Journal: pilgrimage in Lebanon
Fr Patrick B O’Grady’s trip to Lebanon and Syria, 22 Nov—7 Dec, 2009
a travelogue.
Flight from LA to Beirut in two legs: Sun eve 11/22 – Mon eve 11/23
1st leg—as usual when flying, I reflect on the places over which I pass, on the plane:
-Casper, WY: broke down there 30 years ago in the dead of winter.
-cross border to Canada into western Ontario, then flight over northern Quebec & north Atlantic brings us over County Clare, Ireland, ancestral home of the O’Grady clan.
-land in rainy London for layover.
2nd leg – flight over Europe bringing us over Munich, reminder of trip there almost 10 years ago with my son and a band of students.
-over Sophia, Bulgaria & Asia Minor, new territory & finally over ancient Myra where St. Nicholas served. Landed in Beirut where we meet Najeeb our driver & part company with Doris.
1st day: Tues Nov. 24, at Balamand
-rest till midday: 130pm to be exact.
-meet Fr. Bassam Nassif, Dr. Fadi Georgi, Rami Wannous, Daniel Ayuch and exchange ideas.
-plan itinerary with driver and to Great Vespers for St. Catherine at Balamand Monastery Church of Our Lady.
-strong, well-coordinated & clear antiphonal choirs composed of the theological students. Traditional arrangement of right & left choirs, each with a leader who communicates with the other by eye contact. Clearly they have all been well-trained as chanters and are dedicated to their enterprise.
-met theology students over dinner (meal served family style in trapeza)
Monastery church has lovely, very ornately carved dark walnut iconostasis. Good marble solea & no gates (curtain with gold cross appliqué). I note that this style of covering the Beautiful Gate and deacon’s doors is widespread in the churches I visited in Lebanon and Syria.
2nd Day: Wed Nov 25, Lebanon: country sites
-Harissa – Maronite etc., “holiday” atmosphere. Cable car in Jounieh up to bleak, bare new architecture RC church. Great view, very “touristy.”
-Jeita Grotto: upper and lower grottos. Very fine example of stalagmites & stalactites; very beautiful with little boat ride in pool below.
-“Wooden Bakery” (very American) good representation of growing influence of our pop culture in the Lebanon.
-then, when dropping off Doris Totari, we visited with Barbara (her aunt) who showed us Lebanese hospitality.
-then back to Balamand for vesperal liturgy (splendid celebration: like one seamless prayer, as it should be, I think) for St Catherine.
3rd Day: Thur Nov 26, Kaftoun, Nouriye, Monastery of Jacob the Persian (Diddeh)
-sleeping pattern now normalized (it takes 3 days to adjust).
-Orthros, breakfast and off to Kaftoun, (”Little Rock”). Drive through the countryside: mountain views, terraced hills, sandstone everywhere. Deep valleys with well-watered streams. New snow on the Lebanese heights!
At Kaftoun: received hospitality from the nuns (Mo. Lucia, deputy abbess, Sr Justina – native of Nova Scotia, was our host: 13 years there). Met Fr. Cristo lssa (Fr. Michel Najim’s student) & Fr Elias Ab-dukah who claims to know Bp JOSEPH well. Took tea & tried to communicate.
Ancient Monastery of Ss Sergius & Bacchus is almost completely restored with frescoes. I took photo sequence: Ss Sergius & Bacchus (left & rt facing E) and Ss George & Theodore Tyro (left & rt facing W).
In the monastery church dedicated to Our Lady, we venerated the 1000 year old icon of our Lady of Kaftoun. It was stolen 3x; last time, restored by thief who confessed he had a dream asking for blessing from the Theotokos, who answered him, “I don’t bless thieves & murderers!” He then brought the ikon to Metr. Georges Khodr who restored it to Kaftoun.
Mo Antonina of blessed memory, with Mo. Lucia, built up Kaftoun from nothing to full monastic flowering (11 nuns & beautiful grounds, orchards, etc.) I believe Mo. Antonina possesses great ???????? with God. May her intercessions establish our parish! Gift of ikon, 2 avocadoes & 2 oranges – there is an ancient Kontakion manuscript fragment in their possession, but Mo. Lucia did not bless for me to examine it just now.
Thurs Noon
Then to Nouriyeh, “Our Lady of the Light” on the cliff over the blue Med. The view from the top of the monastery is to the north, directly our over the Med which, from the angle of the sun, sets a deep azure contrast in color. Truly, the Med is blue & clear to the bottom.
The monastic settlement is strong on the summit; however, there is well-established access (180 stairs) down to the ancient monastic settlement: built directly into the cliff, several monastic ?????? with the monastery church, still in use. We said 6th hour prayers and observed a bit of quiet in the main monastery church upon our hike back to the summit.
Arrived back at Balamand mid-afternoon after taking lunch in Badroun (at another American-Lebanese place)
Thurs PM
Then off to Mar Iaqoub al Muqatta` (Monastery of St Jacob the “Mutilated”)
Largest women’s monastery (25 + 3 new ones, see below= 28) in Antiochian See, I am told. In monastery church, festal Vespers for the ?????????, the saint of the monastery. The whole Balamand Choir chanted. Vespers: Anoixantaria, artoklasia, procession with ikon & relics of the martyr. I concelebrated with these good men with gladness of heart: the Metr (you can tell he is still getting used to being a bishop), abbot Elias (ab-dukah) of Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Fr. Cristo (from Damascus), Fr. Panteleimon (abbot of Hamatoura), and others. The tonsuring of the 3 new nuns took place within this vespers service. H. E. Metr EPHREM presided – he is very quiet and peaceful ascetic-bishop with a warm personal aspect. He invited me to sit with him in the altar after the dismissal & speak with him a bit. I must see him again!
Friday, November 27, Ba’albek
-I chanted with the Balamand choir at festal Orthros in Balamand for the saint (Jacob). (We did not go back over to the monastery of St Jacob that morning). After a quick breakfast off to pick up Doris for the sortie to Ba’albek
Lebanon Note: The food is typical Med: olives, oil, zataar (thyme), sesame, Lebanese bread (not pita, but flat). The land/soil/air possesses a unique fragrance – something like rue, sweet with bitters. Hey, NO traffic lights!
Journey to Ba’albek, “Baal of the Spring” big stretch of nice smooth road north of Zahle area – Shi`a! (Zahle = Maronite region). Roman ruins are beyond any description—simply on a monumental scale. Huge, largely intact. Notes: graffito, in Greek capitals, “Gerasimos, Patriarch of Antioch 1886” & other Archm, etc!
Pagan cult of eastern Romans built upon Phoenician native worship. All human passions and pursuits deified: $, war, love/lust, arts, fear.
Temple of Jupiter never really complete… but Bacchus yes. Bacchanalia before state-rites? Little temple to Venus (they think), horseshoe-shaped. It was cleansed of pagan rites and then dedicated to St Barbara of Heliopolis. Unfortunately, we could not enter the precincts of the site where St Barbara’s Church originally was. So, the eponymous church of the martyr has given her name to the countless thousands of women, including Santa Barbara CA & the monastery. Through her prayers… I hope the many photos of Ba’albek will serve well to inspire us.
Arrive back from Ba’albek: Nice dinner with Tony Nasrallah about Lebanese affairs, sharing our conversion story and about his plans. The student, Philip Saba, from Australia and I had accordingly talk about pastoral life and the work of a priest.
Saturday, Nov 28, Metr GEORGES, Bteghrine, St Michael Baskinta
Good night’s rest; Ba’albek experience yesterday continues to inspire me.
-Off to see Metr GEORGES of Mt Lebanon
Notes for our interview follow. He prompted the #1 and #2, whereas I prompted #3 as I desired his answer to that issue.
1 – role of bishop – no nominalism (see next page) “get rid of figure-head roles in Lebanese government” (he wrote about that) “same principle to be applies to bishops.” “I wrote to Metr PHILIP about his reluctance on allowing priests to commemorate the bishops. The bishop’s commemoration in the liturgy is essential to guarantee our apostolic church in a given place.”
2 – transfer of spiritual leadership – many bishops and monastic leaders are getting old. For example, at Kaftoun, “do we appoint the next abbess or have her elected? We did not think of death when we established the monastery!” At issue: pool of qualified candidates for bishops is extremely limited. “There were married bishops up to the 7th century; now the pool of candidates is limited.” Seems he is speaking in favor of the possible election of bishops from both monastic and married clergy.
His Eminence distinguished quite clearly between monks and mere celibate priests. “Married priests have their happiness and fewer psychological difficulties; monks are free. But celibate priests are subject to grave temptation.” He expressed great disdain for young men deciding not to marry in order to pursue the episcopal track (my words). He opined that the election of Metr EPHREM was a great step forward in the right way.
3 – problems exist with American adult converts with lot of head-knowledge but lack of spiritual formation. This seems all the more pressing among clergy who did not receive good initial catechesis and post-baptismal mystagogy. I stated the need for monastic presence: synergeia with parish life. Sayidna GEORGES heartily agreed with all of this. He stated that there are more nuns than monks. To start a new monastery, there needs to be at least 3 seasoned monastics to start. Two is not enough, leads to problems. “Two is good for marriage; but we need at least 3 for monasteries.”
When he asked about our American Archdiocese, I declined to assume any competency to speak of the whole Archdiocese and restricted myself to my own bishop: I spoke warmly of Bp. JOSEPH (Zehlaoui). He implied that our new metropolitan would be elected from among our 6 bishops: he liked Bp. JOSEPH, Bp. BASIL (he knows of these), and the writings of Bp. MARK “he expresses himself well.”
His final concluding exhortation:
“The priest’s prayer at the proskomidia is extremely important! More so than the bishop’s blessing, please remember me at the Prothesis!”
Before we left his residence in Broumana, His Eminence showed us the books of the Antiochian Monasteries and the recently completed (4 vols) works on Antiochian Saints!
(Contact Abbot Touma; we need this in English…
Mt Lebanon region very beautiful as we continued our drive
To St. George Church in Bteghrine:
-ikon of Elias the Prophet with a sword slaying the false prophets (not an Orthodox ikon, obviously, with a halo and striking with a sword. I found it offensive. Must be the Maronite side!)
Church built 1650: Fr. Antonios Saliba rector (Bteghrine is our Metr. PHILIP’s birth place). Cave underneath: 1995 discovered uncorrupt relic of Fr. Antonios Saliba (1787-1800) – apparently known because he appeared to many people in dreams, “I am Fr. Antonios!” Also, Fr. Antonios (the current rector, studied at Balamand and was preparing to go to Thessaloniki to study with his friends (during the Lebanese Civil War) when Balamand was closed. Fr. Antonios appeared to him in a dream (1977):
“Antoun, Antoun!” - “Yes, Father”
“I want you to stay here.” So, Fr Antonios stayed.
The church, dedicated to St George, was struck with lightening in 1962. All was burned, including iconostas and church roof was split open (of solid rock!). But, the large icon of St George was NOT destroyed – even its glass remained intact. (the ikon has been done by a pious man whom St George has healed).
But later, Fr Melhem told me that at least one claim of healing is false. Surgeon worked on the girl who was claimed to have been healed of a gross birth defect.
At 1250 metres, St Michael Monastery at Baskinta, dates from 1856, reached state of abandonment. Restored in 1983 when Fr Ephrem (Kyriakos), a native of Lebanon, arrived from the Holy Mountain (2 ½ years in St Paul Monastery on Athos, where – thru Fr. Isaac – he met & received formative guidance from Elder Paisios. So, we have a spiritual son (Metr. GEORGES Khodr says “a saint”) of the Elder on the throne of Tripoli & member of the holy synod of Antioch. What a grace for Antioch!
His Eminence was not there. A monk showed us around and gave us the monastery’s story. At Baskinta, monastery church has transepts of a rounded shape: choirs in the round. Thronos is therefore facing east, as it stands on the far turn of the rounded transept.
Same message everywhere: If we are to get monastics in the USA who will then serve in English, we must send them to the old monasteries for a few years’ formation.
Order of Prayer at St Michael’s is Athonite:
2:30am – arise for prayer
4:00am – prayer (liturgy: Tues, Thurs, Sat, Sun & feasts)
7:00am – breakfast & obediences
Noon – the hours
4:00pm – Vespers, then Trapeza
Compline in cells
Balamand Monastery Prayer Schedule:
-Midnight-Orthros 6am
-9th hour – Vespers 6pm
-Liturgy – Thurs & Sun
Sat Vespers in Monastery Balamand, with choir.
Nice, warm talk afterward in the library of the Institute of Theology with Brother Sava of St George Monastery in Seydnaya (he is the typikarios at St George monastery and is studying at Balamand as his obedience). The fact remains that the Arabic sources are of poor quality and there is an uncritical intermixture of popular devotion reflecting a “zeal not according to knowledge.” He had to admit this, when I pressed him on certain points. For example, the practice of chanting the lenten polyeleos, “By the waters of Babylon” on the feast of Theophany. This is entirely uncanonical. In reviewing the books in Arabic, he saw this and admitted that it was a problem. He stated that we perhaps had now more in order than they did, since their typikon is very limited. Philip Sava the student acted as interpreter between us (as the monk Sava has no English). We agreed that I would speak with his abbot, Fr Youhanna, about this.
Sunday, Nov 29, at Balamand
I concelebrated with Fr. Issac of Balamand, with nice discussion afterward. Then he gave me a thorough tour of Balamand fortress and its chambers.
-note on concelebrating: difficult to serve accurately when whole lingual ethos is Arabic. Where are the natural divisions in words/phrases, etc? I will listen carefully for indicators.
The church was full for the Sunday services. At the communion of the laity, I served very rapidly to scores of communicants. After liturgy, they moved me to take coffee in place of honor in the salon, much to my embarrassment. After my being accustomed to our American practice of virtually ignoring the priest when he enters the room, I found it disconcerting—and heartening—to see everyone rise from their seats at my entrance! The faithful there possess a deep sense of honour which they show to the Church’s clergy.
After post-liturgical trapeza, took afternoon rest & prep for conference presentation.
The Balamand monastery compound is exceedingly rich & multi-faceted: tunnels, archs, “secret” passage-ways. Snapped many photos. Sunday evening Vespers for St. Andrew. Here is a good idea: hold litia procession service without Artoklasia, for festal saints as a semi-festal observance.
Mon, Nov 30 – St. Andrew’s Day, Hamatoura, Bcharre, and Cedars
Festal Orthros at Balamand: I chanted with the choir. Good antiphonal chant.
Journey by car to the sacred Monastery of Our Lady of Hamatoura, after last-minute arrangements for my presentation were put into effect.
Dropping down out of Cousbah, the view of Hamatoura presents itself: the monastic settlement is built directly into the cliff. In the taxi trip, I spoke with Fr. Nicholas Malek (in Amioun, near Hamatoura, protopsalt of Tripoli) 03-460092 about music. Unfortunately we could not arrange a suitable rendezvous.
Kh Christina and I hiked up the 500 steps and slopes to the monastery and were warmly received by the monks. We were shown around the church and then given hospitality: Dates, avocado pudding (with honey, raisins, pine nuts, etc.) and small cakes, water, and traditional coffee. The cave wall of the church boasts 5th or 6th century fragments of a fresco of the Transfiguration of Christ, very striking. Other fragments as well: large ?? ?? with Ss Catherine & Helena (Turks had come and destroyed and/or plastered over many frescoes. Only fragments remain). Hamatoura had fallen into decay until Fr. Panteleimon came.
We were then introduced to the abbot, Fr Panteleimon, with whom we held an interview. He gave us his story and details about his experience.
Email: hamatoura@msn.com
July 3rd 2008– the finding of the relics of St Jacob the Hamatourean and those with him.
Hamatoura: re-inhabited beginning in 1994 by Fr. Panteleimon who revived it from decay: “I felt that the saint (Jacob) called me here.” When he was on the Holy Mountain: Fr Isaac there said “Why are you here? Go to Hamatoura”! Then, Paisios told him to go & the Virgin will bless his endeavour. Fr. Parthenios came also & prayed there and then told him (using his own name!) to stay. Fr Panteleimon then spent one year alone, “then monks, workers and money followed.” Fifteen monks now! At first, no water or electricity, they had to hike for everything.
Good meeting with the elder. One story: Elder Paisios said he should dress humbly so he can make metanias. Panteleimon had rejected that, since he wore clean cassocks and was proud of that. When Paisios passed on, he came to venerate his body & got muddy in the making of a metania. A nun said she would clean it when she say the mud. Panteleimon said, no, the elder had told him this would happen!
Some sayings: “We must never put off the cassock anymore, even if a bishop commands it.” Panteleimon said, “I am what I am!” He applied this to the church services. “We must not shorten them! People come to pray…”
We discussed church services, especially the need for Antiochian saints in America.
Reciprocating, he mentioned need for akolouthias from America: St Raphael (Hawaweeny), St Herman of Alaska, and St Alexis Toth. I promised that I would obtain these and have them sent to him for translation into Arabic there.
He has prepared a Nativity Fast service: we must obtain this & get it translated into English. This will address a felt need in America as well.
We discussed poverty of monastic life in America & I begged his prayers. Afterward, Kh Christina and I humbly requested a relic, since we felt a warmth with the elder and our sense was not disappointed.
The relics of the saint with others (5 in all) recovered in 2008. Fr. Panteleimon gave me a portion of the saint’s forearm. He had his monks prepare this sacred bone fragment and presented it to me privately with a warm embrace.
Reflections of reception of relic of St. Jacob Hamatourean into our parish at home:
1) Create a shrine for the relic with ikon
2) Get Fr. Michel Najim to translate the akolouthia and paraklesis of the saint (all of these were presented to me and I brought them home, in Arabic).
3) Organize a procession & reception of the relic into the church. Date? Place? I am concerned about bringing the relic into our present leased building. I would like to see this happen in our newly acquired property—pending successful negotiations. Nature of festal service? On the date of the finding of his relics (July 3rd) or of his martyrdom (October 13th)?
4) What about issue of segmenting the relic? I do not like the idea…
5) Make our church festival June 29 and link it with special events to the annual festival of St Jacob? (Thus June 29 – July 3)
6) Create and print off the saint’s apolytikion. (Send to Lisa and ask her to being teaching it to the faithful)
7) Discuss all these things with Sayidna personally. Make date with Sayidna to debrief him on all these things.
We departed with joy and then continued up the Qadisha Valley to Bcharre (touristy; resort in summer to escape the heat), past Hasroun (resort) to Cedars of Lebanon. The only grove left! Very ancient and large trees. Took loads of pictures. (The relics are burning a hole in my pocket; I sense the protecting grace of the saint with us!)
Hey, almost no dogs in Lebanon, thank God! There are cats, but not too many (exc. Nouriye, where the priest-chaplain is an animal lover.)
Fr Isaac Barakat requested that I give an evening to the Balamand theological students. I did this on Monday evening with all the students in the large salon at the Institute. Kh Christina and I presented our story and our assessment of the state of Orthodoxy in America. They all kept rapt attention and we held a good conversation about ethics and parish life.
Tues, Dec 1, Conference day #1
Orthros at Balamand: chanted in left choir today. Notes on the chief monastery church of Balamand, dedicated to Our Lady of Balamand (Dormition) – Note large solea, one step. Again, one step to the altar. Red drapes for deacons’ doors, as well as beautiful gate with Cross appliqués (large one on center). Shrine on left with precious ikon of the Theotokos (north); thronos on right (south), as usual. Then stasidia all along the wall, down both north and south sides. Then, whole nave is chaired-up with aisles in a cruciform-manner.
The vesperal entrance is made by passing down the north aisle, then across the central division, and up the center aisle.
On order of Vespers as performed by the theological students:
-read “O come let us worship…” at all times (unlike our American custom deriving from the Russian Orthodox)
-read stichera (vesperal) but chant stichoi
-simple chant ????, if split, otherwise, full chant. Of course, ??? ??? is always chanted.
-Aposticha: same manner as vesperal. Same kind of issues apply to Orthros.
Tues, opening of Conference (academic). My presentation was the first specialized one, after the two opening general orientation presentations by H.E. BASILIOS and Archm Isaac Barakat. Unfortunately, time allowed me to present only the first half of my paper, which comprised the technical material, so that the material on theology could not be presented. Unfortunately my oral presentation was badly translated into Arabic, as I was told afterward by numerous folks. I felt that few of the students grasped my main points, as the question and answer session afterwards demonstrated. However, I have the hope that the whole paper with complete notes, will present my argument clearly in the book to come out from this conference.
I made acquaintance with many new folks here from abroad: two from Romania, two from Greece, one from Paris, France, one from Germany (Marburg), one from Toronto, Canada, several from Damascus and of course from Balamand itself.
I held a conversation with Fr. Dimitri Bathrellos from Athens, regarding possible doctoral work in Greece. It seems now obvious that I must do this in Thessaloniki, due to its proximity to the Holy Mountain, as my area of interest would demand this. I look forward to this endeavour, since Bp JOSEPH heartily blesses it. Now, we find a way to make this work with my parish for the good of all.
Wed, Dec 2: Conference day #2
Good presentations on theology, iconology & Mariology. Their Eminences, GEORGES, BASILIOS, EPHREM were present today. Metr. EPHREM in his question raised the issue of sources for Mariology: apocrypha and/or experience. Ambassador of Romania to Lebanon: his question, In the “new” Orthodox church of Romania are there any ikons which present doctrine? Early 90s, +DANIEL began reconstruction. – “No one village without a church and no church without a priest” Frequent outside liturgy-celebration, in a sermon “now make walls & roofs for the divine Liturgy” The ikon is a “vestment” for the liturgy. I think the festal and doctrinal cycles of ikons does present doctrine; C. Cavarnos’ work must be more widely diffused (see his “Guide to Byzantine Iconography”).
After the morning lectures, as a group we took lunch – good interaction with Fr. Dimitri & Dr. Christos Arambatzis (of Univ. Thess.) concerning the possibility of pursuing doctoral studies @ Univ. Thess.
Thurs, Dec 3: Conference day #3
Fr. Melhem Mourani (Mt Lebanon) wrote an article about Akathist in the light that the evangelicals claimed that it is not biblical. It seems that Fr Peter Gillquist created a bit of a scandal when he made this assertion here some years past.
Fr Mourani’s parish is near the (patriarchal) Monastery of St Elias Shwayya. He is a member of Metr. GEORGES’ diocesan authority; he showed me one proof against the claimed healing power of the relics in Bteghrine. – So, we must not easily believe every claim presented; this greatly encouraged me, since I found a rather widespread willingness uncritically to believe whatever claims were made. I am glad for this testing.
During the morning session break I spoke with a priest, Fr Salem, from the area of Tyre. He spoke of the “lack of love” in the Protestant evangelicals who have moved in there. They show no concern for the people who live there due to their zeal for Zionism.
Session today included one on beginning of Christian-Muslim dialogue. Main point of Fr. George Massouh, “John knew Islam very well” – it’s important to be well informed. The end of Massouh’s lecture was, however, patently ridiculous. He asserted that Christians and Muslims get along just fine. It seems that the older generation all possess a true dhimmi- mentality. They are willing to bend over backward and to cover their eyes and ears against anything negative to Islam. Just what faith are they standing for anyway?
Also, I must confess to be disappointed by the kowtowing to German rationalist “theology.” During another break in the presentations, one professor Nicholas Mrad, actually rejects the biblical doctrine that the human soul remains conscious after the death of the body. I was astounded. He actually believes that when one dies, there is nothing more!
I rejected all this when I became Orthodox. Now here are several teachers of it—right here in Balamand! Does the Patriarch know about this? Does he approve? Upon my return home, when I mentioned this to Fr Michel Najim, he expressed his agreement with me over the problem. He told me that I should have mentioned it to the patriarch, since His Beatitude has expressed in the past his disappointment with the importation of these rationalist ideas, “we do not have an Orthodox, but rather a Protestant theological school at Balamand.” Fr Michel said I should compose a letter with my comments about this to the patriarch, since I was well-trained in this school of thought and know it inside and out. Does Bp JOSEPH bless me to do this?
There is some great need to find a useful link between the monastery-parish-academy—in that order of hierarchy. In this way, there can be a close interplay between the noetic and the rational, but in the proper order.
Dec 2, Thurs eve: Great Vespers for the feast of the Damascene with litia & artoklasia. Metr EPHREM presided, five priests (including me) concelebrated. Metr. EPHREM is very peaceful; he infuses the altar with peace, even from the thronos. The church was packed out. Many folks had celebrated St Barbara the day earlier in order to come. It turns out that the celebration of St Barbara is far more popularly observed, even though we know very little of the virgin-martyr. Perhaps the idea of pure virgin offered to Christ, even by her own father, presents a captivating vision. There is virtually nothing at the site of her church remaining in Ba’albek, whereas we know a great deal about the Damascene, and his writings and compositions are worthy and enormous.
Fri, Dec 4, Feast of St John of Damascus at Balamand
Day started with awaiting the arrival of Sayidna EPHREM in the monastery courtyard. Upon receiving him, we took 5 minutes in the salon, where I was seated by him (somewhat surprising as I drew back – but I was pushed forward once again). Sayidna and I spoke briefly, in English, about the problem of both the great saints, St John of D. & St. Barbara being commemorated on the same day. He said, “Yes, this needs examination…”
Then we entered the monastery temple for Orthros & Liturgy. The Monastery vested us visiting priests with green ????? with a field of very large block crosses (very traditional). Very large choir from Homs was present to serve as 2nd choir – they are to provide a special Byzantine music concert later in the day, which proved to be very disciplined and possessed with a uniform and clean sound, albeit with a few exceptions, the soloists voices were too soft for the location and could not be easily heard.
Back to the liturgy which was held in six languages: Arabic, Greek, Slavonic, French, English (Metr. EPHREM & me!), and Romanian (the 2 priests from Bucharest). In the homily, Sayidna spoke about the saint of the day, but very briefly; chiefly over the theme of the necessary linking of faith and knowledge.
Fr. Gebran Laty (brother of Fr. John Laty) works in the Institute – and has been here since Fr. Michel Najim’s tenure as dean, conveys greetings. Upon reflection, now as I am editing my journal notes, I enjoyed Fr John Laty’s paper on the organization of the Byzantine modes quite a bit. However, I thought his assertion that “chromaticization was imposed later, due to rise of emotionalism” to be gratuitous. What evidence does he give for this? It is all very subjective. However, his analysis of the relation of the chief modes with their plagal counterparts is very helpful.
Sat, Dec 5, Damascus, Patriarchate, Seydnaya
Early arising for lengthy trip to Damascus. I travel without Kh. Christina as she took ill and decided to remain at Balamand for rest and recovery.
Arrival in Damascus @ 9:30am. Note: “organized chaos” are my best words to describe the traffic of cars and pedestrians.
Check into Mar Gregorios (Orthodox) hostel and immediately off to the Patriarchate. Raja’ (Mss expert on restoration) traveled with us and acted as guide. We met H.G. Ghassan, Patriarchal Vicar, who showed us hospitality in his office and discussed with me our project on the Typikon. Then he said that I “will draw my conclusions” from H.B. IGNATIUS himself. After a bit more visitation, we walked about the patriarchal residence and offices, including Maryamiya Church (Patriarchal).
Then, His Beatitude, IGNATIUS IV invited me for an audience. Sayidna received me with hospitality – he extended his ever-listening ear. Raja’ and Doris were with me. He opened the interview by asking about the “situation in America.” I received the distinct impression that His Beatitude continues to be very concerned about that weakness of connection between the patriarchate and the North American archdiocese. “These affairs are now in Metr. PHILIP’s hands; I hope he chooses the courses of action which will provide and maintain a close link between us.”
Sayidna emphasized the need for unity throughout the church as we (Fr. Michel and I) work on our Typikon Project. This assertion came on my request for any possible existing special distinctives in the Antiochian ordo of the Typikon. The reality is that the Antiochian Church possesses nothing other than the 1888 ??????? ??? ??????? ????????? (???), translated into Arabic.
Our work must deal with this, keeping in mind the needs of the whole church, not just Antioch, according to His Beatitude. He is greatly concerned with the issue of unity.
Upon my request for advice about what church to go to, “You can go where you like!”
We then took photos and his blessing.
Then, off to the souk “on the street called Straight” (still in existence from biblical times). Stopped to buy vestment material: Paschal & Blue. The experience of shopping for the fabric was worth as much as the material itself. Turns out that Bp JOSEPH & Fr. Michel both had purchased fabric there. I bought a genuine Damask tablecloth, and another embroidered one. Weighed down with purchases, we continued our trip on foot through the souk, to St Hananiah church (now RC).
Hananiah Church (where Paul was baptized) is 40 KM (acc. to Fr. Youhanna Ferezli, former dentist, who lives near by) from the spot where St. Paul was converted (fell off his horse) and there is a monastery there, built by the ROC, albeit without monks. Locals worship there and the monastery is served by 4 priests, on rotation.
-After brief photo tour at Hananiah Church, on my way out some Japanese tourist/pilgrims insisted on a picture with me – perhaps they thought I was a relic!
Then, return to driver and journey out of the city to Seydnaya (a deer hunter from Damascus out there after a deer; the hunter saw the ikon of the Mother of God there and built St. Mary’s house. At Seydnaya, there are three Orthodox Monasteries: Of Mary (women) which I saw from the patio in front of St. George – it presented a beautiful aspect across the valley of the village (which is quite ugly). As we arrived there, Doris met her friends from Homs and their presence with me at St. George for the purpose of English translation was indispensable. From my conversation with Fr Youhanna (Atellah) the abbot of St George and Cherubim monasteries, “one family” as he calls them, that the Antiochene Church has the Violakis Typikon (in Arabic translation) throughout. There are no variations anywhere. Fr. Youhanna invited me to serve Vespers (for St. Nicholas) in the monastery church. I gladly assented. For the first time, I sensed the Arabic endings to certain portions of the service better.
Then, upon my request, and after a few pictures I took rest with a nap at the monastery and Doris and her friends departed. I had no time left to visit St. Mary’s monastery, and the 3rd one, Cherubim. Also, Ma`loula must await a future visit, God granting it. Vespers was sweet. 7 monks and a handful of layfolk from the town shared the prayer in honour of the resurrection and of St Nicholas. After Vespers trapeza with the monks and departure to Damascus.
Sun Dec 6, Damascus, Holy Cross Church, Al-Hamadiya
Awoke at my room (St. Gregorios home for the aged) and immediately walked over to the grand church of the Holy Cross (Assalib m’quddus). I learned that Orthros was to begin at 8, followed by liturgy. I arrived at 7:30, to discover the right half of the nave full and the Liturgy already in process, as far as the Trisagion Hymn! Turns out there are 3 liturgies (on each of 3 altars, of course). Fr. John Ferezli was serving. So, I stood by. After that, I received the Episcopal blessing and vested. The main liturgy was served by Bp. GHATTAS, with 4 priests (I was 2nd). After the liturgy and a brief conversation with His Grace, I spoke with Fr. Youhanna briefly and agreed to take him with us to Balamand.
I went back to St. Gregorios for breakfast with Doris. Then, to Al-Hamadiya souk where I shopped with Doris – Christina would have loved it. Interesting souk, typical oriental “rabbit warren” of markets. The far end of the souk contained the ancient Roman ruins which marked the heart of old Damascus: the ancient Cathedral of Damascus which had been seized by the Muslins and is now a mosque to this day. Therein are the bodily remains and shrine of John the Baptist which endures to this day (Christians are allowed in, but cannot pray there). No inspiration for shopping at all.
At 2PM: we met our driver and Fr. Youhanna and began our journey back to Balamand. Border crossing is complex: there is a frontier-zone of about a mile with the two borders at which each much passing of paper occurs. It cost me $55 to get OUT of Syria! The baksheesh-system lives on from the era of the Turkokratia.
Fr. Youhanna confirmed with me that the bishops in Damascus are little different than some of our own. These seem, with some exceptions, to be unclear about the Church’s raison d’etre – “cut down services” (Fr. Youhanna was refused when he requested a blessing to serve weekday services at Holy Cross), cut off beards, relegation of monasticism to irrelevance or, at best, to “religious curiosity.” Do they view the Church as merely a religious social service agency?
I was very pleased with Fr. Youhanna’s love for Christ and His Church. His comments made me very glad to have the bishop I have, Sayidna JOSEPH has never persecuted me for being who I am, thank God.
Sun Dec 6 – drive back from Damascus to Balamand with Fr. John Ferezli who shared his story with me. He gave up his dental practice in Syria to become a priest.
Upon arrival at Balamand, (Vespers just concluded) I embraced the students and after dinner, I spoke briefly with them about the spiritual life, especially that Jesus so often said, “Do not be afraid!”, and how that fear is what cripples the spiritual life. I had each approach and blessed each one and gave out a piece of Turkish Delight to each student, with an embrace.
I spoke more at length with the student Philip Sava from Australia. He has a good and clearly loves the Church.
We began packing. Then Dr. Fadi Georgi came and reminisced about Elder Paisios. He had three encounters with the elder at Mt. Athos where he went (1991) (the first encounter) to find peace during a very difficult time in his life. The elder blessed him (he waited till the very last) – he laid his hand on his head and tussled his hair while voicing “eeeehhhh!” Afterward, Fadi left “a completely changed person.” He is sure the elder spiritually washed way all the inner pain and depression.
Fadi, Christina and I continued our conversation. He elicited from me my thoughts about Balamand (a curious mix of German nationalism, and Orthodox piety – with the German nationalism dominant. He heartily agreed and then he admitted that this fact was a great burden to him. Fr Youhanna Yazigi was dean there, before G. Nahas took over. So, now the school of Theology is in the hands of a secular educator. Fadi expressed his wish that a priest serve as dean – someone with spiritual as well as academic qualifications.
It seems that Antioch is ruled by a man who was formed more from academic and philosophical approaches instead of monastic. So, the problem of secularism is far advanced. Despite this, and the doctrine to the contrary, the monastics are reasserting themselves. This is clearly due to the Athonite elders (especially elder Sophrony from Essex, Metr HIEROTHEOS (Vlachos), and the elders Porphyrios and Paisios. And now there is a holy man on the throne of Tripoli. ‘Tis a wonderment!
I am greatly encouraged and come home to share the blessing.
Monday, Dec 7, long journey home.
Reply