Father Justin's Blog

Early morning sunlight at the basin of the Prophet Elijah. From here, the path leads to remote chapels.

The sun was just beginning to shine on the mountain peaks as we made our way down the valley to the church of Saint John Climacus.

Saint John passed forty years living in a cave. It was during this time that many turned to him, finding in him a wise and experienced spiritual guide. He was already an old man when he was elected abbot of Sinai. Yielding to the requests of others, he wrote The Ladder of Divine Ascent. Saint John was well versed in the writings on the spiritual life extant in his day. In writing his own guide, there are times when he consciously follows the inheritance he has received. However, there are times when he introduces changes, based on his own experience. When he felt that his time on earth was drawing to a close, he resigned as abbot and returned to his beloved cave.

It was a great blessing to go to the small chapel below his cave with a few others for the celebration of the Divine Liturgy on the Sunday of Saint John Climacus.

The Fifty Spiritual Homilies of Saint Macarius the Egyptian were translated by Thomas Haywood and published in 1721 as Primitive Morality: or, the Spiritual Homilies of Saint Macarius the Egyptian, full of very Profitable Instructions concerning that Perfection, which is Expected from Christians, and which it is their Duty to Endeavour after. Done out of Greek into English, with several Considerable Emendations, and some Enlargements from a Bodleian Manuscript, never before printed. By a Presbyter of the Church of England.

This is an octavo volume measuring 20.3 x 13.4 centimetres (8 x 5 1/4 inches). It is a joy to read this pioneering translation in a copy that is now over three hundred years old, and yet so well preserved.

The fire seen by Moses in the Bush was the same fire that bore Elijah from the earth in a chariot of fire. This fire inflamed the heart of Cleopas and his companion when they conversed with the Risen Christ, and descended on the Apostles on the day of Pentecost. It was of this fire that Christ spoke when he said, I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?

From the translator’s Introduction:

Persons that undertake any thing of this kind, little think beforehand what Difficulties and Discouragements they must expect to Encounter. It was not without some Pleasure, that I Observ’d not many Years since, that a very Great Man complains upon much the same Occasion with my self, that it is Hard with the Help of the Best Copies to Hit the True Meaning of an Author that wrote so long ago, and that the Copies we have are All Defective. For I must own, I never once expected the Tenth Part of the Trouble, which to my Great Surprize I really found in this Work, and which Dr. Grabe indeed at first told me I should meet with. Had I been Sensible of it my self, I doubt I should hardly ever have Submitted to the Performance.

Sixth century blocks of hewn granite form the base of the tower of Saint George. Crosses were carved into the stones at regular intervals around the monastery. Some stones have a lunate sigma or other Greek letter carved into the face. These have been identified as quarry marks.

Scattered clouds on a cold winter’s day create patches of sunlight that move slowly over the surrounding mountains.