We know that in this area of the world we can hardly fall down without landing on some ancient and precious artifact. That under almost every step that we take we could probably start digging and open up an archaeologic site. So we’re probably getting tired of them, right? Nope! Not at all.
But first, trying to understand better the Greek Orthodox Religion, Sandy and I stopped by the Church of Saint Antipas. We had driven past it several times and decided this morning to pull over and finally take a look. We could not tell if this church was abandoned or just not open yet. It appeared to be a newly constructed church, but it was in the middle of a completely unkept field. We walked around it and were impressed by its architectural beauty. The soft rounded edges, domes that seem to disappear into one another. The structure just seemed perfectly inviting. So much so, that it evoked me into imagining myself as a parishioner. And I imagined walking through the doors in quiet and peaceful meditation. Respecting the church’s solitude and my own self-contemplative state of grace, I practically glided in slow motion up to the door of the church hoping to enter and bask in the light of my new found glory. As I reached for the door handle an earsplitting siren went off. Holy Crap! Forgetting my introspective navel-gazing I jumped back about ten feet holding my hands high in the air showing I had no evil intent and was surrendering to authorities. The siren kept blasting, and to me it sounded as though it was getting louder every second. By this time, Sandy was running at full speed back to the car leaving nothing but a cloud of dust behind her. Dejected in my lost glorification, and not feeling welcomed by the congregation that I had only a few minutes ago been so willing to join, I, too, headed back to the car, completely unsure of how welcomed I would be there also.
After my near escape from what was surely to be my purgatory destiny we went to the convent of Agios Georgios, (St. George). Both the Roman and Greek Orthodox Catholics now say that he didn’t actually kill a dragon, but that the story is an allegory about good over evil. Me, I’d like to think he actually killed the dragon, and I think the sisters of Agios Georgios agree with me because they have images of him slaying dragons all over the place.
St. George killing a dragon in bas relief
Lastly we visited, Kourion. Its well-preserved ruins, are not merely an archaeological site; they are a portal to two bygone eras. A visit to this captivating place is an immersive journey through the narratives of both the Greeks and Romans who shaped Kourion, leaving behind a legacy that continues to resonate with visitors like us. The winds off the Sea and the bright Cypriot sun on these ancient stones helped us see in our mind's eye the engineers and the slaves who built this city, the artisans and laborers who added the beautiful mosaics, and the mothers and children who made their homes here. The ancient Greeks and later the Romans built this spot on the Earth. Sandy and I believe we are lucky that chance preservation and human restoration allows us to experience it today.
By this time Christian imagery is being included
Another "locked" church we found on the way back to Zygi
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