Hello to all friends!!!

Well here I am too!!! On this wonderfull Public holiday - March the 25th - here in Cyprus writing my first blog. Collecting my thoughts and trying to put in writing some of my thoughts and life experiences. It is a religious public holiday for all us Greek Cypriots here in Cyprus. We honour today our Mother Mary, the Theodokos, which literally means our Holy Mother Mary who gave birth to Christ.

Up early, but not early enough to take part in the mass at the monastery of the Panayia of Amirou in Limassol, I woke up and was no the road at 07:30hrs. Practically no traffic on the road and with a light drizzel accompanying me nearly all the way there, I left Paphos where I live to go on my little prilgrimage to the Monastery of the Panayia of Amirou in Limassol. This monastery takes its name from the Panayia, our holy Mother Mary, and it's called Panayia of Amirou as the benefactor as the legend goes was an Emir. The writings say that there was an Emir who had a young daughter who was sick and was dying. The Emir prayed to the Holy Mother as his ship sailed past Cyprus to save his daughter. A bright light shone on the hills above Limassol and the Emir's daughter was miraculously cured. The Emir true to his word built the church where the light had shone and gave it many riches.

The Icon of the Panayia of Amirou is beautiful and is ancient. It lovingly depicts the Holy Mother breastfeeding Christ her baby. As I gaze upon the Icon of the Holy Mother a sense of the pure love washes over me. I have this feeling every time I come to the monastery. It is a feeling of unconditional love and it remains with me for a long time after I have left the monastery. The most phenomenal change which I see in myself every time I visit the monastery is that just before I enter the monastery's grounds and well after I have left I do not wish to talk. It is as if there is no need to talk. My heart goes still from a very silent force and it listens, my speech has no sound and my whole being resonates to the sound of the silent prayers of love offered up from the nuns in the monastery. Very powerful stuff believe me!!!
With love,
Soula