Back From Cyprus

Feb 10, 2009 by Fr Luke Palumbis

Back from Cyprus, and what an experience!  Father Chris and I were blessed to receive the hospitality from Kykkos Monastery, which is beautifully situated in the mountains of Cyprus—providing an environment of solace and prayer (between visitors hours).  As you can see in the pictures, even the hallways outdoors are covered in magnificent iconography—telling the stories of the life of Christ, Creation, history of the Monastery, and much, much more!  In addition to Kykkos, we were able to visit other historic Churches and monasteries such as: Monastery of St Neophytos, Monastery of St Nikolas, Monastery of Stavrovouni, and the Church of St Lazarus.  In addition to these sites, we were blessed to visit the Metokion of Kykkos Monstery located in the town of Nikocia.  At this beautiful Monastery, we venerated iconography which is beyond words—mosaics with pieces no larger than a millimeter squared!  ...and at this beautiful pilgrimage site, they even have a zoo!

As blessed of an experience as the Cyprus visit was, it was equally depressing when we saw the wall that separates Cyprus from the 1/3 that is still under Turkish occupation!  How embarrassing it is that the only two countries that do not recognize this as an occupation are Turkey, and our own United States of America.  Let us all pray that God will continue to provide strength to the Cypriot people as they struggle one day liberate themselves from the continued experience of Turkish/Muslim oppression that the Hellenic world has felt for so many centuries!

While traveling through Cyprus to the various monasteries, a climax was experienced!  A humble and loving monk from the island of Cyprus gifted the community of Saint Basil, through our Metropolitan Gerasimos, a Holy Relic of our Patron and Intercessor Saint Basil the Great!  I was, and am, completely awe-inspired to carry in my unworthy hands the bone of this most holy Saint of Christ’s Church. Imagine that what I hold in my hands now, and what will bless the Church of Saint Basil in Stockton, is the same Saint who was a brilliant scholar, the same Saint who defended Christianity against the heresies of the 4th Century, the same Saint who organized communal monasticism, the same Saint who organized liturgical services, the same Saint developed ageless theology, etc…—the same Saint that prays for us on a daily basis!!!

I continue to be humbled as I now prepare to bring this Holy Relic back to America, California, and the Church of Saint Basil.

God bless you , and I will see you in a few days…

+Father Luke