FatherJustinsBlog

Back Wall

First sun on the shoots of the Burning Bush spilling over the back wall.

Clouds at Sunset

For a few moments, the clouds reflect the light of the setting sun.

A detailed view of the natural granite arch on the mountain ridge, with a cross mounted above.

Storeroom 25

Advancing shadows at the door to storeroom 25, behind the Burning Bush, as the sun sets behind the mountains.

The Chapel of Saint John the Theologian

The Chapel of Saint John the Theologian in the first sunlight of a new day.

The chapel at Bostane is dedicated to the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. A card on the wall, for the benefit of the chanter, gives the dismissal hymn for the feast in beautiful calligraphy. A spot of beeswax keeps the nail from pulling out of the plaster wall.

Thy Nativity, O Theotokos, hath proclaimed joy to all the universe; for from thee hath arisen the Sun of righteousness, Christ our God; yea having loosed the curse, he hath given a blessing; and having brought to naught death, hath granted us life eternal.

Translated by J N W B Robertson, 1894

Leaven

Three tablespoons of starter are stirred into water, and flour is added to make a paste. Overnight, the starter develops and turns the whole into leaven, ready for making prosphora the next morning.

Ἄλλην παραβολὴν ἐλάλησεν αὐτοῖς· Ὁμοία ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ζύμῃ ἣν λαβοῦσα γυνὴ ἐνέκρυψεν εἰς ἀλεύρου σάτα τρία ἕως οὗ ἐζυμώθη ὅλον.

Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. (Matthew 13:33)

Prosphora

With the monastery temporarily closed to visitors, we no longer have pilgrims bringing us durum flour (ἀλεύρι κίτρινο) from Greece. I now make natural yeast (sourdough) prosphora with white flour and twenty-six percent whole wheat flour that we mill ourselves, using a small table top stone ground mill.