Tuesday 2/24/09

Today was Pat’s weekly “geezer” ride. They were going to ride up to South Mountain over by Phoenix. I decided that I would take the rental truck and drive over to the Greek Orthodox Monastery near Coolidge and Florence. I spent about 2.5 hours there. It was delightful. The grounds are full of lush foliage and beautiful buildings. I could take pictures of everything except the monks unless I had their permission. I did get a couple of them in shots only because I had the shots setup when they appeared in them in the distance, but I didn’t go out seeking them for pictures. I was too wrapped up in the architecture. Their dress rules are very strict and have to be adhered to for admittance. Women have to wear long skirts (below the knees), long sleeve tops, head scarfs, and shoes with no open toes unless they have on socks with them. Men must wear long sleeve shirts, long pants and a hat. I looked like a peasant woman from a hundred years ago. It was hot that day and I was ready to disrobe by the time I was finished. I had my own clothes, but they do have skirts and scarves they loan to women that come unprepared. I’m not sure what the men do.

This was the first structure I saw as I pulled on to the grounds.

It is just under construction so we weren’t able to go up and see it any closer than from down on the road.

 

 

 

This is the main gate looking out towards the parking lot from inside the compound.

 

 

 

 

 

This is the main church.

There are six chapels built in honor of six saints including John the Baptist scattered in a circle around the main church. Walkways go from one to the other.

 

One of the six chapels. These are only actually used on very special occasions. The main church is predominantly the one used most all of the time.

 

 

Here is one of the many beautiful walkways that leads people throughout the grounds, and around architecture such as this next one.

 

 

There are wonderful benches such as this one placed along some of the paths in case you get tired. There are also stone walls and benches for resting. Most of the benches have wonderfully intricate carvings on them such as you’ll see in the close up in the next picture.

 

 

How lovely it is to sit and relax next to one of their beautiful fountains such as these two. Some are carved intricately and others are whimsical such as the one below.

 

 

But whichever you choose to relax next to, you will enjoy the time spent there. You can look in a 360 degree circle just about anywhere on the grounds and see beauty. Besides the buildings, water fountains and pathways, the Monastery has its own olive grove, vineyard (for sacramental usage only we were told), vegetable garden and citrus orchards. When you exit the front gate each person is to take 3 lemon in honor of the monks.

Here was the last image I took and the last thing I saw of the Monastery on my way out. This is the St. George Chapel’s Belfry with the Sonoran Desert in the foreground.

This is one journey that I will gladly make again next year, when Pat,  my brother and sister-in-law are able to join me.