Message of Abbot Paul - Thursday 1st June 2023

Yesterday was the day I traveled from Belmont to Thessaloniki. It was a wonderfully relaxing day with enjoyable flights, easy passage through airports, especially Frankfurt and Thessaloniki, and the joy of seeing old friends, friends I have known for almost 60 years. Now comes the prospect of a whole week with no specific commitments, time to rest, time to read and the perfect quiet of Mount Chortiartis, where my friends live, way above Thessaloniki, looking out towards the Thermaic Gulf. It’s perfectly quiet here apart from the birdsong, ideal for rest, reading and a little prayer. I plan to take things easy and rest.

It’s four years since I was here and in that time my dear friend has slipped firmly into the grips of Alzheimer’s, so I can see that in some ways it’s going to be a difficult visit. It’s a great blessing to be together again and I thank God who has made this visit possible. We have so many happy memories. It’s good to be in Greece again and to have the opportunity of worshiping in the local Orthodox churches, a form of worship so centred on God and the union of heaven and earth in Christ.

I’ll try to get back to the usual format tomorrow. In the meantime, be assured of my prayers.