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Health & Fitness

Embarking on a journey to sanctification

A young woman embraces a life of virginity, poverty, seclusion and unceasing prayer. She has left the tourist resort of Agia Napa, Cyprus to become a nun in an Orthodox monastery in northern Greece.

The tonsure of Genovefa to the monastic life

Travel log in Greece – continuing on

I was surprised to hear the voice of Genovefa on the phone one Sunday afternoon last November. She grew up with my children when we lived in Cyprus and now she was a novice at a women’s monastery in northern Greece.

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The phone call was an invitation to attend her tonsure to the monastic life. At first, I was surprised to hear that she had decided to live a life of seclusion as an Orthodox nun because she is only 20, but knowing her heart as a child I also realized that this had to be a serious calling for her.

The service of the tonsure was to take place on July 19 of 2011 and I included it in my itinerary for the summer.

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Travelling through Greece with my son and daughter this past summer was delightful, in spite the heat wave engulfing the country at the time.

On the day before the tonsure was to take place we left Meteora and headed for the monastery of All Saints guided by the trusted GPS of my iPhone.

A cloud of dust rose behind us as we finally swirled on the gravel road leading to the monastic enclave nestled between the mountain peaks in the outskirts of Vergina (the small town where the tomb of Philip, father of Alexander the Great, was discovered in 1977).

This monastery was more than 600 years old, but was left in ruins after the monks were slaughtered by the Turks in the 1820’s during the uprising which led to the liberation of the Greek people from 400 years of Turkish domination.

In the last 5 years, nine brave young women have undertaken the task to restore it and make it their home.

Genovefa with two of the nuns (who were my Sunday School students when I served as a priest in Cyprus) came out of the main gate of the monastic complex with several relatives and friends (visitors) as our rental VW Passat roared into the narrow parking lot outside the gate. They heard the car approaching on the dirt road and came out with anticipation to receive us.

This visit turned out to be both a reunion with old friends, but also an inspiring and spiritually uplifting experience. After the evening prayers and the spartan meal offered to us we withdrew for the evening to the ascetic monastic cells to rest and prepare for the big event.

The next morning nuns and visitors gathered at the church; its walls covered by frescos of life size images of Christ and the saints which date back to the 16th century. The morning office was read and the bells started ringing joyfully as the bishop of the area arrived for the service.

The Divine Liturgy was well underway when Genovefa dressed in a white tunic was led by the abbess into the small church of the ancient monastery. She went up to her parents and grandmother (standing on the left) and received their blessing. She kissed her siblings and then received the blessing of her spiritual fathers; this was a very touching moment for me for she had had her first confessions with me as she was growing up. I felt honored that I was invited to be present for this.

She was now following in the footsteps of the saints. My mind and heart were lifted up in prayer asking that she may be strengthened as she embarked on this journey. The nuns of the monastery stood on each side chanting β€œKyrie Eleyson” (Lord have mercy) as Genovefa bent down in front of the bishop who read the prayers over her. The bishop cut her hair in a crosswise manner and then put over her the black monastic habit pronouncing her new name β€œMacrina”. Today we were celebrating the feast of St. Macrina, sister of St. Basil the Great, a great example of deep faith and dedication to Christ. Genovefa was leaving behind her old self and embracing this new life along with a new name following in the footsteps of St. Macrina. Her face was glowing with joy. Everyone noted at that moment and later that her face had changed after the tonsure. She was reborn in the Holy Spirit!

The service continued as the nuns chanted in their beautiful voices β€œthose who have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ, Alleluia!” (Gal. 3:27)Β  But the most moving moment for me came as the bishop handed her a cross and a candle to hold telling her to β€œlet your light shine in front of men so that they may see your good works and glorify God who is in heaven.” (Matt. 5:16)

Macrina has embarked onto the path to sanctification and holiness. May the light of her life shine in front of us all so that we may find our path to the Kingdom of God, as well.

Β 

Fr. Panayiotis

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