας ζήσει!

In the afternoon today, Friday, Pelagia, Benjamin, and Phoebe took Rebecca to the beaches of Halkidiki. The weather has been beautiful this week (sunny with highs around 80), so it was lovely time to do it before winter sets in. Below, Rebecca is relaxing in a lounge chair with Phoebe.

Pelagia and Benjamin.

Rebecca and Phoebe.

Pelagia, Benjamin, and Phoebe all put their feet in the water.

Phoebe (with her cute hat) and Benjamin lounging at the beach. Dad, you may be wondering, stayed home with Paul. (No minivan yet!)

For more photos, click here.

Baby photo update

The photo above and the two immediately below were taken about two weeks ago, on September 23, just before Grandma Joyce, Kh. Makrina, and Symeon left. Above, you can see the babies watching the mobile rotating above one of the cribs. Below, Symeon climbed into the crib with the three babies, and below that, a close-up.

This photo was taken at the end of September, and here the babies again are all together watching the mobile of train cars rotating above their crib.

About a week or so ago, Paul found his thumb and has really been enjoying it.

The photos above and below were taken on Sunday afternoon, when Paul's godfather, Paris, came to visit. In the photo above, Paris strapped Paul on in preparation for our evening stroll around town. After we got back, we sat out on the balcony and enjoyed some trigonas (Rebecca's first time trying them), while Paris played with Paul.