Walking up the hill to town this morning, I heard what sounded like a man cooing. He was visiting his pigeons in their roof-top roost.
Poking into the small Church of Saint Sotiri (1), a man came in wearing socks and multi-colored plastic sandals. He lead us to the holy-water urn in the center aisle took a sprig of evergreen and blessed us by sprinkling the holy water on our head and handed my friend a golden crucifix. Our guide (priest?) pointed to various paintings and told us (2) who they depicted. I caught St Nicholas, and figured out St George (3) by the saint's image holding a sword and slaying a dragon. Leading us to the candles, he handed us each one and showed us how to light from the central candle.
The man pointed toward the north side of the church and said a word twice. He went outside and beckoned us to follow him to the far side of the church, where three ropes hung from a steeple. He motioned to my friend to pull the cord, causing the bell to ring out over the city. It was one of those moments that makes travel magic.
Further up, the castle is open for visitors, so we poked about. A US jet landed at Tiranë in 1969, when Albania was sealed off from the world. The US says the pilot was low on fuel after getting lost in the fog. The Albanians said they forced down a spy plane.
Descending toward town shortly before Noon, the mid-day call for prayer rang out through the fog below (https://youtube.com/watch?v=TwTN3v4D_KQ&feature=shared )
Walking by the mosque later, I heard sounds of prayer coming from inside (4). Like the church we just visited, this building was the only Mosque to survive Hoxha's religion suppression (5). Venturing up the steep stairs as the service concluded, I slipped off my shoes and stepped inside. Two boys were rough-housing and the Imam was chatting with a congregant. The latter asked (in English) where I was from, bid a hardy welcome, and waved toward a table. "Have some sweets" he said. Another special travel moment.
Walking by the mosque later, I heard sounds of prayer coming from inside (4). Like the church we just visited, this building was the only Mosque to survive Hoxha's religion suppression (5). Venturing up the steep stairs as the service concluded, I slipped off my shoes and stepped inside. Two boys were rough-housing and the Imam was chatting with a congregant. The latter asked (in English) where I was from, bid a hardy welcome, and waved toward a table. "Have some sweets" he said. Another special travel moment.
Driving back to Tiranë in the afternoon, we got off the main road to visit the ruins of ancient Greek city of Appolonia. Following the signs, the new, well engineered road abruptly ended. Doubling back to the small village, we took the rutted old road further north. A donkey cart, goat herds, and a truck coming the other way impeded our progress. Arriving at the Archaeological Park, the guard said they had just closed. Much of the remainder of the ride was in the dark, and I was pleased to drop off the car after two days on Albanian roads.
(1) Not actually a Saint, but the Holy Ascension.
(2) I presume he was speaking Albanian, but it could have been Greek, the language of the Orthodox Church here.
(3) "Gay•org?" I queried.
(4) Today is Friday, the Muslim holy day.
(5) Due to its high ceiling, the mosque was used to train trapeze artists during the Communist era, hence its utility and why it was not razed during the communist era.
Walking in the fog
Shën Sotirit / Saint Sotiri Orthodox Church. The only Church in town not destroyed by the communists.
The central aisle and holy water font
Double headed eagle
Christ Pantocrator
My friend ringing the Church bell. Note the colorful plastics sandals on the guide.
At the castle
American jet that landed at Tiranë during the cold war
The bell tower at the castle
Why the great majority of churches and mosques were destroyed in the Communist era.
Someone scratched out Enver Hoxha's face on a museum display
Mountain appearing from the mist above the town
No comments:
Post a Comment