Journey to Mount Athos

on


Journey to Mount Athos
by Thomas Jesse Roach
Paperback: 132 pages
  • Publisher: BookBaby (January 28, 2018)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1543921892
  • ISBN-13: 978-1543921892
  • Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.4 x 9 inches

A young men's fellowship group is formed in Joliet, IL, in 1987. The four college students and a young professor began reading Greek and Russian Orthodox books on aestheticism and plan to visit Mount Athos, a peninsula in Northern Greece devoted to monastic communities and still governed under Byzantine law. The first half of the book describes the misadventures of the boys as they perform clean-up operations at Greek food festivals in the Chicago area to raise money. Finally, miraculously, they are able to fly to Greece. The second half of their adventure takes them through the churches of Thessaloniki and Mount Athos. This account was written one chapter at a time and read to the group as they continued to meet through 1988. It is an accurate account of their experiences, although decidedly from the author's perspective. The descriptions, history, and views of Christian Orthodoxy presented here reflect the groups perceptions of the Church and are not intended to be in any way authoritative.


My Thoughts

This week I turned on the television and saw the burning of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, aware that each ancient beam of the cathedral attic's wooden frame was made from an individual tree that for many years protected artifacts and religious relics.

One can only imagine how difficult this was for those fighting the blaze, knowing that at the start of Holy Week this Cathedral, on a small island called Île de la Cité, housed the crown of thorns. 

 I was elated to hear the crown was recovered and to view the image of the cross still standing.

It's at this time, I opted to read a memoir that speaks of a small wooden cross that led author Thomas Jesse Roach on a Journey to Mount Athos.

I was captivated by the places visited and experiences encountered by a small group of adventurous young men who met for dinner throughout Great Lent. 

These men had hopes that their simple plans would be carried out. As often happens, the intricate became complicated, and they subsequently find themselves putting into effect a flea market plan- sweeping asphalt with push brooms, to pay for their tickets. 

This story blends a backdrop of trips through the churches of Thessaloniki and Mount Athos.  While voices boom throughout the empty cathedral, they are invited to tea by the priest and pay reverence to Holy Icons on poorly lit walls.

Along the journey, the group takes risks. Their quest is a spot on the Mountain, and it leads them to discover significant fragments of sacred history. 

In closing, this memoir makes a compelling read with great use of symbolism. The intimate writing style entices the reader to the very end and teaches that faith and sacrifice do lead to something of great value.

I received a copy of this lovely memoir via Tiffany T. Cole on behalf of Thomas Jesse Roach.

 About the Author

Thomas Jesse Roach
Dr. Roach has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and English and Master of Arts degree in English from Northern Illinois University, and a Ph.D. in Communication Studies from Northwestern University. His dissertation on the American news media received a national Dissertation of the Year Award from the Speech Communication Association in 1994.

Dr. Roach was an assistant editor for Star Publications and managing editor of the Romeoville-Bolingbrook Beacon. He served as Media Coordinator of Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet and Corporate Director of Internal Communication for Carson Pirie Scott. Today he is president of Thomas Roach and Associates, a consulting firm specializing in public opinion research, news media strategies, advertising, and employee communication. Former clients include Jones Lang LaSalle, LaSalle Bank, Amoco and the Ford Motor Company. He served as message strategist on several political campaigns, including two congressional races.