The Hellenic Voice, Page 9 faith & religion WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2010 Desert to City Bringing monastic wisdom home St. Catherine’s transcendent art treasures are gloriously preserved by the dry climate of the Sinai Desert. Massive crowds pass through the holy monastery daily HOLY LIGHT in pursuit of even OF SINAI fleeting contact with their legacy. But the authentic life of the monks is shared only by those who come as pil- The pulpit area of the Etz Hayyim grims, hoping to Synagogue in Crete shows smoke experience, not just and fire damage. sublime works of art, Sister Joanna but the spiritual life that inspired those works – the greatest art form of all. Nowhere is the monks’ spiritual life Synagogue more intimately shared than in their continued from page 1 devout worship services. The timeless mystery of the Liturgy, begun in near- total darkness every morning, contin- the Hania police for their work in making ues to unfold afterwards in the bright the arrests and urged people to help restore light of the monastery’s arhontariki, the synagogue by making donations to or traditional reception room. There, groups such as the International Survey of in the upper reaches of the castle Jewish Monuments (ISJM) and The fortress, pilgrims join the monastics Association of Friends of Greek Jewry. for refreshments, in fellowship which “The most positive response to these is considered an extension of the anti-Semitic acts will be the complete church worship. restoration of Etz Hayyim,” she said. Therefore, especially if the The Etz Hayyim synagogue, which monastery Abbot is present, there will dates back to the Middle Ages, is the only be only one conversation, in which all surviving Jewish monument on the island partake – no one must be isolated of Crete. It was restored in the late 1990s from the Body of Christ. and has since become a memorial and a Even the seating serves the ideal, tourist attraction. arranged for unity, in a single row By 1941 most of the Jews in Crete had around the perimeter of the room. Photo by Bruce M. White Photography emigrated, leaving only the Hania commu- Christian fellowship must be genuine- Beginning at 4 a.m., Divine Liturgy is celebrated seven days a week in the katholicon, or main nity of about 270 people. They were ly social, a liturgical expression of church, of St. Catherine’s Monastery at Mount Sinai, whose official name is The Sacred and deported by Nazi invaders in 1944 and unity in love. Imperial Monastery of the God-trodden Mountain of Sinai. Pilgrims are afterwards invited for died when their ship was bombed and sunk Usually a formal room inspiring coffee with the monks. by the Allies. Sunday manners, the arhontariki at St. Catherine’s Monastery has rather a Expressions of support he cannot arrive at his heart. whimsical charm. Exotic firebirds Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew sent from early Christian art flamboyantly As St. Catherine’s elected Dikaios, Geronta What does a person feel who has a letter to the Jewish community of Greece guard painted ornamental gardens Pavlos has been responsible for the spiritual arrived at purity of heart? through Moses Konstantinis, chairman of bordering the paneled ceiling. Below, life of the monastery for four decades. He rep- First of all, he is very peaceful the Central Israeli Council of Greece, portraits of elegant Greek royalty, resents the Archbishop during his frequent inside. He doesn’t despair – he closes expressing “profound sadness” over the more sedately, decorate the walls. unavoidable absences, and oversees the daily the door to hopelessness once and for recent arson attempt against the syna- Soon after the Abbot rises to con- worship services and large monastery garden. all. No matter what happens in his gogue. clude the morning interlude, the room The hesychast geronta, devoted to ceaseless life. He has much love, both for him- “We condemn this deed as any other returns to its silent contemplation of “prayer of the heart,” also responds to the spiri- self and for others. Thusly he will deed of violence and terrorism and, partic- generations gone by, until its peaceful tual needs of countless Orthodox pilgrims, both within the descend to his heart, to the depth in ularly, against sites of the worship of refuge is appropriated for conversa- monastery and throughout Gree and Cyprus. His insightful spiritu- other words, of his soul. God,” His All Holiness stated. tion with a monastery spiritual father. al guidance is in constant demand. “Furthermore, we express to you the deep With faith, Geronta, how can we Geronta Pavlos, can we ask you sympathy of our Most Holy Church of face the great trial of the loss of a what village you are from? Constantinople and ours too, as well as our loved one? Sr. Joanna has been associated with St. deeply felt compassion over this sad event. Yes, and what difference does it Catherine’s Monastery since 1990 through its First of all, there is no such thing as We pray to God to protect you and the make compared to ... dependent monasteries in Greece and Sinai, “he died.” The person doesn’t die. Jewish community in Greece from every The body does dissolve, but the soul Yes, of course, Geronta, ... but most recently the historic Red Sea hermitage assault.” doesn’t die; it’s immortal. Because of which one did you say ... ? of Hamman Mousa (Springs of Moses), where Archbishop Demetrios of America stat- that the first Christians never said that ed: I’m from the Peloponnisos. My the Hebrew people camped during the Exodus someone died, neither did they use the “Clearly, such a sacrilege has been per- village is called Kranidi, in Argolida. after the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea. term “graveyard,” but they always petrated by aberrant person or persons, It is opposite the island of Spetses. used the word “cemetery” [its Greek who in no way represent the proud people root] implying one didn’t die, but of Crete or the Hellenic people as a whole, The years that you were growing body – the fasting that the Church make room for prayer, because it will slept. Therefore real death doesn’t the names of whose heroes of the up, was village life pretty tradition- prescribes helps the bodily health of a enlighten your good works to be suc- exist for us. There is a transition from Holocaust are inscribed in the hearts of the al? Were the people faithful? person. cessful. this temporary life to the eternal. Jewish people. We stand in solidarity with When one has this in mind and His All Holiness and all people of good Yes, the old-timers were strict, both However, when a person is told What prayer? thinks about it, he will react with will who condemn this cowardly act, and in matters of faith and in their life. he has all these details to follow, At home, at work, in the street, the courage, with fortitude. And instead we pray for the swift restoration of this There, if someone gave his word on one food today, another tomorrow mind can pray and be with God, and of grieving in anguish and tears, he Synagogue, and for the well being of the something, he wouldn’t go back on it, ... it comes as a lot of rules and reg- say “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy prays for the soul of the one fallen historic Jewish community of Crete.” he kept it no matter what. He didn’t ulations. If Orthodoxy is about free- on me.” Not many words, those are asleep. And not only does he benefit, The attacks on the synagogue have also know how to tell lies – to become dom, where do all these rules fit in? easy. But it requires carefulness. but the one who has left this life is been condemned by Hellenes and govern- engaged to a girl and then abandon But the rules exist in order to hold also benefited. ment officials in Greece and the United her, for instance. It was a formidable If one is not advanced in prayer, you in freedom, because if the rules Will that fill the void he feels? States. thing, a major sin to do such a thing. it is easy to be distracted while say- don’t exist, neither does freedom. The “This is another attack to spread anti- They were very straightforward peo- ing the Jesus Prayer.. rules promote freedom, you see. Now, Yes of course! He will be helped Semitism and racism in Greece,” stated ple, their word was their contract. very much in that way. Andrew A. Athens, national chairman of there are vegetarians, by choice. The The mind will wander no matter the United Hellenic American Congress And in church, did they follow Church doesn’t say to do this; people what prayer you are saying – if you What role does psychiatry play in (UHAC), president of Hellenicare and the traditions? on their own abstain from meat for are reading prayers from a book, the the healing of the soul. Is it the health. So, since it helps us, why mind will wander in order to under- president of the World Council of Hellenes Definitely. I remember when we same as confession? shouldn’t we fast, which, as suggest- stand what you are reading. One must (SAE). “These acts of violence will not be were little children, we didn’t have a ed by the Church, is very light. be patient, and as soon as the mind No, it is a different thing, because tolerated. The Jewish community in lot of things, no clocks etc. The bell There are doctors today who base wanders, bring it back – “Here!” He the person who goes to a psychiatrist Greece honors the Hellenic tradition and rang for us to go to church. Lipon, our is spiritually ill, in his soul. The faith- works together with all to make Hellenism their therapy on fasting – complete will be insistent on this point. parents, as soon as the first bell rang, fasting. “The first day you’ll eat noth- ful Christian who goes to confession a shining example throughout the world.” said to us, “Get up quickly to go to We hear of village grandmas in is not spiritually ill; he is healthy, Nicholas A. Karacostas, AHEPA ing, the second nothing, and the third church!” There was no, “Please get up you’ll begin to drink a little juice.” Greece who have a strong mystical because he understands that he erred, supreme president, said, “These anti- now” such things – nothing like that. connection to God in church, even that he made a mistake. Fundamental Semitic attacks upon the Jewish communi- They help people who have serious “Get up to go to church!” We grew up weight problems, and many others. though they don’t understand the to this is that one hopes that God will ty in Greece are simply unacceptable. We in that kind of environment. archaic Greek of the services. help him, that He will forgive him. appeal to the people of Hania, and all Some say that “fasting isn’t nec- Our environment today is so dif- Whereas the person who goes to a Greek citizens, to come together to defy essary, it’s what’s inside that mat- Yes, because they achieve commu- ferent. From life without clocks, to psychiatrist has arrived at despair – a these acts of hatred, intolerance and big- ters, it doesn’t matter what you eat nication with God through their heart. the 24/7 “information age!” Do the person who has lost hope doesn’t go otry.” ... .” With their mind, their thought, they same standards still apply? might not understand, but with their to confession. That’s the basic differ- US Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) and ence. US Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), co-chairs Fasting, for instance. ... People It’s a mistake for anybody to say heart – the heart is uneducated. fight a daily nightmare on the free- that it isn’t unnecessary. Our Christ, Can a psychiatrist help the per- of the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic It’s what? Issues, issued statements. ways. One wants to find something didn’t he fast for 40 days? He didn’t son who has fallen into despair? “We must not let this type of anti- easy for dinner, not worry about eat anything for 40 days. Why should [Laughs] Uneducated – the heart what the fast allows. In short, fast- He do such great fasting? And the doesn’t know anything about book Certainly, because science is from Semitism percolate, as the world has seen God. He will give him boldness and the evil that stems from this type of hatred ing in America often doesn’t seem Church doesn’t ask for such a thing.. learning. to be considered relevant. courage to leave despair behind. and bigotry,” Maloney said. “We implore And when others do not under- What is prayer of the heart? Many psychiatrists recommend to the people of Hania, and all Greek citizens, Yes, but at the same time, people stand? their patients to go to confess – impor- to voice their outrage against this intoler- are in the habit of saying that “this or It is a great matter. The person We will say that “this is a matter of tant psychiatrists, because they have ance.” that particular food is fattening.” And might pray with the lips, the mouth. faith.” And that it does good, both for seen in fact that people are benefited Bilirakis added, “Now is a time to stand I often say to myself, “I’ve never God accepts that prayer, but it isn’t the soul and for the body. If we say by it. with Jewish community in Greece and heard a person remark that a particu- great, real prayer. One can pray also that, it is the truth. With confession, prayer, with fast- against anti-Semitism and intolerance. I lar food makes him thin [dissolves with his thought, his mind, but much more with his heart. According to the ing and all the help that our Church urge Greek authorities to conduct a swift into laughter]!” Actually, we suffer Prayer also seems often difficult Church Fathers, the heart is at the cen- has, gradually God comes and and thorough investigation and bring to today from overeating, not from fast- after a long day of stress. Not so ter of one’s spiritual being, just as the enlightens the mind of a person, and justice the perpetrators of these heinous ing!! The fasting that the Church much from lack of time, as from physical heart is the center of bodily by Divine Light he sees the truth ... . attacks.” gives is very light – the Church does- mental exhaustion. The Pan-Cretan Association of America n’t command severe things. It is a function. But in order to get there, first ... the truth that “shall set you Prayer is the sun of our soul ... . Just declared: “We Cretans in the United States change of foods. of all spiritual struggle is required, free.” With your holy blessing, as we cannot physically live without are outraged at all actions of anti-Semitism In actuality it is the best form of and purity. As we said previously, one Geronta, thank you. the sun, we cannot spiritually live in Greece and all attempts to terrorize diet. If one looks under the surface, must become free from the passions, without prayer. You will profit if you Greeks of Jewish faith.” he can see it is a matter of health of because if he is enslaved to the sins,