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Almond Blossoms

When the almond trees bloom, it is the first sign of spring. They seem eager to emerge from the dormancy of winter. The fig tree is much more cautious. It is the last to put out new leaves.

Ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς συκῆς μάθετε τὴν παραβολήν· ὅταν ἤδη ὁ κλάδος αὐτῆς γένηται ἁπαλὸς καὶ τὰ φύλλα […]

Garden Gate

The garden gate with the first almond blossoms.

Carved Mouldings

Carved mouldings on the southeast corner of the basilica catch the sunlight in the middle of the day

The Nativity of Christ

‘And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger’ (Luke 2:16). Detail of a Sinai icon dated to the eighth or ninth century.

Two passages from On the Nativity of Christ, by Saint Gregory the Theologian:

Χριστὸς γεννᾶται, δοξάσατε· Χριστὸς ἐξ οὐρανῶν, ἀπαντήσατε· Χριστὸς ἐπὶ γῆς, […]

Archetypal Sinai Kelli

An archetypal Sinai kelli facing one of the inner courtyards within the monastery