It is hard to believe this photo is from an island in the Mediterranean Sea! Here we are on the top of the Troodos mountains on the way to a quaint village called Kakopetria. The sunshine reflecting on the snow stung our eyes but was so glorious…
I felt like I was in Colorado! When we got to the top, I climbed out of the car and took a deep breath of mountain, snow-filled air. It was so invigorating on such a beautiful day.
Here is a view of the village, Kakopetria.
As we walked down the narrowing, winding streets of the village, we stopped at the Metamorphosis Greek Orthodox Church.
I love the name of this church. Acquiring the power to “change” is very biblical…
I love the heart-shaped handle of the big, wooden door of the church…
The bell in the steeple…
I ran ahead of our group to have a few minutes alone in the church. As I crossed the threshold, my eyes adjusted to the darkness. I pulled my scarf around my neck as the damp and cold of the building suddenly enveloped me. I listened to the silence and soaked it in, imagining all the people who have come here seeking truth, peace, forgiveness, guidance…
The Greek Orthodox religion is unfamiliar to me, but I do know this: The “brand” of Christianity that I know and follow didn’t drop from the sky. It has roots and a beginning. And although, it has fragmented many, many times, splintered and sub-divided, still the historic church bridged an important gap and helped get us where we are.
I know that I owe a debt of gratitude to the historic church for having done so many things right. I found myself thanking God for these roots and praying for a restoration of love upon those in the historic church who are seeking after God with whole hearts.
When I entered the church, I found light, a few candles flickering in the heart of a dark, old and dank building. And I thought to myself, “Yes, there is light here.”
“May the fullness of your image, Lord Jesus, be revealed to all who have eyes to see.”
Today the light without… the light within warmed my heart and brightened my path.
Bonnie Saul Wilks 
Very nice . . . I had a similar experience in a Catholic Church in Paris and even at the Church of the Holy Seplechre. The faithfulness and faith of the Traditional Christian Pilgrim is very sincere and real. Thier faith may be manifested in practices different from mine but equally as relevant. I like this piece and wish that I could be up in those mountains too.