REFLECTIONS

St Helena. Tuesday, 18th August, 2020

Helena was the Mother of the Emperor, Constantine. He converted to Christianity and was the Emperor after whom the City of Constantinople was named, now Istanbul. Only recently the great Church of Holy Wisdom in the City has been returned to use as a Mosque. The reformer, Kemal Ataturk, had secularised the State and Hagia Sophia had become a tourist attraction not a place of worship.

I had the good fortune to grow up during my teen years in that stunning awesome City. I recall nothing but happy days. My parents rented a Yali on the Bosphorus, one of the most glorious waterways of the World. I am writing of the 1960s mainly. 60 years ago it was not the vast metropolis it has become. It had no bridges across the straits. Now at least two, maybe three, connect Europe to Asia. The Waterway was ploughed by ferries and all the variety of boat craft you can imagine. The little rowing boat selling fried mussels, bringing fresh fish and fruit to our water front. Then the speed boats and the sailing boats, the working kayaks, the private yachts ( I recall that one of them belonged to Peter Ustinov...a magnificent specimen ), the ferries, the luxury cruise liners ( I recall the Canberra and it majestic progress passing the house ), the Russian naval fleet  and even submarines, as well as the Ark Royal. I recall the Britannia when the Queen visited, as well as the barge decorated for the Papal visit of Pope Paul 6th.

East meeting West. I loved the place, the people, the bustle, the orient and the occident mingling seamlessly. I loved that great country with the historic cities of Troy, Ephesus, Pergammon let alone the stunning interior of Anatolia with the awesome rock churches of Goreme. Oh such happy memories. Memories of an idyllic time for me, an idyllic place.

Now I read of the strictures and diktats of President Erdogan. I read of the troubles with the Kurds, the refugee camps and the migrant tent encampments, the influence of Russia, the silencing of the press and opposition, the return to a stricter Moslem society. I do not know the truth of much of this but I recall a beautiful people, a beautiful place, a beautiful land.

St Helena is alleged to have found the true cross of Christ. Somehow I feel the way of the cross has descended upon that blessed land. Near Ephesus I visited the house purported to have been where Christ's Mother with St John went after the trauma and excitement of her son's death and resurrection. Both Christian and Moslem honoured her and her house. She had suffered.

The Via Crucis has the light of life as its guide. May we all Christian, Moslem, atheist, all religious traditions and worshippers and all peoples learn peace and tolerance.

Jesus wept over Jerusalem. I weep at times over Istanbul.