Yesterday, Wednesday, I went on an excursion to the west side of the Holy Mountain in order to meet (a different) Fr. Paisios and worship in his chapel which is dedicated to St. John the Theologian, my patron saint. On a map, it is quite near the blue dot below:
You might notice in this image that the terrain is substantially steeper on the west side. Indeed, the descent to the western shore is almost entirely switchbacks filled with spectacular views. Here is one, complete with some of the switchbacks that await me.
It was about a four hour, ten mile, trip that included a 2200 foot ascent up the east side of the ridge, and a 3000 foot descent down the west side.
While it took me four hours to get there, I spent another hour and a half trying to find Fr. Paisios' hut (=kellion, but there they call the skete's sub-communities 'huts'), which is a part of a larger community called New Skete. New Skete is a dependency of Hagiou Pavlou (St. Paul's) just as Lakkosketi is. It has a total of 55 monastics in 25 huts. Like Lakkou, each hut has its own rule (daily pattern), and there is a Katholikon (main church) for the entire Skete for Sundays and feast days. But unlike Lakkou, the huts are right next to each other, separated only by cobblestone paths, small gardens, and stone stairs up and down the hillside. Also unlike Lakkou, it is near the Aegean and affords peace-inducing views over the open water.
Fr. Paisios did not know I was coming, and I did not if he would be home. But when I finally found his hut, and he was home, he greeted me like a long lost friend. It was such a joy, and a relief, for me to meet him, and to be so warmly received (and to be off my feet). He invited me to stay the night, for which I was deeply grateful as the thought of returning in the heat of the afternoon was not very inviting.
We shared conversation and a late lunch, had a rest time (which appears as important here as at Lakkou), then a reader's vespers and compline, more conversation on the deck overlooking the village and the Aegean Sea, and finally tea and a snack at 8pm. A view from his deck:
In the morning we had reader's Nocturns and Matins, followed by the Divine Liturgy served by a priest who visits occasionally to help them as none of the monastics here are priests. After Liturgy, we shared Greek coffee and pastries before it was time for me to begin my return journey--but not before Fr. Paisios showered me with gifts. The joy and generosity (of time, space, possessions) is so humbling. People and relationships are so important to these monastics; keeping a schedule or accomplishing items on the to-do list don't even seem to enter their minds in the face of showing hospitality to a total stranger who simply shows up at their door.
The three monastics who live here have a great love for St. John the Theologian, as well as St Paisios the Athonite, who had a very significant influence on Fr. Paisios. Sharing their joy in these saints whom I also love will remain in my heart for a long time.
I left Fr. Paisios at 9am, having asked him 100 times to pray for my return journey. Even a good nights rest was not enough to boost my enthusiasm for a 3000 foot climb up steep terrain, and I'm confident he sensed my anxieties. Nonetheless I found myself happily praying with my newly gifted prayer rope on the 30 minute trail that parallels the coast and leads to the main road which in turn ascends the ridge. The views over the Aegean were breathtaking and my spirits were lifted feeling that the trip would be possible and even enjoyable so long as I didn't hurry but kept a slow and steady pace.
Sadly such hope vanished as I emerged from the trees and turned up the main road that has a completely unobstructed view of the climb that awaited me. Like Peter who began to sink when the storm distracted his attention from looking at Christ, so my spirits began to sink when the mountain ahead distracted me from a simple focus on Christ that the prayer rope brings.
And, like Peter who relied on Christ's outstretched hand to save him, so--as I looked up the road--I saw the approaching car slow down and then come to a stop beside me: one of the monastics from Lakkou was bringing three pilgrims to catch the boat that stops at the port here. They popped out of the car and greeted me with joy--as surprised to see me as I was them. I sensed immediately the prayers of Fr. Paisios, and of our heavenly patrons. I was back at Lakkou before the 11am lunch, had a wonderfully relaxing afternoon, and didn't miss that climb one bit. Thank you, Fr. Paisios, for your prayers.