From Ruins to Revelations-Athens

The first day of the Greece and Turkey pilgrimage began with exploring Athens. After breakfast a bus and tour guide was waiting for us. Our first event was Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Dionysius the Areopagite. Because we were a small group our service used the side altar.

Altar

On our way to the next stop we passed the Arch of Hadrian, more commonly known as Hadrian's Gate, which was built in A.D. 131 by Athens citizens to honor Emperor Hadrian.

Arch

Before we got off the bus at the Kaisariani Monastery, an Eastern Orthodox monastery dedicated to the Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple, our guide passed out Whisper audio devices and earphones, which allowed us to hear her while walking around.

Kaisariani is one of the oldest monasteries in Greece. The church was built during the late 11th century over the ruins of a fifty-century Christian church, which was built over a temple of Aphrodite. The frescoes inside the church date from around 1700.

Our group got to wander around the walled complex and step inside the church. The tour guide gave detailed information about the complex's history, and thanks to the range of the Whispers I didn't have to be right next to her.

After the monastery we got back on the bus to go to the Acropolis complex. I assumed that there was only one acropolis in the world, but learned that the word generically refers to the elevated, fortified part of an ancient Greek city. The Athens Acropolis is just the most famous one.

We walked up the steps to the top, where we saw the Parthenon (which was built in the 5th century BC in thanksgiving for the Greek victory over Persian invaders), Erechtheion temple (dedicated to both Athena and Poseidon), and temple of Athena Nike.

Temple of Athena

Next we visited Areopagus Hill, where St. Paul stood to deliver a sermon which proclaimed the one true God and called the Athenians to repentance, recorded in Chapter 17 of the Book of Acts.

Areopagus Hill

After a busy morning, it was time for lunch. The group walked several blocks to an area with several restaurants to choose from. My yummy risotto was loaded with peppers, tomatoes, and chunks of feta.