A Punk Rock Drummer and His Love

The power of caring for someone.  The difference in infusing a sapped existence with Life.

Plane Going Down!

From here.
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Plane Going Down!

This is a true account of events as described by a passenger aboard a plane, returning from the Holy Land on August 29, 2003

*****

It was dawn on Friday, August 29, 2003. We were sad to be leaving Jerusalem. We were on our way to Tel Aviv and from there, to Athens.

We had a magnificent time. The previous day we had celebrated the Dormition of our Lady at the site of her tomb, since this feast is celebrated in Jerusalem on the 28th of August, that is, 13 days later than the date celebrated in Greece.

We had a unique experience. The feast was rich and splendid for everyone. Late in the afternoon we packed our bags and took part in the all night vigil at the Holy Sepulcher. Immediately afterwards we boarded the bus which was waiting for us just outside the old city. The weather was good, the sky starlit and in the silence we delighted in the city all lit up. We fixed our gaze on the city’s walls, embracing all the holy sites with our mind, holding them tight within our hearts. An almost invisible smile gave way to our fatigue, but also to our deep gratefulness towards God for everything we had experienced. Our thankfulness was so great that it was not shaken by the long wait, or even by the Israelis’ exhausting security control at the airport.

When we eventually boarded the plane – if I remember correctly, it was a twin engine Airbus – I noticed that its lights were flickering the whole time. I thought that some wire was not making contact properly and I sank into my seat. When the plane starting taxiing, the electrical problems became more apparent, as the characteristic sound of small, multiple short-circuits could be heard. I didn’t think much of it. The lights went out, we took off, and when they turned back on the problem was less noticeable. I was sitting with my mother on the left side of the aircraft, in front of the wing, and my friends and acquaintances were sitting close by.

About twenty minutes later we heard a loud noise and the aircraft started shaking and moving back and forth. The pilot told us in Hebrew, and then in English, to remain seated and fasten our seat belts. The stewardesses did the same. At the beginning, we didn’t pay much attention, until I looked at the wing and saw the engine on fire and spitting out burning pieces of metal! After a reassuring word, I showed it to my mother and my other friends. We had all traveled by plane many times before, but it was the first time we had seen a flaming engine. We tensed up somewhat but we tried not to show our worry, remaining silent. As I learnt afterwards, some of us were inwardly praying the Jesus prayer. A few minutes later the pilot confirmed that we had lost the left engine and that he was going try to make it to Eleftherios Venizelos airport in Athens, using the other engine.

Less than twenty minutes later we heard a noise not as loud from the right side of the plane and felt the same strong vibrations, mixed with turbulence. Some people, sitting in front of the right wing shouted, “The engine is on fire!” The atmosphere in the plane which was mostly calm, and rather pleasant, up to then turned into panic. The aircraft was quickly and steadily losing altitude, and there was a loud whistling sound that I later recalled hearing in films when planes dropped bombs. The stewardesses, who had just started offering refreshments, rushed to secure the trolleys in their proper places and then sat down quickly and  fastened their seat belts and put their heads on their knees. Several people with heart problems and some of the elderly were taking their pills two at a time. Spouses were making public confessions as to when and where and with whom they had committed adultery and were asking for forgiveness. Older people were asking for forgiveness from their children because they had not included them in their wills and forgiveness was  being granted. And the latter were apologizing for past inappropriate behavior. Friends were revealing that they had lied in certain situations and had slandered each other.

The plane started leaning to one side and we realized that the pilot was trying to turn back to Tel Aviv or go to Cyprus. A little while later a stewardess got up and quickly went over to secure some things that were falling. I stopped her and asked her what exactly was happening. The  pleasant young woman who had previously been smiling had turned pale white and lost her voice; her expression had turned to fear.

I asked her if we had lost both engines and she nodded. “And what are we going to do now?” I asked. She stopped looking at me and became distant, as if she were looking far away. She shook her head back and forth and shrugged her shoulders as if indifferent, as though everything was over and she started to walk away. I held her by the hand tightly, shouting, “We’re falling?” She just shook her head repeatedly, unable to say a word. Then she ran to buckle up in her seat again, holding her head tightly to her knees. We all took a deep breath and tried as calmly as possible to realize what was happening.

The veil of gloom was torn by the loud voice of a monk. “Don’t be afraid, my brothers, let us pray. God will not abandon us!” The priests put on their petrachilia (stoles) and started reading prayers, other faithful were saying the Jesus prayer quietly, and the rest divided themselves into two groups (one for each side of the plane), one reading the Paraklesis to the Theotokos, and the other the Akathist. We placed our hopes in God and felt a lot better.

Non-Christian passengers, a lot more scared than us, thought we were singing and that we had gone crazy. However, this comforting boost was suddenly interrupted a little later, when the the captain made an announcement in a terrified voice: “As you have already realized we lost the second engine a little while ago. We have emptied our fuel tanks and will try to return to Ben Gurion Airport (the airport in Tel Aviv) but...” He had a lump in his throat and suddenly stopped speaking. At that moment we froze. It is one thing to presume something awful is about to happen and another to have it officially confirmed for you. After the first tense moment, we all continued our prayers from where we had left off - some with the Jesus Prayer, some with the Paraklesis, and others with the Akathist. It made an impression on me that people who had previously seemed not to believe, were praying wholeheartedly.

I tried to act calm, to the point of being accused of insensitivity. Hoping to give courage to some who were crying, I explained calmly, “We will all die one day. This cannot be changed. What is important therefore? How many years we will live and how we will live them. We all want to live many years, but if God has decided that we die today, this cannot be changed either. Besides, whatever can be done within our power to be saved, we do it. So, if we take it for granted that today we will be called to make an account for our lives, what should it matter to us? What state our soul is in. Now you would say, ‘I’m not in good shape at all, but if I had more time I would repent!’ But this way of thinking isn’t relevant now – though probably a pious desire – because as we said, we’re presuming that we’re leaving today. So, what is there for us to do? To pray sincerely and genuinely ask for the forgiveness of our sins. But we must also place our hope in God. Why? Because, God through His infinite love for us, would never permit something to happen to us towards the detriment of our souls. That is, that if He decides to take us today, then He will take us at our best.

Most of us just confessed and received Holy Communion yesterday at the feast of the Virgin Mary; so we’re as ready as we can be; imagine leaving being totally unprepared? Those of us who came here did not come as tourists, but pilgrims. Do you think the Lord and the Theotokos, whose feast we went to, would abandon us?”

The turbulence continued strong once again. We were flying low; the islands could be made out and farther away, the mainland. Then suddenly, the same monastic who had urged us to pray – I do not know if he was a monk or a hieromonk, I just remember his skinny figure, the happiness in his face, and his long beard – got up and said in a loud voice, full of conviction and with tears in his eyes, “My children, please believe me. I can see our Lady, huge, standing in front of us, and holding the plane by its belly!!!. We’re going to be saved! We’re going to be saved!” And weeping he said: “Let us pray so as to thank her!”

Then we all took heart and started chanting the Paraklesis, louder this time, joyfully chanting the Paraklesis. Even the stewardesses could tell by our body language that something good was happening and they too took courage, looking at us curiously.

Soon, we could clearly see the buildings in Tel Aviv, since we were already flying very low. There were already a few moments left. Thoughts of doubt started to enter my head: “I wonder if the landing is going to take place on land, or are we going to fall into the the sea?” I tried to chase them away with prayer: “I believe Lord, help my unbelief. May Your will be done. Most holy Theotokos save us.”

Shortly after we could see the airport. The runaway was covered in white foam and there were many ambulances already standing by. No other plane was in sight; they had obviously given us priority to land. We seemed to be descending very quickly compared with other times. There were only a few meters left between us and the ground. When the plane touched down it miraculously stopped after 50 meters, without any of us being moved from our seats, not even a little. There were no engines left so as to put them in reverse to help us brake, and the brakes from the wheels would have been extremely abrupt (quite dangerous actually), so as to stop in only 50 meters, and even so we would have all been thrown forward due to inertia! (Even in a car, when one breaks suddenly at a low speed, his body moves forward.) Nothing like that happened. The plane did not stop according to the laws of physics, but as if it was placed softly on the ground!

Full of relief, we all started giving thanks: “Glory to You, Lord,” “Thank you Panagia,” “May Your name be blessed, Lord.”

Only the stewardesses began having panic attacks. For at least five minutes, one of them would open a yogurt, eat one spoonful, throw it away and then take another. Another one was constantly opening and closing the metal drawers. And still another was trembling and chattering her teeth.

A little while later we got off the plane, accompanied by police, doctors and nurses and went to one of the waiting rooms, where they tried to revive some who had fainted and offered the rest of us refreshments. Our mouths were dry from the suspense, but none of us cared!

We were alive, that’s all that mattered! A little while later another airplane came to take us to Athens, where we arrived safely. Of course, there were reporters and cameras waiting for us. An anxious friend of mine called me to see if I was alright, because he had seen a clip on one of the big channel’s morning news about our flight, but after the big event it was hushed up carefully.

The next few days went by like this. I saw every little thing as a creation of God, I loved it and was amazed at it. I had stopped getting angry and devoting myself to things of secondary importance. I was trying to respond to God’s love with charitable behavior – not judge, and help others when I could. Unfortunately, after about a week I got back into my daily routine. I am embarrassed to say it, but I didn’t manage to keep within me that newfound peace, prayer, gratitude, and love.

That event completely made me look at things a little differently, to try and get out of the shell of my egocentrism and our absurd way of thinking, which puts everything in little boxes and tries to explain it all with laws and rules. Fear of one’s end accelerates the awareness of one’s mistakes.

The gratefulness that one feels towards the infinite love of God softens his heart, it melts him, through God it makes him love his brothers, creation and at the same time fear that he has perhaps saddened God with some deed and lose what his heart has had a taste of, that gift of love that his soul was created to seek - its union with God.

(I decided to write about this unique experience at the instigation of a dear friend, as a testament to the glory of God, and as a spiritual help for my brothers. Please forgive the personal tone of the account. I merely wished to describe my feelings and the events exactly as we had experienced them. Thank you for your understanding.)

Post Twenty-Seven: " Animals and Man:A State of Blessedness" by Joanne Stefanatos D.V.M.

(click on images to enlarge)






















I would like to commend to the reader this excellent little book.

One, among other more substantial reasons, is that I know its author. If you read the back cover's above image which you can enlarge by clicking, you will learn she has established here in my own parts, in Las Vegas, the Animal Kingdom Veterinary Hospital. As well, with her husband David Ross(whom I also know) and her two siblings, she has established an animal sanctuary in the Las Vegas desert, for abandoned, abused and handicapped lions.

Several things interesting to me are attached to my enjoyment of this book. The first I have mentioned above and the second is that prior to reading this book, I had been reading the book, "Father Seraphim Rose-His Life and Works" which happens to be the post I did in my series on the books I have read prior to this selection. I had completed the book on Father Seraphim before Great Lent began in the year 2008.

In Hieromonk Damascene's book on Father Seraphim, he devotes a few chapters on some of Father Seraphim's books, giving over whole chapters to some of them. One such book by Father Seraphim which he covers with such a chapter is "The Soul After Death".

This book by Father Seraphim has had a powerful effect on those reading it because it sets forth the teaching of the Holy Fathers on what takes place in the afterlife.

Now why I am going to such trouble to include in this present post on Dr. Joanne Stefanatos' book such information having to do with another author and book will become apparent when I present the following selection from "Father Seraphim Rose-His Life and Works" found on pages 901-902:

The Orthodox teaching set forth in The Soul After Death produces a powerful impression on the human soul. "True experiences or visions of life after death," Fr. Seraphim wrote, "generally have the effect of shaking one to the depths of one's being and (if one has not been leading a zealous Christian life) of changing one's whole life to make preparation for the life to come." By not at all diluting the teaching and experience of the Orthodox Church to cater to the modern self-pampered mentality, Fr. Seraphim has created the same effect on people through his writings. Since his death, thousands of people have been changed forever by the sobering truth contained in his book, becoming inspired not only to repent and fight the unseen warfare, but to pray more fervently for the dead. The following account was sent to the Saint Herman Monastery in August of 1991 by a Greek Orthodox doctor of veterinary medicine. Among other things, her story sheds some light on the state of Fr. Seraphim's own soul after death:

I bought a copy of Fr. Seraphim Rose's Soul After Death from Epiphany Book Service. From the minute I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down; it was everything my mind and soul were thirsting for, the depth of the mysteries of Orthodoxy. I devoured the book and praised God that He allowed me to find the truth. The truth of which every Orthodox Christian should know about life and death. A truth that my own Greek Orthodox Church [in America] refuses to expound on.


Most of that week was spent reading, and experiencing celestial joy just to know the truth at last. I told my husband David that now we would know how to provide for our loved ones after death. My husband was anxiously waiting for me to finish the book so he could read it. When I finally finished reading the book, I told my husband that no matter where in the world Fr. Seraphim was, we were going to find him, speak to him, and be blessed by him.


I wrote a letter to Fr. Seraphim Rose at the monastery in Platina, but received an answer telling me that Fr. Seraphim was with the Lord. At the same time we received a brochure about the Pilgrimage and Theological Course to be given at the monastery in August, and so with heavy hearts we went to the monastery to visit Fr. Seraphim's grave and learn more about him. We stayed the whole week of the Pilgrimage, and what we experienced during that week was spiritual joy, God's agape (love), and a glimpse of heaven. This was the otherworldliness that was so struggled for by ascetics and saints throughout history, and we were blessed just being there to experience this magnificent state.


Ever since I found out that Fr. Seraphim had died of a blood coagulation condition, I knew in my heart that he could have been helped so much more with natural therapies than with what conventional medicine had offered him. I was grieving that he didn't have to die at the height of his spirituality, especially when we needed him so much, and he had touched so many hearts. We desperately needed him here, on the earth.


On the second night of the Pilgrimage, I saw Fr. Seraphim Rose in a dream. He came to me, wearing his black ryassa [robe], looking very humble and clasping his hands in front of him. His face radiated tranquility and deep concern. As soon as I saw him, I said, "Father Seraphim, I wanted to help you so much; you didn't have to die; why didn't you wait for me to help you? I know I could have helped you with natural therapies.... They would have saved you, I know it!" My heart was sick, and my voice to him was desperately crying. He looked at me with such forgiving love and grace, and said to me, "You couldn't help me, nothing could help me.... I'm where I want to be now, I'm with God."
As he started disappearing before my eyes, I kept repeating, "We love you, we love you so much."


It's a joy being there at the monastery. Ft. Seraphim's presence can be felt there.... Coming to the monastery allows us to step into the REAL world—the only world that truly counts.


God bless you all,
Joanne Stefanatos, D.V.M.

At the point I was reading the book and running across this section, I had not as yet really met Dr. Joanne and knew very little about her and her husband David, both of whom I had brushed shoulders with over the last several years at various Church services. I attend St. Paul's Orthodox Church(OCA) and they attend St. John's Greek Orthodox Church.

But my curiosity was piqued as to whether the person mentioned in Hieromonk Damascene's book was that Dr. Joanne as I strongly suspected it could be no one else.

Fast forward now to Great Lent, 2008.

In Las Vegas, as in many other cities, during Great Lent on Sundays, there are held Pan Orthodox Vespers Services. And the tradition usually follows that each Orthodox parish hosts the other Orthodox parishes for one of the Sundays of the Vespers services. After the service a lenten meal is served during which the host parish puts on feeding all the faithful who care to stay afterwards.

If memory serves me correctly, it was at St. Symeon's Serbian Orthodox Church that I was standing in line behind Dr. Joanne and her husband David. We struck up a conversation and during the course of the conversation I ascertained that, yes indeed, the person in the book about Fr. Seraphim was that Dr. Joanne.

We spoke some more about this and other various topics. So that will suffice to sum up the personal value I find in the book.

But to be clear, the book itself is actually commendable apart from any of the above I have written.

Dr. Joanne divides the book into Two Parts. The first of the two she lays out very basic Orthodox teaching but in a very Patristic tone and understanding.

I will make available for the reader the Table of Contents of the First Part.

INTRODUCTION:
Animals and Man:  A State of Blessedness........ 11
PARTI: MAN AND ANIMALS
Creation: The Visible and The Invisible......... 15
Creation: The Will, Wisdom and Power of God..... 20
In the Image of God................... 23
And In the Likeness of God............... 23
Dominion Over the Earth................ 30
The Peaceful Kingdom.................. 32
Adam Names the Animals................ 34
The Fall: Adam and Eve Fear the Animals........ 35
God Curses the Serpent................. 38
God's Covenant With Noah and the Animals:
The Rainbow..................... 40
God's Animal Kingdom...... ........... 42
The Human Soul .................... 44
The Spirit of Man.................... 48
Human Souls and Animal Souls............. 50
The Heart........................ 55
The Intellect of Man and the Instincts of Animals .... 57
The Nature of Animals: The Senses  .... ....... 60
Grace of the Holy Spirit................. 62
Jesus Christ—The Logos................. 63
Baptism of the Holy Spirit................ 65
God is the Creator, Protector and Owner of Animals   . . 68
The New Creation.................... 71
Transfiguration: Our Pilgrimage Back to Eden...... 73
Saints—Living Icons................... 78

The Second Part of the book is the stories themselves which are filled with the same Patristic tone and understanding. 

I myself happen to believe that this tone is one that, for believers who have suspended their disbelief at the incredible, is one that breathes forth the fragrance of the Holy Spirit. There is a certain "feel" or elevating quality to the writing that ushers in the believer into much the same Presence as iconography does. As with icons, so with hagiographical writings. They are written in the same manner to show forth the Glory of God which is ineffable and which rightly is experienced, not written of as to write of it, that is, to attempt to describe the Presence, is to immediately cause the effort to become earthbound and encased in mortality. The Person, persons or events in icons or hagiographical writings are transfigured by the Glory of God, or suffused with that which is not they themselves alone but they themselves in God the Holy Trinity. This of course does not hold true in the strict sense of the Lord because He is God of God Himself. With those who are created, however, they by Grace become what He is in Himself.

The following is the Table of Contents for Part II.

PART II: SAINTS AND ANIMALS

St. Aemilianus......................83

St. Anthony the Great..................86

St. Aredius........................89

Elder Athanasius.....................91

St. Athenogenes, Bishop and Martyr...........96

Hesychast Benjamin and the Wolves...........99

St. David of Garesja...................100

Desert Anchorite Stories.................106

St. Eleutherius......................119

Prophet Elias and the Raven...............141

St. Eustachius......................145

Elder Gabriel.......................178

St. Gerasimus and the Lion ...............182

St. Herman of Alaska ..................185

St. Hilarion and the Camel ...............187

St. Ignatius........................190

Elder Kulcsha.......................203

St. Macarius of Alexandria................206

Malchus the Solitary...................210

St. Mamas........................222

St. Martin of Tours ...................238

8

St. Mary of Egypt and the Lion.............244

St. Mavra ........................248

St. Melangell and the Hare................251

Elder Melchizedek....................255

Abbot Nazarius of Valaam................258

St. PaulofObnora....................260

St. Paul the Hermit ...................264

St. Perpetua and St. Feliciti ...............268

St. Prisca, the Child Martyr...............271

Elder Sebastian......................277

St. Seraphim of Sarov..................279

Martyrs Tharasius, Probus and Andronicus .......282

St.Thecla........................287

St. Theodora of Sihla...................305

St. Theophanes the Confessor..............310

St.Theophil.......................313

St. Tikhon of Zadonsk..................325

Elder Zosima.......................328

FOOTNOTES .....................335

BIBLIOGRAPHY....................339

I thoroughly enjoyed all of the stories collected in the book and for this reason I have found it difficult to decide which one to post in its entirety.  I entertained the idea of posting all the stories over a series of posts but decided to post just one.  I chose this one among all of them because for one, it is short and second because my Dad had heard this one and had relayed it to me before I read it here, though in a bit of a different form.

The stories in the book are quite varied  so I would like the reader to know that this particular story,  Saint Gerasim and the Lion, is not indicative of each and every story.  Each and every story is very unique and stands alone on its own merits.

I also think these stories would fascinate children and would be excellent to read to them. For such stories as no others bring to view for them men, women and children who love God and the stories involve animals which so many children love, to boot.

I leave you with Saint Gerasim and the Lion.

Saint Gerasim and the Lion

Commemorated on March 4

SAINT GERASIM (+475) was first a monk in the Egyptian desert, then later moved close to the Jordan River, gathering a community of about seventy monks, who lived by a strict ascetic rule, seeking to live for God and His Kingdom.

* * *

Once while walking along the hilly bank of the River Jordan, Abba Gerasim met a lion which let out a terrifying roar from pain in its paw. A sharp, slender reed had pierced his paw, and it had become infected. Seeing the Elder, the lion approached him and showed him his paw, injured by the puncture, and, as if weeping, asked for his assistance. The Elder, seeing the lion in such a plight, sat down, took his paw and, uncovering the wound, extracted the splinter and forced out the pus, then washed it and bound it with linen. The lion, having received help, would not forsake the Elder, but like a devoted disciple followed him wherever he went, so that the Elder marveled greatly at the devotion of the lion. The Elder began to feed him, throwing him bread and fresh beans.

At the lavra there was a donkey which carried water for the needs of the Elder, for they took water from the Jordan. The lavra stood a mile from the holy river. It came to pass that the Elder entrusted the care of the donkey to the lion that he might guard the donkey at the bank of the Jordan. Once while grazing, the donkey walked a great distance away from the lion, and at that time some camel drivers from Arabia passed by who took the donkey and departed. The lion, having lost the donkey, returned sullen and, as it were, ashamed to Abba Gerasim. The Abba supposed that he had devoured the donkey. "Where is the donkey?" he asked the lion. The latter like a man stood silent and lowered his eyes. "Didst thou eat the donkey? Blessed be the Lord! Henceforth thou must perform the duties of the donkey." So from that time forth at the command of the Elder the lion carried the vessel, which filled four buckets, and brought the water.

Once a soldier came for prayer to the Elder. Seeing the lion, grown weary carrying water, and learning the reason, he pitied him. Taking three pieces of money, he handed them to the Elder that they might buy a donkey to carry the water and free the lion from this obligation. A little time elapsed after the liberation of the lion from his work. The camel driver who had led away the donkey returned to ask for bread in the holy city, and the donkey was with him. Crossing through the Jordan with two other drivers, he chanced upon the lion. Seeing the lion, the donkey left the caravan and fled; but the lion, recognizing the donkey, leaped towards him and, grabbing him as he always had by the halter, he brought the donkey away from the camel drivers. Growling from joy that he had found the lost donkey, he returned to the Elder. The Elder, being of the opinion that the lion had devoured the donkey, only now learned that he had chastened the lion in vain. The Elder named the lion Jordan. Afterward the lion lived at the lavra for about five more years, never leaving the Elder.

At the time that Abba Gerasim departed to the Lord and the fathers buried him, by God's design the lion was not at the monastery. A short time passed, the lion returned and began to seek the Elder. A disciple of the Elder and Abba Sabbatius, seeing the lion, said, "Jordan, our Elder has left us orphans and has departed to the Lord, so go and eat!" The lion didn't want to eat, but looked about everywhere for the Elder. Not seeing him, he began to roar. Abba Sabbatius and the rest of the fathers patted him on the back and said, "The Elder has departed to the Lord, abandoning us." But speaking in this way they were unable to stop the lion's roaring and groans; on the contrary, the more they worried over him and tried to console him with words, the louder his roar grew and the greater his sorrow. His voice and eyes clearly reflected how he longed for the Elder.

Then Fr. Sabbatius said to him, "Well, follow me, if you don't believe us. I will show you where the Elder lies." And taking the lion he walked with him to the Elder's grave. It was located about half a mile from the Church. Standing over the grave of Abba Gerasim, Abba Sabbatius said to the lion, "Here is where our Elder is." And Abba Sabbatius knelt down. Seeing him bending over the earth, the lion with unusual strength smote his head upon the grave and, letting out a roar, died upon the Elder's grave.

This took place, not because the lion possessed a reasoning soul, but by the will of God, Who glorifies them that glorify Him, not only during their life but also after their death, and has shown us in what consists the obedience of even creatures to Adam before he transgressed the commandment of God and was cast out of the paradise of delight.

READ THE PREVIOUS POST IN THIS SERIES:

Unbelievable but true the biggest miracle of the century in Romania.

Hat tip to Constantine.

From here.

(translated from the Greek. I have edited it.)
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Translated in English...

Thursday, 15 October 2009

Unbelievable but true the biggest miracle of the century in Romania.

In a small village in Romania no priests existed and the residents went often to the Patriarch and demanded him to fulfill the empty spot. However the Patriarch did not have the means of satisfying the demand for a priest.

The villagers went over and over again but there was nothing their Patriarch said that was any different... "I do not have an extra priest or else I would sent one to the village."

Meanwhile people died unread (no services), others had relationships and children without marriage vows, the children and adults alike were unbaptized.

Then one day, outside of the Church a car pulled up and stopped and out stepped a priest shouting. The village was astonished.

The villagers went to the Church to welcome him and told him: "How did you come to the village after our Patriarch had said that he doesn't have a priest to send us?"

Then the priest said: "Isn't that what you wished for? You wished for a priest? Now he has come."

All the villagers were glad in the presence of the new priest.

The priest began immediately working. He went to all the graves and read the (exodio) prayers. He baptized and wedded everyone in the village and administered Holy Communion.

One day he invites all the villagers to Church and tells them: "I will leave now, my mission work is done."

The villagers were very astonished and shocked at his comment and said: "Now that you came, you are leaving?"

However the priest didn't listen to their comments and proceeded with his decision.

When the villagers realized that there wasn't anything they could do, they thanked him.

After days, the villagers went to Patriarch and they thanked him for sending them a priest and to let him know that they would kindly appreciate it if he could send them another priest soon, but the Patriarch didn't know anything.

He said to them, "I didn't send a priest because I don't have one, however let me check with the Protocingkelo to see if he had sent a priest to you to serve your needs."

He phoned the Protocingkelo but he too didn't send anyone.

The Patriarch inquired, "What did this priest do for you?"

The villagers said, "He wedded us, baptized us, he performed funerals for our parents. He did what any other priest would have performed for us."

Then the Patriarch asked, "Did he give you any papers or log the mysteries?"

"Of course," said the villagers. "He gave us papers and he wrote them in the Church's books."

"Then did anyone see what he wrote? And with what name did he sign?"

(all the documents were written in Romanian and we are not well educated and the signature he signed in a language we have not seen before)

The Patriarch requested they go bring the books in order to see who was this clergyman.

When they returned with the book the Patriarch remained speechless. He couldn't believe his eyes but indeed all the documents were written in Romanian while his name was written in Greek with the name of his signature "Nektarios, Bishop of Pentapolis."

Source: Demetrios Velaoras

New-Martyr Saint Eugene Rodionov & Warrior for Christ

I really like this blog, Milk and Honey.

It has this really neat, well, feel to it. Just the way of its lay out with its colors and the posts put up there. Visit them often, dear reader.

I was visiting there and came across this story on the New Martyr, Eugene Rodionov, Warrior for Christ. The story really just got me so I will post the entire thing as it is posted on Milk and Honey.

Pray for us Saint Eugene!

Eugene Rodionov,19 years old, did not lose his faith despite horrible tortures “The Chechen captivity is the most horrid, the most inhuman and barbaric thing that can ever happen,” says Eugene’s mother. She had to survive hell to find her son, the body of her son, to be more precise. Eugene’s death coincided with his 19th birthday. Eugene’s mother, Lubov, was a little late: she was just seven kilometers far from the place of her son’s execution.

“Eugene was born 30 minutes after midnight on May 23, 1977. His delivery was not hard. He was a good and healthy child, his weight was 3900 grams. I was so relieved, when I heard his first cry. As if he was trying to say: “I came into this world, love me!” I incidentally looked at the window. It was dark outside, and I suddenly saw a falling star. I went pale, my heart turned to a cold small piece. Doctors tried to convince me that it was a good sign. They told me
that a falling star was a sign of good life for my baby. However, I had to live with a sense of something dangerous coming over us. Time made me forget about it, but I had to remember the sign in 19 years.”

The Russian patriotic press has already reported about the deed of a 19-year-old Russian soldier, Eugene Rodionov. This young man found himself in the Chechen captivity in 1996. He did not betray either his fatherland or his faith. He did not take off his cross even at the hardest moment of beastly tortures. The state decorated Eugene with the Order of Courage. People’s donations made it possible to put a two-meter high Orthodox cross on his grave. People come to visit his grave from most distant parts of Russia. His mother, Lubov Rodionova, says that people’s attitude changed her entire awareness of life. A WWII veteran once came to visit Eugene’s grave. He took off his military decoration – the Bravery Medal – and put in on the tombstone. Eugene Rodionov’s biography was published in a book that came out in 2002. The book was called “The New Martyr of Christ, Warrior Eugene.” This is not really a book, but a booklet, which was written by priest Alexander Shargunov. However, we know little about Eugene’s inmost thoughts, feelings, emotions, or what he had to go through during three months of the Chechen hell. A lot of things remain a mystery.

Lubov Rodionova shared her thoughts with the priest about her son’s childhood, his interests at school, his attitude to the military service. She also shared her most horrible thoughts – about the news of his alleged desertion from the army, and what followed that news afterwards.

Eighteen-year-old Eugene Rodionov was taken captive with three other soldiers at night of February 14th, not far from the Chechen settlement of Galashki. The guys arrived from the Kaliningrad region. They patrolled the border between the republics of Chechnya and Ingushetia. Their control and registration post was located some 200 meters far from the security detachment. The post was just a small cabin, without any light or wire communication. The cabin did not even have a military support, in spite of the fact that it was a single cabin on the mountainous road, which was used for carrying weapons, ammunition, captives, drugs and so on. The border guards stopped an ambulance vehicle to check it. More than ten armed Chechens got out of the vehicle. Needless to mention that it was very easy for them to cope with young inexperienced soldiers. The guys showed as much resistance as they could, but the outcome of the fight was evident before it even started. Lubov Rodionova believes that this incident happened over officers’ negligence, basically.

“The captivity has always been considered to be the most horrible thing that can ever happen to a person. It implies no freedom, but only tortures and humiliation. Experience showed that the Chechen captivity is the most horrid, the most inhuman and barbaric thing that can ever happen,” Lubov Rodionova believes.

As soon as she learned that her son was a captive of Chechen guerrillas, she started looking for him all over Chechnya for nine months. She had to go through every horror imaginable. “I think that God was watching over me. I was walking along mined roads, but I did not step on a bomb. He protected me from bombings, he did not let me die, because my duty was to find my son, to bury him on his native land, according to Christian traditions. I have realized that recently. When I was walking along those military roads, I just kept silence, praying to God in my heart.”

Chechen bandits murdered Eugene Rodionov on May 23, 1996 in the Chechen settlement of Bamut. Russian troops occupied the village the next day. Lubov Rodionova learned about her son’s death only in September. She had to put a mortgage on her own apartment in order to find Eugene’s body and to take it away along with the bodies of his murdered friends. A Chechen man agreed to show her the place, where Eugene was buried. She had to pay him a lot of money for that.

“When I came to Chechnya in the middle of February, a living private cost ten million rubles. This price was 50 million in August. A friend of mine was told to pay 250 million rubles for her son, since he was an officer. It was nighttime, when I and some sappers were digging the pit, in which the bodies of four Russian soldiers were thrown. I was praying all the time, hoping that my Eugene was not going to be there. I could not and did not want to believe that he was murdered. When we were taking out the remnants, I recognized his boots. However, I still refused to accept the fact of his death, until someone found his cross. Then I fainted.” Eugene Rodionov was murdered by Ruslan Khaikhoroyev. This bandit confessed that himself. “Your son had a choice to stay alive. He could have converted to Islam, but he did not agree to take his cross off. He also tried to escape once,” said Khaikhoroyev. The guerrilla was killed together with his bodyguards on August 23, 1999 in a fight between armed Chechen groups.

When Lubov Rodionova came back home, Eugene’s father died five days after the funeral. He could not stand the loss of his son. Archpriest Demetrius Smirnov, acting chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate department for cooperation with the Armed Forces, says that Eugene Rodionov will definitely be canonized. The adequate inquiry has already been made, although more information about Eugene’s fate is needed. Father Demetrius said that Eugene would be canonized as soon as the information was collected.

A sign in memory of the brave Russian border guard was put at the entrance to the school, where he studied. There was also a documentary released about him. The writings on Eugene’s grave cross run: “Russian
soldier Eugene Rodionov is buried here. He defended his Fatherland and did not disavow Christ. He was executed on May 23, 1996, on the outskirts of Bamut.” “We know that he had to go through horrible long-lasting sufferings that could be compared to the ones of great martyrs in ancient times. They were beheaded, dismembered, but they remained devoted to Jesus Christ anyway,” priest Alexander Shargunov said during the requiem in Eugene Rodionov’s memory.

Taken from Desert Wisdom Book Room at All Saints of North America Orthodox Church.

Voices of faith - Nathalie Dale's journal tells of her remarkable past

Posted by By Bruce Shields The Ann Arbor News September 21, 2008 07:00AM

Nathalie Dale lives in a modest house just outside of Ann Arbor.

She is retired and lives without pretense, but a dusty journal article written in French resting in her living room bookcase reveals her true heritage.

Dale's family was part of the Russian aristocracy. Her grandfather, a historian by trade, was a member of the court of Czar Nicholas II, the last czar of Russia. Along with her father, who was a volunteer in the White Army fighting the communists, Dale's grandfather fled the Bolshevik revolution in 1919.
Nathalie Dale listens to the service at St. Vladimir Orthodox Church in Ann Arbor.

Dale was born in Athens and was baptized in an Orthodox church that traces its history back a thousand years. Her family lived there happily until the end of World War II. Another war, another attempted communist takeover, forced the family out of Greece. Dale remembers troops shooting at the train and bombs falling during the 22-day train ride to Austria.

The family settled in the British-controlled sector of Austria in a village with other Russian refugees. One of the main forms of recreation available to Dale, then a teenager, were twice-weekly dances. It was there she met her future husband, a young British soldier named John Dale.

In 1949, the couple moved to America and settled near Dexter. John Dale became a banker and Nathalie attended the University of Michigan, eventually earning a master's degree in music.
When St. Vladimir Orthodox Church opened in 1981, Nathalie Dale became one of the original parishioners. She has attended nearly every Sunday service since.

Questions and answers with Nathalie Dale:

What is your religion?
Russian Orthodox.

Were your parents of this faith?
Yes, they were.

What is the one idea from your faith that is the most powerful or important to you?
I think my faith ... speaks very much to the heart. It has a certain warmth to it and I feel during the service, if you open up your heart, there's a mystery ... that speaks to you and sort of lifts you up from the ordinary world.

How is your faith important in your daily life?
Certain prayers really are part of me, and when I say them I'm really transported. I feel the strength coming from this.

How is your faith important in the wider world?
In Russia right now, there's a big resurgence of the faith, and I think that's wonderful because it was practically eliminated during communist times. Thousands of priests had been killed, also thousands of churches had been destroyed. It's a very old faith, and they haven't changed it. It is, I think, just about the way it was almost a thousand years ago.

Describe one experience where your faith has helped you through a tough time.
I don't know about one experience; I think there were many experiences. If I really concentrate and pray, it really makes a big difference. It strengthens me. It changes my outlook.

Voices of Faith: Nathalie Dale

Voices of Faith: Nathalie Dale

SOURCE:

God's Garden, a documentary about Father Moses Berry

As some of you may know, recently my brother and I began to desire to make an Orthodox movie. Not being filmakers, I just put it out there and since then I've spoken to several people about our idea: what it would require, time frame, money, etc.

I spoke to John Maddex of Ancient Faith Radio and he was very gracious and helpful and put me in touch with Joel W. Smith, the producer of God's Garden.

Joel and I spoke some on the phone and he told me about this project he had been working on.

Tonight Joel e-mailed with the latest development and asked me to spread the word about God's Garden and so with this post I am.

In his e-mail Joel listed four simple things I and anyone else could do to make this film a reality. They are:

1. Take a few minutes to explore the website; look at the photos, listen to the stories, watch the promo and comment on what you see.

2. Subscribe to our YouTube channel and comment on the videos. (More are coming!)

3. Send us ideas and introduce us to people you know who may be able to help us.

4. Finally, forward this email to family, friends, and associates and encourage them to spread the word.

Please take some time, dear reader, to explore this project and to prayerfully and financially support it. It is truly beautiful.

Utah Jazz: Top draft pick Koufos spurned big offers from Greece for NBA

7-footer Koufos spurns big offers from Greece

By Ross Siler

The Salt Lake Tribune

Article Last Updated: 06/28/2008 08:18:45 AM MDT

Even before he took his first class at Ohio State, Kosta Koufos already completed his major in international relations. All it took, in fact, was one offer the 7-footer received out of high school to play basketball in Greece.

There was a $5 million contract waiting for Koufos to sign and a beachfront villa waiting for him to call home. He could play for the Olympiacos club team in Athens, which would throw in any car of his choosing for good measure.

It wasn't the NBA, though, which was why Koufos could say he was living a dream Friday when he was introduced as the Jazz's newest member, selected with the No. 23 pick in the first round of Thursday's draft.

"With basketball, I follow what my heart says," Koufos said. "My heart told me to go to Ohio State because I'm going to learn and develop more as a player."

He spent Friday meeting with coach Jerry Sloan at the Jazz's practice facility - "He told me he's going to be hard on me, which I love," Koufos said - and posing for pictures with his new No. 41 jersey, last belonging to Thurl Bailey.

Koufos' mother, Kathy, said she had learned of two Greek churches in Salt Lake City while her son said he was confident in his abilities despite coming to the NBA after only one season at Ohio State.

"As a 19-year-old, yes, I'm young," Koufos said. "But at the same time, I feel like I can contribute to the program. Everybody's got something to work on and I'm going to do that and I'm going to work hard at it and raise my game to the next level."

The biggest question for Koufos had been whether that next level would take him to Europe or the NBA. He was contacted regularly by Greek teams in the last year, some asking if he would consider leaving Ohio State in the middle of the season.

"We sat and talked about it, thought about it, but not much," said the Rev. Dan Rogich, who runs the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Koufos' hometown of Canton, Ohio, and has been a mentor since childhood.

"He said, 'My dream is to play in America. Greece is always going to be there.'"

On draft night, though, Koufos again was tested. He watched as the hometown Cleveland Cavaliers passed on him as a possible successor to Zydrunas Ilgauskas and selected N.C. State forward J.J. Hickson with the No. 19 pick.

Jack Greynolds Jr., who coached Koufos at GlenOak High, admitted the Cavaliers' decision "took a little wind out of the sails."

"Obviously, it's the hometown team and he knows LeBron [James] pretty well, playing together the last couple summers," Greynolds said. "All indications were they were interested, but that's the way it goes sometimes."

Rogich said Koufos asked him, "Should I be going to Greece?" amid the disappointment. Once projected as a lottery pick, Koufos wound up being selected by the Jazz, a team for which he didn't even work out before the draft.

"I think things are meant for a reason when they happen," Kathy Koufos said. "As the day's progressing, that feeling is solidifying for me that it's a good fit."

The Jazz, meanwhile, can only hope that Koufos' work ethic will help accelerate his development. Rogich said it wasn't uncommon for Koufos to shoot for an hour and a half before and after every Buckeyes game last season.

"When he first came," Rogich said, "the coaching staff there called me and said, 'How can we get him not to do this because he's going to get burned out during the Big Ten season.' "

Although Koufos was blessed with extraordinary height in a family where nobody stands taller than 6 feet - "This is my lottery winning," he joked - he grew up almost overnight as a player, according to Greynolds.

In January 2007, GlenOak snapped Canton rival McKinley's 41-game home winning streak as Koufos finished with 32 points, 19 rebounds and 10 blocks. He scored 28 of his team's first 34 points in the game.

The next night, Koufos came back and totaled 32 points, 15 rebounds and seven blocks to lead GlenOak to victory over Detroit Country Day, the school that produced Chris Webber and Shane Battier.

"He's as close to Dirk Nowitzki as I've ever seen," Country Day coach Curt Keener told the Canton Repository.

Koufos also has dealt with tragedy as his father, Alex, a pediatric oncologist at Akron Children's Hospital died of liver cancer 10 years ago.

Rogich said that Koufos paid a visit to his father's grave Thursday and also lit a candle in his memory at church.

"The thing I told him," Greynolds said, "it makes you grow up faster, makes you appreciate things. It makes you look a little differently at life."

At the very start of his NBA career, Koufos already has had to make a difficult decision. Instead of playing for Greece in an Olympic qualifying tournament next month in Athens, Koufos will play for the Jazz's summer-league team at the Rocky Mountain Revue.

If it costs him a chance at playing in the Olympics, Koufos didn't seem particularly bothered. "For me, the priority's NBA," Koufos said. "Always will be. Whatever the staff needs me to do to excel on the NBA level, I'm willing to do."

rsiler@sltrib.com

SOURCE:

Minister’s retirement turns into second career as writer

Father Emmanuel Hatzidakis of St. Luke Greek Orthodox Church in Columbia sings a hymn during Vespers, or evening prayer service, on May 3. Father Emmanuel wrote a book on the Divine Liturgy, a Greek Orthodox communion service, entitled "The Heavenly Banquet."

Father Emmanuel Hatzidakis delivers a brief message to the congregation following the evening service at St. Luke Greek Orthodox Church on May 3.

Father Emmanuel Hatzidakis reads from a liturgical text during the evening service, or Vespers, at St. Luke Greek Orthodox Church on May 3.

By VANESSA N. PETTY
May 30, 2008 1:00 p.m. CST

COLUMBIA — The Rev. Emmanuel Hatzidakis was 20 years old when he felt a push toward a career in ministry. More than 20 years later he finally answered that call.

Hatzidakis was raised in the Orthodox Christian Church and was educated in Greece. He joined his brother at a university in Italy to study engineering. “In the middle of the second year I realized that this was not my field, and I switched,” he said. He finished by studying Italian literature and philosophy at the International Institute of St. Paul in Rome.

After graduation, his sister invited him to visit her in Cleveland, Ohio.

The trip helped “to clear my head about what to do in life,” Hatzidakis said. He moved to the Unites States intending to fulfill his pledge to join the ministry and become a monk for the Orthodox Church. “I thought I was coming for a short period of time ... but things happened one after the other,” he said.

Circumstances diverted him from his goal. He met his wife, Barbara, in his second year in the United States, and they were married in 1970.

Hatzidakis joined his wife in the insurance business, where he was an underwriter. His time away from ministry didn’t last long, though. At 45, Hatzidakis decided to change careers and sought a professional role in religious ministry.

“At some point in time this calling came back,” he said, “so I went to school with my wife’s agreement.”

His wife had to give more than just her verbal agreement. “She had to sign a statement that she was in agreement; otherwise I could not go to study,” he said.

“She accepted it because she did not know what she was getting into,” he said, laughing.

In the Orthodox Church, “Once a priest, if you are married, of course you stay married,” he said. “And if you are single, you stay single.”

Hatzidakis attended Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Boston to get his required master’s degree in theology. He received credit for his studies at other schools, so he completed the program in two years.

He was also required to have a confessor, a spiritual guide who decides if one has hindrances before entering into the ministry. “It’s more that you don’t have impediments rather than you are worthy to become (a priest),” he said.

“Nobody is.”

Hatzidakis graduated from Holy Cross in 1988 and was immediately assigned to a church in Huntington, W. Va., for a year and a half. He was then transferred to a church outside of Cleveland, Ohio, for another year and a half. He was later assigned to Sts. Constantine and Helen in Belleville, Ill., near St. Louis, where he stayed for 10 years. He was in Chicago for two and a half years before he retired.

It was while he was in Belleville that Hatzidakis started publishing monthly installments in his church’s newsletter about the Divine Liturgy, the most holy of the weekly services in the Orthodox Church. A member of Orthodox Witness, an organization Hatzidakis founded, suggested he put the material together in a book to spread the knowledge to others outside the church.

A few years into retirement, Hatzidakis was offered a position to be a substitute priest at St. Luke the Evangelist Greek Orthodox Church in Columbia. Then he was offered the position permanently.

“I had to think very hard about it, for maybe three or four months before I gave them my consent,” he said.

With the administration responsibilities of a church back upon him, Hatzidakis was pressed to find time to finish his book. “How do you find time?” he asked. “You find time for things you want to do, every one of us, no matter how busy we are, you find time.”

“Writing the book, obviously, is not part of my duties or responsibilities for any given church, so therefore, that’s where my free time, so called, went,” he said. “And there are, God willing, more (books) to come.”

***

Q&A

You said you founded the Orthodox Witness with a friend. What is Orthodox Witness?

Orthodox Witness, of course, is the publisher of this book. ... Orthodox Witness is an outreach organization. Its hope is to spread the truth of the Orthodox faith in the immediate area where we are. So rather than going as missionaries to some far country, we would like to make the Orthodox Church known in our surroundings.

Can you explain, quickly, what the Divine Liturgy is and why it’s important?

The Divine Liturgy is, if you are a Roman Catholic or from one of the high churches, Episcopal, like the Mass. It is a structure, especially prior to Vatican II, is essentially the same. ... So we have many sacraments, some Orthodox count them as seven, as the Roman Catholics do. I do not, with many others; I think everything the church does is sacramental in nature. ... (T)he Holy Eucharist is at the top of them all, and all of them, ultimately, relate to it, because there is nothing highest on earth for us. We cannot enter into a greater union with the divine than by partaking of the Holy Eucharist. ... So the Divine Liturgy stands apart from all the other services, and it is their completion. They all lead to it. Higher than that we cannot go.

So, what is the book about?

The book is an explanation of the Divine Liturgy. There is much that we do not understand, and we never will. The Divine Eucharist is a great mystery of our faith. Just like Jesus Christ is a mystery. ...

We don’t believe in a God who is uninvolved with his creation, but a God who is in control and guides the entire creation to its intended end, to its purpose, because it‘s not accidental. So this is explained. You may say, well, you know, can this be part of an explanation of the Divine Liturgy? Yes, because we have this petition. And also, let’s say we pray for our armed forces, which we do, you know. How is that? What’s the church’s stance vis-à-vis war? So we address that too. So we try to be as thorough, if we had a question in mind, then we needed to find a ... I hope a responsible and a reliable answer.

Where did the title “The Heavenly Banquet” come from?

Well, it’s hard for us to envision the Divine Eucharist as a meal, but that’s what it was. ... When this Divine Liturgy starts, the priest or the celebrant blesses the kingdom of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, so we enter God’s kingdom, which is eternal. So we already enter into that eternal day of God, the eternal present, and the Divine Eucharist; it’s called divine because we partake of not only the humanity of Jesus Christ but also his divinity. We eat and drink the lord and thus we unite ourselves with him in this act. ... That’s why we have on the cover the Lord instituting the Last Supper, which is the sacrament, the mystery of Holy Eucharist.

So do you have any plans for books in the future?

Yes, I do. ... There are two books that I have started. One I have about 300 pages already ... it is a historic and a dogmatic walk ... you know, let’s take on different issues, see how they were developed from the beginning, from the Holy Scripture to the very early writings, so the emphasis is to use documents of the first three centuries of the church. And basically it is apologetic in nature, you know, to show that the Orthodox Church is that same church from the beginning that has kept the faith unaltered. So it’s addressed primarily to Protestants. The other book, perhaps will come before this, is more esoteric, perhaps we can call it The Humanity of Christ. It’s very much in my heart because I see that there is a problem in stating clearly who the Lord is and what did he accomplish and how. There is a lot of confusion and one would think that all these issues about who Christ is have been solved in 2000 years of history. ... So we’ll see, you know, how much time and energy God will give us to complete these projects.

SOURCE:

Paphos plumber is Cyprus’ first Pontian Priest

By Bejay Browne

CYPRUS has its first Pontian priest, ordained by the Bishop of Paphos on Sunday.

The ceremony took place at the 12th century five-domed church of Ayia Pareskevi in Yeroskipou.

In front of the 16th century iconostasis, and beneath the high vaulted ceiling, Bishop Georgios of Paphos ordained 40-year-old Georgian plumber, George Hmalantzidies.

The new priest moved to Cyprus 12 years ago, after studying electrical engineering at the University of Georgia. George, or Yiorgos as he is known in Greek, met his wife, Tamara, 40, while in Russia visiting his Aunt. Tamara lived next door with her family. This chance encounter, at the age of 25, was the only time the two met, before getting married a few years later.

“When the Soviet Union broke down, it was difficult for many of us, as we are Greek,” the newly ordained priest told the Cyprus Mail at his home this week. “Many Georgians chose to go to Greece. My brothers’ godfather lives in Paphos, he called me and told me I could find work here, so I came.

“Tamara came to join me and we were married in Ayios Spyridonas Church, in Yeroskipou in 1995.We have four beautiful children, the youngest is only one year old.”

George is now a plumber by trade, after deciding to learn a new profession, and works for WATT engineering, a job he really enjoys.

“I work in different places and I have met some really nice people.”

Yiorgos and Tamara both have strong religious beliefs, and attended Church regularly. Two years ago, Father Ioannis of Yeroskipou, told George to become a priest.

The Greek Orthodox Church has three levels of orders: deacons, priests and bishops. A married man may be ordained a deacon or priest, but if he is single when ordained, he is not allowed to marry later on. A married man cannot become a Bishop.

“This was not something I had ever considered. I love God and live my life accordingly, but I was a plumber. Then, other priests from different churches told me the same thing and I thought, God has chosen this path for me, and I must listen to him. I realised he was guiding me.”

Tamara fully supports her husbands’ ordination.

“Every human has a cross to bear, and a purpose. Yiorgos has found his cross and I am happy. I love my God and I love worshipping in church. It has always been an important part of my life. I go to church every Sunday, this is something I really like to do.

“I would like to have more children, I love them and I love being a mother. But this decision is in Gods’ hands,” she added.

George is elated at expressed how he feels about his new status.

“Two months before my ordination, I prepared to become a priest. I couldn’t quite believe what was happening. I have never, ever felt so good in my life, as I did when I was being ordained. I am very happy now. Before, I was just George. I was a plumber. Now I am not just George. I am Father George.

“Since my ordination, people have been even more friendly too me. They all think it is a wonderful thing. So many Arabs and Syrians are happy for me, and more people come to speak to me every day.”

The Church of Cyprus is autocephalous, self-ruling, and this has been the case as far back as 478AD. Men entering the priesthood are still required to wear traditional dress, and support a beard. The Bishop of Paphos, Georgios, who ordained the new priest, cited these as reasons for the decline in numbers of new priests.

“In other countries, such as England and Australia, it is not compulsory for members of the Church to wear robes or grow facial hair,” he told the Cyprus Mail. “They have a more modern approach. Young people these days do not seem interested in tradition.

“I welcome any nationality hoping to enter the Church, as long as they want to be Orthodox, can speak Greek and are good people. There is no difference between a man from Georgia or Cyprus, who wishes to be ordained. Anyway, Pontians are the same as us, we are all Greek.”

The Bishop added: “the Orthodox Church of Paphos has the first Pontian priest, and the first Syrian Deacon, who is tutoring Muslim Syrians, as they convert to the Orthodox Church.”

Two Romanian Orthodox Priests are based in the district, at the monastery of Salamiotissa and Ayia Marinouda and Achaelia. In addition, the deacon of St. Neophytos is also Romanian.

“It is important that people realise that belief spans all cultures and religions, it can bring people together. This is apparent in the diocese of Paphos. Father George will be attached to the Church of Ayi Anargiri in Kato Paphos, which has a large congregation of Pontians. I am sure his influence will be positive. He understands the community, he speaks the language, and he has lived here for a number of years,” said Bishop Georgios.

Father George is eager to fulfil his new role as one of the 133 priests in the district of Paphos.

“I am learning my catechisms now, and everything has changed for me. I have a new life. I am a new person.”

“Tamara and I both speak a few languages. I speak Russian, Greek, Georgian, a little Turkish, and a little English. It is important to be able to communicate with people. I am the first Pontian priest in Cyprus.”

The delight of his new status is apparent in George’s face, and he jokes that he only helps Tamara a little in the house.

“I don’t cook a lot. I am very good at Souvla and Souvlakia though,” he laughs.

SOURCE: