Osios Loukas: Amanda

After a long day in 110-degree heat, the students (myself included) were tired, dehydrated, and not looking very thrilled about our visit to another site. The tour guide began by telling us that Osios means blessed, so the person we would be talking about is named Blessed Luke. It was here I admit that I stopped listening to the tour for a few minutes because I became overwhelmed by what I was in this moment; blessed. To be studying abroad is a rare experience that every college student should explore, but many do not get the chance. The reasons are varied, from timing to finances, yet here we are as a group receiving the gift of this experience. We are blessed to be standing on a silent mountainside, looking over endless rows of olive trees and small farms while surrounded by history stretching back thousands of years. I felt the blessing of being with this group of peers, all of us from varied backgrounds of upbringing and academic experience. I feel proud to call these young men and women my classmates, and fellow badgers, as they have blessed me with their knowledge while I explore these sites with them. Luke was drawn to a life of service and religion from a young age. He was born in Delphi, near the site of the great oracle. Luke himself during his years in church service liked to make a few predictions, I guess it is just something in the water there is Delphi. The amazing prediction Luke made a few years before his death was that some day soon the island of Crete would be liberated. Sure enough, ten years later the island celebrated a great victory and gained their independence. What makes Luke blessed and not a saint is that he helped people, but did not necessarily perform great miracles. His relics were said to have healing power long after his death, and to this day his hand hangs out of his holy robes beckoning you to come closer. Seeing Luke was creepy for me. Something about a hand in an empty black robe took me back to scary Halloween decorations as a child.

Beyond the not so beautiful relics of Luke there is a rare gem in this holy place, literally. Composed of hundreds of thousands of tiles, the mosaics of Osios Loukas are some of the best persevered in the world. Small pieces of glass painted with gold leafing and different brilliant colors of paint create images of God that are inspiring. The amount of work to lay down all those tiles by hand on the ceiling and the many arches of the church is a task I know I do not have the patience for. It is clear that the men who did this work were deep in their faith and masters of their craft. We are blessed in this modern day of fast-pace and urban sprawl to have a beautiful cultural and artistic gem to enjoy. It was a chance to slow down, and just marvel at the devotion these people had to their faith. I was saddened to hear that in the 1960s the original icons from the front of the church were stolen. I hope wherever they are now, someone is taking care of them at least. I saw as we entered the cool interior of Osios Loukas that my peers were able to awaken their minds and their hearts once again to take a deep breath and see the beauty before them, realizing they were blessed. I hope that you also can take a moment in your everyday to find joy and feel blessed.