An answered Prayer

The next morning as everone slept, exhausted from our vigil on the road, I got up and headed down the street to St. Demetrios church. Too late for taking communion, but the huge church was beautiful, full of faithful, fully decorated with icons. I prayed a few moments, lit a candle, and stood quietly looking at the icons. There was St. Emilia! The first time I've ever seen her in a church.

I went back home, hoping the kids were up and could come take communion. Nope, both still sleeping. But Grandma was up and I told her I'd go to the other church then come back. I went down the street the opposite way and came to Agios Nikolaos. This was equally large and majestic, obviously a relatively new church, and also fully decorated with even better icons. This was a real master iconographer. Which church should I bring the kids back to? Grandma was already letting me know she didn't want another night like that and we should just count on getting a hotel early in the day. I wanted to keep room for finding a monastery if we possibly could, and thought I would ask a priest. But which church should we go to?

Of course, we went back to St. Demetrius because of the St. Emilia icon, which Emma had to see. Although I felt wrong doing it, in a way, I snuck the kids in the side chapel behind several Greek mamas bringing their children late -- very late-- like, Liturgy is completely over late -- to have communion. The priest didn't bat an eye.

We went up to get a blessing from the main priest, and when I asked if he spoke English, he said that he lived in Ohio! Fr. Ioannikios ended up taking us downstairs to his office, filling us with cupcakes, and calling a monastery in Lavrio (outside Athens about 45 minutes) and securing a blessing from the Gerondissa for us to stay there for 2 nights. Thank God!

I will have to write later about our experience there, but it was all I had hoped for. We have spent last night (Tuesday) in Athens with Maria and Nikos and will be here again tonight. Our time with them has been wonderful. We fly home tomorrow morning. I will have to tell the final tales either en route or after we are home.

Macrina signing off in a very warm Athens at 4:30PM. I've spent all the money I had on icon books and pigments and am a very happy clam!! I think Grandma will be most relived to get back on US soil, but we will all be happy to be home again, even though Emma and I would stay another month if we could!