Eastern (Orthodox) Monasticism

Meteora Monasteries

Before we drove to cliffs on which the monasteries teetered, the group stopped off at a gift shop for an explanation/demonstration of how Eastern Orthodoxy's religious icons are created. They had some icons, which had come directly from the hands of monks who lived in these cliff-cresting monasteries. Many of these were handcrafted with inlaid silver to add a third dimension to the icon. Then we drove up to the Meteora monasteries.

   
Meteora literally means, "suspended in the air," or "in the heavens above." This well describes these many monasteries that are suspended on limestone cliffs. There were about 24 monasteries, but through earthquakes and other disasters, today, only about 6 are actively used.

Whether or not the monks at Meteora formally recognize it, they are following in the footsteps of Saint Anthony, who is the Father of Eastern (Orthodox) Monasticism. Saint Anthony was an ordinary person who began a life of a hermit in the deserts of Egypt to aid him in finding the Lord, which lead others to follow his footsteps.

These monks in the monasteries do not let tourist take their picture, but there are a few brave enough to come out and interact touring populous. One monk that we noticed was helping at the front of the church with the prayer candles, and later the gift shop because it became vastly busy. He packaged our souvenirs, courteously handed us our treasures, and sent us on our way barely speaking a single utterance (what he did say we did not understand because it was in Greek). However, a courteous smile and a childish twinkle in his wrinkled eye was all that we needed in order to understand him perfectly.

~Jeff B. and Alyssa H.