Over and Under

This morning we visited the Great Monastery of Meteora (a.k.a. Transfiguration) and Varlaam (a.k.a All Saints). One thing I cannot remember if I mentioned in the previous two posts about the monasteries, is just how violent much of the iconography is that is written onto the walls, ceilings, and arches of the Churches. I believe this reflects the high value that the Orthodox Church places upon the martyrs (the Greek verb from which we get the noun ‘martyr’ means witness, and—of course—the ultimate witness is one which is expressed with one’s life).

We can hear echoes of this accentuation in our own Eucharistic Prayer D, which is particularly inspired by the Orthodox liturgy (The American Colonial Church struck a compromise with the Scottish Bishops in order to get Samuel Seabury ordained as our first bishop. They agreed to include some of the Orthodox prayers in the first American Prayer Book of 1789.) Some of you will recall the words from the climax of Prayer D—which we use during the Easter Season at St. Peter’s—where we join our voices with “…prophets, apostles, martyrs…”.

Indeed, one can see the robust sense of communion that Orthodox Christians experience with all the saints. They will typically kiss one of the icons as they enter a Church, not reverencing the object itself, but the Christ and faithful forebears to which these icons direct our attention.

The Great Monastery of Meteora has an ossuary near the entrance. This room contains the skulls and bones of monks who have died, along with candles, and an icon of the Resurrection. From the earliest centuries of Christian faith, those who have died have been buried in and around churches in anticipation of the resurrection of the body (not just soul) as attested in the Nicene Creed. Setting aside a special place for the bones of these saints within the community is somewhat like having a sacred place for the interment of ashes in our Church.

There was also a cellar with relevant artifacts organized and displayed throughout the space. Notice the substantial number of barrels.  It is apparent that one can work up quite a thirst laboring and praying atop the cliffs of Meteora.

Katherine paused at the door to the original kitchen. It also included a display of original artifacts and several hundred years of soot on the ceiling from the fires that cooked the community’s meals each day.

                                              

The gardens were also beautiful at the monasteries we visited today.