Father Justin's Blog

Μὴ ἐποδύρου μου, μῆτερ, καθορῶσα ἐν τάφῳ ὃν ἐν γαστρὶ ἄνευ σπορᾶς συνέλαβες Υἱὸν· ἀναστήσομαι γὰρ καὶ δοξασθήσομαι καὶ ὑψώσω ἐν δόξῃ ἀπαύστως ὡς Θεὸς τοὺς ἐν πίστει καὶ πόθῳ σὲ μεγαλύνοντας.

Mourn not for me, O Mother, beholding in the tomb the Son whom thou didst conceive in thy womb without seed; for I shall arise and be glorified, and as God I shall exalt in everlasting glory those who magnify thee with faith and fervent longing.

Heirmos of the Ninth Ode for Matins on Holy and Great Saturday

Opposite the sun, the blossoms on the twisted almond tree become translucent in the morning light.

The fourth Sunday of the Fast is dedicated to the memory of Saint John, Abbot of Sinai and author of The Ladder of Divine Ascent. On this day, four of us set out to celebrate the Divine Liturgy in the small chapel below his cave.

We began to descend into the valley at the first light of day.

It had rained the previous day, and at one point we had to step across a swiftly flowing stream.

The white dome of the chapel visible for the first time in the distance.

As we reached the chapel, a ray of sunlight shone through the clouds on the mountain behind the chapel.

The cave of Saint John Climacus.

Wildflowers were blooming in the area. These were the first flowers of springtime.

I was able to spend the first three days of the Fast at the Chapel of Saint Panteleimon. The chapel has been there for many years. A kelli was added adjacent to the chapel about forty years ago. The peak of Mount Saint Catherine is visible in the distance. In the silence of these remote chapels, the day is measured by the arc of the sun, and the night by the passage of the the moon and stars. It was the occasion to step back into the Sinai of centuries ago.