SYRIA: Latakia

This is the seventh in a 15-part series of pics from Syria.

First — Second — Third — Fourth — Fifth — Sixth — Seventh — Eighth — Ninth — Tenth — Eleventh — Twelfth — Thirteenth — Fourteenth — Fifteenth.

My new friends: Samer & Nour. They picked me up at the Latakia Airport and took me to breakfast at a place called Beauty, located …

… on the Mediterranean.

Nice, huh?

We were in walking distance of this Roman Catholic Church.

This is the new lab at the Orthodox School which both Samer and Nour (and all their friends) attended.

An artist’s rendition of the school. There was a church, St Saba’s, which used to be on the site but it burned down. Well, most of it …

The icon of St Saba that used to be in the church now resides above the main doors (as you exit the school).

Word had it that Mrs Pechazis was one of the best cooks in Latakia …

Oops! Not much food left (Word had it right); I obviously did not snap the pic quick enough!
That’s Archimandrite Silouan at the end of the table.

On to St Nicholas Church, which dates from the 6th century.

Life in the ancient church’s hall seemed familiar …

The Orthodox altar at St Nicholas; to the right of this is an altar for the Armenians …
[I believe that’s what I remember; I stand to be corrected.]

See?

Left side altar from the balcony …

Next time: A miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary and a church built over the cave of St Thecla …

Podcast – “The Blindside” (in Syria); Article – Antiochian website