Questions and Answers 198 - 203

Question 198: I noticed while I was recently in Greece that many monasteries and churches are difficult to reach, often requiring hikes up hills and mountains and climbing many stairs. Is there a reason for this?

Answer: "Monasteries are built on high ground, for people to climb upward," according to the words of a contemporary Elder. In other words, effort and toil are required for our own spiritual ascent as we strive to live a life pleasing to God, and for this effort we are rewarded with spiritual fruit, namely divine grace. The Christian (and even more so the monastic) way of life is not a casual stroll; it is a laborious ascent.

There are also historical and practical reasons for this. The higher and more secluded a monastery is, the more monastics can focus on their goal of living their lives completely dependent on God's will. Visitors are therefore minimized to those who truly want to go for the right purpose. Furthermore, the locations historically often offer natural safety and protection during war and pirate raids.

Questions and Answers 128 - 133

The Epistle of Jesus Christ

Question 128: On a recent trip to Greece I noticed many times a little pamphlet being sold alleging to be an Epistle of Jesus Christ, as it is called. I was wondering if it was Orthodox. Can you offer any information about this?

Answer: The pamphlet known as the Epistle of our Lord Jesus Christ has unfortunately been circulated throughout Greece for may decades, in fact, since at least 1896 (when it was published in its modern form). I remember back in 1991 when I was in Greece, I would see it everywhere, and when I went over people's houses, they kept it with their icons and Bibles. I read it back then, and dismissed it as an obvious hoax, but many people naively do not see it as being such an obvious hoax.