ΠΑΝΑΓΙΩΤΗΣ ΜΥΡΓΙΩΤΗΣ "Άγιοι Ακύλας και Πρίσκιλλα‧ πρότυπα συζύγων."

 

Άγιοι  Ακύλας  και Πρίσκιλλα‧  πρότυπα συζύγων.

Αποτελεί κοινή διαπίστωση ότι η κοινωνία διέρχεται ηθική κρίση. Θεσμοί και αξίες που στήριξαν και στερέωσαν την κοινωνία, σήμερα φθίνουν. Η πίστη στον ένα αληθινό Θεό περιφρονείται, ο πατροπαράδοτος θεσμός και ισχυρός κρίκος ενότητας της κοινωνίας δέχεται ολομέτωπη επίθεση από τον μισόκαλο και επινοούνται άλλες μορφές συμβίωσης ξένες προς την ανθρώπινη παράδοση και Ορθόδοξη Διδασκαλία. Τα διαζύγια πληθαίνουν και η εκτός γάμου συμβίωση πληθύνεται. Τα αποτελέσματα τα ζούμε. Τραγικά θύματα τα παιδιά, χωρίς πυξίδα και σωστή οικογένεια να τα αναθρέψει και διαπαιδαγωγήσει Ορθόδοξα.

Σε τέτοιες εποχές χαλεπές και δύσκολους καιρούς παρηγοριά και αποκούμπι προσφέρει η Αγία μας Εκκλησία μέσα από την βιοτή των Αγίων Της. Μας προβάλλει Αγίους έγγαμους ως παραδείγματα εναρέτου ζωής και πίστης στον Τριαδικό Θεό. Υπάρχουν αρκετά ζεύγη παντρεμένων Αγίων, τα οποία προστατεύουν την οικογένεια. Ένα τέτοιο Άγιο ανδρόγυνο αποτελούν ο Ακύλας και η Πρίσκιλλα, η μνήμη των οποίων εορτάζεται την 13η Φεβρουαρίου, την παραμονή της εορτής του Βαλεντίνου, ενός «αγίου» τον οποίο δεν αναγνωρίζει η Ορθοδοξία. Μεγάλη αγάπη και έρωτας ένωνε τους δυο αυτούς συζύγους και είχαν και ένα κοινό έρωτα, όχι βέβαια προς άλλο άνθρωπο ή κάτι γήινο, αλλά προς τον Χριστό. Ο κοινός αυτός έρωτας ενδυνάμωνε την μεταξύ τους αγάπη και στην αγαπητική θυσία.

Οι Άγιοι αυτοί ήταν Ιουδαίοι Ποντιακής καταγωγής και κατοικούσαν στην Ρώμη και αναγκάστηκαν να φύγουν το 49 μ.Χ. γιατί ο αυτοκράτορας   Κλαύδιος  με διάταγμα έδιωξε όλους τους Ιουδαίους για τις φιλονικίες που γινόντουσαν στις συναγωγές. Έτσι βρέθηκαν στην Κόρινθο και ασκούσαν το επάγγελμα του σκηνοποιού. Ήταν άνθρωποι ευσεβείς και ενάρετοι.

Ο Απόστολος Παύλος μετά την πρώτη περιοδεία παίρνει ως βοηθό του τον Σίλα. Ευρισκόμενος στα Λύστρα κατηχεί τον Τιμόθεο και τον παίρνει βοηθό του. Στην Τρωάδα  βλέπει το γνωστό όραμα να τον καλεί στη Μακεδονία. Εκεί συναντά τον Λουκά, τον μετέπειτα συγγραφέα των πράξεων των Αποστόλων και Ευαγγελιστή. Ξεκινά  ταξίδι και αφού περάσει διδάσκοντας από πολλές πόλεις: Σαμοθράκη, Νεάπολη, Θεσσαλονίκη, Βέροια, Κίτρος, Αθήνα καταλήγει στην Κόρινθο.

Στο 18^ο κεφάλαιο των Πράξεων διαβάζουμε: «…Μετά από αυτά αναχώρησε από την Αθήνα και ήρθε στην Κόρινθο. Και βρήκε κάποιον Ιουδαίο με το όνομα Ακύλας, Πόντιος στο γένος, που είχε έρθει πρόσφατα από την Ιταλία, και την Πρίσκιλλα τη γυναίκα του, γιατί είχε διατάξει ο Κλαύδιος να αναχωρήσουν όλοι οι Ιουδαίοι από τη Ρώμη, και προσήλθε σ αυτούς. Και επειδή ήταν ομότεχνος, έμενε κοντά τους και εργαζόταν, γιατί ήταν σκηνοποιοί στην τέχνη…».

Ο Απόστολος Παύλος έμεινε μαζί τους δεκαοκτώ μήνες. Τον άκουγαν να κηρύττει, τον ρωτούσαν και μάθαιναν. Ήταν ο απλανής οδηγός των. Κατηχήθηκαν από τον Παύλο και βαπτίστηκαν από αυτόν. Έγιναν οι πολύτιμοι βοηθοί και συνεργάτες του και αποφάσισαν να τον ακολουθήσουν στις περιοδείες του.

Με αρχηγό τον Παύλο διασχίζουν το Αιγαίο και φθάνουν στην Έφεσο της Μικράς Ασίας, κέντρο γραμμάτων και τεχνών και έδρα του ειδωλολατρικού ναού της Αρτέμιδας, ένα από τα επτά θαύματα της αρχαιότητας. Τον πρώτο χρόνο της παραμονής των εκεί δεν κάνουν φανερή ιεραποστολή. Η ζωή τους λάμπει και ακτινοβολεί Χριστό, φανερώνει πως γίνεται η ζωή όταν στις καρδιές μας κατοικεί η Χάρις του Αγίου Πνεύματος.

Ένα Σάββατο εμφανίζεται στη συναγωγή ένας άνδρας από την Αλεξάνδρεια για να μιλήσει. Ο  λόγος, ωραίος, ζεστός αλλά κάτι λείπει. Αυτό είναι η αναφορά στον Σταυρωθέντα και Αναστάντα Κύριο, στο βάπτισμα, στο Άγιο Πνεύμα. Η διαπίστωση αυτή οδήγησε το Άγιο ζεύγος να συναντήσει κατ’ ιδίαν τον ομιλητή και να τον κατηχήσει. Ο ομιλητής ήταν ο Απολλώ, ο οποίος εξελίχτηκε σε ένα φλογερό κήρυκα του Ευαγγελίου και πολύτιμο βοηθό του Παύλου.

Το 54 μ.Χ. αυτοκράτορας αναλαμβάνει ο Νέρων και καταργεί το διάταγμα του Κλαύδιου και επιστρέφουν στη Ρώμη ο Ακύλας και η Πρίσκιλλα και αρχίζουν το κήρυγμα.

Τα ονόματα Ακύλας και Πρίσκιλλα στις Πράξεις των Αποστόλων  αναφέρονται δέκα φορές, χωρίς να γίνεται πουθενά αναφορά για παιδιά. «Ασπάσασθε Πρίσκιλλαν καὶ ᾿Ακύλαν τοὺς συνεργούς μου ἐν Χριστῷ ᾿Ιησοῦ, οἵτινες ὑπὲρ τῆς ψυχῆς μου τὸν ἑαυτῶν τράχηλον ὑπέθηκαν, οἷς οὐκ ἐγὼ μόνος εὐχαριστῶ, ἀλλὰ καὶ πᾶσαι αἱ ἐκκλησίαι τῶν ἐθνῶν, καὶ τὴν κατ᾿ οἶκον αὐτῶν ἐκκλησίαν» (Ρωμ.16,3-4).

Για το τέλος των αποστόλων, δεν ξέρουμε και πολλά πράγματα. Από το βιβλίο, με τίτλο «Διαταγαί Αποστόλων», λέγεται ότι «υπό Παύλου εχειροτονήθη επίσκοπος Ακύλας και Νικητής των κατά Ασίαν παροικιών». Πότε, όμως, και σε ποιες «παροικίες» της Ασίας δεν διευκρινίζεται. Άλλη μία πληροφορία που βρίσκουμε προέρχεται από την Ορθόδοξη Εκκλησία και την συναντάμε σε σχετικό υπόμνημα το οποίο διαβάζεται στην Ακολουθία του Όρθρου:  «Μπορώ να μην φανώ άνδρας εγώ ανάλογα προς την γυναίκα μου ανδρείος και πρόθυμος για αποκεφαλισμό υπέρ της Πίστεως του Χριστού;». Από αυτό αντλούμε δύο πληροφορίες: Ότι έφυγαν από τον κόσμο αυτό με μαρτυρικό τρόπο και ότι στην σειρά πρώτη μαρτύρησε η Πρίσκιλλα και ακολούθησε ο Ακύλας.

Το ιερό ζευγάρι Ακύλας και Πρίσκιλλα αποτελούν πρότυπο ιδανικής και ευλογημένης γαμικής ένωσης, προς τους οποίους μπορούν να προσβλέπουν οι σύγχρονοι σύζυγοι.

Έχουμε πρότυπα αγνά για να παραδειγματιστούμε. Απόφαση χρειάζεται. Ο Χριστός περιμένει. Να μη τον απογοητεύσομε. Μη γένοιτο

Λειτουργικά κείμενα

Ἀπολυτίκιον  Ἦχος δ’. Ταχὺ προκατάλαβε.

Χριστὸν ἀγαπήσαντες καὶ φωτισθέντες τὸν νοῦν, τὴ πίστει ἐνούμενοι καὶ συζυγία σεμνή, Ἀκύλας καὶ Πρισκίλλα ἤσαν μὲν προεστῶτες ἐκκλησίας κατ’ οἶκον, Παύλου δὲ τοῦ φωστῆρος συνεργοὶ καὶ προστᾶται. Διὸ αὐτοὺς τιμήσωμεν καὶ μιμησώμεθα.

 

 

Μυργιώτης Παναγιώτης

Μαθηματικός

Lan Xin’s poems

 

Internationally acclaimed bilingual writer, poet and translator, member of the Chinese Writers Association. The only female inheritor of UNESCO-listed Dongba Culture, International Disseminator of Dongba Culture and practitioner of Chinese culture's global outreach. Winner of the Italian Francesco Giampietri International Literary Award, President of Lanxin Samei Academy and Dean of Yulong Wenbi Dongba Culture Academy.

Predestined for Three Lifetimes

Poem by Lan Xin (Lanxin Samei)

What is fate?

It is the inevitability meant to be, beneath the guise of chance.

A promise made in a past life, that brings us together in this one.

Fate is an unplanned meeting of hearts;

the moment our eyes meet,

the shadow of a former life reflects in each other’s gaze.

That unfulfilled love,

that lifelong longing—

We stand across a glimmering stream,

silent, with unspoken words in our hearts.

Through joy and sorrow in this life, I pledge to you;

I hold your hand, and grow old with you together.

Even a single encounter,

becomes an unforgettable love deep in the soul.

Do you believe?

In this world,

there is always a pair of discerning eyes

that sees through the countless crowds,

and leads the lifelong longing of the heart.

Our fate is predestined, for three lifetimes.

Interpretation:

This poem centers on the karmic bond of "three lifetimes", unfurling the emotional arc of a fateful encounter in a past life, lifelong companionship in the present, and a heartfelt promise for the next. It weaves profound, enduring love into the predestined connection, with every line embodying the longing for an unbroken togetherness through all life's joys and sorrows. "Three lifetimes" is both a classic philosophical concept denoting the past, present and future existences in traditional culture, and a vivid embodiment of this love that transcends reincarnation and remains unyielding for all eternity.

****

Love Fated at the Potala Palace

Poem by Lan Xin (Lanxin Samei)

At last, I stand before thee

Like a young butterfly fresh from its cocoon

Rejoicing, my eyes glinting with starlight

Dost thou know? Long e'er this moment

I have turned to gaze at thee a thousand times

Thou hast, in truth, stood lofty in my heart all along

Yet thou art so grand, so towering

I feared my slender fingers could not twirl the prayer wheel

I feared the highland could not bear my lonely cold

I feared I might fall short of thy ageless vow

So to thee

I could but gaze in awe, never dare draw nigh

And thus I waited

For a mighty eagle

To bestow me strength

To lead me to thy side

At last, I stand before thee

The moment I step upon thy halls

A flame of hope surges in my breast

My heart

Is like the blazing starry firmament

Abloom with hues of radiant light

Blossoms of grace and rapture

Burst forth in my heart’s sky, like glowing neon flames

In this hour

I no longer keep my reverent distance

I have at last drawn close to thee

In this hour

All fear is gone from me

For

A mighty eagle

Doth lend me its strength

Interpretation:

This poem traces the emotional journey of approaching the Potala Palace, depicting the transformation from yearning with awe and hesitation to finally drawing near fearlessly. With metaphors of a young butterfly and a mighty eagle, and Tibetan symbols like the prayer wheel and the highland, it weaves the poet's reverence, hope and eagerness for the Potala Palace into every line. It lays bare the anxiety of venturing alone to the highland, and more vividly expresses the relief and resolve of embracing the sacred land and hearting the light, empowered by love and strength.

****

Fated

Poem by Lan Xin (Lanxin Samei)

We chanced upon one another

On that afternoon when the storm had passed

A casual brush of hearts, unplanned

Like the long-awaited rainbow

That blazed across my firmament

With a burst of iridescent glow, in an instant

If

'Twixt thee and me

It is fated to be but a fleeting encounter

I would blaze like a firework bright

At the moment thou gazest up at the starry vault

Unfolding a lifetime of grace in one brilliant bloom

If

'Twixt thee and me

It is fated to be a soulful kinship

I would be a pure lotus in the lake

We gaze into each other’s eyes in quiet repose

Never clasping each other’s hands

Yet my fragrance permeates thy heart

Soft and lingering, far and profound

If

'Twixt thee and me

It is fated to be a lifelong bond

I would be a mild, delicate orchid

In thy life

Now nigh, now far

Now intense, now faint

Now blushed, now plain

Through spring’s bloom and winter’s frost

Breathtaking forth fragrance for all eternity

If

'Twixt thee and me

It is fated to be naught at all

I only wish

A seed of sweet goodness

Might take root and sprout in thy heart, from this day forth

Growing into a tree of wishes

And in the next life

All our fated desires may find their full fulfillment

Interpretation:

This poem eulogizes the destined love between two hearts with four layered suppositions. It weaves the beauty of fleeting encounter, the tenderness of soulful understanding, the warmth of lifelong companionship and the mild hope of unfulfilled fate into vivid metaphors of rainbow, firework, lotus, orchid and wishing tree, expressing the sincere and selfless love that follows the will of fate and cherishes every possible bond with the beloved.

****

To the Angel

Poem by Lan Xin (Lanxin Samei)

Angel, what is it, what bids you fall to the mortal world?

What is it, what makes you cling to this earthly dust?

Angel, what is it, what breaks your wings in twain?

What is it, what fills your eyes with tears?

Angel, you once soared on wings,

striking the blissful chord;

you once blinked eyes like autumn rills,

holding bright wishes in their glow;

you once outstretched your arms,

scattering sunlight all the way.

Yet on that pitch-black cold night,

a deafening crack rent the sky—

I saw your blood-stained wings,

your broken heart entwined.

Angel, do you blame your hasty leap to the world?

Do you regret the reckless moth's flight to the flame?

This mortal world of strife was never yours,

the past like wispy smoke, gone in a blink.

Only the trace of your flight remains—

a crystal heart-lantern,

spilling radiance o'er the ground,

like your glistening tears.

Interpretation:

This poem addresses an angel with tender inquiries, lamenting its fall to the mortal world: broken wings, tearful sorrow, and the shattering of its once blissful existence in a bleak cold night. It wonders if the angel regrets its hasty descent, yet reminds that mortal strife was never its load. The past fades like smoke, but the trace of its flight lingers as a crystal heart-lantern, spilling radiance like its glistening tears—its pure light enduring through fragility and loss.

 

Lan Xin - Valentine's Day Special Issue | Time as Our Witness

 

Valentine's Day Special Issue | Time as Our Witness

Valentine's Greeting

To readers in Greece and across the world:

I dedicate this poem to the romantic Valentine's Day on February 14. May you and your beloved be tenderly cherished, stay together through every year, and live in joy and peace forever. May time witness the eternal love and beauty in your life!

——Lan Xin (Lanxin Samei)

About the Author：Lan Xin (Lanxin Samei)

International Spiritual Poet, Internationally Renowned Chinese Writer and Poet, Winner of the Premio Letterario Internazionale Francesco Giampietri, the Only Female Inheritor of the World Memory Heritage Naxi Dongba Culture, Dean of the Yulong Wenbi Dongba Culture Academy of China and Lanxin Samei Academy.

Time as Our Witness

Poem by Lan Xin (Lanxin Samei)

Three thousand years ago

You were the Lord of the Universe—the King of Kings

Known to gods and mortals alike, I was your cherished Queen

Then came the great catastrophe of the Three Realms

Tearing us apart abruptly, leaving us to grieve the love we lost

Since then, time has carried me

Across the Ten Directions and Dharmadhatus

Through six cycles of reincarnation

Reborn as a human, I walked the path of cultivation for nine lifetimes

Endured all the tribulations of the mortal world, just to meet you again

After three thousand years of wandering

I searched for you a thousand times among the crowds

And finally, today, three thousand years later

We reunite beneath the magnolia tree

Its dancing shadows whisper our ancient vows

In the moment our eyes meet

We see reflections of ourselves from three thousand years ago

And the endless search through lifetimes unfolds before us

Above the mortal world, you remain the supreme King of Kings;

Within the mortal world, you are also the finest man on earth.

Heaven and earth unite, with white cranes as their matchmakers

Sun and moon unite, with Venus as their matchmaker

Mountains and rivers unite, with gold as their matchmaker

Chestnut and pine trees unite, with bees as their matchmaker

Turquoise and black jade unite, with golden threads as their matchmaker

When you and I unite once more, who shall be our matchmaker?

Let three thousand years of time be our matchmaker

To witness our timeless love

For the rest of my life

I do not wish to return as the goddess of the Diamond Kingdom

I only wish to be the little woman in your arms

For the rest of my life

I do not wish to leave a legacy for a thousand years

I only wish to be with you, day and night

For the rest of my life

I do not wish to be a fairy in the clouds

I only wish to live fully as a mortal woman

For the rest of my life

I do not wish to be showered with thousands of affections

I only wish to nestle in the arms of you, the ultimate doting husband

For the rest of my life

I do not wish to return to the cosmic kingdom

I only wish to savor the love of this mortal world

Time as our witness

Heaven and earth as our testimony

May we be united for ten thousand years

And never part again

Poem Interpretation

Time as Our Witness is an oriental love poem that transcends time and space and touches the soul. It outlines an extraordinary love spanning three thousand years with a grand mythological narrative, and incorporates the classic linguistic elements depicting beautiful oaths from the Naxi Dongba Scriptures, making the romance and profound affection of oriental culture vividly expressed. Two souls were separated by the catastrophe of the Three Realms, and after traversing the Ten Directions and Dharmadhatus, going through six cycles of reincarnation and nine lifetimes of cultivation, they finally reunite under the magnolia tree. The vows in the swaying tree shadows and the gaze in each other's eyes are the answers to the endless search through all lifetimes.

The poem combines the divine glory of the cosmic kingdom with the gentle companionship of mortal life. Letting go of all glory and fame, the poet only wishes to be the little woman in her beloved's arms, staying together day and night. From the natural oaths of heaven, earth, mountains and rivers to the heartfelt confession with three thousand years of time as the matchmaker, the poem reveals the essence of love—it has nothing to do with status and glory, but only for rushing to one person and staying with them for a lifetime.

"Time as our witness, heaven and earth as our testimony" is a universal belief in love for all humanity. True love has no national boundaries or time and space constraints, and it is a romantic language connecting the whole world. On this Valentine's Day, may the profound affection of this oriental love poem warm every heart that believes in true love in Greece and across the world. May all lovers be blessed by time, with their love lasting forever and never being separated.

"The Pulse That Never Died"By Dr. Ahmed Alqaysi

 

The Pulse That Never Died

Eighteen years passed as if they were a cold century.

Eighteen years in which no hand touched hers to make it tremble,

no whisper reached her ears to melt the ice of her soul.

She spent her days between work and a deadly stillness—

a body that had mastered silence,

and a heart that had forgotten the melody of its own beat.

Until he returned.

The evening was warm, the air light,

when her eyes met his.

He said nothing, and she asked nothing… he simply drew closer.

In a single moment, everything shattered—

caution, years, drought,

and the dryness with which she had rationed her femininity.

As if she had been waiting only for this look,

this touch that returned her to herself.

He embraced her without words.

She closed her eyes.

His body was warm, familiar,

reading her as if the years had never passed.

His lips were letters written upon her neck,

his hands a long poem inscribed on her waist

with the longing of a man who had not forgotten his passion,

and a woman whose fire had never been extinguished.

She tasted herself anew,

gasped as though being born.

She sighed his name,

whispered to him things she had never even confessed to herself.

She laughed, she cried,

and clung to him as if the world beyond this moment were worthless.

It was the first time she felt like a woman after all that absence—

a woman desired, wanted, and loved.

She did not ask where this road would lead,

because she was finally alive:

every cell dancing, every breath igniting,

every pulse screaming:

“I am still worthy of love.”

By Dr. Ahmed Alqaysi

ΣΟΦΙΑ Δ. ΝΙΝΙΟΥ "Στην ξανθιά σταρ της μικρής οθόνης" -

Στην ξανθιά σταρ της μικρής οθόνης

Εις μνήμην Νατάσσας Μανίσαλη (5/8/1981-5/2/2016)

Άπλωσες τα μάτια σου
ως τα μάτια μας
υποκλίθηκες
κι αποχώρησες
με το κεφάλι ψηλά
ενδεδυμένη
τη σιωπή της αιωνιότητας

Ανέμιζε
το άδειο φόρεμα
λευκό και φτερωμένο

Θωρούσαμε
το θαυμαστό
ανερχόμενο αγέρωχα

Ψίθυροι πανικόβλητοι
έστρεψαν τα βλέμματα
ως άνω
προσδοκώντας
άγνωστο ποια μελωδία

Άφησες το γέλιο σου
πλατύ κι ανοιχτόκαρδο
κι έφυγες

Γελάμε
όμοια πλατιά
με σένα

Γυρνάς και μας κοιτάς
κάθε φορά

Σοφία Δ, Νινιού

Migel Flor " Fluturat e Mjegullës"

 

Fluturat e Mjegullës

TI…vetëm…TI, magjepëse si përherë, flurore mbi errësirën e mendjes, mjegullkalterore mbi ëndrrat e mia. Në heshtjen e një bote të gjallë, ku kohët humbasin rrugën, TI ndriçon, një dritë e çuditshme, një reflektim që thyhet, si ujë mbi kristale. Çdo frymë që të ndjek, është një pyetje pa përgjigje, një ëndërr që kërkon të mësojë se ç’është jeta, nëse jo një fluturim mbi mjegull. TI…vetëm…TI, që je e thjeshtë dhe e pafund, një ekuacion i bukurisë, një filozofi e heshtur, një zë që flet pa fjalë. Migel Flor

ΛΕΥΤΕΡΗΣ ΣΙΩΜΟΣ "SEASONS OF ROSE COLOUR"

 

They strip the trees Like a skinned scenery They carry what is dead around All the coldness of this winter On the earth's ground A leafy nest, a fluffy rug, The dressing of the season A basket that is full On the girl's inner shoulder A little leaf springs up It reminds her of the order That the above come down And the other like a pigeon The north wind as it beats it through It nests in her palmy fingers A paper message to bring to her It starts as a newborn leaf From the flower's hooking stem From the little eye of the branch A goldfinch that soars the wind The newborn leaf flies And stands upon the blouse A present for this Autumn A butterfly peculiar It carries reflections Summers and Springs Beauty and frightness As it blossomed in this life And if Nature fills With yellow worn out colors Our beautiful girl is living In the seasons of rose color... Written by Lefteris Siomos Translated into English by Vasiliki Kalahani