Orthodixie

This is the fifth in a 15-part series of pics from Syria.

First — Second — Third — Fourth — Fifth — Sixth — Seventh — Eighth — Ninth — Tenth — Eleventh — Twelfth — Thirteenth — Fourteenth — Fifteenth.

The problem is: I’m lost!

I remember when my wife and I sat with a young couple, years ago, who’d just returned from Alaska …

They had about 400 pictures of beautiful black mountains jutting up out of the ground, snow capped …

They could have all been of the same mountain after a while … and we’d have not noticed.

These pictures (some of them will enlarge; click) are taken around the area of Kharaba and Sweida. That is an old baptismal font.

Alas, I can’t pinpoint the location in my mind’s map. Perhaps someone else whose been to Syria can help.

Is this cool or what?

Cisterns …

Can I tell you a funny story? It’s a true story … Years ago, in Syria, they had an election. But, unlike in America, there was only one candidate running. A man from North Carolina, who did not read Arabic — traveled all over Syria, seeing the political billboards and media ads — and returned home to say: “I couldn’t tell those guys apart!”

Anyway … sorry for the sloppy reporting. We’re headed back toward Sweida and, in our next update, to Latakia.

Podcast – “The Blindside” (in Syria); Article – Antiochian website

This is the fourth in a 15-part series of pics from Syria.

First — Second — Third — Fourth — Fifth — Sixth — Seventh — Eighth — Ninth — Tenth — Eleventh — Twelfth — Thirteenth — Fourteenth — Fifteenth.

Welcome to Beit Ania — a working farm, place of rest and retreat, and …

[Click this pic to enlarge] …

God willing, the future Monastery of Saints Martha & Mary.

Looking down the line of the fence, you can see the small chapel dedicated to St Lazarus.
[Click this pic to enlarge.]

A portion of the grounds at Beit Ania; fig trees, grape vines, etc.
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Let’s enter the Chapel of St Lazarus …

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Fr Timon really loves this place. I love this place! (You will, too, when you visit.)

This is the old St George Church in Kharaba. St George Church, Houston, Texas is 82 years old (but just over 40 on its current property). The church pictured above is a mere 1,300 years old.

The interior of the old St George Church. A mission team from the Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America will be working to help clean up this space next month.
[Click this pic to enlarge.]

This is the new St George Church, where Fr Timon is the pastor.
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Gorgeous! (Fr Timon is rushing to the front to move the ironing board where, earlier in the week, he’d been removing some of that wonderful Pascha wax from some linens.)
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And this is the new hall being built at St George, Kharaba.
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More to come …

Podcast – “The Blindside” (in Syria); Article – Antiochian website

This is the third in a 15-part series of pics from Syria.

First — Second — Third — Fourth — Fifth — Sixth — Seventh — Eighth — Ninth — Tenth — Eleventh — Twelfth — Thirteenth — Fourteenth — Fifteenth.

In the previous post of pics I mentioned riding ’round Old Bosra by horse drawn carriage …

Voila!

Fr Timon gives instructions. See that guy with the white hat?

This one, with the bag in his hand? This is a salesman; he’s got souvenir and tour guide books for sale. (He also speaks very good English … and, ahem, accepts American dollars.)

The Roman ruins are massive. [Click the pic above to enlarge.]

As were the ancient churches and bath houses.

The remains of the Cathedral of Saints Sergius, Bacchus and Leontius — built in 513.

Facing toward the “altar” in the Basilica of Bahira …

Facing toward the altar in one of the newer churches …

Looking back toward the entrance. (Haa-yuge!)
[Click to enlarge.]

This is a cistern the Romans built to supply the city with water; it, too, is massive.

We stopped by a few churches in the area, and visited several homes. I mentioned this particular Salon in the podcast — where we sat on the floor, hosted by an older couple in very traditional dress.

On the road again. Next stop (very cool): A future monastery.

Podcast – “The Blindside” (in Syria); Article – Antiochian website

This is the second in a 15-part series of pics from Syria.

First — Second — Third — Fourth — Fifth — Sixth — Seventh — Eighth — Ninth — Tenth — Eleventh — Twelfth — Thirteenth — Fourteenth — Fifteenth.

In my last post of pics from Syria, we ended up heading out into the country …

That, in the distance, is the famed citadel / amphitheater in Bosra.

Following Fr Timon, let’s go in — shall we?

Stopped by the paparazzi, momentarily …

A real live — well, formerly live — MOTE!
CORRECTION: (Sorry, I had a mote in my eye … that should read MOAT!)
Thanks to spell-checker Keith.

Even with reading glasses, I can’t. (Let me know if it says something inappropriate.)

Everywhere around Bosra … ancient Roman ruins.

One of those “I’ll shoot you with my bow-n-arrow” window thingies.

One of those “I’ll chase you down the castle hall with my saber” thingies.

One of those “Whose job to sweep the stairs?” thingies.

Life hasn’t changed much in these parts. This is actually a display in the museum which shows the Salon, the food platter, and the coffee maker.

This museum photo shows the Father of the Groom dancing — dreaming of many grandchildren.

Here, Fr Timon wades through the dancing man’s dream …

This museum photo shows what may become of some of the grown female children. (I did see a few women, both in the country and at market in Damascus, carrying large amounts of stuff on their heads.)

This upper courtyard of the castle displays many Roman ruins.

Arrgh! No wonder they lopped the heads off!

This is the backstage hallway at the amphitheater …

And … Ta-Da! We’re onstage. And, yes, you really can speak in a conversational voice and be heard throughout the venue.

Looking down at the stage from the seats.

“And, there it is. Tune in tomorrow for another edition of Orthodox White Boy spotted in Syria.” [Click this pic to enlarge.]

Oh … and don’t miss the rest of the sights in ancient Bosra, where Fr Timon not only leads the way, he rents us a horse drawn carriage (the only way to fly in these parts!).
[Click pic to enlarge.]

Podcast – “The Blindside” (in Syria); Article – Antiochian website