But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
-Galatians 6:14
Thy Cross is for all men a well of blessings
and a cause of thanksgiving.
Thereby for them that believe in thee,
weakness is turned into strength,
shame into glory, and death into life.
-St. Leo the Pope (d. 461)
Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross — September 14
Celebrating the Glorious Beheading of the Prophet,
Forerunner and Baptist John.
Only recently did I learn of the existence of Sumela Monastery, a place which briefly in this century became particularly associated with the Feast of the Dormition (falling asleep in death) of Christ’s Mother, which we commemorate this month. This recent connection started in 2010:
“Orthodox Christians from around the world attended a rare Liturgy at an ancient monastery in Turkey… at the Sumela monastery in Trabzon province, north-eastern Turkey. At least 1,500 pilgrims, including people from Greece and Russia, traveled to the Byzantine-era monastery. The service was the first Greek Orthodox Liturgy to be held at the shrine since 1923, after the Turkish government allowed pilgrims to worship there once a year in a gesture toward religious minorities, in line with Turkey’s aspiration to join the EU.
“Those attending were elated, with one worshipper saying it was a great moment as they could now pray on the land where their great-grandfathers had come from. In 1923, the Turkish authorities had banned religious services at the monastery, built on the side of a mountain, and turned it into a museum, after it was abandoned when a population swap between Turkey and Greece saw most local Orthodox move to Greece.”
The Patriarch of Constantinople was allowed to celebrate Divine Liturgy every year on the Feast of the Dormition from 2010 until 2015, but starting in 2016 reconstruction work has prevented this.
I watched several videos about the monastery and the one I really liked was this one: “What is the Sumela Monastery?” because the personable guide had taken time to learn something about the history of the place, and he respectfully refrained from blathering ignorantly, unlike some other visitors who put up videos on YouTube.
The monastery was founded by two monks in the fourth century, and through the following centuries repeatedly fell into ruin and was restored; in the 13th century it had grown into its present form.
Occasionally when I happen upon pictures or stories of ancient sites like this, built into steep cliffs, I become entranced with the otherworldliness of them and the drama of their settings. I’m glad I can visit them by means of these pictures and videos.
A blessed Feast of the Dormition to you all!
When Jesus and three of his disciples were on Mt. Tabor, and Moses and Elijah appeared as well — before Peter, James and John fell on their faces at the thundering of God’s voice, Peter suggested they build some shelters and stay a while. Just now I read this prayer prompted by that event: “Prayer on the Feast of the Transfiguration.”
“Come to us again, O Jesus—do not listen to Peter! Come down from Tabor and come to our homes, into our hearts! Come here, where we are suffering and laboring for our daily bread! Come here, where we are crucified by people, demons, and passions! If Peter does not want to come down, leave him on the mount and come to us, to our hearts!
“Teach us how to be saved, show us how to endure. Train us to carry our life’s cross. Teach us how to be crucified. Come and suffer for us, Thou Thyself be crucified instead of us, Thyself first taste the cup of death, show us a new way to salvation through suffering.
“O, how we would have liked to stay with Peter on Mount Tabor! But we bear a body, gasping from sickness, lusts and passions. In our breasts are hearts burning with hatred. At home our children are waiting for us, asking us for a piece of bread!…”
-Archimandrite Iachint Unciuleac
You can read the whole prayer: Here
Gladsome Lights 