I_am_7th_archangel Offline

"Arise....Go To Patmos" Part #4

But, first things first. We were met at the port by the proprietor of the hotel we would be staying at. We went to our rooms, unpacked, and came downstairs to begin "the hunt for." But, there was a momentary delay.....breakfast was ready. And, as not to offend our host, we complied.

After we had our fill, we began the trek around Patmos. Even though is was a small island, there was much to see...and take in. Every few kilometers, there were Orthodox temples of various sizes, brilliant white and teal blue.
Inside were small benches facing the shrines, a a place for kneeling and prayer. There were hills and cliffs everywhere, with no shortage of caves. The shorelines were rocky, but so clear, you could see where the depths of the water changed from clear to a beautiful Aegean blue.

As we continued to walk, we noticed people gathering by the shores, looking out to sea. So, naturally, we went to look, too. The manager from the hotel was there with her husband, looking as well. I asked what was going on, and she just pointed, and then said "look." Coming toward the island were three ships...a ferry and two cruise ships. I asked what was so unusual about that, and she said as long as she had lived on the island, there has never been three ships come to port on the island. It was far too small for even a single ferry, and there were these three huge ships coming in. It was truly a sight to behold.

The ships had to drop anchor about a 1/2 mile offshore, and the people were shuttled in. Some went to the opposite side of the island, what I called the "resort side." By the time everyone came ashore, it looked like a smaller version of Time Square....people everywhere.

All the shops were bustling with activity. And there were endless mopeds
or 'scooters'. (The roads were too small for automobiles) Most of the people were going to this fortress/castle looking structure known as The Monastery of St. John, located at the top of the island. Others, were in search of The Grotto. There was a grassy stone path that led to a shrine.
We walked to its end, and saw a 'cave'. (It was highly commercialized with relics and shrines, candelabras, and seating for maybe one or two people) You could only go back so far; they had sealed off a portion of the cave. I thought that was abit strange. (I wasn't convinced that this was the actual Grotto; it was easily accessible and 'modified' for pilgrimage purposes.)

We left that location, and headed back to the hotel. We would head out later on that day to continue our own search. I then went up to my room, I took out my "boom box" and my Bible tapes, went out onto the balcony,
and proceeded to blast Matthew 26-28; about an hour later, Luke 22-24,
then an hour later John 17-21. I got some strange stares at first, but then, people began to gather beneath the balcony....to listen. I sat there following along in my Bible, and watching. (That was incredible!)


~~~~To Be Continued~~~~