"Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." Revelations 2:10

These words are inscribed on the tomb of His Eminence, Metropolitan PANTELEIMON II of Thessaloniki of thrice-blessed memory. The pilgrims prayed over his grave right outside St. Demetrios Church before entering it. His Eminence had been present at the ordination of Sayidna JOSEPH to the holy diaconate. Sayidna recalled him to be a holy man who wisely governed the Orthodox Church in this city.

If icons are considered windows to heaven, then the delegation felt like it had walked into heaven when stepping into three of the most famous churches in Thessaloniki. The first is named in honor of the city's patron saint, the Great-Martyr Demetrios the Myrrh-Streaming. This church has endured plundering, wars, occupations and disasters and come away shining more brilliantly than when it was built. Golden mosaic tiles surround the Theotokos in the apse, as is the prevailing style for city churches. She is surrounded by the Archangels, Old Testament prophets and saints from the first centuries of Christianity. The pictures will show the equal exquisiteness of the dome. Beautiful frescoes that once adorned all of the walls are reemerging from the plaster affixed by the ancient Ottoman occupiers that once covered them. Major reconstruction took place after earthquakes in 1917 and 1979, and St. Demetrios Church was reconsecrated once the Ottomans were driven from the city right before the collapse of their empire in 1923.

Not only is St. Demetrios highly venerated in the tall, spacious church that bears his name, but so are St. Nestor and St. Anysia. In the fourth century, Nestor was forced to fight the gladiator Lyaeus in the Hippodrome, a battle that pitted David against Goliath. Nestor first visited Demetrios for encouragement and prayer, and then was able to defeat Lyaeus. When the pagan authorities learned how the underdog won, they captured both Nestor and Demetrios, who had been a great commander, and martyred them. Myrrh streamed from the body of Demetrios, so the church used to serve holy water mixed with myrrh in his honor. The main icon of St. Nestor stands next to St. John the Baptist on the iconostasis because both men were beheaded.

St. Anysia is a native of Thessaloniki. She suffered martyrdom in 304 when she refused to worship Roman sun god with a soldier. Anysia spat in his face and killed her. Her relics lie in a silver sarcophagus in the northeast part of the church.

Of course, the relics of St. Demetrios dwell in his namesake church, but only since 1979. Centuries before, Crusaders stole his relics from the city and stored them in San Lorenzo di Cantio Church in Italy. Sayidna JOSEPH had been living and serving in Thessaloniki at the time of their return here. He described the return of the relics like receiving a president, king or head of state. The entire city came out and festively processed with the relics to the church. Armed soldiers and guards had to contain the overwhelming pandemonium. Sayidna considered this proof that Christian history is not something trapped in the past, but alive and thriving. The pilgrims venerated those relics as well as those of St. Anisia.

A great blessing can come from the destruction and rebuilding of churches: the discovery of ancient churches beneath them. Archaeologists have determined that the site which they are excavating dates back to the fifth century. Pieces of stone icons have been discovered and reassembled, as well as the ambon, bowls and coins. Underneath the sanctuary in particular is the fountain that used to pour the myrrh-water into a pool for collection and drinking, which had been stopped when the Ottomans came to occupy the city in 1430.

Next, the delegation visited the small Church of "Panagia Chalkeon" -- "[the Protection] of the Virgin of the Copper Workers." It opened in 1028 and rests in the old copper-working district. It is also known as the "red church" because of its heavy use of red brick. The Dean of St. Nicholas Cathedral in Los Angeles, Fr. Michel Najim, served here when he was a doctoral student at the Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki. Old frescoes are faintly visible throughout the church, including the famous one of the Dormition of the Theotokos over the western exit of the church, as well as that of the Ascension of Christ inside the dome. The benefactor of the church lies in state along the north wall.

After that, the pilgrims ventured to St. Gregory Palamas Cathedral, the home parish of His Eminence, Metropolitan ANTHIMOS. This parish is dear to Sayidna JOSEPH's heart, for it was here on December 4, 1976 he was ordained to the holy diaconate. He marveled at all of the new iconography and renovations to the cathedral since the 1979 earthquake practically destroyed it. The apse, in essence, has three sections: one of saints, the next of the Ascension and of Pentecost, finally leading to the Theotokos bearing the Christ child. The church walls, from ceiling to floor, are covered in fresh icons, among them: St. Archbishop Joseph, St. Christopher and St. Patriarch Niphon (bearing the names of our own Archbishop, Fr. Christopher Salamy and Dn. Niphon Sweis in this delegation) and St. Simeon of Thessaloniki (Sayidna's favorite saint), who are all local saints. Another icon reflected the Edict of Milan in 313, for which an immense celebration will take place on October 6 in Serbia, and in which the pilgrims will take part.

Like the relics of St. Basil the Confessor and St. Demetrios, those of St. Gregory lie in state in a silver sarcophagus inside a small chapel within the cathedral. After venerating St. Gregory's relics (which offered a sweet scent of myrrh), Sayidna JOSEPH and Fr. George Ajalat taught the pilgrims about his life. St. Gregory was called out of his monastery in the 14th century and urged to become Archbishop of Thessaloniki, which he accepted out of obedience to the Church. He vigorously defended Orthodoxy against all other theological heresies which were supposed to have been settled ages before, yet crept into the Church. His chiefest enemy was Barlaam in the West, who argued that humans can see the power of God because His energies are created. Gregory corrected him: God's energies are uncreated because God is uncreated, and to argue differently are reducing and objectifying God.

St. Gregory was a leader of hesychasm, that style of prayer that requires stillness and silence to encounter God. Barlaam demeaned hesychasts as "belly button worshippers." But St. Gregory responded that hesychasm invites the presence of God through the grace that He shares with us and, in turn, we can be fully present and functioning with Him. It's more than just mindless meditation; it's a contemplation on God.

Sayidna JOSEPH and his clergy then accepted the invitation of Dhespota ANTHIMOS to visit him at his metropolis offices next door to the cathedral. His chancellor and protosyngellos, Fr. Stephanos, greeted Sayidna and the clergy and presented with New Testament Bibles in koine Greek (spoken at the time of Christ) and modern Greek.

Next, Dhespota ANTHIMOS welcomed the clergy in his office. The Metropolitan was joyous, gracious and humble. He shared with Sayidna his plans to welcome His All-Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch BARTHOLOMEW next month, for his first visit on the occurrence of the city's celebration of St. Demetrios' feast day on October 26. Dhespota ANTHIMOS then expressed his concern and sorrow for the 2.5-year-old civil war in Syria, which has killed tens of thousands of innocents, especially Christians. Sayidna thanked him for his continued prayers in hopes that this bloody and political war comes to a quick end.

The two hierarchs exchanged small gifts, and Dhespota ANTHIMOS then presented Sayidna JOSEPH with fragrant, holy myrrh from the shrine of St. Demetrios. The two hierarchs went downstairs with the clergy into the metropolis museum, which houses priceless and beautiful liturgical artifacts and icons, including one of St. Thomas the Apostle that dates to the 14th century. The pictures tell their stories.