Anastasia and Vasilis greeting everybody after the religious seremony...
Saturday, July 23, 2005
The ancient Agora of Athens
I was surprised to see the Metro line running so close to this well preserved temple in ancient Agora.
Temple of Hephaistos. The temple, known as the "Theseion", is Doric, peripteral, with a pronaos and opisthodomos. It crowns the hill of Kolonos Agoraios and is the most prominent and better preserved monument of the Agora. The temple was dedicated to two gods, Hephaistos and Athena, whose bronze cult statues stood in the interior. The construction of the Hephaisteion started in 449 B.C.
Friday, July 22, 2005
Dionysus Promenade
...right by the promenade of Dionysus the Areopagite (see Acts 17) (this guy became the first Christian of Athens, converted by Paul).
Paul's visit to the historic and adorned city of Athens marks one of the most challenging parts of his career as a missionary and Apostle. He arrived alone, while Silas and Timothy remained in Macedonia. Though modern visitors are impressed with the great buildings of the Acropolis and Olympian Zeus, the agora and the impressive stoas, Paul was stirred by the idolatry of the city. The history of this important center of philosophy and pagan practice extends back millenia.
The work of Paul in Athens left its mark with a few converts including Damaris and Dionysus the Areopagite. In the succeeding generations several important Christian thinkers rose from the Athenian Church.
Sacred Olives
The "sacred" olive tree in question (I guess Athena won the contest).
See the mythological story at: http://www.mythweb.com/gods/Poseidon.html
Old Greek inscription relating the story of Athena & Poseidon, regarding some olive tree contest. See the Mythology at http://www.mythweb.com/gods/Poseidon.html
Apostle Paul @ Areopagus
This Hill of Ares (in the background) was the seat of the Supreme Court of ancient Athens. Kings of Mycenaean rule are buried in long tombs along its flank. The Apostle Paul came here in the year AD 50, and nearby is the little basilica dedicated to St Dionysus the Areopagite, one of Paul's first converts, as related in Acts 17
:22- Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.
:23- For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you..."
Theater of Dionysos
Theater signpost. DIONYSUS (Roman name Bacchus) was the god of wine & humor. Dionysus was the son of Zeus and the mortal heroine Semele.
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