Mountains in Greece: Myths and Christianity

The whole world knows the myths of ancient Greece. Anyone who enters this country, hears here everywhere legends associated with Zeus, Hercules or Aphrodite. And where to settle the gods? The Greek people settled in the mountains. Time passed, the Greeks converted to Christianity. Who now inhabits the mountains in Greece?

Mountain country

Greece is the fifth highland country in Europe. Most of the country is covered with mountain ranges - even on the seashore and islands. The mountains in Greece are an inseparable part of the landscape and the historical and cultural character of Greece. Two mountain chains, Pinda and the Rhodopes, stretch across the country.

The Pind mountain range is the mainland of Greece. In ancient times, mainland Greece, the peninsula of Malaya Asia, the Ionian Islands and the islands of the Aegean Sea formed a single massif of land. The Rhodopes represent a continuation of the Balkan Mountains.

Heavy living conditions explain the fact that the villages in the mountains in the country are much smaller than the settlements in the lowland.

Mount Olympus

The highest mountain in Greece is Olympus, known throughout the world due to Greek mythology. A mountain range consisting of 52 peaks from 760 to 2918 m in height, with steep ravines and high peaks, rocky peaks, deep gorges, alpine meadows and dense forests.

Varied peaks, thick fog, low clouds and summer frightening thunderstorms on top - this is the image of Olympus. One can easily imagine that it aroused the awe and admiration of the ancient Greeks living in the foothills (excavations show that the settlements here existed already in the 16th century BC). The inaccessibility to people of life at the top of the mountain and the natural religiosity of the ancestors of the present Greeks were expressed in the folk epic by legends about the twelve gods living here, headed by Zeus.

Today in the country on the places of the former idol temple or next to them are arranged Orthodox churches and monasteries. The highest mountain in Greece is not an exception. The chapel of the holy prophet Elijah at the top of 2803 m was built in the 16th century by the holy Monk Dionysius the Olympian. This small church with a height of 1.6 m is made of dolomite plates found in the surroundings. Every year, on the feast of Elijah the Prophet, monks of the monastery of St. Dionysius rise to the chapel to serve the Divine Liturgy here. Hundreds of believers join them.

Mount Psiloritis

Ida (or Psiloritis) - on the island of Crete is the highest mountain. Greece has always been a religious country. Here, not only were legends and myths about the gods, but also temples and sanctuaries were built.

Psiloritis is a mountain in ancient Greece, on top of which there was a sanctuary, and myths tell that here Zeus was born and grew up. Now the Church of the Holy Cross (Timios Stavros) is built on the top of Psiloritis. The church is made of stones without a binder solution using the same technique as the mitato - shepherd huts common in the mountains of Crete.

September 14 - in Greece, the day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross of the Holy Cross (in Russia this holiday falls on September 27). This is a festival in honor of which the chapel was built. On the eve, on September 13, the inhabitants of Crete come to the foot of the mountain to go all the way to the top along with the priest and spend the night there. The next morning, on the day of the feast, they join the ministry inside a small church.

In the sermon on the Holy Cross, the Monk Andrew of Crete says: "The cross is erected, and the enemy power of Satan, overwhelmed, falls and is broken." The cross is erected, and all believers are flocking, the cross is erected, and the city is triumphant and the people are celebrating. "

Meteors

Meteors are a cluster of huge dark sandstone rocks. This is an amazing place - a monastic state, located on majestic precipitous cliffs.

The first inhabitants Meteor - hermits-monks, who, departing from earthly goods, were located in small caves and rocky deepings. Where you can indulge in prayer and spiritual life away from people.

At present, Meteora is the second most important monastic complex in Greece after the Holy Mountain. Monasteries are on tops of steep rock boulders.

Mount Athos

No mountains are more amazing than the mountains in Greece. Athos is a monastic state, and the only such place on the planet. Mount Athos in Greece is dedicated to the prayer feat and worship of God. Holy place, which was taken under the protection of the Most Holy Theotokos, where the monastic prayer for peace constantly rises. Prayer is not only for Greeks, but for Orthodox monks from all over the world. Here, besides the Greek, there are Georgian, Bulgarian, Serbian, Russian, Romanian monasteries.

Ancient Athos monasteries preserve innumerable riches: the relics of the saints of God, Christian relics, miraculous icons. But the main wealth saved on the Holy Mountain is a thousand-year spiritual life in the traditions of the glorious Byzantium and other Orthodox peoples. Athos is a spiritual school of repentance and humility, where the unity of Orthodoxy is manifested in all its diversity.

Ancient Greek Myths and Christianity

Despite the fact that the myths in Greece are everywhere, wherever you go, they are only myths - fairy tales. As in Russia, tales of Baba Yaga and Leshem. The people keeps the legends of the ancient Greek gods in memory and with love tells the tourists. But true faith is Orthodoxy.

Greeks are ready to climb mountains during church holidays, perform the ordinances of Baptism and Wedding at the top of the mountains, go to the mountains to spend all their lives in prayer feats. And what happens now: the mountains in Greece - the place where he lives ... God?