BEREA
Berea was an old city even in Paul’s day. It was first mentioned by Thucydides in 437 BC. When Paul and Silas visit, it’s a prosperous Roman city with a large Jewish population. I found it to be a quiet, easy-going village by the time the EDOT pilgrims arrive in our year 2024 CE. The souvenir shop owner hospitably set up our visit to the site where Paul preached from the Bema (an elevated platform used as an orator’s podium) in Berea. (See Acts 17:10-15)
Rev. Rhonda Rogers celebrated the Eucharist for us in front of the steps to the Bema where Paul preached, along with Silas, and where many Judeans (and welathy Greek men and women) came to believe his message. However, those that Paul and Silas had upset in Thessalonica showed up to cuase more trouble for them, so Paul’s stay in Berea was cut short.
Meteora
I hope you’re still reading, because Meteora was abostolutely, jaw-droppingly amazing. Between the 13th-14th centuries, 24 Eastern Orthodox monasteries were established on top of these rock columns that reaching to more than 600 meters high. Today, only six are still in existence. Once this area was a seabed about 60 million years ago, according to Wikipedia, when a series of earth movements pushed the seabed upward, creating a high plateau and causing many vertical fault lines in the thick layer of sandstone. The huge rock pillars were then formed by weathering by water, wind, and extremes of temperature on the vertical faults.
We visited one of the monasteries by climbing 150 steps to reach it. We could not take photos inside the church nor visit the area where the monks lived (I wouldn’t want a thousand people stopping by every day, either.) But the walls, ceilings, arches, and domes were covered in vibrant frescoes depicting biblical scenes, as well as orthodox history of the church, mostly how folks were martyred back then. Pretty gruesesome beauty. Here are the photos from areas we were allowed to enter. How could one not find themselves contemplating God on top of a pillar in such a dramatic panaorama?
We recouped from our stair climbing by enjoying a cup of mountain tea and Greek pastries in Kalambaka. Also, the yogurt here is the best I’ve ever had in my life. Here’s to pilgrim friends!
Magdalena's Musings 