Saturday. Our biweekly outing - round the corner to the grocery store. Valued as much for the change in stimulation as for the actual provisions. And then there’s the serendipitous nature of what’s available. So today, for the first time, mushrooms and cabbage, which we buy, and beets, which we don’t. None of the lovely red peppers, but beautiful small deeply purple aubergines. Feast for the eyes first before we take it home to cook.
Helicopter flies overhead as we’re sunning ourselves on the steps. Looking for those violating the lockdown by enjoying the good weather beyond their steps? In the UK drones have been used to broadcast messages over telling people that they must stop congregating in public spaces: « You are putting lives at risk. Please disperse immediately and return home ». UK lockdown nowhere near as strict as here, though. People are allowed out for daily exercise while maintaining social distancing though not, for the most part supposed to drive to a different location for said exercise. Here going for a short walk, even alone, is strictly forbidden.
In the South even the Orthodox Church has been forced to make concessions to covid-19. Larnaca is home to St Lazarus Church, believed by the faithful to have been built over the crypt of the Biblical Lazarus who is said to have come to Cyprus and become bishop before dying and being buried for the second time. He doesn’t seem to have enjoyed his Cypriot life much if the legend is to be believed, as he is said only to have smiled once in the years before his death. A rather poor advertisement for Christianity one would have thought. The church itself is ninth century with later modifications, but the crypt is much older. Had understood the remains to have been removed to Constantinople centuries ago - from whence they seem to have disappeared - but apparently some were retained in a silver casket and are carried in procession through the town eight days before (Orthodox) Easter every year. Have no memory of this occurring, but we’re usually in London by Easter, and Orthodox Easter often later than Western, as it is this year by a week. So today the priests have settled for walking round the church rather than processing through the town.
Helicopter flies overhead as we’re sunning ourselves on the steps. Looking for those violating the lockdown by enjoying the good weather beyond their steps? In the UK drones have been used to broadcast messages over telling people that they must stop congregating in public spaces: « You are putting lives at risk. Please disperse immediately and return home ». UK lockdown nowhere near as strict as here, though. People are allowed out for daily exercise while maintaining social distancing though not, for the most part supposed to drive to a different location for said exercise. Here going for a short walk, even alone, is strictly forbidden.
In the South even the Orthodox Church has been forced to make concessions to covid-19. Larnaca is home to St Lazarus Church, believed by the faithful to have been built over the crypt of the Biblical Lazarus who is said to have come to Cyprus and become bishop before dying and being buried for the second time. He doesn’t seem to have enjoyed his Cypriot life much if the legend is to be believed, as he is said only to have smiled once in the years before his death. A rather poor advertisement for Christianity one would have thought. The church itself is ninth century with later modifications, but the crypt is much older. Had understood the remains to have been removed to Constantinople centuries ago - from whence they seem to have disappeared - but apparently some were retained in a silver casket and are carried in procession through the town eight days before (Orthodox) Easter every year. Have no memory of this occurring, but we’re usually in London by Easter, and Orthodox Easter often later than Western, as it is this year by a week. So today the priests have settled for walking round the church rather than processing through the town.
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