Dear Friend,
I'm actually sitting on a stone wall right now just below the church bell tower. I came to the evening service tonight while Kolya was off playing with his friends. From August 1st through the 15th there are services held in the evening at the church celebrating the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. On the 15th, there will be huge celebrations and dancing in the Plateia. The evening services are beautiful and are focused on asking the Virgin Mary for health for the living. The priest reads the names of church members aloud to ask for this and during the service he stops before each of the icons swinging the incense... bells tinkling as it moves. Those in attendance bow their heads and cross themselves as the priest passes through the church and faces each group of people. The service ends with the most beautiful song and the priests voice surrounds the church. Then everyone lines up to cross themselves and kiss the icon of the Virigin Mary.

The church bells ring almost daily here in Arfara. Bells ring in the evening to let people know that there will be a service the next day. They ring with joy for a wedding or baptism and celebration is evident in the melodic tune. When announcing a funeral... the bells chime slow and deep. Each time the church bells ring, people stop and cross themselves with a natural reflex of reverence and respect. The whole village responds... even the dogs with a chorus of howls.

XOXO,

Karen June