Our Lady of Victories in Turkey!

So, here we are again from Cappadocia, Turkey. It's truly a beautiful place with very interesting rock formation.

It is also significant to be here on Victories Day, commemorating the victory of the Maltese and the Knights of Malta on the Ottoman Turks, who were trying to take over our islands to expand their dominion in Europe. Through the intercession of Our Lady, our islands were spared. The Great Siege is one of the more significant moments in keeping the Ottoman Turks out of Western Europe. The final victory was that of Lepanto in 1572.

This evening, Fr Jonathan Farrugia, a Maltese priest who is with me following this course and who is a member of the Senglea Chapter, was the main celebrant at Mass, celebrating the Feast of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our Lady of Victories.

This morning we had four lectures again. One lecture centred on the Jews in the Diaspora (this means, Jews who settled in places other than Israel) and how their positions, many times, served them to accept the Gospel and accept Jesus as their Saviour and Lord. This lecture was delivered by Prof. Frederic Manns OFM. He is a fantastic person.

The second lecture, delivered by Prof. Brodeur, continued to elaborate on the Letter to the Galatians. Today he began doing an exegesis of Gal 4,1-7. Beautiful.

The last two lectures were delivered to us by a married couple, who are both archaeologists, on ancient cultures. Again, very useful material to understand better the world of the Bible, both Old and New Testament.

In the afternoon, we continued to visit this region of Cappadocia, particularly the monasteries and the rural Churches, sculptured in tuff (volcanic ash, as I explained yesterday). I was particularly impressed by the frescoes of the Church of St Jean. I am uploading a picture of the Last Supper coming from this Church.

Let me add again a prayer of one of the Cappadocian Saints: St Gregory of Nyssa.

For God's Goodness for us Sinners

Lord, from You flows true and continual kindness. 
You had cast us off and justly so, 
but in Your mercy You forgave us. 
You were at odds with us, 
and You reconciled us. 
You had set a curse on us, 
and You blessed us. 
You had banished us from the garden, 
and You called us back again. 
You took away the fig leaves 
that had been an unsuitable garment, 
and You clothed us in a cloak of great value. 
You flung wide the prison gates, 
and You gave the condemned a pardon. 
You sprinkled clean water on us, 
and You washed away the dirt.

The Last Supper at the St Jean Church in Cappadocia

A Monastery built in the tuff rock here in Cappadocia

More spectacular rock formation here in Cappadocia