Emmaus – the place of manifestation

Together with the Franciscan Friars, some parishioners of San Salvatore (Jerusalem), Sisters of different Congregations present here in Jerusalem, and a small group of pilgrims, we went to Emmaus (Al-Qubeibeh) to celebrate the feast of St Simeon and St Cleopas, Martyrs. It was a significant experience to this minute Christian community (apart from the Franciscan Friars and a community of nuns, there is only one Christian family living here), especially now that Pilgrims are no longer allowed to visit this place after Israel closed all access to some Palestinian areas.

A word about the place: according to the Gospel of St Luke (24,13-35) on the day of his resurrection, Jesus accompanied two of his disciples on their way to Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. Some ancient manuscripts of the Gospel of Luke say sixty stadia, meaning more or less eleven kilometers. Other manuscripts read instead a hundred and sixty stadia, which would make the distance some twenty-nine kilometers and a half. If we accepted this other version it would make it somewhat difficult for the two disciples to walk from and to Jerusalem in one day, as the Gospel account tells us they did. This said, it must be said that in different periods various places have claimed to be the real Emmaus of the Gospel. Al-Qubeibeh has a tradition which is 700 centuries long and sustained by the Franciscans.

A word about the Saints: The Gospel mentions Cleopas only. The other companion is not mentioned by name. We have a number of traditions. Some would claim that Cleopas is the father of the companion who is given the name of Simeon (Origen refers to him by this name). Simeon was the second bishop of the Church of Jerusalem after James, the first bishop. Both Cleopas and Simeon died as martyrs.  Again, Fr. Cornelius a’ Lapide SJ (a 17^th century biblical commentator) mentions another interesting possibility, based on some patristic sources: “This Cleopas was the brother of S. Joseph (the husband of the Blessed Virgin), the father of S. James the less, and S. Jude, and the grandfather of S. James the greater and S. John, who were the sons of Salome, the daughter of Cleopas.” This would make them relatives of Jesus. Their feast is held on the 25^th September. If someone would like to read more, see http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/41450 (link is in Italian).

Today, Al-Qubeibeh is enclosed within the Palestinian Territories and in order to enter we had to go through a checkpoint. It took us a whole hour to be granted permission to enter … and we had the necessary permits from the Ministry of Interior Affairs of the State of Israel. I really empathized with what a simple Palestinian trying to enter would have to pass through. Reaching this place we did see the Wall erected by the Israelis along all the Palestinian territories to protect themselves. How shameful it is to have to experience again this wall of division in our world! My prayer is that people may come together, may respect each other and may build our world on the values of justice, truth and peace! Here, this seems so far from being reached! May your Kingdom come, Lord.

I would like to conclude my blog today by this beautiful prayer which was said at the end of the Prayers of the Faithful: “Lord Jesus Christ, that you came here accompanying St Simeon and St Cleopas on their way, that here they recognized you by your Word and by your Bread, grant us that we may feel our hearts burning within us in recognizing you in the many forms of presence that you have chosen to remain among us. You, who live and reign for ever and ever. Amen”.

A final note: just some minutes ago a thunderstorm has passed over Jerusalem. Many thunders, some rain, but now it’s all quite again!

Altar Piece of the Church in Emmaus

One of the Stained Glass Windows depicting the story related in Luke 24.
Here, the moment they recognized Jesus in the breaking of bread.

The wall dividing Israel from the Palestinian Territories.

Back from the Retreat

Here I am, back to communicating with you after these few days of repose! As I said in my last blog I went to Mt Tabor for my retreat. What a place to be! It is the place where Jesus prayed; where he was transfigured; where Moses and Elijah appeared in glory; where the voice of the Father was heard; where Peter, James and John wanted to build three tents; where Jesus was shown as the Promised One and where he foretold to his disciples how he was to save us: through his passion, death and resurrection.

I was staying in the Convent of the Franciscans. It is a very old, renovated convent. There are two religious: the Guardian is a Polish Priest and a Colombian Friar. Both of them are extremely generous and helpful. Meals were prepared by a group of men, called Mondo X. They are there on a rehabilitation program from various dependencies. It is a program founded by an Italian Franciscan. That is the connection with Mt Tabor. If you plan to go on a diet, it’s not the right place to be! During the day, especially in the mornings, there are many groups of visitors and pilgrims. So the place tends to be a little bit noisy. Apart from this, it is truly heavenly.

The place is very well kept by the young people of Mondo X. They do the cleaning, the gardening and landscaping. I’ve been told that since they are there the place has received a needed facelift.

The Church is very beautiful and it was my preferred place for prayer. Praying on that same place where Jesus prayed and was transfigured … meditating on the transformation that God is calling us to, to become more and more like Jesus … contemplating the beautiful mosaic on the apse of the Basilica showing the Transfiguration of the Lord … all this made of this experience a very meaningful one.

I believe that this experience still needs to unwrap itself. I am praying that I will remain open to receive whatever the Lord wants to say to me and let the Holy Spirit lead me in the paths of the Lord. That was my constant prayer during these past days of retreat. In fact one particular thing that Cardinal Martini insists upon in his book La Trasformazione di Cristo e del Cristiano alla Luce del Tabor (I was following the reflections of this book for my retreat) is this aspect of receiving. He says that, first and foremost, we need to learn to receive the gift that Jesus makes of himself to us. To let ourselves be loved by him. I need to let myself be saved, to be purified by Jesus, to let him do everything and I receive his life with gratitude. I think that this should be the nucleus of our journey of faith. We have insisted too much, perhaps, on our doing! Obviously, we need to collaborate but HE is THE Saviour.

One final note for those of you who know Mt Tabor (588 m). We walked up the mountain and, again, we walked down the mountain. The second endeavour proved less tiring than the first!

Mount Tabor dominates upon the Jezreel valley.
It lies between Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee.

The Basilica of the Transfiguration by night

The inside of the Basilica of the Transfiguration

The beautiful mosaic of the Transfiguration in the apse of the Basilica on Mt Tabor

Retreat Time

Tomorrow, Sunday, I will be travelling to Mt Tabor (588m) to the Franciscan Convent over there to begin my week-long retreat. I will start Sunday evening and ending sometime Saturday morning. As a help for my reflections on the Word of God, I will be using the book by the late Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, La Trasformazione di Cristo e del Cristiano alla Luce del Tabor. Esercizi Spirituali (Transformation of Christ and of the Christian in the light of the Tabor. Spiritual Exercises). I am sure that the natural environment will be a further help for my reflections. I hope it won’t be too hot! I kindly ask you to accompany me with your prayers that I may be fully open to the work of the Holy Spirit. Many thanks.

Today I went to the Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall. This wall was a retaining wall supporting the outer portion of the Temple Mount, upon which stood the Second Temple. When the Jews returned, they began praying at this exposed wall; according to rabbinical texts, the Shechina (divine presence) never deserted the wall. It is thus regarded as the most holy of all Jewish sites.

For me it was an amazing experience. I spent about an hour there praying some Psalms and reading some of the prayers the Jews said. I went also into the passage which runs under Wilson’s Arch where there is an available library of prayer books, mostly in Hebrew, but I did find a couple of books which were bilingual. I read a couple of introductions of these books which spoke of prayer. Amazing! I was really delighted to have had this time to pray and reflect with our “elder brothers”, as Blessed John XXIII called the Jews. Their movements, their singing, their wailing really caught my attention and invited me to “lift up my spirit” to the Lord. There was one particular moment where a group of men began chanting a very uplifting tune; and another moment when a man began wailing loud, catching the attention of all around.

Just one note from the introductions that struck my heart and which I never had reflected upon before. In Psalm 109,4 the Psalmist (David) identifies himself to prayer. The Hebrew says: ’ani tefillah: I prayer. There is, as it were, an identification between the one who prays and prayer. Translators struggle to translate this. These are some examples: KJV For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer. NAS In return for my love they act as my accusers; But I am in prayer. NIV  In return for my friendship they accuse me, but I am a man of prayer. NRS In return for my love they accuse me, even while I make prayer for them. For me it was something like what is said of t Francis and of St Dominic and other saints: they were so much caught in their relationship with the Lord that they became their prayer.

I prayed for peace, for mutual understanding, for tolerance, for communion among peoples. How much we need all this! I remembered Blessed John Paul II, frail as he was, approaching the Wall and placing a prayer card in a crack of the big stones. The same did Pope Benedict XVI when he visited the same place. This is his prayer on May 12, 2009:

God of all the ages,

on my visit to Jerusalem, the “City of Peace”,

spiritual home to Jews, Christians and Muslims alike,

I bring before you the joys, the hopes and the aspirations,

the trials, the suffering and the pain of all your people throughout the world.

God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,

hear the cry of the afflicted, the fearful, the bereft;

send your peace upon this Holy Land, upon the Middle East,

upon the entire human family;

stir the hearts of all who call upon your name,

to walk humbly in the path of justice and compassion.

“The Lord is good to those who wait for him,

to the soul that seeks him” (Lam 3:25)!

Respecting the Jewish rules I did not take any pictures of the Western Wall today, which was their Sabbath.

In the evening I attended a beautiful concert held on the Mount of Olives, the Gethsemane. Beautiful on different levels: one I had a most fantastic view of the Old City of Jerusalem, especially at sunset; I discovered that the Franciscans have created a small hermitage site over here, right where Jesus made one of his most intense moments of prayer; and the beautiful music I heard. This concert was called “Eucharistic Symphony”. It was based on Church music coming from twelve Christian denominations present here in Jerusalem. On the basis of these liturgical pieces, Padre Armando Pierucci ofm composed some suggestive music for baritone soloist, mixed choir with four voices, flute and string orchestra. The Duni Orchestra and Choir of the Conservatory of Music of Matera, Italy, sang the polyphonic pieces while the liturgical pieces were sung by priests, lay persons as well as two Archbishops: the Greek Melkite Catholic Archbishop and Syrian Orthodox Archbishop.

Even during the concert itself we could hear the Muezzin singing at sunset, the bells of the Holy Sepulcher peeling and horns from the main road beneath the Gethsemane Garden honking! It was truly a representation of Jerusalem with a mingling of cultures, mentalities. Unfortunately, this living together is not always easy and it is marred by intolerance, violence, non-respect for the other, war. Coming down through St Stephen’s Gate, or Lion’s Gate, to the Gethsemane, I saw for the first time the shameful wall which has divided permanently (?!) the Israelites from the Palestinians … a new Iron Curtain! What a pitiful view! At the same time, roaming through the narrow (sometimes very narrow) streets of Jerusalem one could see men and women of different beliefs and cultures living side by side. May we recognize in each other God’s own creation!

“Peace be upon Israel” (Ps 128,6).

"Eucharistic Symphony": a Concert at the Gethsemane Garden

The Dome of the Rock at Sunset from the Garden of Gethsemane

In Jerusalem

Psalm 128,5: “The Lord bless you from Zion! May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life”. Here am I in this holy city. Today was quite special for me in the sense that I visited the Church of the Holy Sepulcher twice and went up the Golgotha three times. Why? The first time was this morning: it was in my heart that the first thing I wanted to do in Jerusalem was to visit this most sacred of places where the Son of God made man gave himself for us, entered into our death and, on the third day, he rose from the death, giving life to all who believe in him. It was a very special moment. There were so many people (pilgrims and tourists) but I still manage to find a space for myself to pray. I thanked the Lord for his love for me. St Paul in his letter to the Galatians has that very beautiful expression: “I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (2,20). The song Take control came to my mind which I sang in the silence of my heart:

My heart, my mind, my body, my soul

I give to you, take control

I give you my body, a living sacrifice

Lord, take control, take control.

Then I visited the other places within the Church itself associated to the Passion, death and resurrection of Jesus.

In the afternoon I followed the Way of the Cross through the narrow and crowded streets of the Old City of Jerusalem. It was very hard to follow as there are so many different distractions. However, at the same time you see people who are trying to pray, people who just do not bother with what is happening, people who might be somehow directly against what is happening for reasons of their own. There was also one shopkeeper who was trying to sell water to those participating in the procession. (Yes, it was hot and humid!)

The procession ends in the Holy Sepulcher where the last Stations of the Cross are prayed. It was very suggestive to pray the Way of the Cross on those same places which Jesus trod, burdened by the cross: “He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows … he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities” (Isa 53,4.5). There we prayed and sang. It was so uplifting to be surrounded by so many people from around the world who came here to honor the Lord!

Once the Way of the Cross was over the Franciscans make another procession which is similar to the Way of the Cross. This time the procession goes round the different altars and spaces of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. This procession is done daily: this tradition comes down from very early on (Egeria – a pilgrim of the 4^th Century who left a very important diary of her pilgrimage speaks of this procession). It helps the pilgrims to be able to visit and pray in the sacred places associated with the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus, our Saviour. Some of the Latin songs which accompanied the various moments try to convey the message associated with the particular stop. For those interested to read more, you can go to: http://www.holysepulchre.custodia.org/default.asp?id=4149. The procession ends with a reflection on the Risen Jesus encountering his Mother and then the benediction with the Blessed Sacrament, the living Jesus giving himself for us today.

A final note: at the end of the procession, an Italian woman came up to me and asked me whether I was from Malta and whether I was called Nicola, to which I answered ‘yes’, obviously. Right at that moment I recognized her as the mother of two dear friends of mine whose wedding I celebrated some 15 to 20 years ago. The world is so small! It was certainly a very pleasant surprise.

A shot of the Holy Sepulcher and the Golden Dome
from the Terrace of Sal Salvatore where I am hosted by the Franciscans.

People venerating the place where Jesus died on the Cross.

A crowd of pilgrims and passers-by attending the Way of the Cross.

The Last Day in Turkey

This was our last day here in Turkey, and thus, it is also my last blog from this country of beauty, historical richness, and great contrasts! For me, this journey was a huge grace wherein I began to appreciate more what Asia Minor means to the world and to our Christian heritage, in particular. Something which Padre Granella said in yesterday’s mass struck a chord in my heart: these stones speak! And they do, because they are witnesses to so much history. What one needs to do is immerse oneself in their history and experience the power they project.

Today I could say that reading the Acts of the Apostles, the Letters of Paul and the Book of Revelation will never be the same again. The images received, the experience made of these places will make these pages come to life. At the same time, I should say that the remembrance will not be without a certain sorrow, when I remember how these vivid communities are reduced to a few hundred people and how the Christian remains of Churches and monasteries are left to deteriorate as if they do not make part of Turkish heritage.

Still, this situation is not without its silver lining: the great work the Franciscan Capuchins are doing here and the presence for reasons of rest or more of comfort of a number of Irish and Germans in this part of the land. Yesterday, Fr Granella told us that quite a number of people, especially retired persons, come here during the winter months. Most of these are Catholic. My prayer is that the Lord may once again show his glory through these persons. As Prof Manns once told us during this trip: the river is moving forward silently underground; you would never know where it will come out to light! We need to wait (and pray) patiently, while giving all our support to the work being done by the Capuchins, even by visiting these places.

Today, we visited Priene and Didyma, which are not mentioned in the Bible although we may assume that Christians in the early Church have had some form of contact with them. There are remains in both cities of churches coming from the third centuries. The layout of Priene was arranged in completely regular grids according to the Hippodamian approach to city planning (much like Valletta, although our capital city of a much later date). Of particular interest here is the Temple of Athena (4^th Century BC). Several columns of this Temple are still standing. In this city, there is archaeological evidence that Alexander the Great lived here, at least for some time.

Didyma (twin) is so named because of its famous shrine dedicated to Apollo, the twin to the goddess Artemis. This is a spectacular temple which includes a cell in the inner sanctuary where people used to come to consult the oracle of the gods. As a matter of fact, this shrine was a notable rival of the famous Temple of Apollo at Delphi, in Greece. The same type of oracular prophecies brought thousands of pilgrims to Didyma to find answers to their future. Human nature remains the same through the ages!

In between these two cities we visited Miletus, which was one of the great cities of commerce of the ancient world. It had a number of harbours and enjoyed a strategic location on the west coast of Asia Minor. By time it lost its importance. St Paul visited Miletus at the conclusion of his third missionary journey. At that time, the city had a Temple dedicated to Athena, a Sanctuary of Apollo, large market areas, or Agora (the South Market was known to have been the largest market in the ancient Greek world). A huge theatre could still be admired in its majesty and pomposity.

Paul came to Miletus instead of going to Ephesus, where he had spent quite a long time earlier on. Why? In Ephesus, as we have seen the previous days, Paul encountered quite a fierce opposition from the craftsmen for taking away by his preaching the Gospel a lot of commerce and, as a result their wealth. So Paul remained in Miletus and called the presbyters of Ephesus to come meet him here. It might be that Paul met these presbyters in the synagogue, very close to the harbor of the Bay of Lions. In Acts 20,17-35 we find the farewell speech he delivers to them. It is an amazing speech with many biographical notes which correspond very well to the different autobiographical notes we find in his letters. In the central verses of this speech Paul exhorts the presbyters to take good care of the flock the Lord has entrusted to their care because this flock was purchased by the blood of his own Son.

Here, my story in Turkey ends, although its effect will continue in the coming years! As from tomorrow evening my adventure in the other Holy Land begins … Israel and Jerusalem in particular. I intend to continue updating this blog, although not necessarily on a daily basis. Obviously, all this depends on the kind of internet connection I will have. So, until we meet in Jerusalem … these coming days! God bless you all from Turkey.

Some standing columns of the Temple of Athena in Priene

The Theatre in Miletus

A shot of the Temple of Apollo in Didyma

In Mary’s House

Today was a half-day’s work for some of us! Because while the others were doing their exam (let’s not forget that this was an academic course organized by the Pontifical Gregorian University in collaboration with the Studi Francescani Biblici), we were enjoying ourselves and relaxing! Let’s not forget what the Latin people used to say: Mens sana in corpore sano – A healthy mind in a healthy body!

In the afternoon, we went back to Ephesus to visit some other very important places, especially for us Christians. First, we visited the remains of the Basilica dedicated to St John the Apostle. We should not forget that the Beloved Disciple came here for the last years of his life, before going over to the nearby island of Patmos. The Basilica was built in the fourth century on the place where St John was buried. The tomb is still very much visible and quite intact. It was a special moment for us to venerate the tomb of one of the apostles. We prayed the Lord that he could grant each one of us that personal intimacy with him that John had and that we remain faithful to him unto the end.

We know of few tombs of the apostles: Peter and Paul in Rome, James in Santiago of Compostella (although the tradition here begins only in the Middle Ages), and St Philip in the Hierapolis – again, if the discovery made by the University of Lecce last year is confirmed.

Then we went to visit the Museum of the city of Ephesus where a number of statues and sculptures found in the excavations of the Old City of Ephesus are displayed. Here we could the great talent of the Romans who adorned the facades of their main buildings with such great work of art. Among the exhibits one could also admire some big statues of the goddess Artemides.

From here we moved by coach on the hill where the house of Mary is said to be found. I am not entering into the historical merits of this; however, let’s not forget what John said of the Beloved Disciple after the Crucified Jesus told him: “Behold, you mother!” – “And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home” (John 19,27). So, it is quite probable that Mary came to Ephesus together with John, the apostle. Something I learnt today was that the present house was found after some nuns in Smyrna read the account of the visions of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, the Augustinian nun and mystic who lived in the 19^th century. Speaking to some Friars, they came to Ephesus to check whether the details given in the vision were true. When they were almost completely discouraged, they went to ask for some water from some peasants on the hill. These indicated to them to go to “the monastery” to fetch water from there. Eventually, that was the place where they found some remains which corresponded in full to the indications of the vision. Today this placed is called Meryemana. There is a big statue of Mary going up the hill. There was also quite a heavy presence of the Turkish military. I was told that their presence was to avoid any attack on Christians by some fundamentalistic Muslims. This would become an unwelcome story for Turkey!

It was an emotional moment, first praying in this place where Mary passed the last years of her life and where she was assumed into heaven, body and soul. I took the occasion to re-consecrate myself to God, the Divine Wisdom, through Mary, his chosen one to be the beloved mother of his Son. Then we had Mass there, presided over by Fr Oriano Granella ofm cap., who is now the Curator (Superior) of the Capuchin Mission here in Turkey. We were told that Fr Granella was the mastermind for the revival of some Christian related sites in Turkey. Among these we could mention the Church of St Paul in Tarsus which previously was used as a deposit for war arsenal.

He encouraged us to let the stones (archaeological remains) speak! They are historical signs of a Christian presence and life and worship in these places. He invited us also to organize pilgrimages to these sacred places. Turkey, he claimed, is part of the Holy Land because here so many Christians of the early Church lived and gave their lives for the Lord. It is such a privilege to be here and to be able to pray on this sacred ground.

The Tomb of St John, the Beloved Disciple of Jesus in Ephesus

The House of Mary -- Meryemana -- in Ephesus

Padre Oriano Granella ofm cap., the Curator of the Capuchins here in Turkey

Ephesus

In the morning we had our last session of lectures: Prof. Frederic Manns spoke to us about the interpretation of the story of the Wedding at Cana in the Gospel of John (2,1-11) in the light of the Judaic Traditions. Prof. Giovanni Uggeri and Prof. Stella Patitucci continued their explanation of society in classic times. Following that, Prof. Brodeur helped us evaluate this pilgrimage in Turkey.

In the afternoon we began our visit to Ephesus, which is today known as Selçuk. The remains of the old city are certainly very remarkable. This city was one of the most populated cities in the East after Alexandria and Antioch on the Orontes River. Its harbor was also one of the most important in the East.

Ephesus is also connected with the cult of Artemides, the Ephesian goddess of fertility and life. The temple dedicated to her, the Artemision, was considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Many used come to visit this Temple, especially during a number of festivities occurring throughout the year.

Paul came to Ephesus towards 54 A.D., remaining here for a number of months. When he came he found a group of disciples of John the Baptist who believed in the Gospel without much difficulty (Acts 19,1-7). Although Paul begins his work of proclaiming the Gospel with the Jews, once they begin to become stubborn “he withdrew from them, taking the disciples with him, and argued daily in the hall of Tyrannus” (v. 9). According to one of the manuscripts of the Acts of the Apostles (Bezae), Paul used to be here between the fifth and the tenth hour, meaning from 11.00 am till 4.00 pm.

The prestige of the Apostle grew enormously in a way that somehow it interfered with the commerce of the craftsmen of the city, whose income depended so much on the Temple of Artemides. As a matter of fact, there erupted a revolt of these craftsmen against Paul. See Acts 19,23-41 for a vivid description of what happened. We read all this within the Theatre, where an important part of this revolt took place. The Ephesus Theatre is the biggest within the Roman Empire with a capacity of 24,000 people.

From here Paul wrote a number of letters, such as the Letter to the Philippians, the first Letter to the Corinthians and, most probably, the Letter to the Galatians. Paul has also written a letter to this Christian community, although some important ancient manuscripts skip Ephesus from the heading of the Letter.

Ephesus, as I said in yesterday’s blog, is also connected to John, the Apostle. The Hellenistic environment of the city with its different particularities seems to serve as a great background for the Fourth Gospel as well as for the Letters of John.

The Book of Revelation dedicates the first letter to the seven Churches to the Church in Ephesus (2,1-7). Christians in this city are encouraged to rekindle their love for the Lord: “you have abandoned the love you had at first”. They are thus urged to “repent and do the works you did at first”.

St Ignatius of Antioch writes a letter to this community from the city of Smyrna, a few kilometers to the north. He refers to this Church as “blessed with grandiosity with the fullness of God the Father … worthy of being blessed”.

In 431, the Council of Ephesus, the third Ecumenical Council of the Church, was celebrated here in the Basilica built in honour of Our Lady, the Mother of God. This Council venerates Mary as the Theotokos, the Mother of God, or perhaps a better translation, the Bearer of God, in Latin Deipara. For me being here in the remains of this Church, the first one in the world dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Mother of God, was a very touching experience. There is a plaque which recalled Pope Paul VI praying here on July 26, 1967. It is interesting what the Servant of God Paul VI had to say that day: “The Almighty, in His mercy, has permitted us, at the beginning of the Year of Faith, to visit these places where the Fathers and Doctors of the Church were gathered to give witness to the fundamental truths of revelation made by God and His Son Jesus Christ.” This is providential; we are too at the beginning of the Year of Faith and we are called to give witness to the truth of salvation in the circumstances of our time.

I thank the Lord for the gift of this trip which is helping me appreciate these places where the faith of the first Christians grew and matured.

Before I end today’s entry, let me make reference also to a great Bishop, linked to the city of Smyrna, Polycarp. St Irenaeus says this of Polycarp in his Against the Heresies III,3,4: “Polycarp also was not only instructed by apostles, and conversed with many who had seen Christ, but was also, by apostles in Asia, appointed bishop of the Church in Smyrna, whom I also saw in my early youth, for he tarried [on earth] a very long time, and, when a very old man, gloriously and most nobly suffering martyrdom, departed this life, having always taught the things which he had learned from the apostles, and which the Church has handed down, and which alone are true.”

And from the Martyrdom of Polycarp I would like to quote here the prayer the Saint said in the midst of his suffering and self-offering: “O Lord God Almighty, the Father of Thy beloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ, through whom we have received the knowledge of Thee, the God of angels and powers and of all creation and of the whole race of the righteous, who live in Thy presence; I bless Thee for that Thou hast granted me this day and hour, that I might receive a portion amongst the number of martyrs in the cup of [Thy] Christ unto resurrection of eternal life, both of soul and of body, in the incorruptibility of the Holy Spirit. May I be received among these in Thy presence this day, as a rich and acceptable sacrifice, as Thou didst prepare and reveal it beforehand, and hast accomplished it, Thou that art the faithful and true God. For this cause, yea and for all things, I praise Thee, I bless Thee, I glorify Thee, through the eternal and heavenly High-priest, Jesus Christ, Thy beloved Son, through whom with Him and the Holy Spirit be glory both now [and ever] and for the ages to come. Amen.”

May we follow such an eminent example!

The majestic Theatre at Ephesus: the biggest in the Roman World

A detail from the ceiling of the portico of the Library in Ephesus

A general view of the Basilica of  Our Lady, the Mother of God, in Ephesus

In the Land of St John

Let me first correct something I said yesterday. The big altar in Pergamum was not dedicated to Apollo but to Zeus, the God of gods, the head of the Greek Pantheon. I apologize for this mistake. Today we had the occasion to visit the great Acropolis on the hill overlooking Pergamum, which today is known as Bergama.

The most prominent building in the Acropolis the Traianeum, or Temple of Trajan, a huge marble temple that has been partially reconstructed from ruins found on the site. Beside it is the Temple of Athena, also partially reconstructed. Between the Traianeum and Athena temple was Pergamum's famous library of 200,000 volumes. Carved into the steep hillside, is the dramatic Hellenistic theater. Like most Hellenic and Hellenistic theaters, it offered a scenic panorama just in case the play was boring. Just down the hill from the summit on its own terrace is the site of the Altar of Zeus (the Altar is now in Berlin). At the foot of the theater was the Temple of Dionysus.

Then we moved to visit the Asklepion, which the Temple of the Healing Arts. This temple was among the world’s earliest and greatest medical centers. Here the great physician named Galen, the influential physician and philosopher who was born in Pergamum in 129 AD, laid down the basic rules for all the doctors who would come after him for centuries. Patients here were treated in a facility of surpassing architectural beauty known also for the greatness of its library. In addition, a huge theater with a dramatic view over the valley below entertained those well enough to attend.

The Asklepion is a famed ancient medical center built in honor of Asklepios, the god of healing (he is mentioned in the oath by the name of Aesculapius). The Asklepion gained in prominence under the Romans in the 2nd century AD, but a sacred site existed here as early as the 4th century BC. Some treatments employed at Pergamum, in complement with a sacred source of water that was later discovered as having radioactive properties, have been used for centuries. These included massage, herbal remedies, mud and bathing treatments, the interpretation of dreams, and the drinking of water.

In the centre of the first courtyard, an altar inscribed with the emblem of modern medicine, the serpent. Here I thought particularly of all those who are in the medical profession as doctors and nurses. I prayed that they may always treat their patient with great respect and love and that they may always serve life from the moment of its conception to its natural death.

Yesterday, we did pass in the vicinity of the city of Philadelphia. Today, I was told that we did read the letter to this city found in the Book of Revelation (3,7-13) but perhaps I was sleeping at the time! I just do not remember! Continuing on the lines of the other letters, Christians in this city are commended for their faithfulness: “you have kept my word and have not denied my name” and were encouraged to remain faithful through “the hour of trial”.

Then, today we have passed through the city of Smyrna (today Izmir) and as we went through we read the sixth letter: to the Christian community of the city (Rev 2,8-11). Again, Christians here are called to hold tight to their faith as tribulation and persecution approach. It would be great to contemplate and reflect on these letters and apply to our lives in the present circumstances.

Now we are in Menderes, in a huge hotel very close to the Aegean Sea. I enjoyed already the beautiful feel of this sea! Here we are close to the last of the seven cities: Ephesus. This city brings us close both to St John, the beloved disciple, and to Mary, the Mother of Jesus and our Mother.

A Map of the Seven Churches mentioned in the Book of Revelation

The big Synagogue at Sardis (from yesterday)

A detail of an amazing freeze of the Gymnasium in Sardis (from yesterday)

The Temple of Artemis in Sardis (from yesterday)

The Acropolis of Pergamum: a shot taken from the Asklepion

 

A Column in the Asklepion with the serpent, the emblem of modern medicine.

The Seven Churches of the Book of Revelation

After another long journey in the coach (it would be interesting to count the many hours we have spent in the coach travelling this huge country!!), today we reached Ayvalik, a small island (linked to land by a road) on the Aegean Sea. But coming here we passed through several very important places which are mainly connected to the seven Churches mentioned in the Book of Revelation. Yesterday, I have already spoken about the Church of Laodicea, which is close to Colossae. Today, we visited Sardis and then passed through Thyatira and Pergamum. We will be visiting Pergamum again tomorrow.

So now we are in the land of St John, who according to tradition was Bishop of Ephesus. The Christian communities in Asia Minor towards the end of the first century experience a number of difficulties: unfaithfulness to the Gospel message, heresies, loss of the original fervor in the faith, persecutions and other trials. The message of the author of the Book of Revelation to the different Churches is that Christians are to remain faithful to the original zeal and to undergo a continual renewal of the faith.

The number seven, as we know, is symbolic: these communities stand for all the Churches who are passing through these trying moments.

The first city we visited today was Sardis. In recent years some very important excavations were made here which show the magnificence of the Roman Empire in a particular way. We visited the great synagogue with its mosaics. Something unexplained in this Synagogue is its form at the back (like an apse) and a kind of altar, which is completely uncharacteristic. Both our guide and Prof. Manns have said that, as yet, no satisfactory explanation was given. Then we saw the majestic Roman Gymnasium with its awesome architecture. I was impressed by the ornate details of the freeze.

Then we moved to visit the Temple of Artemis, just a few meters away. Again, the majesty of these findings is impressive. I have seen many designs on books of these classic temples dedicated to different gods, but I was never so close to the reality of these temples. This temple comes from the 2^nd Century AD and was never really finished. The height and width of the columns dwarf any human person who approaches them!

From the letter to the Church in Sardis (Rev 3,1-6), I would like to select one particular verse: “Remember what you have received and heard; keep that, and repent”.

Moving north-east, we passed through Thyatira, which today is known as Akhisar. Here we did not stop as there are very few and insignificant remains found, at least until now. The letter to the Church to this Church is found in Rev 2,18-29. This letter is mainly one of encouragement: “I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first”. However, in this city there is the presence of a false prophetess by the name of Jezebel who seems to be alluring people to herself. Christians are warned against her and thus to remain faithful to their faith and to their baptismal commitment.

Finally, we reached Pergamum. Although we will visit the city with its remains tomorrow, we read the letter to this Church (Rev 2,12-17). It’s interesting that here reference is made to “the throne of Satan” or “where Satan dwells”, most probably a reference to the very great altar dedicated to Apollo. The structure is 35.64 meters wide and 33.4 meters deep; the front stairway alone is almost 20 meters wide. They are commended for their faithfulness: “you hold fast my name and you did not deny my faith” even in the face of persecution. Reference is also made to “the sword of my mouth”, meaning the Word of God which brings to light all which is in man’s heart (see also Isa 49,2; also Heb 4,12).

No photos today as internet connection is very weak! Sorry.

Here we are in Phrygia

Days are passing quickly and we continue to move to the East of Turkey. This morning we left Konya and drove to Antioch of Pisidia, which today is known as Yalvaç. With its situation close to the main commercial road which takes from Ephesus to the East, it enjoyed great prosperity. There was also an important Jewish community.

Paul visited this community together with Barnabas on his first missionary journey towards the year 47 AD. On Saturday, following their arrival, they went to the Synagogue and were asked whether they wanted to speak. The discourse of Paul on that occasion, as referred by the Acts of the Apostles, is a great example of the preaching of the Apostle of the Gentiles (see Acts 13, 14-52). It seems that Paul and Barnabas remained in this city for about a year.

Here we visited the remains of the old city of Antioch of Pisidia. Excavation work is still being done on the site. One particular element which struck my attention is the ancient church dedicated to St Paul. The apse of the basilica is visible. We were also told that there are many mosaics that have been covered again to be better preserved! 

Although it is not completely certain it seems that the baptistery – which is beside the church – was formerly a place where the Jews used to do their ablutions while the church was built on the site where the synagogue was. If this were true, then we would have the place where Paul would have done his discourse on that Saturday in the Synagogue.

Then we continued on our way (another three hours of coach) to Pamukkale, where the Hierapolis (meaning “holy city”) is found. On our way we saw the place where the cities of Colosai and Laodicea were located. St Paul writes a letter to the Colossians while in the Book of Revelation one of the letters to the Seven Churches is written specifically to the community found in Laodicea (3,14-22). Prof. Uggeri described to us how this letter is really addressing the particular community it is addressed to. First, these vicinities are known for their thermal waters. Thus, when they are told “you are neither cold nor hot”, they knew exactly what was meant. Secondly, they claim that “they are rich” but they are told to buy from the Lord “gold refined by fire”. The people here were very rich and they had many gold coins, specific to the city. Thirdly, the reference to “white garments” is very appropriate to people who were known for cloth dyeing. Finally, the author refers to the “anointing their eyes, that you may see”. Again, this was very appropriate since the city of Laodicea was known for their eye specialists, sought after throughout the Roman Empire.

We visited then the Hierapolis which is very famous worldwide for its warm thermal waters. In antiquity, it seems that its importance is to be connected both with its thermal waters and with its industries. The philosopher Epithet was born here between the year 50 and 60 after Christ. The local community was the fruit of the work of Epaphra, a disciple of Paul (see Col 4,13).

Hierapolis is also connected to the St Philip. Eusebius of Caesarea speaks of this Philip who with his four daughters, gifted with the prophetic charism, were hosted here. It is still not clear whether here we are speaking of the Apostle or of the ‘deacon’ (see Acts 6,5). Some months ago, the University of Lecce found what is assumed to be tomb of Philip in the Hierapolis, just some meters away from a beautiful Martyrion of St Philip.

Also of major interest here is an epigraphy which was brought to light in 1883 written by a person called, Abercius, who would have been the bishop here. It dates back to the end of the 2^nd Century. This inscription would be the most ancient mention on rock of the Eucharist.

The Apse of St Paul Church in Antioch of Pisidia

A source of the thermal waters in Hierapolis