St. Mary's GunadalaMatha Shrine Vijayawada

Name :  St. Mary's  Gunadala Matha Shrine 

Location :

Gundala Matha Shrine, or Mary Matha Shrine, known popularly as St Mary’s Church, is constructed on a hilly region Gunadala in Krishna district near Vijayawada. An iron cross, erected atop the hill, stands as a rare distinction of the shrine.

Shrine History :

Mother Mary is said to have appeared on this hill as on 11th Feb.1858.

Description :

One of the most popular churches and pilgrim places for Christians in Andhra Pradesh, A shrine for the Christians situated in Gunadala, a hilly region of district Krishna at Vijayawada is the Mary Matha Shrine or Gunadala Matha Shrine and its more popular name, St Mary's Church. It has the rare distinction of having an iron cross set up on the hill top. 

It houses a museum having a collection of ancient holy relics and precious gifts of the followers. The shrine is filled on Sundays and other important festivals and occasions. The annual feast for Our Lady of Lourdes is celebrated with devotion and gaiety.its a famous pilgrimage place where people take the help of Mother Mary's prayers and lakhs of people come from all over places to worship, every February 9,10&11 more than 5 lakh people come to visit at the hill top.there are only steps way to go up the hill,and on the top there is a huge Jesus crucified statue

Annual Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes attracts many devotees and is celebrated with much enthusiasm and devotion. After getting their heads tonsured and breaking coconuts at the shrine, the devotees lined up to the grotto on the hillock to light candles.

The other side of extended gunadala hills haves historically important mogalrajapuram caves and a large statue of lord Shiva a top.

Gunadala Matha Festival

Gunadala Matha Festival was successful , more than 10 Lakh devotees attend this festival every year. Of those 10 Lakhs only 60% were Catholics means 4 lakh remaining people are mixed people from different religions ( Hindus, Muslims) and of course Protestants.

Ever year the Festival startes with Holy mass on 9th Feb at 6.30 AM and around 8.30 AM Adoration Started and will end on 11th Feb late night.

Many Religious ( Sisters , Priests, Deacons, Brothers, Seminary & Convent students) , General devotees from Vijayawada and other parts of AP also took part in this Adoration along with Jesus Youth of Vijayawada Diocese.

Contact : +91 9948695979, 0866-2450244

Websites :  http://www.gunadalamathashrine.com/

Gergeti Trinity Church (Tsminda Sameba)

Name : Gergeti Trinity Church

Location :

Gergeti Trinity Church (Georgian: წმინდა სამება - Tsminda Sameba) is a popular name for Holy Trinity Church near the village of Gergeti in the Georgia. The church is situated on the right bank of the river Chkheri (the left tributary of the river Terek), at an elevation of 2170 meters, under Mount Kazbegi.

Description :

The Gergeti Trinity Church was built in the 14th century, and is the only cross-cupola church in Khevi province. The separate belltower dates from the same period as the church itself. Its isolated location on top of a steep mountain surrounded by the vastness of nature has made it a symbol for Georgia. The 18th century Georgian author Vakhushti Batonishvili wrote that in times of danger, precious relics from Mtskheta, including Saint Nino's Cross were brought here for safekeeping. During the Soviet era, all religious services were prohibited, but the church remained a popular tourist destination. The church is now an active establishment of the Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church

The church is a popular waypoint for trekkers in the area, and can be reached by a steep 3 hour climb up the mountain, or around 30 minutes by jeep up a rough mountain trail.

Website :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gergeti_Trinity_Church

The Silver Temple (Ridi Vihara), Sri Lanka

Name : The Silver Temple (Ridi Vihara), Sri Lanka

Location :

The Ridi Viharaya is a temple situated atop a hill at Ridigama (Silver village), a village 13 miles away from Kurunegala.


Description :

It is a cave temple with many interesting legends surrounding it, and is visited by Buddhists, Hindus and Christians.

Accidental Silver to finance the Ruwanweliseya Stupa
Ridi Vihara was built by the hero of the nation, King Dutugamunu who reigned in the 2nd century BC. The king lacked the funds to complete the great Ruwanweliseya Stupa (Ruwan Weli Saya dagoba) at Anuradhapura until the discovery of a rich vein of silver at the village now known as Ridigma. The new found wealth having allowed the illustrious king to carry on with his masterpiece, the king expressed his gratitude by creating a cave temple at the location of the silver ore.

Jackfruit treat temple
At the entrance to the cave temple, just before the main body of the temple lies the Varaka Valandu Vihara (Jackfruit treat temple), an exquisite little temple, which dates from around the eleventh century. Built right up against a small rock outcrop, it is dedicated to the guardian of the mountain on which the Ridi Vihara is located. The bases of the pillars are decorated with figures-a man with a spear, another with a bow & arrow-while inside the tiny shrine sits a small yellow Buddha statue & a few simple Kandyan-era paintings. When you are on the tour with us, we will, of course narrate the story of the jackfruit treat: how the temple got its name. And on tour in Sri Lanka you will be having tender Jackfruit spicy curry (Polos), ripe Jackfruit curry in sauce of coconut milk (Kiri cos) & ripe & juicyJackfruit (Varaka) as a fruit. Tropical Jackfruit, one of the largest fruits in the world, is a many splendoured love in Sri Lanka

The main rock-cut temple, Lower Temple
Beyond here, you pass through a wooden entrance pavilion (an old wooden palanquin hangs from the roof) and cross a small courtyard painted in harmonious pastel colours to reach the main rock-cut temple, the Pahala Vihara (Lower temple). Gold plated Buddha statue attributed to King Dutugamunu is kept securely inside a special case.

Pancha Nari Gataya (The knot of five maidens) in the lower temple.
To the right of the entrance to the lower temple is an exquisite ivory carving of a vase. At the close range the vase blooms into a figure of five entwined maidens.

Blue & White Dutch wall tiles of Biblical stories in the lower temple
The temple's interior is surprisingly large; a veritable Aladdin's cave, its walls are covered in tessellated hundreds of Kandyan-era pictures of Buddha. A 9m recumbent Buddha rests on a platform, a flower altar decorated with a blue & white tiles that narrates Biblical stories, which were a gift from the Dutch envoy to King Kirti Sri Rajasinghe (1746-1778 AD). The king in return had gifted the tiles to the temple. Christianity being a non-violent religion, the Buddhist spirit of tolerance of faiths would have spurred the Buddhist bhikkus (monks) to see the tiles with due admiration of their quality & artistry. Banishment of Adam & Eve from the Garden of Eden, the last supper, Mosses & the burning bush, prophets of yore, dove of peace, creation of man are some of the scenes depicted in the tiles.

Floor Tiles with Christian Stories

At the far end of cave stand from left to right statues of the Buddha, Avalokiteshvara (Natha), King Dutugamunu (the last is an extremely ancient statue date from Anuradhapura period), as well as a delicate reclining Buddha from Burma.

Reclining Buddha from Burma

Upper Temple
Behind the temple, steps lead up to the right to the Uda Vihara (Upper Temple) right behind. This eighteenth-century structure is attributed to King Kirti Sri Rajasinghe. The entrance consists of Kandyan-period moonstone & steps flanked by elephants. A series of Hindu deities & images of the Buddha are located herein.

The main image of Upper Temple
In the main chamber is an impressive seated Buddha (UdaVihara Buddha) set on a busy backdrop Makara Torana (Dragon Arch) of images of gods, devotees and Buddhas. Paintings of mythological animals and King Rawana too adorn the temple.





A trompe l' oeil Cobra House, next to the main chamber of Upper temple
Next door to the main chamber is the small "Cobra House". To the right of the entrance door is a painting of a formation of nine maidens-a trompe l' oeil which, as you walk backwards, magically transforms into the shape of an elephant. It's a clever visual trick designed by the fresco artists.

There are more Kandyan-era decorative murals of flowers & Buddha statues inside the Cobra House; behind it, a stupa sits almost completely covered under another part of the overhanging rock. These are the paintings of "Sarpenda" and "Vrushaba Kunjaraya" (the entwined heads of the bull and the elephant).

Artificial lake
There is an attractive artificial lake at the foot of the hills.

Ancient inscription
Outside the temple complex you can see an abandoned dagoba at the top of a smooth rocky outcrop. On the way up, to your right an ancient inscription in the stone that has been etched on King Dutugamunu's behalf.

Walk
An easy 10 minute walk starts to the right of this stupa passing a modern pavilion to an abandoned villa; nearby, on the top of the cliff, is a slab of rock which affords magnificent views of hills & valleys.

Websites :

http://www.mysrilankaholidays.com/silver-temple.html

Devasahayam Pillai Mount

Name : Devasahayam Pillai Mount

Location :

Devasahayam malai is 8 km north of nagercoil and situated on the Nageroil - Thirunelveli highway in Tamilnadu, India

Legend and beliefs :


Devasahayam Pillai was an 18th century convert from Hinduism to Christianity in the southern part of India.He may have been an official in the court of the Travancore king, Maharaja Marthanda Varma, during which time he came under the influence of the former Dutch naval commander, Captain Eustachius De Lannoy.
He is believed by Roman Catholics to have been martyred. In 2004, the Tamil Nadu branch of the Catholic Bishops' Council in India recommended Devasahayam Pillai for the process of beatification to the Vatican.This led to arguments as some Hindus believe that there is no evidence of religious persecution in Travancore during that period, and that Pillai was executed for sedition

Early Life :

Devasahayam Pillai (named Neelakanta Pillai at birth) was born into an affluent Nair-caste family at Nattalam in the present-day Kanyakumari District, on 23 April 1712.His father Vasudevan Namboodiri, hailed from Kayamkulam, in present-day Kerala state, and was working as a priest at Sri Adi Kesava Perumal temple in Thiruvattar in present-day Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu. In the Nair matriarchal traditions of the day, Devasahayam Pillai was raised-up by his maternal uncle, and was inculcated with Hindu beliefs and traditions early on. Devasahayam’s family had much influence in the royal palace of Maharaja Marthanda Varma, king of Travancore, and Devasahayam went into the service of the royal palace as a young man. His capabilities and enthusiasm did not go unnoticed in the palace, as he was soon put in charge of state affairs as an official under Ramayyan Dalawa, the Dewan of Travancore.

Conversion  to Christianity :


In 1741, Captain Eustachius De Lannoy, a Dutch naval commander, was sent on command of a Dutch naval expedition by the Dutch East India Company to capture Colachel, a port under the control of Travancore. In the battle (Battle of Colachel) that followed between the Travancore forces and De Lannoy’s men, the Dutchmen were vanquished. Many Dutchmen, including De Lannoy and his assistant Donadi.
De Lannoy and the Dutchmen were later pardoned by the king, on condition that they serve in the Travancore army. De Lannoy later earned the trust of the king and went on to become the commander of the Travancore armed forces, winning many battles and annexing various adjacent territories to Travancore.
It was during their influential roles under the King of Travancore that Devasahayam Pillai and De Lannoy became well acquainted. De Lannoy’s Christian faith interested Devasahayam and De Lannoy enlightened him on the faith, leading to his conversion in 1745.

On Devasahayam’s acceptance of the Christian faith, he was baptized at the church at Vadakkankulam village (in the present Tirunelveli District of Tamilnadu), where the Jesuits had a mission under Rev. Fr.R.Battari Italus S.J. Neelakanda Pillai, his name at birth, was then changed into Devasahayam (means God's help in Tamil/Malayalam for Lazarus) after receiving baptism.

Orders based on accusations and charges :

Roman Catholic sources allege that the Brahmin chief priest of the kingdom and members of the royal household and the Nair community brought false charges on Devasahayam to the Dewan, Ramayyan Dalawa, and that Devasahayam was divested of his portfolio in the administration and was later accused of treason and of divulging state secrets to rivals and Europeans. He was initially ordered to be taken on a buffalo to Kuzhumaikkad, where he would be executed and finished-off. But the original Royal order was altered later several times to finally to be taken on a buffalo back to Aralvaimozhy border for a meaningful punishment of banishment after carrying out a series of tortures by ten different karyakkars on the advice of ministers.

Other traditions and beliefs :


Devasahayam was marched to Aralvaimozhy by soldiers, over the period of a few days. As was customary in those days for very cruel criminals, his body was painted with red and black spots, and he was intentionally marched through populated areas, sitting backward on top of a water buffalo (the mythical vehicle or vahana of Yama, the lord of death in Hinduism) throughout South Travancore from Padmanabhapuram palace. On the way en-route, he was daily beaten with eighty stripes, pepper rubbed in his wounds and nostrils, exposed to the sun, and given only stagnant water to drink.

While halting at Puliyoorkurichi, not far away from the Padmanabhapuram Palace of the Travancore king, it is believed by Christians that God quenched his thirst by letting water gush through a small hole on a rock, the very place where he knelt to pray. The water hole is still to be found in the compound of a church at Puliyoorkurichi, about 15 km from Nagercoil.

It is also believed that the leaves of a neem (Margosa) tree in the village of Peruvilai, to which he had been tied while being marched to Aralvaimozhy, cured illnesses of sick people in the village and around. Many more miracles are attributed to Devasahayam Pillai.

Death :

In 1752, the original order of the King and his Dewan was to deport him from Travancore, into the Pandya country, at Aralvaimozhy. He was let off in the forested hills near Aralvaimozhy. There, he is believed to have begun deep meditations, and the people from the adjacent villages began visiting the holy man. Christian sources allege that at this time, high caste Hindus plotted to do away with Devasahayam.

Some people believe that the soldiers went up the forested hills and tried to shoot Devasahayam, but were unable to fire; after which he took the gun in his hands, blessed it and gave it back to the soldiers to shoot him to death, if they wished to. The soldiers took the gun back and fired at him five times. His body was then carelessly thrown out near the foothills at Kattadimalai.

It was at Kattadimali in Kanyakumari district that Devasahayam Pillai died on 14 January 1752. His mortal remains were interred near the altar inside St. Xavier's church, Kottar, which is a Cathedral now in Nagercoil.

In 1780, Kariattil Ouseph Malpan submitted a petition to the Vatican for canonization of Devasahayam Pillai.
At the beginning of the 21st century, many Christian devotees started offering prayers at his tomb. After a series of initiatives and much deliberation, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI), Tamil Nadu council, later in 2004, duly recommended his beatification, following scrutiny of available historical evidence, in consultation with others.

Devasahayam Pillai is now considered one of the endless list of servants of God.



Places of Interest :


Devasahyam Pillai is believed to be buried in the Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier at Kottar in Nagercoil.
Devasahyam Pillai’s clothes and other belongings are kept in a church in the small town of Vadakkankulam, in Tirunelveli District of Tamilnadu State, India. They are exposed at the church on 15 August every year, the feast of the Assumption of Mary. His wife was buried in the cemetery there.

Puliyoorkurichi, location of the water fountain believed to have quenched Devasahayam’s thirst, is on the Nagercoil - Trivandrum highway.

Aralvaimozhy, where Devasahayam was killed, is also on the Nagercoil - Tirunelveli highway. At that spot on the hillock (called Kaattadimalai), devotees believe that at the moment of martyrdom, most of the rocks
were broken into pieces and one piece that fell down rang like a church bell. This is called the Bell Rock.

It is still there and when striked with a stone it makes Bell sound. It is believed to cure diseases and give answers for prayers of the devotees void of religion. So people come here every Friday to offer their prayers at the Bell rock.

Websites :


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devasahayam_Pillai

http://incrediblekumari.blogspot.com/2008/12/devasahayam-pillai-mount-3.html

Basilica of St. John, Ephesus

Name : Basilica of St. John, Ephesus

Location :

The basilica is on the slopes of Ayasoluk Hill near the center of Selçuk, Izmir Province in Turkey.

Legend :

It is believed that the Apostle John fled from Jerusalem to the city of Ephesus where he remained for the rest of his life and it is also where he wrote his gospels as well as receiving the last Revelation of Jesus and wrote the Apocalypse.

During his time and until his death in Ephesus, Apostle John preached about Christianity. According to legend, before he died, Christ, along with all the other apostles, visited Apostle John and said to him:
Legend had it that John wrote his gospel in Ephesus at the request of other disciples, then died in the church named for him on Ayasoluk Hill. Later legends developed that he was not really dead, but sleeping, and dust could even be seen moving above his grave as he breathed.

The 13th-century Golden Legend narrates John's death as follows:
According to Isidore, when John was 98 years old, that is, in the 67th year after the Lord's passion, the Lord appeared to him with his disciples and said: 'Come to me, my beloved: it is time for you to feast at my table with your brothers!' John rose and was about to go, when the Lord added: 'You will come to me on Sunday.'

When Sunday arrived, all the people gathered in the church that had been built in his name, and John preached to them at cockcrow, exhorting them to be steadfast in the faith, and zealous in carrying out the commandments of God. Then he had them dig a square grave near the altar and throw the earth outside the church.

He went down into the grave and, with arms outstretched to God, said: 'Lord Jesus Christ, you have called me to your feast: here I am, and I thank you for deigning to invite me to your table. You know that I have longed for you with all my heart!' When he had said this, he was surrounded by a light so brilliant that he was lost to human sight. Then, when the light faded, the grave was found to be full of manna. This manna is still produced there to this day, and it covers the floor of the grave, looking rather like the fine grains of sand at the bottom of a spring.. Because of this, the dust, called manna, was said to be able to cure the sick.

Miracle and flasks :  

The tomb itself acted upon its miracle every year on the 8th of May, during an all night-festival in honor of St. John, for nearly a thousand years, prompting many pilgrimages throughout the medieval period.

The pilgrims who journeyed to Ephesus did not leave empty-handed. Flasks were produced at St. John’s tomb for the pilgrims. These flasks usually had the Saint’s image designed on to it as well. They were used to collect the dusts that would appear around St. John’s tomb, which was then carried back to the pilgrims respective homeland where it was said to have performed miracles by curing sickness and even calm storms on land or sea.

Description :

The Basilica of St. John (St. Jean Aniti) was a great church in Ephesus constructed by Emperor Justinian in the 6th century. It stands over the believed burial site of St. John, who is identified as the apostle, evangelist (author of the Fourth Gospel) and prophet (author of Revelation).
The basilica is on the slopes of Ayasoluk Hill near the center of Selçuk, just below the fortress and about 3.5 km (2 miles) from Ephesus.

St. John's grave was marked by a memorial and enclosed by a church of modest proportions in the 4th century. In the 6th century, Emperor Justinian (527-65 AD) believed that a tomb dating from the 300s was John's, so he built a magnificient church on the site dedicated to the saint.

The traditional tomb of St. John, located under the main central dome, elevated the site to one of the most sacred sites in the Middle Ages and thousands made pilgrimage here.

But with the decline in importance of Ephesus and after Arab raids, the basilica fell into ruins until the Seljuk Aydinoglu clan converted it into a mosque in 1330. The building was then completely destroyed in 1402 by Tamerlane's Mongol army.

The ruined church was thereafter pillaged for building materials, but recent restoration enables visitors to understand its size and visualize its former splendor.

Websites :

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/turkey/ephesus-basilica-of-st-john

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_of_St._John

Jvari monastery, Georgia

Name : Jvari monastery. The name is translated as the Monastery of the Cross.

Location :

Jvari or Jvari Monastery (Georgian: ჯვარი, ჯვრის მონასტერი) is a Georgian Orthodox monastery of the 6th century near Mtskheta (World Heritage site), Mtskheta-Mtianeti region, eastern Georgia.

Description :

Jvari Monastery stands on the rocky mountain top at the confluence of the Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers, overlooking the village of Mtskheta, which was formerly the capital of the Kingdom of Iberia.

According to traditional accounts, on this location in the early 4th century Saint Nino, a female evangelist credited with converting King Mirian III of Iberia to Christianity, erected a large wooden cross on the site of a pagan temple. The cross was reportedly able to work miracles and therefore drew pilgrims from all over Caucasus. A small church was erected over the remnants of the wooden cross in c.545 named the “Small Church of Jvari”. As the name suggests there is a Big Wooden Cross inside the monastry.



The present building, or “Great Church of Jvari”, was built between 586 and 605 by Erismtavari Stepanoz I. The importance of Jvari complex increased over time and attracted many pilgrims. In the late Middle Ages, the complex was fortified by a stone wall and gate, remnants of which still survive. During the Soviet period, the structure was largely ignored, with access rendered difficult by tight security at a nearby military base. After the independence of Georgia, the building was restored to active religious use. Jvari was listed together with other monuments of Mtskheta in 1996 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

However, over the centuries the structures suffered damage from rain and wind erosion and inadequate maintenance. Jvari was listed in the 2004 World Monuments Watch list by the World Monuments Fund.

Architecture :

The Jvari church is a very early tetraconch (i.e. a four-apse domed building) structure. Between the apses there are three-quarter circular niches used as side chapels, which communicate with the central space. The transition from the square bay to the dome circle is effected through three rows of squinches. This design had a great impact on the further development of Georgian architecture and served as a model for many other churches not only in Georgia, but the whole region of South Caucasus.



Varied bas-relief sculptures with Hellenistic and Sasanian influences decorate its external façades, some of which are accompanied by explanatory inscriptions in old Georgian uncial script. The entrance’s tympanum on the southern façade, is adorned with a relief of the Glorification of the Cross, and the same façade also shows an Ascension of Christ. The church has an extra bell tower outside.



Websites :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jvari_(monastery)

http://www.traveladventures.org/continents/asia/jvarichurch06.shtml

Erice – Venus Castle

Name : Erice – Venus Castle

Location :

Perched just above 750 metres above sea level on Mountain Erice in Sicily(Italy). Erice is a charming town in the province of Trapani, the low western coast towards Marsala, the dramatic Punta del Saraceno and Capo san Vito to the north-east.

How to get there :

Erice is easily accessible by different modes of transport-simple as well as exciting ones. You can reach Erice from the two major cities of Trapani and Palermo. You can reach Trapani and Palermo by air as the airports in both the cities are connected to all the major European cities. Palermo is a port so you can reach Palermo by ship as well.

From Trapani there are regular buses to Erice. If you decide to drive down by car it take about it takes about an hour’s journey from Palermo and about thirty five minutes from Trapani.



However the most exciting and thrilling way to reach Erice is by Funivia or cable car. You can travel via the station in the Casa Santa valley. The cable car links Trapani to Erice through a picturesque and exciting ride of 3099m. Each individual motorized cable car can take eight passengers. A return trip can also be organized.

Legend :

Eryx (meaning Mountain) or Erice, as it is more commonly referred to, was a religious centre where the Phoenicians worshipped Astarte, the Greeks worshipped Aphrodite and the Romans worshipped Venus. Today Christians still practice their faith and revere the Virgin Mary in the main church Chiesa Matrice which is dedicated to her.

On the summit of the mountain, there proudly stood an ancient temple of Venus or Aphrodite, founded by Aeneas. According to legend this is how Venus derived her surname name as many Latin writers refer to her as Venus Erycina.

Another legend, mainly attributed to the Greek historian Diodorus speaks of the town being named after Eryx the son of Aphrodite and Butes. Legend says that he invited Hercules to this ancient town in Sicily but was finally vanquished by him. Whatever the legend Erice is a historical town.

Erice was called Gebel Hamed by the Arabs and the Arabian influence is still a part of Erice especially its food. Erice was also invaded by the Normans who called it Monte San Guiliano. They built their famous Norman Castle on top of the ancient Temple of Venus, where Venus Ericina was idolize. In 1934 the town reclaimed its ancient name of Erice.

According to legend, the temple was established by Aeneas. It was well known throughout the Mediterranean area in the ancient age, and an important cult was celebrated in it. In his book On the Nature of Animals, Aelian writes that animals chosen for sacrifice would voluntarily walk up to the altar to be killed.

Castello de Venere or Venus Castle :

As evident from its name the Castello de Venere or Venus Castle is built around the ancient Venus temple in Erice. The decaying twelfth century Norman walls with their weather beaten graying stone exist amidst the ancient ruins of the temple of Venus. This Norman Castle bears the Coat of Arms of Charles V of Spain.

Although the castle is in ruins it offers a glimpse of its rich past and breathtaking views. There are ruins of a Roman bath and well. Legend says that these were the private bath of Venus the Roman Goddess of Love and Beauty. Alternatively as you roam through the ruins of the castle you can see rusting iron shackles hinting of deep dark dungeons and whispering hidden secrets which can make you shudder when there is an eerie silence and fog envelopes the ruins. The castle was used as a prison during World War II.



When the cool breeze blows through the walls a mystical atmosphere is created and one can almost imagine the flames of the fire in the Venus temple rising high and guiding sailors navigating the Mediterranean Sea. It is indeed a place of contrasts. There is a tower called the Balio Tower. The castle is situated on the jagged edge of the mountain peak and it almost looks as if the castle is coming out of the rocks. Castello de Venere or Venus Castle gives you such beautiful views that make you think it is worth the climb. Watching the sunset and the sky turn to a myriad of colours is a beautiful site in many parts of the world and Erice offers really stunning sunsets worthy of being captured for posterity through paintings or photographs.

Places to visit :

Triangular in shape and filled with cobbled and curving streets and arched passageways Erice is a tourist’s delight as you feel as if you have taken a step back in history. There are various attractions in the city of Erice. They include
Pepoli Castle, Balio Gardens, Cordici Civic Museum, EMFCSC or the Ettore Majorana Foundation and Centre for Scientific Culture, Churches of Chiesa Matrice, Saint John, SanMartino and Saint Ursula.



Also Erice is a beautiful city to visit for a holiday and offers culture, food, places to visit and to enjoy delicious Italian/Sicilian food.

Festivals :

Erice hosts an international Week of Medieval and Renaissance Music every summer. This famous event attracts lots of tourists, music lovers, talented performers and music afficionados from all over the world. There is a special procession taken out every Easter.

Websites :

http://www.ultimateitaly.com/italy-cities/erice-guide.html

Mazhai Malai Madha Arulthalam

Name : Mazhai Malai Madha Arulthalam

Location :

Mazhai Malai Madha Arulthalam is located on the National Highway about 95 kms from Chennai enroute Trichy. Geographically, it is situated near Melmaruvathur having Mathuranthagam as its Taluk and falls under the Jurisdiction of Kancheepuram District.

Legend :

During the tenure of Founder Rev. Fr. A. Pushpam - Parish Priest ( 1962 - 1973), this parish was the part of the archdiocese of Pondy - Cuddalore. People experienced severe drought in Tamilnadu and particularly in this place. At this moment, Fr. A. Pushpam decided to organize a car procession for Our Lady specially interceding for good rain. When the car procession ended at a place called Nallayan Kundru
(the hill of Good Shepered) there was a heavy down pour with thunder and lightening slashing the place like never before. A beautiful shrine was constructed at this place and hence the name Mazhai Malai Madha ( Hill Goddess of Rain ) was inscripted to our Lady in view of this astounding miracle.

Description :

Ecclesiastically, it belongs to the Chingleput Diocese, a new born babe of the Archdiocese of Madras - Mylapore. The Shrine is located in the midst of a very serene and beautiful vast stretch of lush pasture hill slope.

In view of the Silver Jubilee in the year 1994, a well planned concrete pathway for the pilgrims to visit Mazhai Malai Madha on the top of the mountain.

A Church was inaugurated and blessed by Rt. Rev.Dr. Lawrence Pius, the Auxiliary Bishop of Madras - Mylapore at midnight of the beginning of the III millennium (01.01.2001)

Tower of Faith :

As a monument of faith they have planned to construct a Tower of Faith in the shrine campus. The foundation stone for the great project was laid on 06.09.2003 by His Eminence Simon Cardinal Lourdusamy, Rome. The construction work on 27th October 2004.

The mega monumental project is in the fray. The proposed Tower would consist of Seven floors cascading the pilgrims into a world of Divinity. It is very essential to cultivate the requisite spiritual arousal and strengthen the faith of Christians. One would be enthralled to find this Tower as an exclusive monument depicting the evolution of faith.

The concept of the Tower of Faith is to bring in the celestial world here and now and this place would become a place of penance, a place of meditation, a place tranquillizing turbulent mind a place of spiritual transformation and a place of magnified faith.

Mountain : A Symbol of God’s Presence

For ages past, Mountains have been articulated as a place where God’s mighty presence is conceptualized. India, in particular, which has this sublime uniqueness of nurturing different sects of communities, practices multifarious religions,linguistic, cultures and life styles deem Mountain as a sanctified, vibrant and vivacious God’s presence.



From the Biblical perspective , in 1 Kings 20 :30, it is predominantly mentioned as “God of Mountains”. Mount Horeb was called the Mountain of God (Exodus 3:1).
Even in the life history of Jesus, Mountains have been a place of prominence for his Psycho- Spiritual pursuits.

For Jesus , Mountains became
A place of Prayer, Lk- 20 : 39,
A place of Contemplation, Mt-14 : 23
A place of Temptation and Renunciation, Mt- 4 : 8,
A place of Transfiguration, Mt-17 : 1

Eventually it is conspicuous that Mountains and the presence of God are strongly interlinked. Therefore, Mountain experience is considered to be a manifestation of FAITH EXPERIENCE.

Website :

http://malaimadha.org.in

The Areopagus or Mars Hill

Name : The Areopagus or Mars Hill or Hill of Ares; Areios Pagos

Location : Athens, Attica State, Greece

Features : Footsteps of Paul

Myth and Mystery :

According to Greek mythology, Ares was tried in a court of the gods on this hill for the murder of Poseidon's son Alirrothios. Another legend says that the hill was the site of the trial of Orestes for killing his stepmother and her lover, Clytemnestra and Aegisthus.

History :

In pre-classical times (before the 5th century BC), the Areopagus was the council of elders of the city, like the Roman Senate. Like the Senate, its membership derived from those who had held high public office, in this case that of Archon. In 462 BC, Ephialtes put through reforms which deprived the Areopagus of almost all its functions except that of a murder tribunal.

In classical times, the Areopagus functioned as the chief homicide court of Athens. At the foot of the Areopagus was a temple dedicated to the Erinyes, where murderers could find sanctuary.
In the Bible

The Areopagus, like most city-state institutions, continued to function in Roman times, and it was then that the Apostle Paul delivered his famous speech about the identity of "the Unknown God." According to the biblical account (Acts 17):

A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods." They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.

Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean. (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)

Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you."

...When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, "We want to hear you again on this subject." At that, Paul left the Council. A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.



What to See ;

The Areopagus is a bare marble hill across from the entrance to the Acropolis. Its ancient marble steps can be slippery, especially in the rain. Wear appropriate shoes. Near the base of the stairs is a bronze plaque with the Greek text of Paul's sermon. At the top there are nice views of the Acropolis.

Website : http://www.sacred-destinations.com/greece/athens-areopagus-mars-hill