Büyükada and Aya Yorgi (The Big Island and St. George's Greek Orthodox Monastery)

During the last two weeks, our family got to spend most of our time on Buyukada, the largest of Istanbul's Princes Islands.  They are something of a tourist attraction, definitely a vacation spot for us city dwellers, and also incidentally has a twice-a-year pilgrimage spot. 

It's beautiful here, even on a foggy day!

The monastery is Greek Orthodox; as mentioned, it is also a pilgrimage spot on the 23rd of April and the 24th of September.  Below are some images, first of the people walking and pulling strings up the hill, then of the monastery and its surroundings.

Walking up to the monastery

Strings and pilgrims

St. George's Monastery

  Paintings of Simeon and Anna, with the baby Jesus

St. George and the Dragon

The Legend of the Monastery (English)

The Legend of the Monastery (Greek)

a religion of JOY, reflecting its source

For every throb of joy in man’s heart, there is a wave of gladness in God’s. The notes of our praise are at once the echoes and the occasions of His. We are to be glad because He is glad: He is glad because we are so. We sing for joy, and He joys over us with singing because we do.

It is to be noticed that the former verse of our text is followed by the assurance: ‘The Lord is in the midst of thee’; and that the latter verse is preceded by the same assurance. So, then, intimate fellowship and communion between God and Israel lies at the root both of God’s joy in man and man’s joy in God.

[...]

It becomes us to see to it that our religion is a religion of joy. Our text is an authoritative command as well as a joyful exhortation, and we do not fairly represent the facts of Christian faith if we do not ‘rejoice in the Lord always.’ In all the sadness and troubles which necessarily accompany us, as they do all men, we ought by the effort of faith to set the Lord always before us that we be not moved. The secret of stable and perpetual joy still lies where Zephaniah found it-in the assurance that the Lord is with us, and in the vision of His love resting upon us, and rejoicing over us with singing. If thus our love clasps His, and His joy finds its way into our hearts, it will remain with us that our ‘joy may be full’; and being guarded by Him whilst still there is fear of stumbling, He will set us at last ‘before the presence of His glory without blemish in exceeding joy. 

(regarding Zephaniah 3:14, 17; from Alexander Maclaren's Expositions of Holy Scripture)

The entire exposition is well worth reading.

Oh, that will be Glory in Him!

No more division, no more separation, no more shame, no more haughtiness, no more injustice, no more lies or deceit, no more fear, no more condemnation, no more enemies, no more weakness, no more reproach, no more oppression, no more disabilities, no more ostracism, no more poverty... 

Instead unity, gathering, humility and lowliness, refuge, rest, joy and exultation, salvation, quietness, love and loud singing, a festival, praise and renown, restored fortunes...  

(Zephaniah 3:9-20)

  A simple summary of Zephaniah's promises of the future of the humble children of God. Of course God's people should rejoice, sing aloud, shout and exult at what God has promised!  That's not triumphalism, it's hope: we are trusting ourselves to the only One who could make this happen.  We do not expect to do this our own selves.  Humble waiting for joyful shouting.

Related posts: 
Honor, Shame and Slanting Theology
Zephaniah, Sultan Suleiman, and Mephibosheth