Archangel spreads his wings over Athens, Greece

I am so pleased that Archangel has such a wide appeal! 

I am honored to announce that, after the kind invitation of the Ambassador of Cyprus to Athens, Mr. Kyriacos Kenevezos, I will be presenting my novel, Archangel, at the Embassy of Cyprus in Athens, at the Cyprus House, Xenofontos 2.

The Ambassador will address the  event which will include a reading by the talented Greek actress, Evelina Arapidi. Thank you to Mrs. Maria Panagidou, the Cultural Counsellor, and the entire staff of the House of Cyprus for their hard work to make this happen!

Please join us for a fun evening!

Here is the invitation in Greek.

I look forward to seeing you there!


Maria

Lunch under the oak trees - Mylopotamos, Kythera

After a rigorous hike to the Cave of Saint Sophia we decided to sit at the restaurant under the huge oak tree in the square of Mylopotamos for lunch.

The potted geranium on the steps.

 Resting in the thick shade of the ancient trees, we ordered a light!!! lunch.

This was a melt-in-your-mouth pork with roasted potatoes that was my choice. Excellent!

We shared a Greek salad without the usual slab of feta cheese.

And, of course, Stelios had the stuffed tomatoes!

Enjoy!

Maria

Saint Sophia in the Cave-Kythera

The Greek islands have a multitude of churches and chapels built in the most remote and interesting places. Of course, one of the reasons is that the Greek Orthodox inhabitants were persecuted for their faith and thus tried to worship in protected places.

One of the most beautiful such churches is Saint Sophia in the Cave, in Mylopotamos, Kythera. I saw the posters all over the storefronts of the island but couldn't fathom from the faint photo what to expect.

 The impossible blue of the sea is often part of the surrounding scape.

Stelios and I headed out towards the location of the church with some apprehension. Some of the roads can be pretty frightening; narrow, windy and on cliffsides without any guardrails for protection.

Sure enough, the road to the cave was one of these roads. I'm happy to report that since it was early in the day, the traffic was thin to none! Nevertheless, the going was slow and careful.

When we arrived on the site of several parked pars on the road, we realized this had to be it. We saw the entrance over the side of the cliff and took a look. A long pathway had been built into the cliff that led to the cave.

 

The cave is set in the rock face with a small shed built at the entrance. We paid our 5 euro fee to the guide and along with the other 10 or so visitors began our tour.

Icon of Saint Sophia and her three daughters who it is said were persecuted for their Christian faith. They found refuge in a cave where they were eventually discovered and killed.

The templon

Detail of Saint Sophia

The shed at the entrance of the cave.

 

Above are closeups and details of various saints depicted on the templon. 

Exploring the Cave.

This is one of the most spectacular caves I've ever seen, not because it is huge or grand but because it has not been significantly altered. The history of the church in the cave is intriguing and the temple that I saw when I first entered the cave created a feeling of mystery and a connection with history.

Saint John on the Cliff-Kythera

Kythera is no exception to the general Greek landscape that is populated with small and large byzantine churches and chapels.

 A great number of these churches is perched in hard to reach places. The building in this photo is only the gateway to the climb up the cliff where the chapel is nested.

 Saint John on the Cliff is an impressive example of these places of worship.

 Stelios and I were lucky to find that door open on our second try and we began the climb.

 This is one of the caves on the way up.

The climb is rewarded with breathtaking views of the small village of Kapsali and the Hytra rock in the distance.

 The winding rock stairs end at the door of the church.

The caretaker let us in to the small chapel built in the cave at the top. He was preparing for vespers on the occasion of the name day of Saint John the Theologian, whose cave this was and where it is said that he began writing the Apocalypse.

The feeling inside this little place of worship, where hundreds of people through the ages have come to  lay their troubles or celebrate their joys is one of spirituality and mysticism. The passage of time is etched on the worn icons and templon, and the scent of burned candles.

 There was a soft light filtered through the small window of the church that illuminated the icons.

 Detail from the templon.

This view from the lone, small door of this place of worship in the sky, across to the remains of the Venetian castle of Kythera was a beautiful way to say goodbye.

This is one of those unique destinations that,once visited, become part of your soul.

Enjoy!


Maria