Over and Under

There were fewer visitors to Holy Trinity Monastery. We made our descent from the road, and then ascended the next cliff. Thankfully, for the acrophobic in our group, the steepest parts of the stairwell with the largest drop off were well enclosed!

A large metal door seals the perimeter a hundred feet or so below the monastery. Once one passes through this door, there is still a bit more climbing to do toward the gate, where a volunteer takes a donation, and points to the skirts available for those whose dress requires additional modesty.

One of the trademarks of this monastery is the balcony with a hook and rope, attached to a larger-than-life spindle, which was used traditionally to hoist monks and supplies up and down. We could still see the cart with the net, and even grooves in the stone floor where the cart was rolled to the ledge for lowering. Talk about having faith in one another! The reason this balcony and pulley is a trademark is because Roger Moore was filmed here in one of the earlier James Bond movies.

Moving on from the balcony was a wide inner hallway with small windows. Along the west wall were tiny cells where the brothers would have lived in earlier times. One was open for visitors to inspect. Notice the remaining image of a cross on the ceiling, the first thing the faithful would see upon waking, and the last thing he would see before sleeping. There was a small window, and other images painted onto the walls.

The hallway was spotless, and featured three icons recessed into the masonry. The first one was of John the Baptist (who came first in Holy Scripture). Then, Christ on one side of the passageway and Mary, the God-bearer (Theotokos) on the other side. Notice how even the masonry above the icon ‘adds’ a radiant halo above them.

After climbing a few more steps into a dark and narrow area, we reached the entrance to the Church. Once again, photos inside were prohibited, but I did take this picture, just outside the entrance, of candles that visitors light as an outward and visible sign of their prayer as they enter the Church.

Once again, we took some time as a family to sit in silence and absorb the experience. The iconography was simply all-encompassing. One of the girls noticed images from Holy Week, particularly one of Peter’s denial and the rooster perched nearby to signal three times what Jesus foretold. (How I wish I could have taken just one picture!) Beside this was another icon showing the story of Judas’ kiss of betrayal.

The gardens were not as extensive at Holy Trinity Monastery. There was a rock outcropping with a large white cross (the only visible element of this particular monastery when looking up from Kalambaka). There was also a bell tower, and just outside one of the windows was a cluster of Easter lilies in full bloom!

After leaving the monastery, we got ready to begin our descent along the pathway through the woods that leads back down to Kalambaka. We paused from time to time to catch our breath, look back up at the cliffs, and yield to a turtle and, then, a snake, which were crossing the path.

We were reminded of Psalm 95, which serves as one of the Introit Psalms for Morning Prayer (BCP, p. 80). These sacred places of worship, built upon the rock, provide a fitting contextualization for this psalm:

“Come, let us sing to the Lord; let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation…In his hand are the caverns of the earth, and the heights of the hills are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands have molded the dry land.

Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, and kneel before the Lord our Maker. For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!”