FatherJustinsBlog

A detail of Joseph’s dream, from a twelfth century icon of the Nativity.

Now the angel having thus appeared, talks not with Mary, but with Joseph; and what says he? ‘Arise, and take the young Child and His mother.’ Here, he says not any more, ‘your wife’, but ‘His mother’. For after that the birth had taken place, and the suspicion was done away, and the husband appeased, thenceforth the angel talks openly, calling neither child nor wife his, but ‘take the young Child and His mother, and flee into Egypt’; and he mentions the cause of the flight: ‘For Herod’, says he, ‘will seek the young Child’s life’.

Joseph, when he had heard these things, was not offended, neither did he say, ‘The thing is hard to understand: Did you not say just now, that He should save His people? and now He saves not even Himself: but we must fly, and go far from home, and be a long time away: the facts are contrary to the promise’. Nay, none of these things does he say (for the man was faithful): neither is he curious about the time of his return; and this though the angel had put it indefinitely thus: ‘Be there until I tell you’. But nevertheless, not even at this did he shudder, but submits and obeys, undergoing all the trials with joy.

And this because God, who is full of love to man, did with these hardships mingle things pleasant also; which indeed is His way with regard to all the saints, making neither their dangers nor their refreshment continual, but weaving the life of all righteous men, out of both the one and the other.

from Saint John Chrysostom’s Eighth Homily on Matthew

A small bell adjoining the kitchen area is rung after the noon service to summon the fathers to the trapeza, the refectory.

Many pilgrims came this year to celebrate the feast of Saint Catherine.

The blessing of the five loaves at the end of vespers.

The newly polished lamps were like multi-coloured stars.

The icon of the Virgin Mary and Christ Child on the iconostasion.

Metropolitan Maximos of Ioannina, and Metropolitan Joachim of Hellenoupolis, of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, celebrated the Divine Liturgy, together with fifteen priests and three deacons.

The shrine of Saint Catherine was adorned with embroideries.

At the conclusion of the Liturgy, we carried the relics of Saint Catherine in a procession around the church, commemorating the present members of the community, and those who have gone to their rest before us. Prayers were also said for all the pilgrims who had joined us for the holy feast.

Pigeons on the bell tower at sunrise.

The cross over the Chapel of the Holy Forty Martyrs of Sinai and Raithou, in the early morning light.