In Cappadocia

One of the most beautiful places I have been to! Not only nature has endowed this country with some majestic views but also the Spirit! As I said yesterday, this place has seen the beginning of organized monasticism. It was here that St Basil, basing himself on the experience of the Desert Fathers and on the rule of St Pacomius wrote his Rule for those who wanted to live a monastic life. It is a Rule mainly based on the Word of God. Here we have a Father of the Church who, together with St Gregorius of Nazianzen and St Gregorius of Nyssa, form a very important branch of Early Christian Theology and Spirituality. The work by St Gregory of Nyssa, The Life of Moses and his Commentary on the Song of Songs are truly remarkable.
Today, we had four hours of lectures in the morning. The first two hours were dedicated to the very important letter of St Paul to the Galatians. These lectures were given by Prof. Scott Brodeur SJ, Professor at the Gregorian University. Then, two archaeologists gave us an interesting lecture on the life and culture of ancient peoples, including the Hittites and the Greeks. Learning is such a beautiful experience!

In the afternoon we went to visit Göreme, a place where monasteries and churches where built in tuff: a light, porous rock formed by consolidation of volcanic ash. These monasteries, at least in the set up that they are seen in today, were built towards the year 1000. Certainly after the Second Council of Nicaea (787) which permitted the use of icons again.

The formation of the rocks is extraordinary here. The land is formed by this volcanic ash because of the presence of two volcanoes in the area.

Finally, we celebrated mass in one of these Churches. It was a wonderful experience. As the author of the Letter to the Hebrews says: we have this cloud of witnesses behind us ... now it's our turn to bear witness to the faith in our circumstances.

Let me share with you a prayer of St Basil (my translation from the Italian):

Lord God, Jesus Christ, king of the ages and creator of all things, I thank you for all the gifts you have given me and for the communion in your most pure and life-giving Mysteries.
I ask you, therefore, oh good God and friend of men, keep me under your protection and in the shadow of your wings: make that until my last breath I continue to receive worthily your holy Mysteries with purity of conscience, for the forgiveness of my sins and to attain eternal life. For you are the bread of life, the source of holiness, the giver of all good; and to you we render glory to the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and always and for ever and ever. Amen.

Monastery at Goreme in Cappadocia

The Pantocrator in one of the Churches within the Monastery at  Goreme in Cappadocia

Rock Formation in Cappadocia

Another shot of Rock Formation in Cappadocia