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Οὗτος ἑκκαίδεκά που τυγχάνων ἐτῶν τῇ τοῦ σώματος ἡλικίᾳ, προσήνεγκεν ἑαυτὸν τῷ Χριστῷ θυσίαν εὐάρεστον καὶ δεκτήν, ἐν τῷ Σιναίῳ ὄρει τὸν μοναδικὸν ζυγὸν ὑποδύς, καὶ ἀπ᾿ αὐτῆς, οἶμαι, τῆς τοῦ ὁρωμένου χωρίου διατριβῆς, πρὸς τὸν ἀόρατον Θεὸν ἰθυνόμενός τε καὶ ποδηγούμενος.
When he was sixteen years old in his natural age, this blessed man offered himself to Christ as a well-pleasing and acceptable sacrifice. He took up the monastic yoke in Mount Sinai, and, I think, by the visible nature of the place itself, he was impelled and guided towards the invisible God.
Saint John Climacus spent forty years living as a solitary, before being elected Abbot of Sinai.
Προσευχή ἐστι, κατὰ μὲν τὴν αὐτῆς ποιότητα, συνουσία καὶ ἔνωσις ἀνθρώπου καὶ Θεοῦ· κατὰ δὲ τὴν ἐνέργειαν, κόσμου σύστασις, Θεοῦ καταλλαγή.
Prayer, by reason of its nature, is the converse and union of man with God, and by reason of its action upholds the world and brings about reconciliation with God.
(The Ladder of Divine Ascent, 28.1)
A pear tree blooms in a small desert garden.
A beautifully embroidered cover for the reliquary of Saint Catherine. The photograph was taken during the Agape Vespers, when we light all of the icon lamps.
Νυνὶ δὲ Χριστὸς ἐγήγερται ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀπαρχὴ τῶν κεκοιμημένων ἐγένετο.
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. (1 Corinthians 15:20)
And as firstfruits, then the token and guarantee of a greater ingathering.
Ὑπὸ γῆν ἐκρύβης, ὥσπερ ἥλιος, νῦν καὶ νυκτὶ τῇ τοῦ θανάτου κεκάλυψαι· ἀλλ᾿ ἀνάτειλον φαιδρότερον, Σωτήρ.
Thou wast hid beneath the earth like the sun, and covered now by the night of death; but do Thou arise more radiantly, O Saviour.
More almond blossoms, and another honeybee, poised for half a second before darting off to another blossom.
The almond trees bloom during the first warm days of spring. For a few weeks, the bees have an abundance of nectar and pollen.
Sunrise from the door to the cave of Saint John Climacus. An overhanging boulder projects above.
The first light of day appears in the east.
As the light increases, the chapel in the distance becomes visible.
The first light of day is rose coloured.
As sunrise approaches, the light changes to blue.
The first rays of sunlight illuminate the chapel below.
The cave of Saint John Climacus, an enclosed space beneath massive boulders.
We read in the Life of Saint John Climacus, composed by Daniel of Raithou,
Σημείοις δὲ πέντε διεστηκυῖαν τοῦ Κυριακοῦ τὴν τῆς παλαίστρας μονίαν εἰληφῶς, (Θολᾶς δὲ ὄνομα τῷ τόπῳ) τεσσαράκοντα χρόνους ἐκεῖ διεπέρανεν ἀνολιγώρως, ἐν διακαεῖ ἔρωτι καὶ πυρὶ πυρπολούμενος ἀεὶ τῆς θείας ἀγάπης.
Having taken a solitary place of struggle five miles distance from the Kyriakon (Thola is the name for the place), he passed forty years there earnestly, ever burning with inflamed longing and the fire of divine love.
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