A Good Week

We have had a good week photographing manuscripts at St. John's Monastery. We made a lot of progress this week and before we leave, we will finish all of the manuscripts that we requested to photograph. Two of the manuscripts I photographed are of the Gospels and have some really beautiful miniature icons in them. Before each Gospel is a hand painted picture of the Evangelist and a very decorative drawing to begin the Gospel (see the picture). One of these Gospel manuscripts normally is only viewed in the Monastery museum, but they took it out of the museum today just so we could photograph it.

We also had lunch every day at the monastery with the priests. On Monday, after lunch, the Abbott invited us to his office for coffee. We had another priest there who spoke English so we were able to communicate with each other. The Abbott paid us a very high compliment by telling us that he considers us his brothers. We are also invited to the opening of another museum Saturday and to Liturgy on Sunday. Everywhere we turn, we feel so welcomed here and are treated so nicely.