click here to tweet this post
click here to share with your friends
subscribe to this feed
Stairway to Heaven
by Dan WallaceJuly 1st, 2010
10 Comments
Meteora is one of the most stunningly beautiful and other-worldly places on earth. Over a millennium ago, monks traveled throughout Greece in search of a place where they could get away from it all. Ultimately, six monasteries were established there, all but one perched atop stone pillars rising hundreds of feet above the plain below.
Metéora (Greek: Μετέωρα, ‘suspended rocks,’ ‘suspended in the air’ or ‘in the heavens above’) is one of the largest and most important complexes of Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Greece, second only to Mount Athos. The six monasteries are built on natural sandstone rock pillars, at the northwestern edge of the Plain of Thessaly near the Pineios river and Pindus Mountains, in central Greece. The nearest town is Kalambaka. The Metéora is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
OK, I confess. The previous paragraph is lifted verbatim out of Wikipedia. But it’s a decent geographical description of the place. Photographs do not do this site justice, but below are a couple that at least give you a glimpse of what these natural monuments are like.
One of the smaller monasteries of Meteora
Of the six monasteries that still exist, five are inhabited by men, one by women. The largest monastery, Metamorphosis, is the one that most pilgrims visit. It has an eerie ‘skull room’ where many of the former residents still find their abode—at least, in part.
One of the great ironies of Meteora is that the monks who came here centuries ago sought an ascetic life, away from people. Now, the monasteries have become a tourist attraction, and the town of Kalambaka below the pillars that reach as high as 1400 feet above has grown up to accommodate visitors. There are plenty of hotels, coffee shops, restaurants, trinket-shops. Meteora has become exactly what the original monks did not want.
The Stone pillars of Meteora from the town below
This was my third trip to Meteora, but my first visit to the Monastery of St. Stephen. This is the only monastery inhabited by nuns.
There are dozens of Greek New Testament manuscripts in Meteora, most being at Metamorphosis. The Institut für neutestamentliche Textforschung (INTF) in Münster, Germany has catalogued these. There are 45 at Metamorphosis, 9 at Barlaam, and 9 at Stephanou (total: 63).
Of the nine NT manuscripts at the Monastery of St. Stephen (Stephanou) that INTF has catalogued, the earliest is from the 11th century. A four-man team from the Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts visited the monastery in May, 2010. In our visit, we came across two others, prominently displayed in their museum. See the detailed report, “Uncatalogued MSS at Stephanou, Meteora” posted at www.csntm.org, for information on these manuscripts.
Similar Posts:
- The Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts (CSNTM) is proud to announce the SMU Debate between two noted New Testament scholars, Dr. Bart D. Ehrman and Dr. Daniel B. Wallace
- Credo House of Theology: Update
- Culture11
- It comes in pints? I'm gettin' one . . .
- Theology Around the Web in 60 Seconds – 9.18.10
Loading ...
10 Comments
Like or Dislike:
0
Of the six, which one was the monastery James Bond climbed to? ;^)
It really is a place I would love to see. Thanks for this post.
Like or Dislike:
0
Good question! I have no idea.
Like or Dislike:
0
Some very interesting places. That skull room would give me “the creeps” big time though, I’m thinking.
Like or Dislike:
0
So, my guess is that you don’t carry a human skull around with you–like St. Jerome did? (:-)
Like or Dislike:
0
Nope, sure don’t!
Like or Dislike:
0
The monks never turned the pious pilgrims away (Hebrews 13:2). Your understanding of monasticism is not really correct. (Which is perfectly fine and completely understandable). They fled from “the world”, they didn’t run away from people.
Like or Dislike:
0
Lucian, thank you very much for this correction. Where can I read more about this?
At the same time, your viewpoint doesn’t seem to jive with Mt. Athos and its 22 monasteries. Only four visitors allowed on the peninsula a DAY? And no women allowed for over a millennium. Yet, Mt. Athos is viewed as the pinnacle of Greek monasticism, as I have heard many monks admit. If it is the template for the monastic life, then perhaps my understanding of Meteora is not that far off after all?
Like or Dislike:
0
I’m not saying that they put up bilboards and signs, and distribute fliers, or give directions. All I’m saying is that they don’t turn away pilgrims and visitors.
Athos is in a poor state, and they don’t take more people in than they can handle, but they do treat all visitors, as few as they are, with love and kindness. (The reason they chose not to let any women there is obvious).
Like or Dislike:
0
Good point. My experience with the Orthodox is that they are very kind to visitors.
Like or Dislike:
0
There is a certain Eastern hospitality, that’s true. But peoples of Romanic (Latin) heritage also very hospitable. And since Romanians are both, they’re THE most hospitable. (Except when they’re not…
)
More Comments: