The Lenten Journey to Easter
The Lenten Journey to Easter
Greetings!
Many centuries ago, on the gigantic rocks rising from the plains of Thessaly in northern Greece, Orthodox monks established the monasteries of Meteora. The Greek word Meteora means suspended in the air and this phrase aptly describes these remarkable communities.
At the end of the 14th century, Christian rule over northern Greece was being increasingly threatened by Turkish raiders who wanted control over the fertile plain of Thessaly which they finally secured in the second half of the 15th century. The hermit monks, seeking a retreat from the expanding Ottoman empire, found the inaccessible rock pillars of Meteora to be an ideal refuge. More than 20 monasteries were built on the rock projectiles, of which six remain today. Their sanctuaries were the resting place for important relics such as the finger of St. John and the shoulder blade of St. Andrew. More importantly, they protected the treasure of Greek Orthodox iconography.
During these centuries, the monks developed a school of icon painting, and continued an unbroken chain of Byzantine art. Using egg yolks, tempera pigments and vinegar, the monks replicated the images of earlier generations of painters. Icons of Jesus, Mary and the disciples were painted in the same style for hundreds of years. Many were created for each Sunday of the church year.
In preparation for our spring tour to Greece in the Footsteps of St. Paul, I would like to explore some of the icons that the Orthodox Church of Greece uses for their season of the Great Lent. Some of the icons and stories will be familiar, and some not at all. Still, the icons give us an insight into early Christianity and the purpose of the Lenten season. For Orthodox believers, the Great Lent was intended to be a workshop where the character of the believer was spiritually uplifted and strengthened. It was intended to prepare the faithful for Holy Week so that they could journey with Christ to the cross and be resurrected from the tomb.
I invite you to join us Ash Wednesday and 7:00 on Wednesday evenings throughout Lent. We mark the season with Marty Haugen’s Holden Evening Prayer and will explore the icons of Greece’s Great Lent.
Peace, Pastor Arden Haug
