But if our Gospel is hidden, it is hidden to those who are lost. In whom the god of this world, Satan, has blinded their minds incase the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine into their minds. (Sandy’s addition of Satan and a little different.) Read what Paul says to the Corinthians…
2 Corinthians 4 : 3,4.
The town of Mystras was founded in 13th Century by the Franks, after the conquest of Constantinople by the crusades and it soon passed to the Byzantines and after 1348, it became the seat of the Despots of Morea. It attracted scholars and artists from Italy, Serbia and Constantinople.
Mystra has a main thoroughfare called the Royal, around this developed a network of streets. Please press on any picture either to see small details I saw or more of the picture. (I like taking pictures into the shade and discovering more.)
stone work of this UNESCO archaeological site.
One is either walking up or down in a town of churches,monastries, palaces and houses.
There is a museum. Let’s look at a few things found in Mystra
Manuscript paper codex 5
The New Testament work of the scribe Sophronios.
Then…
‘The considerable book production in the area of Mystras between the 13th and 15th century
reinforces the hypothesis that the codex was penned in a local scriptorium.’
(Codex= historical ancestor of the modern book.)
Marble plaque of the Ascension of Alexander the Great.
Peribleptos second half of 14th century. Then it goes on…
‘Alexander drives his chariot borne by winged griffin’s attired in the formal raiment of the Byzantine Emperor.
He is represented as a symbol of the ecumenical sovereign, ready to conquer even the heavens.’
Simple with a clean line.
Two layers one on top of the other.
This is not original.
A little of so much more.
On the floor
Only one on a wall
No explanations that I could see.
But intriguing.
Purple Vetch/Mediterranean storks bill make themselves ‘comfortably perfect’ all on the ruins.
Then a butterfly and its shadow on a warm step.
‘Since we cannot change reality, let us change the eyes which see reality’ says one of my favourite Byzantine mystics. I did this when a child ; I do it now in my most creative moments of my life.
Niko Kazantzakis 1883-1957 A Greek writer. Widely considered a giant of modern Greek literature.
Niko Kazantzakis 1883-1957.
Oh, Sandy, Mystra is fabulous. Mike and I love ruins and museums, so we could probably spend days there. Thank you for sharing your beautiful pictures!
My pleasure. I hope this is a taster. There is so much on the Internet if you are really interested .