Maze R: Santorini Oia

Santorini Oia

It's my favorite of the Greek islands.  The very first time I ever heard of it was when Yanni included a composition of same title in his CD collection and mentioned it in his autobiography Ethnicity. 
http://youtu.be/3auxOlTl2MQ
The volcanic eruption was also shown in the beginning of the film Lara Croft Tomb Raider - Cradle of Life - starring the beautiful Oscar Award- winning best actress, my favorite Angelina Jolie.

The island and its surrounding islets are formed from the rim of an ancient drowned volcano that exploded in about 1500 B.C., and this disaster may have been the basis by the writing of Plato about the last continent of Atlantis.  The earliest volcanic eruptions in its recorded history were in 236 B.C; the latest were from 1925 to 1926.

Moses, the Exodus and Santorini: Between 600 B.C. and 300 B.C. - Jewish scribes wrote down the stories of their people and one of those stories concerned Moses, the exodus out of Egypt to the Promised Land, the biblical plagues and the parting of the Red Sea.  What is the connection with Santorini?

Santorini is the Mother of all volcanoes: the blast that occurred there in 16th Century B.C. was thousand of times more powerful than a nuclear explosion in  the last 10,000 years.

Santorini Oia Here We Come http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRlslJrmtqM

The Black Pearl of the Aegean.
Santorini lies in the Aegean Sea 500 miles of the Nile delta.  According to modern methods of research, the wind was blowing in a south easterly direction - the blast would have been heard in Egypt, the ash fall felt, the sky darkened, there was hail and lightning and its toxic fallout from the explosion that probably caused the plagues [the river turned to blood and the fish dried, frogs, lice, flies, animal pestilence, boils and blisters, hail, locust, darkness for three days].
"... and the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light, to go by day and night."
Even though Santorini could not be seen from Egypt because of the curvature of the earth, the explosion shot volcanic ash 40 miles into the air above Santorini, thereby creating a pillar of cloud by day and the lightning in the cloud would have created the "pillar of fire by night."

The Parting of the Red Sea:  Modern translations of the Bible now talk about the parting of the 'reed' sea [in the area of the Suez Canal] - a typographical error - the eruption caused a 600 feet high tsunami, or tidal wave, one of the largest waves in history.  Scientists have proof of this since they can see the scraping across the ocean floor - the 600 feet tsunami would have been created among other things, by sucking the water out of the Nile delta and rivers and wetlands and the reed sea hence allowing Moses to cross to the other side.  When the wave eventually reached the shore it was only 6 feet high, but came inshore for hundreds of miles, hence overwhelming the pharaoh's 600 chariots.

It's a unique sight driving along the mountain road, the various layers of lava that one can see on the face of the rock, each layer being another phase of the activity of the volcano.  Black lava rocks and white pumice are combined beautifully with the red color of lava.

Yanni - Santorini HD

http://youtu.be/ydXP2LvsQwc

Built on the Caldera rim, Oia Village is an example of Cycladic architecture.  The guide with her pretty voice narrated the creation and history of the last eruption leading to the destruction of the island of Santorini.  The tidal wave created by the eruption was of such an immense magnitude, it destroyed the thriving city of Knossos on the island of Crete.

We walked along the cobble-stone streets and white washed houses with blue shutters where one gets the impression that they are living in a beautiful travel poster.  Vendors gave us red pistachios (not green) and yummy candy as we passed by.

Internet Publication:

5/17/13  lib's labyrinth blogspot

10/2005  ALT  MSN Group

 

Cliff-top village of Oia
What a view! The tour then proceeded to the town of Thira, so attractive with its white-washed housed clinging precariously on the rim of the Caldera.

Greek Cruise Travelers

World Traveler Luz from California

Previous Publication 2006 MSN Groups ALT Traveler

Web Page: A World of Yours, Mine and Ours

Published 6/2/10 lib's labyrinth blogspot

Modified 5/17/13

Maze P: Ephesus

Ephesus

The Greek, Roman and Byzantine excavations.

Library of Celsus

Stadium where Saint Paul preached to the Ephesians.

Kusadasi

Internet Publication:

6/2/10  lib's labyrinth blogspot

10/2005  ALT  MSN Group

Maze Q: House of Virgin Mary

House of Mary in the mountain of Ephesus.

May is the Month of Mary: Happy Mother's Day!

The Virgin Mary and Saint Paul at Ephesus http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=em4OkUFEa4Q 00:58

Going to see the House of Mary

THE SHRINE
This place is considered to be the last home of the Blessed Virgin, the Mother of Jesus Christ.

THE FACTS ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURE
St. John, in his Gospel, tells us that Jesus, before dying on the Cross, entrusted to him the care of His Mother when he said: - "Here is your Mother and from that hour St. John took her to his own.  The "Acts of the Apostles" relate how, after the death of Christ, His followers were persecuted in Jerusalem.  St. Stephen was stoned in 37 A.D.  St. James was beheaded in 42 A.D.  And they further relate how they divided the world between them for preaching the Gospel, and St. John was given Asia Minor (modern day Turkey).  Now Mary had been given to his care and with the persecutions, probably brought with him to Asia Minor.

THE FACTS ARE CONFIRMED HISTORICALLY
There are 2 evidences: 1 - the presence of the tom of St. John in Ephesus, and 2 - the presence of the first Basilica of the world dedicated to the Blessed Virgin.  In the early days of the church, places of worship were only dedicated to persons who had lived or died in the locality.
Also, the Ecumenical Council of 431 was held in Ephesus in the Basilica for the definition of the dogma of the Divine Motherhood of Mary.  The Council Fathers write about Nestorius: "...after his arrival to Ephesus, where John the Theologian and the Holy Virgin Mary, Mother of God..."
There is another confirmation in the oral tradition of the Villagers of Kirkindje.  These people were the descendants of the christians of Ephesus.  They had passed from generation to generation, the belief of the death of Mary in this place, so they called PANAGHIA KAPULU.  They have kept this tradition alive through the annual pilgrimage of 15th August.

DISCOVERY OF THIS PLACE IN THE 19TH CENTURY
During the "19th Century book" Life of the Blessed Virgin was published in Germany.  The material for this book come from the revelations of the stigmatyzed Nun, Anna Catherina Emmerich.  She was an invalid and had never left Germany.  In her visions she described with amazing accuracy the hills of Ephesus and the house where she saw the Blessed Virgin spending her last years.
Accordingly, 2 scientific expeditions were organized, and they found this place perfectly agreeingg with her description.

THE CHAPEL
The chapel was rebuilt upon the original foundations that have been determined to date as of the 1st and 4th centuries.  Part of the building is of the 7th century and the last restoration took place in 1951.


MARY IN HER LATER YEARS LOOK BACK ON HER ROLE AS THE MOTHER OF JESUS.  MARY SAYS:
"I tucked all these things away in my memory and I keep reflecting back on them whenever I pray which is almost always.  I can see the older I get, how constant God's love has been for us.  The same faithful God who walked with our ancestors has now shown utmost compassion to me in all that has happened since my son was born.  I did not understand what God was doing, but I was given the grace to continue...
"I think I raised my son well.  I tried to teach him to turn to God at every moment.  I told him how I knew from the moment he was conceived that God's Spirit was with him in a special way and that God would never abandon him.
"I hope that you,too, have known God's strength and comfort in this way in your life.  God continues to be born in every person's life."
[Excerpt from the book "A Retreat With Luke" by Sr. Barbara Reid, OP]

Video

Previous Publication 10/2/06  MSN Groups

ALT Web Page: There Is Something About Mary
Published 2009  Multiply
Photos: lib's labyrinth 6/2/10

Modified 5/17/13