Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1897-08-07
HERMITS OF GREECE.
RELIGIOUS REcLUSEs WHO LIVED IN
HOLES IN THE CLIFFS.

They Depended Wholly Upon Charity FOr |
Their snstenance and Remained Always |
In Their Aerial Caves-The Monastery |
Of st. stephens
One Of the most curious scenes on the !
Thessalian frontier is TO be found at
Kalibaki, some so miles by rail above
Trikhala. The town lies on a plain
which is backed by the extraordinary
rocks of Meteora, rising precipitously
to u great height and commanding the
marked attention of travellers. In places
the cliffs ascend like a wall to a height
of 1000 feet. They are rough, free
from verdure and disfgured by innu-
merable holes and caves all ever their
face.
1t is these caves and remains of monk
ish dwellings in them that give the
rocks of Meteora the strange, almost
prehistoric appearance that has made
them famous.
There are several monasteries at
] Kalibaki The largest is st. Stephens
Unlike the other mOnasteries, this Is
reached by drawbridge thrown across
a yawning ohasm. This is one of the
/ largest of the monasteries of Meteors
and has a guest chamber especially fit
ted up for visitors-that is TO say, there
are three iron beds in it, and it is only
courteous TO surmise that the wadded
coverlet and single sheet that go to
| make up a Greek bed once were new.
The hegoumenos is most hospitable.
He gives his visitors excellent monastic
wine. dinner of many weird courses
| L Hc
usual, there are two churches in this
monastery, the smaller of the two pos
sessing some very fair ikons set in
beautifully carved frames, and one very
old picture, dated 3S7.
The large church consists of a nave,
aatechapel, with the body of the church
! under the dome, which is decorated
with the usual half length dgure OF
Christ Here are seen some of the in.
laid ivory and mother of pearl stools
ana ieeturns which at one time were the
staple work OF the Meteora monks.
All the manuscripts of any value have
been removed to Athens. A long build
ing at the right OF the bridge contains
2 the cells of the monks, which open int
"A dark covered corridor. In time Of wa
! these monasteries are used as places o
! refuge.
. Not the least curious feature Of these
unique rocks of Meteora are the holes
and caves which literally pepper tbs
h face Of the cliffs in places.
q In many cases these retreats OF tn
n hermits Of ST. Anthony are merel.
cages. At distance they look. some o
= them, like big birdcages hung n
g against the face of the cliff. AS dwell
ings they are all exceedingly primitive
The Thessalian hermit did not as
= much of life. A rocky floor to lie OF
n bars or ratings to keep him from fal
II ing out of his hole, a sbaky ladde
II down which he might now and the
1t descend to earth and basket and strin
N to let down for supplies were all h
"a needed in addition TO his crucifx an
II other religions necessities.
's These aerial caves were occupied
- the fourteenth century. Thousands I
"a hermits, judging from the remains
sv habitations, must at one time or anoth'
Of have sought refuge il. these cliffs. Fe
as of them can now be entered, for Il
n ladders have for the most part fallt
away.
Seemingly the way a hermit procee
ed was to choose hole that took h
a, fancy. Up to this he ran a ladder. The
a. driving poles into the rock before Il
nm cave, he built out little platforI
iIl This he rooted in and surrounded wi
he a wall made of sticks or dried gras
y From one platform to another the
to anchorites ran up their ladders until {
an whole face of the rock was alive Wi
sss these hermits of st. Anthony.
sat After the time honored fashion Of ]
IN ligious recluses, the cliff dwelling he
~ mits of ST. Anthony depended Who'll
on charity for their sustenance. Far
in their airy caves they spent their da
and nights in prayer and contemplate
an When hungry or thirsty, they let doN
icy their baskets TO the ground, and VIII
re these We're filed they pulled them
M again.
gh The devout people OF Kalibaki
ASe lieved that these hermits were a spec
A'N charge upon them and kept them W
supplied with bread and water. Eve
morning men, women and childl
could be seen tramping to the cliffs
fill the baskets that were let down by
strings from above. And so the herm
were able to live their quiet, lazy n
~ without a single worldly care. IN