Greece Part 2

Greece trip continued... For the next three nights we stayed at AZ Bible camp in Leptokarya. The camp sat on the Aegean sea shore with Mount Olympus in view on the opposite horizon. The handful of staff received us with the love of Christ. They cooked our meals with love, taught us words in Greek, and gave wonderful hugs. A Greek woman named Anna who studied at Moody Bible Institute in the late 1900s even came to meet us! These women are modern Tabitha's, serving the body of Christ with whatever their hands find to do.

A view from the camp dining room

Cabins on the camp property. We stayed in the main four-story building.

Aegean shoreline

What a blessing to walk through the community down the street and appreciate Greek charm in the quiet of a sleepy town waiting to come awake in the summer.

The views from Mount Olympus...

Mount Olympus, according to Greek mythology, is home to the main gods. Greek history and mythology intertwine repeatedly. The Greeks believed their gods were envious of humanity, even desiring to be like humans. The gods constantly fought against each other. An atmosphere of continual change, suspicion and jealousy prevailed. Christians came to people living under these gods, bringing a message of the God who never changes, reigns alone, and gives purpose to human life. Devotion to mythology remains in Greece today, though the form appears different. Greeks still need the Good News of a God who provides the only hope in a radically changing and dark world.

"I lift my eyes to mountains; where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and earth."

"Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens,

    your faithfulness to the skies.
Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,
    your justice like the great deep.
    You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.
How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!
    People take refuge in the shadow of your wings."

Natural spring where we stopped to drink.

The paradox of life rising from the death... Nature truly cries out concerning the good news of God.

Caught

unmoved

stagnant

dry

delicate

vulnerable

purpose presumably passed

yet

beautiful

in stillness

by suspended

position

easily broken

still whole

held with

intricate

fingers

Who knows what creatures you find on adventures? Turns out the caterpillars here attach themselves to one another as they move. When we passed later, the caterpillars had begun to climb on top of each other to form a clump.

This tourist village on Mount Olympus began as an ancient shepherding community

After leaving AZ Bible camp, we stopped in Veria, the Greek name for Berea (Acts 17) This monument commemorates Paul's arrival. Since middle school the Bereans/Verians stood out to me, because "Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." Do I examine the Scripture whenever listening to a sermon, speech or after a conversation? Is Scripture the Truth against which I measure each idea presented me? Studying Scripture lead them to salvation: "As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men." Do I encourage those to whom I share the Gospel to read the Bible? Only God's words (not mine) can bring life to dead hearts.

We then walked down the street to visit an old synagogue.

Veria housed an extensive and committed Jewish community since the days of Paul. This synagogue testified to their presence. The current building was re-erected in the early 1800s upon the foundation of a much older synagogue which was destroyed in a fire. The presence of an ancient synagogue was solidified, however, by the presence of a mikveh. Jews conduct their ceremonial washings in a mikveh, a bath filled by flowing, natural water.

The mezuzah, a scroll of Scripture on the doorframe, which Jews touched upon entering the building. Mezuzahs originate from the command in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 where God tells Israel to write His commands on the doorframes of their houses.

The interior of the synagogue.

Women's section on a small second story, behind a screen. The women were allowed to listen, but not participate or sit bellow, Their presence was deemed distracting to the men.

Screened

kept out

or

protected?

Blocked

or

allowed to hear?

Men may

declare

mixed messages,

might trample

desecrate

mistreat

ignore.

The Word

invites

welcomes

embraces

reaches out

redeems dignity.

Like Him,

men

molded

by God's heart.

The ark, where the Torah scroll would be housed.

A pre-WWI school book

"In memory of the victims of the Jewish community of Veria murdered by the Nazis in 1943"

As I mentioned above, Veria used to house a thriving Jewish community. Even under the Turkish rule, Jews were tolerated because of their economic and trade talent. However, the world wars delivered fatal blows to the community. During both wars, Jews across Greece were mistreated, deported and killed. The Verians Jews scattered. Some found themselves in Auschwitz and other Nazi concentration camps. The suitcases above belonged to Verian Jews in Auschwitz. Today, the synagogue is no longer operating, because ten Jewish men are required for a synagogue to function. Veria now contains no Jewish residents. This provides a grave reminder of the persecution faced by Israelites since their formation as a nation. First under Egypt, then Canaanite tribes, Assyria and Babylon, Greece, Seleucids, Romans, Muslims, Nazis... their plight continues today. I stood convicted; how little I have prayed for Jewish people around the world, who still face opposition! I claim to God has burdened my heart for unreached people groups, yet I neglect to intercede for, befriend, and learn about the unreached Jewish community. May it be so no longer. God still has a plan for these twelve tribes He chose thousands of years ago. That plan of redemption comes through Jesus. Accepting Christ does not go against their heritage, as hundreds of Jews fear. Rather, believing Jesus- born a Jew- is the most Jewish thing a Jew can do! I praise God for the handful of Messianic Christians I know, and desire that the Holy Spirit would find me a willing tool for their encouragement.

An old building across from the synagogue. Run down, abandoned... yet layered with story, texture, worth, potential.

A map of Greece. We traveled from Macedonia in the north (not the country of Macedonia, but the northern area of Greece. This is home of Philip II and his son Alexander the Great) down to Athens in the southern tip of the country.

The following stop landed us in the Polycentric Museum of Aigai. The content largely displayed the Macedonian legacy of Philip II and Alexander the Great. Philip took advantage of the Peloponnesian wars among individual Greek city states; he swooped southward to unite the country under his reign in 337 BC. He loved Hellenistic culture, a value he passed onto his son by hiring Aristotle to tutor the lad. After Philip's assassination, Alexander moved into Asia Minor where he conquered the mighty Persian empire in a series of battles from 334-331 BC. From 20 to 32 years of age, Alexander created an empire stretching from the eastern Mediterranean to India. He spread Greek language and culture across the land. God used this Hellenistic emperor to set the stage for a connected world where the Gospel would spread through the travel routes, shared language, and empirical unity formed by the Greeks. 

Remains of adornments priestess wore, recreated from remaining materials. Our professor pointed out the apostle Paul's exhortation that women not adorn themselves elaborately (1 Tim. 2:9). This command was given not to limit female Christians to a drab wardrobe; rather, it reflected the appearance-based cultural values which might infiltrate the church, taking one's focus off of Christ whose work took place in their hearts. The intricate jewelry and elaborate hairstyles shown bellow further emphasize the importance of leaving behind primary value placed on appearance.

As a creative woman who appreciates beauty and expresses herself through fashion, I take Paul's words seriously. The purpose of the command is drawing attention away from self to Christ, off of the exterior to soul-level sanctification. The world remains consumed with appearance. Where does my heart, worth, attention, energy, love lie? If my heart seeks first Christ and His kingdom, then the color, modesty, and material of my style is free to become an expression of His love for me.

Pottery shards, coins, and remains of a crown

The museum presented impeccably artistic displays! The placement of artifacts caused a viewer to pause, considering the beauty and ingenuity of what the BC Greeks created.

Clay perfume jars, similar to the alabaster jar the woman broke to pour fragrance over Jesus.

The bowl/cup in the front contains a frightening face in the bottom. The Greeks used this to ensure they were not over-drinking alcohol. If one could see the demonic-like smirk of the painted creature, then too much drink had been consumed.

Next, we visited the tomb of Philip II. As our professor described, "After the Dead Sea Scrolls and King Tut's tomb, this is the most monumental archeological discovery of our time." The archeologist began digging in the area when he noticed mounds which might contain underground burial chambers covered with dirt to create an artificial hill. His team found the tomb opening on the top of the hill; amazingly, the chambers had been left untouched by grave robbers! Although the artifacts were strewn about from earthquakes, everything remained for excavation.

Replica of a mural of the god Hades kidnapping a fellow goddess, painted on the wall of the tomb shown bellow.

This tomb contained the body of a female and child, presumably a princess and her offspring. Two skeletons not prepared for burial were also found in the tomb. Historians believe the bodies belonged to grave robbers who experienced a fatal accident while attempting to enter the tomb.

The mound contained three tombs, one of which belonged to Philip II and the other two housing other royal bodies. Because the archeological team entered from above, the door to Philip's tomb (see above photo) remains unopened and preserved. Cracks in the walls attest to earthquakes. Yet minimal restoration work occurred. The colors of the mural on top remained strikingly vibrant as they depict Alexander and soldiers atop their horses. Sitting before this monumental discovery took my breath away. I cannot put to words the privilege of sitting before a door to antiquity, unopened yet the contents hidden behind now disclosed. The bodies buried here belonged to real people with real lives, hopes, struggles, growth. Their choices, courage, attitudes affect my world today. Connecting with the past leaves me praising the Alpha and Omega, First and Last, Beginning and End, Ancient of Days who existed before time and holds each moment in His hand.

The crown of Philip II, and the funerary urn holding his cremated remains. Only royalty was allowed the right of cremation. Historians differentiated this urn from other ones by the number of lines protruding from the sun image. Sixteen lines signified the king.

Remains from wooden decoration adorning a bedframe.

A solid piece of evidence determining the grave belong to Philip II: his leg armor. Philip had a deformed left leg, a fact attested by ancient historians. The leg armor shown in the bottom right shows one regularly shaped piece, and one strangely crafted. The distorted armor belonged to a left leg.

Pieces left from a royal shield.

After seeing the tombs, we claimed a hill nearby which lead us to the theatre where Philip II met his death at the point of an assassin's sword. Dressed in white robes, the king prepared to march as the finale of a procession into the theatre, beginning the ceremony for his daughter's marriage. However, Phillip never made it out of the hall. A royal bodyguard stabbed the king, who fell dead before the spectators. As the assassin ran for his life, Alexander's friends grabbed the prince and rushed him further up the hill to the palace, where they crowned then hailed him king. The swiftness prevented the other heir, Alexander's cousin, from initiating harm against the prince in attempt to secure the throne for himself.

Sitting at the edge of the theatre

The hall where Philip met his death. Historians hypothesize that Persians bribed the bodyguard into this bloody job, because Philip was preparing to launch a united Greek attack against their empire.

Next we explore the palace built by Philip II. In classical Greece, palaces were not private dwellings for royalty. Rather, they functioned as communal spaces where citizens came to access royal attention, learn and share ideas.

Ancient stones

fresh moss

new life

budding from

old narratives

presumably

closed to roots;

history

informs present

instructs future

connects people

to those who

learned

stumbled

grew

groaned

celebrated

loved

lived

died

hoped

held

laughed

left

came

stayed

strayed

needed

nurtured

before us

The next day found our group in Meteora. A friend, Heidi, and I spent the morning on a prayer walk through the community; it proved a blessing to pray protection and unity over our group, to beg for the salvation of the city whose streets we strolled, and intercede for the health of our tour guide whose back was causing him pain. 

God continually showed me throughout the last year how deeply He cares about answering prayer. James says, "You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up."

Note that God invites us, His children, to ask of Him. Jesus tells His disciples in the book of John, "Until now you have not asked for anything. Ask and you will receive and your joy will be complete." But when we pray, we do so from a place of relationship with God based in the love of Christ. This immediately brings a posture of humble awe, desiring to see the Lord magnified and His kingdom come. God-honoring prayers center around the Word and His heart for His creation, not around the world's desires. God promises for those who petition Him in humility and in continuity with the Body of Christ, "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." (James 5:16).

He cares about the littlest concerns; He is powerful to move the impossibly high mountains.

Are you asking? Are you seeking His kingdom? Are you believing He will, and already is at, work?

The community at Meteora

Meteora attracts hundreds of tourists because of the five monasteries build on top of the cliffs above the town.

We got to visit one of the monasteries, Great Meteoron, Transfiguration of the Savior.

How astounding that these monasteries were constructed as if rising out of the rocks! Before steps were constructed for the ease of tourists, a visitor would enter the monastery by a rope ladder thrown down to them from the tower window, or by riding up in a basket pulled up to the tower window. Citizens of the community brought food to the monks and nuns on a weekly basis. These provisions also reached the monastery occupants by the basket elevator system.

Who climbed these stairs

now worn by sandal's friction?

What worries plagued their mind,

or hopes swelled in their chest,

or thought germinated within their heart?

What words of God came to them

through liturgy and song?

Did they rest content

or wrestle restlessly?

Only the Almighty Spirit knows;

He holds these memories in arms

of loving care.

Dorm room tower

Candles lit before entering the chapel

No photography was allowed inside the chapel, but I was able to snap this picture through a window.

This chapel will never leave my memory for two reasons.

A humorous memory: white ovals hung from the candle-lit chandelier. I thought to myself, these look strikingly similar to ostrich eggs (which we have in Uganda). Moments later our guide pointed to them and asked, "Do you know what these are? Ostrich eggs!" A piece of home on the monastery cliffs of Greece!

On a solemn note, the chapel's entry room (not depicted in the above photo) narrated the stories of Christian martyrs thought floor to ceiling artwork. I found myself circling the room over and over, finally leaning against a pillar in overwhelming emotion. My eyes traced frescos of brothers and sisters in Christ being beheaded, burned, eaten by beasts, cut to pieces... covering the walls and ceiling. The weight of their sacrifice burdened my shoulders, penetrating to grieve my soul. As never before, I knew the truth of Hebrews 12:1-3, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." 

"God Almighty, I long to know that I would stand firm in you as these my elder brothers and sisters in Christ have done." Even as I prayed, tears began to fall. Pain and tension pulsed through my body, as if tasting the slightest part of their persecution. What if I could not walk faithful if threatened with a torturous death? Death I do not fear, because on the other side I will see the beautiful face of Jesus. But torture...

"Precious in the sight of the Lord
    is the death of his faithful servants. 
Truly I am your servant, Lord;
    I serve you just as my mother did;
    you have freed me from my chains." -Ps. 116:15-16

"Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered." 

-Matt. 10:28-30

As the Lord, brought these Scriptures to my mind, His peace conquered the worry. He gives a special grace to His children who walk through suffering for His name's sake. "I care about the purity and preservation of My Bride more deeply than you could ever fathom, child," He whispered to me.

This message, this moment, this chapel monument opened my eyes anew to the expansive amount of Scripture which speaks to the persecuted Christians. I am comforted when praying for brothers and sisters around the world facing opposition because they bear the name of Christ. Although I "remember those who are mistreated, for you are members of one body" (Heb. 13:3) and weep on behalf of their pain, I rejoice at the faithful and unshakable Lord who cares for His people in infinite depth. Additionally, I can surrender- "here am I, send me"- with peace, knowing Christ sustains me no matter the intensity of the harvest field to which He assigns me. I need not seek out persecution to gain report with God, because I am securely and completely loved in Christ! Yet, in the strength of the Holy Spirit, I will find the courage to "rejoice in the Lord always; I say it again: rejoice!" when faced with persecution. Praise God for His covenant love!

The old monastery kitchen. The baskets and smoke-stained walls reminded me of kitchen huts in Obule, the village where I grew up in Uganda.

The kitchen sink: an indoor well

View of Meteora from the monastery

These metal and wooden instruments were struck with a stick to signal the time for prayer or liturgy.

Another wooden instrument panel

The courtyard

A fresco depicting Christ (top center), the twelve apostles (busts along the top), and Greek philosophers (full body images). The content led to a discussion reflecting that Christians know the truth in Christ. Therefore, we have freedom to borrow language from the culture around us, not to contain truth but to effectively declare it in a way the community will understand.

Remember the basket pulled up to the tower window???

After driving through the mountains, we came to Thermopylae. Here a decisive battle was waged between Persia and Greece. Ionian Greeks living in Asia Minor rebelled against Persian rule in 499 BC. This exploded into the Persian wars, during which the individual city states across Greece united to oppose Persia. Greece effectively defeated the Persian army in battles at Mt. Athos (492 BC) and Marathon (490 BC). Side note: after the battle of Marathon, Pheidippides was sent running with news of the victory to Athens. After gasping out the good news, Pheidippides collapsed, dead from exhaustion. In commemoration of him, runners compete in marathons today. In the words of a student on our trip, "I knew running marathons was bad!" :)

After these losses, Persia withdrew for ten years to rebuild their army. Darius the Great passed away, leaving command to his son Xerxes. In 480, Xerxes again attacked the Greeks, now at Thermopylae. He defeated the small army of 300. However, the nation halted his advance in the naval battle of Salamis and the city of Platea the following year.

The natural sulfur hot springs at Thermopylae. Greek soldiers sat in the warm water to prepare for battle.

Along the road, small house-shaped structures stood. Our guide explained that these are erected wherever a traffic accident occurs. Two bottles sit inside the structure, one containing oil and the other water. Each night a citizen of the town pours oil into a candle and water in the dish holding the candle. The wick is then lit, alerting drivers of a potentially dangerous spot on the road. The water prevents the flame from causing a fire to the small building.

Before arriving in Delphi, we walked through a tourist town on the mountain where people flock for skiing in the winter.

Next we arrived in Delphi. I spent the evening strolling through and praying over the town. I noticed the evil eye proved particularly popular on souvenirs. Although I'd seen it in previous towns, the symbol appeared rampantly in each tourist-geared shop on Delphi's quaint streets. Additionally, the presence of darkness tangibly, though subtly, could be felt. Later, I found out that the evil eye is not even a Greek symbol, but brought with the Turks who forcibly took over the country. The dark symbol remains, testifying to strongholds of idolatry and slavery. The Gospel set free slaves and idolaters in Paul's day; Christ remains able and longing to do the same in Delphi today. Who will preach the Good News there? Join me in praying for a local, devoted church to rise up in Delphi, shining the light of God's presence into the darkness.

On my way back to the hotel, I stumbled upon this antique shop. The owner, Penacula, and her toddler son, Demetrius, welcomed me. God allowed me to have a lovely conversation with Penacula about her life, family and business. I returned later with a friend to buy a few things to support Penacula's family, because she shared that business proved difficult. "Most tourists want the cheap souvenirs," she said. I asked if Penacula knew Jesus, and she answered affirmatively. I was not able to discern whether she truly has a relationship with Jesus, or follows Christianity simply in a religious sense. So, I shared the Gospel with her to either strengthen her faith or plant the seed for a relationship with Christ. My friend and I then prayed over her, especially over her mother and brother who face health difficulties. Before leaving, I felt the Holy Spirit nudge me to give Panecula a gold ring I had from Uganda. "Remember when you pass through challenges, God will never forsake you. He uses the fire to make you pure like gold," I encouraged her. Panecula expressed vibrant gratitude for the spiritual care. Please pray for the faith, health and provision of this small family. Pray they will offer themselves to God to be His light in Delphi.

Antiques in Panecula's shop... Her father collected them all.

The next morning, we visited the famous oracle of Delphi. History aside, the landscape took my breath away!

Before viewing the oracle cite, we explored the next-door museum holding artifacts found at the oracle.

Griffin heads meant to scare away demons. Cultures around the world utilize griffins or gargoyles to ward off evil spirits; even jack-o-lanterns began for this purpose. I'm saddened by how often these symbols of enslavement to demonic powers and fear are used for entertainment, while thousands of people still in bondage (not only internationally; black magic and occults run rampant across the United States) have not heard the Gospel clearly explained.

On an encouraging note... This stone records a letter from emperor Claudius to the proconsul of Achaia in 52 AD. Importantly, Lucius Gallio, the proconsul of Achaia at the tile of Paul's stay in Corinth, is referenced by name. Acts 18:12 records this government figure; however, before finding this monument, critics claimed the mention of Gallio proved the inaccuracy of the Bible and its historical accounts, because no mention of Gallio could be found in secular historical records. Discovering this artifact silenced those critics. As our professor reminded us, "For the historical accounts in Scripture currently without archeological evidence, I am not worried. Time and time again the evidence has surfaced, proving the accuracy of God's Word on a historical level. This reality strengthens my faith in the inerrancy of God's Word; then, where I cannot or do not have archeological evidence, faith provides a foundation."

Now we arrive at the oracle ruins. Here, a famous prophetess lived in the temple to Apollo. People flocked from around Greece to receive god's words from her. She dwelt in the temple's inner room, which filled with subterranean fumes, basically drugging her. Priests outside the temple would take requests to the oracle/prophetess, then return with an often vague prophecy for the worshipper. The prophetess spoke in ways unintelligible to the laymen, thus giving responsibility (in reality, liberty) to the priests to translate her words. If a worshipper returned, claiming the oracle's words had not proved true, the priests pointed fingers back at the layman, blaming him for misunderstanding the interpretation of the oracle's words. The worshipper would then need to repeat the process, described bellow, to earn the right to again approach the oracle.

Receiving the right to bring one's supplication to the oracle demanded one jump through several hoops. First, a large sum of money and a goat must be brought to sacrifice, determining whether was would be allowed to come to the temple. If the goat raised his head, then the worshipper could not approach the temple; but if the goat lowered its head, showing submission to being slaughtered for sacrifice, then the worshipper could bring another sacrifice to the temple and ask wisdom from the oracle. This tradition echoes into modern Greek culture, because raising one's head signifies disagreement, but lowering one's chin towards their chest shows affirmation.

Reflecting on this system, I noticed the similarities with fear of demons among Ugandans. Even my Christian friend follow superstitions to avoid attack from evil spirits. Mixing Christianity and witchcraft proves a stumbling block the Ugandan church wrestles among its current generations. Both in Uganda and at the oracle, bondage to fear rules the people. Yet this stronghold extends past borders into all humanity- it is the framework of idolatry. Humans possess legitimate, core needs: needs to be seen, loved, secure, provided for, safe. God created those needs within mankind so we might find satisfaction in Him, for only He can fill the void. However, when one doubts God's ability or trustworthiness to meet these needs- or if he does not know of the God who alone can satisfy- then an idol proves necessary. Humans are, by nature, worshipping being. We worship for survival and fulfillment. We worship what we love and trust, that which we believe will satisfy our core needs. Generations in the past looked to physical idols which represented demonic forces. Others sought to appease evil forces, but maintain a separation from them. Today, a growing idolatry in the individualistic west is idolatry of success. At the root of any idol is love of self, self-preservation by one's own power, and an obligation to ward off evil or unwanted forces/effects. This creates a position of slavery: fear of not getting a need met and thus facing ruin, doing something required to achieve security or acceptance or stability, but the idol demands the action done time and time and time and time again without satisfaction.

This is why the Gospel is Good News! God loved the world- His creation which He formed with needs to draw them to intimacy with Him- thus He sent His Son to do for us! Christ finished the work! Christians stand as righteous children before God, because we are hidden in Christ! Obedience, then, comes from a place of rest in the security of God's love. It is a response to an invitation, an expression of holy relationship, not a striving to earn. God's love breaks chains, delivering slaves from bondage. The paradox of salvation is that being a slave to Christ means you are set free!

crumbling towers

under unquenching

radiance

of the sun

light penetrating,

enduring beyond

stones- memories

of false hopes

Remains of the temple where the oracle of Delphi resided

This yellow flower- broken and trampled, yet vibrantly beautiful- reminded me of the persecuted church. Where darkness blinds minds, causing evil to be called good, bearers of Truth face opposition. They receive attack, hatred, pressure, even death. Perhaps Christians in Delphi throughout the years endured such maltreatment. Yet these trampled flowers remain vibrant, attached to the Vine who never forsakes His children. His life overcomes death; His peace overpowers fear; His joy defeats discouragement; His love breaks bitterness; His comfort enters sorrow; His victory determines the outcome.

If human voices lapse into silence

creation cries out, praising

the Maker who knows each

atom, passing vapor it is.

Amidst darkness, man holds

no excuse. Glorious fingerprints

surround the view, penetrating

hearts made to know their

Creator.

The oracle site boasted not only a temple, but also a theatre (pictured above), treasuries, vendors selling wares for sacrifices, and a sport arena.

Clothed in royalty

purple hues

whispering

of the King

The site of the altar where sacrifices were made to Apollo. The lines would stretch dozens of people long. Under the hot summer sun, bribing priests to bring one to the front of the line became a common practice.

The treasury house of the Athenian city-state. Athens was the wealthiest community at the time.

The hippodrome, where horse races took place.

After an entire post contemplating sites on the mountain, I must end with a verse God placed heavily upon my heart since I was a little girl. I long that this passage would be true of my life, by God's power, and true of the Church throughout the world. 

How beautiful on the mountains
    are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
    who bring good tidings,
    who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
    “Your God reigns!”
Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices;
    together they shout for joy.
When the Lord returns to Zion,
    they will see it with their own eyes. 
Burst into songs of joy together,
    you ruins of Jerusalem,
for the Lord has comforted his people,
    he has redeemed Jerusalem.
The Lord will lay bare his holy arm
    in the sight of all the nations,
and all the ends of the earth will see
    the salvation of our God. 

Isaiah 52:7-10