Father Justin's Blog

The first rays of sunlight strike the bell tower and minaret. A dove has alighted upon one arm of the highest cross.

In the high mountains, the first light of day is a pink coloured glow on the eastern horizon. I took this photo from above the Chapel of Saint Anne, the morning I left to return to the monastery.

The setting sun reflects through the window onto the opposite wall of my kelli at Saint Panteleimon’s.

Every year, we celebrate Pentecost all together at the monastery. The following day, Monday of the Holy Spirit, we celebrate the Divine Liturgy at the peak of Mount Sinai. This year we left at four o’clock in the morning. There were thirteen of us — members of the community, and pilgrims from Greece, Russia, Canada, and Austria.

The sky became light with the arrival of a new day.

The sun rose as we began to climb the last steps to the summit.

The Holy Table, with the fresco in the apse depicting the Virgin Mary of the Burning Bush, painted in 1937.

We celebrate this feast of Holy Pentecost today in commemoration of the coming into the world of the All-holy Spirit, which happened fifty days after the Resurrection from the dead of our Lord Jesus Christ, which fulfilled His promise to His disciples and obtained the completion of their hope and sanctification. We celebrate Holy Pentecost furthermore in honour of the weekly number, that is, as the Jews counting seven weeks from Passover celebrated their own Pentecost, since fifty days were fulfilled from Passover to the receiving of the Law, in this manner we celebrate the Fiftieth from Pascha as instead of the Law we have received the All-holy Spirit on this day of Pentecost, legislating and guiding us into all truth and the commandments appointed by God.

Ὁ Μέγας Συναξαριστῆς τῆς Ὀρθοδόξου Ἐκκλησίας

A promontory a short walk from the chapel of Saint Panteleimon gives an unobstructed view across the valley to the peak of Mount Saint Catherine at dusk.