General Chat

Thank you Cynthia for your posts to always inspire and inform.

Goodness Pat. That is quite a performance. The Cypriots don't do things by halves, do they?
It's a long time since I lived there, first on the edge of Famagusta, then later at Dhekelia and Ayios Nikolaos and I don't recall all the celebration, but I do remember a wheat and yogurt soup. My husband hated it, when our lovely Cypriot neighbour gave each of us some, so I felt duty bound to eat mine, so as not to offend.
Was that the same mix that could be dried and hand rolled into thin sausage shaped biscuits?
I remember a rather dry Easter bun? too....Can't remember it's correct name.

It's always interesting to learn how other people celebrate known festivals.

Well quiet was restored by 00.45 and we had coaxed the dog out of the downstairs toilet, her safety cave in times of stress. Having given her a big cuddle and assuring her all was now OK I went to bed.

02.15 the second part of the service finished and a 2nd firework display, different from earlier years. All went quiet about 20 minutes later - then we had 2 cars going around the village honking their horns. :-(

My dog had spent all night in the toilet and she was still there when I came downstairs at 07.30. Funny the village was very quiet when I walked her - perhaps I should have got her to walk around barking ;-)

The hospitals will have extra staff on the next 2 days. After Lent when no meat is eaten BBQs are lit and the Cypriots gorge on meat. Many end up in A & E with stomach complaints.

Roll on Tuesday and normality ;-) :-D :-D

Good morning :-)

Goodness, certainly a celebration Pat! Late night/early morning vigils are quite popular here but not necessarily with the amount of ceremonial. We used to hold one at 8.00pm on the Saturday night - it was a lovely service.

After the great high of Easter we come back down to earth with a bump and so today is called ‘Low Sunday’. It is also known as 'Quasimodo Sunday'. The character from the Victor Hugo book was named Quasimodo because he was found in church on this Sunday in which the introit in Latin began….. “Quasi modo geniti infants…….”

The Collect (special prayer) for today

Almighty Father,
you have given your only Son to die for our sins
and to rise again for our justification:
grant us so to put away the leaven of malice and wickedness
that we may always serve you
in pureness of living and truth;
through the merits of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

The gospel tells the story of Jesus appearing to his disciples……

Cx :-)

No ringing for Notre Dame but this morning on the dog walk 2 of our village's churches were ringing at the same time so for about 5 minutes it was a continuous noise of clang,clink,clang, clink. :-S

No early night for us this evening. 2 services today, this morning and then one late tonight.

The church services start at 11 pm and few minutes before midnight, the lights in the church are switched off and the choir chants the story of three women (myrrh bearers) who arrived at Christ’s tomb only to find it empty. The lights are switched on again at midnight precisely and the priest calls the congregation to “take from his candle the light which never dies.” The flame is passed from person to person until everyone is holding a lit candle. The ceremony then continues outside the church when there's a bonfire and fireworks , after which, the priest returns inside again to begin the special Sunday liturgy for another two and a half to three hours. The Holy Fire (in Greek "Holy Light") is described by Orthodox Christians as a miracle that occurs every year at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem on Great Saturday, or Holy Saturday, on the eve of the Orthodox Easter.

After the ‘Christos Anesti’ chants (Christ is Risen) most of the congregation leave to celebrate with family and friends by watching more firework displays and to enjoy a meal of the traditional Cypriot trachana (a creamy, savoury soup of wheat and yogurt) or magiritsa (a creamy soup with a tangy lemon twist and pieces of meat).

ps Oh yes! As soon as I saw your name Pat, I thought 'Oh good! Bells.' :-D

Were any of your local bells involved in the ringing for the solidarity with the Notre Dame blaze?

Good morning :-)

I honestly don't know about the rosary David, I am not a Roman Catholic but I am sure there will be an explanation somewhere. I can recite the Hail Mary though :-D
There have been many articles, writings and thesis on the subject of the Virgin birth - but go for one which is published by a theologian or somesuch - not one from the Daily Rag! :-D


Through this week, we have been looking at some of the post resurrection appearances of Jesus…..so why is the resurrection of Christ so important? I love this explanation…….

he resurrection of Jesus Christ is the central truth of the Christian faith. Without it there is no such thing as the Christian faith.

Long ago man named Job asked the big question, that sooner or later every human being has to face.

“If a person dies, will they live again? “ Job 14:14

This same question remains to this day, "Is this life all that there is? Or is there life beyond the grave? Is it possible for anyone to know the answer to this question?"

The Christian's answer to Job's question is the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Amen.


Cx :-)

Supposedly built by THE Lazerus ;-) No

It was your Good Friday last week David :-D

And here Pat

Pat, did you ever visit the Church built by Lazarus ?

The mourning bell was sounding this morning at service time - it's Good Friday here.

I "think" the parents of Mary, Mother of Jesus were Jochahim and Anne.

Still don't know where Mary died, but she spent some time in Ephesus.

When you have the time, should you feel inclined, have a look on Y**Tube

about the Loretta Chapel built between 1873 - 1875 in Santa Fe Mexico.

A quarter of a million people visit it every year to view the staircase that was built in

eight moths, using only a hammer and a set square. No screws, no nails no charge.

Staircase built by a stranger looking for work after after Chapel was built.

Cynthia and others, I have to confess I struggle with the concept of a Virgin Birth.

Paul and the Disciples make no mention of it in the New Testament.

Yet the Rosary, used by millions of Catholics begins with Hail Mary, blessed art thou

among women. This is a direct quotation from the Gospel of Luke .Mary's birth was

itself a miracle to two elderly people. Is the Rosary dedicated to Mary or her son

Jesus ? or both ?

Goodness me - you've been busy David. There are some interesting facts there - maybe I could use them on here soon - we could all learn something I'm sure.

Post resurrection appearances of Jesus....

Nothing much is known about the post-resurrection appearance of Jesus to James – one of his half-brothers. It is simply mentioned just once in the 1st book of Corinthians. Some ancient writings suggest that they ate together.

James did not grow up a believer. Though Jesus and James had the same mother, Jesus was the son not of Joseph, as James was, but of God the Father Himself—a fact that wouldn’t fully sink into James’ mind for years. It wasn’t until Jesus’ resurrection and His appearance to James and the disciples that James finally really understood who his half-brother was. From Jesus’ resurrection on, James gave himself entirely to God and soon became an important figure in the early Church.

Grant, O God, that, following the example of your servant James, brother of our Lord, your Church may give itself continually to prayer and reconciliation. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Cx :-)

I'm pleased my thread contribution has helped. I didn't pull it all out of my mind.

No, I looked them up and copied what I read, some here, some there.

Hello all

Lots of interesting questions and answers going on here, thanks to David.

Heavy rain most of today but really needed in the garden. God know what's needed.

My ongoing thoughts and prayers for those who struggle with each new day. xxxx

I cannot find (yet) what became of Mary Magdalene

The Disciple Mark died in Alexandria, Egypt. His remains were later taken to Venice.

Very interesting.

I remember a programme about Jesus' female disciples
and seeing the statues of them which I knew nothing about.

Shame that they are of little importance and appear to have been forgotten.

Thank you Cynthia, I have some more information for your thread.

James was the first to be martyred 44 AD Stoned and clubbing to death.
Peter crucified 66 AD Rome
Paul beheaded 66 AD Rome
Andrew crucified Turkey
Thomas pierced by 4 soldiers
Philip died cruelly Carthage
Matthew died Ethiopia
Bartholomew died Southern Arabia
Simon died Persia
Matthias died by burning Syria
John died Patmos
Judas committed suicide.

Good morning :-)

Brilliant question David - thank you. You have led me down another path of discovery and given me some food for thought. I too, have had to google and its really interesting and its something I'm going to work on. I like this....'People do not die for a lie - these disciples must have seen something that made them choose their cruel death over denouncing their faith' Thanks again :-)


Jesus continues to be seen after his resurrection……love this one!

Sometime after Jesus appeared to His disciples in Jerusalem, Jesus appeared to seven of His disciples beside the Sea of Galilee—Peter, Thomas, Nathaniel, the two sons of Zebedee, and two others.

As it happened, they were fishing in a boat not far from shore, and they fished all night without a catch. The next morning Jesus appeared on the shore. They saw Him but they didn’t recognize that it was Him. He said to them, “Have you caught any fish?” They said no. Then Jesus said, “Throw your nets on the other side of the boat and you will catch plenty.”

They indeed caught fish—153 of them; big ones! Peter was the first to recognize Jesus, and he was so excited to see Him that he jumped out of the boat and swam to shore to meet Him. There on the shore they all had fish for breakfast. And Jesus was the cook!

Father, we know that you have wonderful blessings in store for us when we faithfully follow our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our prayer is that we will always be obedient disciples. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Cx :-)

I read that the only one of the Disciples to survive a full life span

was John who wrote Revelation to John from Jesus for the Churches