Gifts of the Desert: The Forgotten Path of Christian Spirituality by Kyriacos C. Markides

Author:Kyriacos C. Markides [Markides, Kyriacos C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Christian Books & Bibles, Christian Denominations & Sects, Orthodoxy, Christian Living, Religion & Spirituality, Churches & Church Leadership, Chrisitian
ISBN: 0385506635
Amazon: B000XUBBX2
Publisher: Doubleday
Published: 2007-12-17T22:00:00+00:00

TEN

PRAYER POWER

I sat on the balcony of our apartment in Limassol, enjoying the warmth of the morning sun, taking notes and looking upon the blue expanse of the Mediterranean. The sea was calm, sparkling with intense luminosity, and the temperature neared seventy degrees Fahrenheit, a far cry from the February weather of Maine.

A month had passed since Emily joined me on the island to pursue her work related to peace and environmental issues; it was already the last day of February and the almond trees were in full bloom. My work with Father Maximos was moving along at a steady pace amidst far-reaching political changes on the island. The European Union had accepted Cyprus for full membership by May 1, 2004, a turning point in the troubled history of the island and a cause of massive outbursts of local exuberance.

Due to these developments there were urgent and intense efforts by the United Nations and the Europeans to resolve the Cyprus problem so that by May of 2004 the whole of the island could join the Union. Kofi Annan, the secretary general of the United Nations, in a public statement told both sides, the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots, “You have an appointment with destiny. Solve this problem now.” Then in no uncertain terms he warned, “Otherwise, the UN will close its books on Cyprus.” It was a subtle but ominous threat. The UN had played a key role in keeping the peace after Turkey invaded the island in 1974. The invasion caused the de facto partition of Cyprus and a festering international problem for close to thirty years.

At that time the criticism coming from the UN secretary was directed mostly against Rauf Denktash, the Turkish Cypriot leader who since 1964, enjoying the full backing of the Turkish military, had controlled the fate of Turkish Cypriots. “Only Fidel Castro could match such a record time in power!” I wrote down. But unlike Glafkos Clerides, the then president of the Republic of Cyprus, who tentatively accepted the proposed UN plan for the reunification of the island, Mr. Denktash rejected it, triggering huge demonstrations among Turkish Cypriots in the north. Apparently, the majority of Turkish Cypriots wanted reunification so that they too could become European citizens.

During the evening news we were stunned to watch close to 100,000 Turkish Cypriots carrying not the red flag of Turkey but the blue flag of Europe, demanding the acceptance of the “Annan Plan” for reunification. It was a promising sight, a possible light at the end of a very dark and long tunnel in unhappy Greek–Turkish relations.

My reflection on these political developments, the major topic of local news, was suddenly interrupted when Antonis called me over the phone. He had persuaded Father Maximos, he announced triumphantly, to take a break from his busy schedule and visit his home for afternoon tea and conversation. Only Antonis and Frosoula, Stephanos and Erato, Father Joachim (a priest friend of Antonis and close associate of Father Maximos), and Lavros would be there.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.