Thursday, June 12 – Holy Land Pilgrimage Story 6

A photo taken from inside the bus at the entrance to Meteora.

1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.(Psalm 121:1–2)

On the sixth day of our pilgrimage, which was a Sunday, we took time to rest and worship. We left Athens and stayed overnight in Meteora, continuing our pilgrimage there the next day, on Sunday.

Meteora, located in the Thessaly region of central Greece, is a unique complex of Eastern Orthodox monasteries built atop towering sandstone pillars. The name Meteora means “suspended in the air.”This area was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988, and today, six monasteries remain active.

Great Meteoron Monastery

The place we visited was the Great Meteoron Monastery, the largest and oldest monastery in Meteora. It was founded in 1356 by Athanasios the Meteorite. The monastery is situated atop a rock at an elevation of 613 meters and houses icons, a museum, a dining hall, and a hospital inside.

At the entrance of the Great Meteoron Monastery

The reason this monastery was established is closely related to the ascetic nature of Eastern Orthodoxy. It arose out of a deep desire to draw closer to God and as a refuge to protect the faith during the invasions of the Ottoman Turks.

The Varlaam Monastery as seen from the Great Meteoron Monastery

The photo above shows the Varlaam Monastery as seen from the Great Meteoron Monastery. As the second largest monastery in Meteora, its beauty was even more striking when viewed from a distance.

The interior view of the church inside the Great Meteoron Monastery

The Eastern Orthodox Church is not very familiar to us. Until the year 1054, there was no clear division between the Western and Eastern Church. However, a difference of opinion regarding the origin of the Holy Spirit led to a major split.

The Eastern Church claimed that the Holy Spirit proceeds from God the Father alone, while the Western Church believed that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son—Jesus. This theological disagreement eventually caused the division.

Another key factor was their differing views on the authority of the Pope. In the West, the Pope was seen as having authority above the emperor, whereas in the East, the emperor was regarded as having authority over the patriarch (equivalent to the Pope).

As a result, the Western and Eastern Churches developed in very different ways.

From the Meteora Viewpoint

Since the Protestant Church emerged from the Western Church through the Reformation, we are naturally more familiar with the Western tradition. As a result, the Eastern Orthodox Church may feel less familiar to us.

However, it is possible that the Eastern Church has preserved more of the original form of the early Church.

For a long time, there was little interaction between the two traditions. But in 1439, at the Council of Florence, the Western and Eastern Churches recognized one another, and since then, they have continued efforts toward unity through mutual dialogue and exchange.

After exploring the monastery, we rented a space in a nearby restaurant and held our Sunday worship service there.

Prayer

Lord, from the cliffs of Meteora, in this land that touches the heavens, we worship You.Away from the noise and busyness of the world, in this quiet morning moment, we fix our eyes on You alone.We worship You, O Lord, our help, our comfort, and our hope.In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

Intercessory Prayer

1. The youth retreat begins this Sunday. Please pray that it will be a time full of grace and blessing.

2. We are currently clearing the hillside and surrounding trees for the church’s fire safety inspection. Please pray that everything goes smoothly and safely.