How Greek Monks Have Lived On These Mountains For Centuries | Show Me Where You Live Compilation

[Music] my name's Philippe simay I'm a philosopher and I'm interested in what architecture can tell us about our lifestyles I'll take you to explore some of the most remarkable habitats on the planet in order to discover their meaning and to share their riches please [Music] the polypanese is a peninsula in the southernmost part of Mainland Greece nestled in the beautiful unspoiled Landscapes of mountainous Arcadia is the monastery of agios Nicolaus Barson since the 11th century monks have found in it an ideal Retreat conducive to religious life thank you this region has always housed numerous monasteries as it offered both a refuge for monks seeking above all a retreat from the outside world as well as a protective shelter against attacks [Music] rabbit of the monastery has the same name of a Biblical character Melchizedek father Abbott hello hello which means in Hebrew king of Justice when you're up here you can see just how isolated the monastery is in the middle of these mountains when you live removed from secular thought from a community from the daily life of a married man but instead live in a natural setting that is the absolute creation of God then you have the impression that you're living in heaven Tranquility helps the human being concentrate on his inner conscience we may be isolated here because of this search for quietude but we aren't cut off for men [Music] foreign the first Abbey built around the Hermitage of Saint Nicholas Farson originally stood on a neighboring Peak [Music] but the absence of a nearby water source forced the monks to relocate the present Monastery stands at an altitude of 1100 meters six monks live here behind its high stone ramparts [Music] thank you [Music] when you enter the monastery silence takes over and you really feel as though you've entered another world this passing from the exterior to the interior is full of meaning and it's something you feel on a physical level thank you you're welcome this passing from the external world to the internal world is real since we enter a building for construction a different place but it also has a spiritual meaning because we enter a world in which the triadic name of God is praised and worshiped and this place in which we find ourselves now has not only been Sanctified by the prayers of the monks who live in the monastery today but also by the prayers of all those who have lived here before us over the past 1 000 years [Music] disease [Music] without having a fixed program that would deprive the monk of his freedom in the Simplicity of his everyday activities we take a few hours to coordinate ourselves and organize our times but the monks have freedom of movement within this monastic life whether they pray individually or pray together in church with the other fathers [Music] the monastery is both a place of personal Retreat and community living as well as a place of spiritual asceticism how are these different Dimensions expressed within the same building and how do the monks make the transition from one to the other in their daily life I think that's an interesting thing this one piece will make 52 layers watch on mobile devices or the big screen all for free no subscription required the Monk's day is divided between prayer time and domestic chores I'm struck by the fervor with which they carry out each of their activities as if they all had equal value here every aspect of daily life is impregnated with religion father Samuel devotes a large part of his time to Icon painting he has learned to paint using the traditional Orthodox technique these icons true objects of worship are sold to the faithful who come to the monastery hello hello are there any particular rules applying to Icon painting there isn't just one unique way to paint icons there are many different ways in the Orthodox tradition our drawings are always done in accordance with our tradition a tradition that has been passed down to us throughout the ages throughout time an Orthodox icon painter obviously isn't entirely free to paint what he wants or how he wants foreign [Music] the painter is free as regards the drawing the style the colors he uses and the artistic composition as well as the chosen materials whether it be a wooden icon or a fresco painting in a church or the fabric for a liturgical vestres or stones or any other material once the sacred subject is represented on this material this image automatically becomes sacred that's also why it's called liturgical art which means that it's intended for the inside of a church [Music] in the monastery the thresholds are physical but also symbolic for they enable the expression of opposites within the same space the internal and the external the individual and the communal the sacred and the profane [Music] the church the catholican as it is called in the monasteries is situated at the center of the building complex and all the other buildings refer to it the Central Church gives one the impression of being continually in the spiritual life all the other buildings contribute to this impression because all the windows and doors face the Central Church but inside the monastery are there thresholds that you feel you cross on a daily basis there are gradations between the different parts of the monastery some are more sacred than others like the Central Church for example but also the Monk's cell this is where he not only rests but Praises God in private any cell in which we live is also Sanctified because it's a place of prayer it's the divine grace that enters the human when he prays and this is what sanctifies places it's not we who depend on places and material elements divine grace comes through man's prayers it visits each monk who lives in the monastery and it's he who through his prayers sanctifies all the places around him hmm [Music] foreign [Music] Bell Chimes announced the start of evening Mass this musical summons invites the monks to stop their respective often private activities to come together in prayer [Music] [Music] mass is an essential moment of the Monk's day for them it's the occasion not only to praise God but also to connect with the parishioners [Music] it's a way of being a part of the human Community by linking the monastery to the outside world foreign [Music] [Music] [Music] the monastery isn't just a place of prayer it's primarily a physical space that needs to be maintained and supported when I first came here 33 years ago I immediately love this Monastery it pleased me very much but it wasn't in the same state as it is now it was in a much worse condition and little by little over the years we've made it what it is today special spiritual asceticism isn't enough one also needs physical exercise to attain the spiritual life we first of all have to Tire the body and only then can we attain the spiritual level the laypeople come here and each one confesses his private troubles and with the experience we've acquired we are able to give them some guidelines to help them cope with their problems through the act of confession which connects them to the monastery we create a large Circle within which we form a large fold and a Brotherhood that's our aim that's what unites us foreign [Music] foreign [Music] breakfast with the monks is an opportunity for me to observe their sense of hospitality ah thank you very much this way of welcoming a stranger and making room for him isn't just a generosity of heart it's a way of sharing space [Music] it makes me think of the words of the philosopher Paulie curl Hospitality can be defined as the sharing of home the pooling of the act and Art of Living the monastery is a community space that fascinates me not only because it's a place of retreat but also because it's a place in which to find oneself is a professor of Christian and Byzantine archeology in Athens she enlightens me on the history symbolism and social function of Orthodox monasteries these are Byzantine sculptures they've been a mirrored in the eastern part of the church where the altar is to enhance this site which is the most important site in an orthodox church now oh no the church that we see today was built at the beginning of the 17th century as a result this Monastery has a continuous history a constant presence here since the Byzantine period the church is at the center with the domestic spaces around it is this type of spatial organization unique to this Monastery this organization isn't specific to this Monastery it's an organization that's common to all Greek and I'd say Byzantine monasteries we can consider that this type of Monastery is based on the layout of house Courtyards we see the same spatial organization in the classical era the Hellenistic and Roman eras with all the buildings placed around a central Courtyard [Music] the architectural structure of the church is based on the symbolism of the cross with four pillars to support the dome which is a symbol of Heaven the lower parts of the church represent Earth and the apps on the altar platform is the latter connecting heaven with Earth because in the Divine Liturgy it is through this that humans reach Union with God I feel that in this church but also in the monastery as a whole the architecture is there not only to create spaces but perhaps above all to create connections the primary relationship is that with God and this is perfectly served by the architecture of monasteries another relationship is that which is established between the brothers of the community but there's also the relationship between the monks and the outside world you need to know that monasteries in fact are involved in a lot of social action today in Greece there are monasteries and this is an all Byzantine tradition that run all people's homes or boarding schools and in Byzantine times there were even hospitals inside the monasteries they played a very important social role we even know that there were baths in the Byzantine monasteries public baths so there's a mutual Fusion between the closed community of the monastery and the outside world [Music] despite its geographical isolation the monastery receives visitors all year round the faithful first of all who come here to talk with the monks and to confess themselves but also tourists attracted by the atmosphere of the surroundings or to purchase religious items the proceeds from the sale of these items go towards the upkeep of the monastery do you come here often to attend Mass me yes I'm a child of the monastery after the departure of the faithful when the monastery door closes the monks find themselves alone with God Silence has fallen over the monastery once again and I experience a feeling of peace and serenity [Music] for monks even make their own incense brother arsenios agrees to teach me his production method in these bags we have the raw ingredients that's resin oh yes little resin pellets like this I see it comes from a tree the levano which obviously doesn't grow in Greece but in Saudi Arabia Yemen or Ethiopia many Ethiopia Ethiopia this resin is from Ethiopia it smells like resin yes there are essential oils in it let's move on to the next stage we put the resin in this machine and it becomes a sort of flower oh yes it's powdered now we're ready to make a paste yes and you can really smell the resin now it smells good we place it in the basin okay we make the sign of the cross to bless it and then we add the perfume ah you pour it on I see we start mixing it together like this and it changes color it becomes sticky okay and we're now ready for the final stage do you want us to do it together sure put the gloves on okay you take a small amount not too much like this you make a small ball yes that's very good oh yeah then you add a bit of talc and magnesia and you make a roll oh you gotta have the neck little by little it looks nothing like yours mine looks like a worm you just need a bit of practice before you need to have a neck the incense that perfumes the church is a symbol of prayer and elevation of the Soul the incense that we made in the workshop is placed here on the red hot charcoal the sensor symbolizes the church as a whole the top part here symbolizes the bottom part of the sensor symbolizes Earth the chains that link Heaven to Earth represent the four evangelists Matthew Mark Luke and John who are the pillars of the church you know the Bell symbolize the 12 apostles and their sermons heard around the world that's why the bells ring the teachings of the apostles were heard throughout the world here the bottom part that we call the nest symbolizes the Virgin Mary and in particular the virgin's room and the sweet smelling smoke that rises up towards heaven symbolizes the prayers of man which Rise Up from the Heavenly altar before God's throne incense creates A Soulful atmosphere in the church in sensing also has another symbol it means that we have been planted by God on this earth like trees and like them we also have to bear fruit as I mentioned earlier back in the workshop in um it's a tree that bears fruit and just as the tears of resin flow when we scratch the tree people have to accept sadness pain and suffering to produce tears that will then lead them to the virtues thank you [Music] [Music] anyways [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] together [Music] as I leave the monastery I think of these monks who have withdrawn from society to live a life of Silence asceticism and prayer their hospitality and generosity have made me understand that there exist other ways of being present to things to others and to the world [Music] isolated perhaps but not alone for all that at the top of the Arcadian mountains these monks have found their place amongst humans [Music] [Music] my name is Philip simei I'm a philosopher and I'm interested in what architecture can tell us about our lifestyles [Music] I'll take you to explore some of the most remarkable habitats on the planet in order to discover their meaning and to share their riches thank you [Music] Varanasi formerly Benares is located in northeastern India in the state of uttar Pradesh [Music] crossed by the river Ganges it is the holy city of India up to a million pilgrims come here to purify themselves every year [Music] holy texts describe it as an eternal City preserved from the movement of space and time and it's one of the most ancient cities in the world Varanasi is a holy site in Sanskrit it's known as a tertha which means Crossing Place one that is as physical as it is spiritual it was founded through and for Religion Today it enjoys an economic boom and a rise in population that speeds up the modernization how do religion and modernity live side by side does the religious fervor which traditionally drives veronacy help or hinder the city's development I decide to leave the banks of the Ganges to discover the inner city and its maze-like alleyways [Music] as I leave the river I enter the Mayhem of a city of over 3 million inhabitants fast-moving noisy and crowded [Music] ojiratan Banerjee is a historian and an expert on the architectural Heritage of aronacy he knows the city and its many changes better than anyone else there's so much traffic here and an incredible amount of noise last 15 to 5 years our vehicles number of acres is very much increased so there is a jam and mouse pollution is every day but obviously there is a way we will come through from that thing also this city is about 3000 years old gradually it develops in the southwest side adjacent to Ganga when did this very modern city develop presently you were seeing some are 50 years back old or summer 25 or five years old and some are very modern the city has already expanded Beyond its original boundaries do you think that it will expand even further because our city is growing rapidly and as you know that there is a two boundaries are there one is Administrative boundary right one is spiritual boundaries the spiritual boundary spiritual boundary is there okay because it is very big it covers very big area but gradually our administrative boundaries develop their spaces [Music] Varanasi is a city of contrasts holy and Timeless it's nonetheless in the throes of Rapid development due to the influx of huge numbers of pilgrims and tourists from around the world I wonder if these constant Transformations are affecting the city's spiritual dimension [Music] I get the impression that the closer we get to the Ganges the quieter it becomes because when we gradually go from near to the ghat because their lanes are very married there are no more cars only pedestrians basically this rules meant for the war when you get here it's as if the whole city was a huge path leading us to the Ganges yes because there is every road leads to that part it's the perfect passageway oh yes yes because in Hinduism ultimate goal is to be free from this type of hodgepodge everything so it is the main passage from where we can free from this middlely things so when you reach the Ganges you reach a point of arrival both physically and spiritually whenever we reach to the Ganges in young age or in middle age or in last stage every time we feel that yes this is our basic place where we get some relief where we get some peace where we get some things money Heavenly things you may say so every time when we reach there or when we try to go there it develops our feeling to next time I must visit that place this is the thing [Music] it's on the gas a long series of steps on the riverbank that the religious life of Veronica is concentrated this unparalleled architectural Ensemble which follows the Topography of the river brings the inhabitants closer to the sacred Waters of the Ganges [Music] the river symbolizes the hair of the god Shiva many people come here to purify themselves or to be cremated on traditional funeral pyres [Music] all along the gas there are still Monumental townhouses called havelis built between the 15th and the 19th centuries Varanasi was one of the favorite vacation resorts for the maharajas princes and wealthy merchants foreign but behind this apparent Splendor the back streets of the city reveal its fragile nature [Music] houses collapse walls are filled with cracks and facades crumble it's as if the urban fabric was insignificant and the city was ready to discard it anytime [Music] the avellis along the Ganges are no longer the homes of the wealthy families who are struggling to pay for their upkeep now live there [Music] I enter one of them some 400 years old to meet shotu Guru a priest who lives here with his entire family thank you [Music] hello how are you good thank you for welcoming me when did you get here this morning this haveli is magnificent when was it built the Maharaja Man Singh had it built and then passed it on to my ancestors my father was born here as was I five generations in my family have lived here now I live here with my four brothers that's 25 family members living here the first thing that struck me here was the silence compared to the inner city as you can see the building was constructed in stone which explains the quietness inside the walls are thick and beautifully sculpted whatever's going on outside you can't hear a sound inside plus the building stands beside the Ganges which also explains the tranquility when you're inside you do get the feeling of being in a protective pod as if you'd been removed from all the hubbub of the outside world what you say is very beautiful it's a beautiful analogy a protective pod that's just how we feel here this townhouse also Bears witness to a world that no longer exists of a distant past so it acts as a reminder of our fleeting existence on this Earth look at this wall with its solid Stone the stone is Ageless the same for us for our family and our health we're all strong our family is solidly together just like this Stone the god Ram watches over us and ensures the house stays solid and the older it gets the better it will be like diamonds that people wear as jewelry make them more beautiful and shine brighter so the stone grows more beautiful over time so do you believe this city will never disappear the one big truth in this world is that everything has an end I will disappear my family members too but these stones will continue to exist yeah yes thank you while everything seems to be crumbling around us I'm astonished at shotuguru's confidence in the long-lasting nature of architecture this haveli like the city may be protected by deities but the passing of time has left its traces to me this city is with its flaking Stone and peeling walls a mirror in which we can contemplate our own finitude representing both the Beauty and the shortness of life [Music] this material obsolescence doesn't seem to affect the thousands of pilgrims who flock to the city urged on by a spiritual Quest I want to know what they find in veronicy Guru Ravi Shankar shotuguru's uncle and a priest too has agreed to discuss this with me to many pilgrims Varanasi is a compulsory passing point in their spiritual Quest what do people seek and find here it's an ancient city a city of culture a city of religion people come here from all over India to seek benediction people of all religions because even the gods of other faiths live here 33 million deities live here all pilgrims who come here do so with a distinct feeling their own inner feelings after strolling around here and looking around them they feel at peace peace of soul is what is most important if the soul is in peace you're on the right path to Nirvana how do you view the effects of time on this city it's a very ancient city you can still see very old buildings like this haveli which is over 400 years old all the maharajas came here and each of them built a monument or a mansion each of them made his Mark before leaving at the same time these townhouses and the gats are gradually crumbling away what will remain a Varanasi once all that has gone what's happening today is that people want to replace everything that's old by new things such changes are very troubling demolishing is a big mistake anybody can demolish but not everyone knows how to build if somebody has built something we have no right to demolish it if something was created and placed here we have no right to move it let's forget change for the moment in your mind what is there that's permanent in Varanasi if there are floods and hurricanes everything may fall down on its own then man can rebuild everything but spirituality and culture will survive these have been the true foundations of the city since the beginning [Music] no hearing Guru Ravi Shankar I realize that his certainties about the future of the city are closely linked to his religious beliefs beneath the material Varanasi lies a spiritual veronacy which allows the former to live die and be reborn from its own ashes foreign [Music] to observe ganga arti a ceremony that takes place every day at sunset [Music] here that Varanasi came to be and where you can feel the fervor that energizes the city five priests accompany this ritual of light with their chance dedicated to the river Ganges [Music] [Music] I'm somewhat overwhelmed by this spiritual effervescence and I finally grasp what should have been an evident Paradox here everything is both in constant motion and still at the same time everything changes yet nothing does it's as if time had been suspended [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] foreign the river is used as all major rivers once were every morning at Daybreak the banks of the Ganges come to life the people of aranasi come here to carry out their ordinary daily tasks like bathing and washing clothes the city's holy nature transpires in every single act carried out by the inhabitants of our honesty oh I Now understand why temples and other religious buildings aren't considered to be the real basis of spirituality to the point of letting them become run down but OJ has been fighting for years to preserve this Heritage which is threatened by the city's modernization and to ensure that these remarkable monuments are safeguarded all right and this Temple is one of the oldest temples in the Varanasi it's a real work site restoration work is going on because total these walls were in green condition we totally re-plastered them and in Old manner or in Old material we use lime water we can use cement also but that way the essence and the feeling of this place will be gone but does everyone understand you need to use original materials and techniques gradually this feeling is come under the people but some have that much money to create this type of work then they will go with their technique I imagine Finance isn't the only obstacle people's mentalities also need to change because we are in a age which is very fast so everyone wants to do things faster basically the obstacle is there it will take more time than modern techniques otherwise if you have a will there is a path foreign [Music] this type of work is a race against the clock he hopes to be able to change mentalities and convince people of the importance of restoring the old temples and townhouses [Music] this is one of the oldest shine of the bananas 1868 gwalior king of gwalior made this heart and this Palace and name this place as ganga Mahal right there are many trainings in this house they occupied all the things gradually after passing of time they don't maintain it right because lack of Manpower and many things in 2011 the upper part and that Bastion was collapsed oh really because of non-maintenance and Termite and then we started Restoration in 2012. Sebastian up there oh yes I can see some parts still need to be restored it is a big process because you know we are making everything manually heavy machines are not here so it will take some time and after gradually we will complete this project how long would it take to restore this building I think two years when you see all these buildings you realize that not only the passage of time but also the passage of man all the pilgrims that pass through here have a profound effect on the city our city was invaded by five times so we have Hindu culture Muslim culture in fact modern uh Christian culture and European culture also do you mean that the architecture of Varanasi soaks up history rather than rejects it our city has a complete Museum of architecture we have thousand years old temple in our town gradually we have many mosques and many palaces so we have a continuation of 2500 years of architecture since I got here I've met priests who told me the city would never be destroyed because it's protected spiritually in our belief this city is Immortal we believe in that because I am a Hindu okay but in Hinduism there is medicines this is a type of medicine you may say to protect our heritage and our old structures because if we don't protect these things then it all will go on so it is a type of our you may say it is our duty also to protect these things but don't such beliefs make your work more difficult there is a rigidness is there obviously there is light conflict but we have to make them understand that what we are going to do otherwise everything will lost it it's as if there was a division of labor the priests oversee the spiritual side of the city and you're in charge of preserving its material side [Music] please at the end of my visit I begin to understand why some people say Varanasi will never disappear despite the fact that everything seems to be on the verge of collapse the Greek philosopher heraclitus said that we never bathe in the same river twice because according to him the only thing that is constant is change and that's how I see veronicy in constant movement and somewhat chaotic a place where everything changes yet remains unchanged at the same time where Every Day Life Starts all over again as if the city the river and its people were trapped in an eternal cycle this may be a way of finding one's place and the instability of our world [Music]

Channel: TRACKS - Travel Documentaries

Views: 47,257

Keywords: TRACKS - Travel Documentaries, authentic experiences, cultural immersion, cultural significance, exotic cultures, haveli, hidden gems, holy city, local customs, refuge, sacred architecture, sacred destinations, spiritual experiences, tranquil retreats, travel discoveries, travel enthusiasts, travelogue series, unexpected stories

Id: nf9gSDMd2-s

Length: 51min 38sec (3098 seconds)

Published: Sat Jul 01 2023