A Byzantine-era floor mosaic has been discovered at the St Constantine and Helena Monastery Church in Ordu on the Black Sea coast of Turkey. The style and motifs dates it to the 5th or 6th century A.D. It is the first in-situ ancient floor mosaic found in the Ordu area. The surviving mosaic consists of geometric and botanical designs created with white, black and red tesserae. The main image features two chevrons (probably a rhombus before their meeting points were damaged by later construction) flanked by pairs of labryses, the double-headed axe that was an important symbol of deities and religious rituals in the ancient Near East. The botanical elements include leafy plants, the spikey acanthus that was the Byzantine version of the more familiar rounded Greco-Roman leaf and pears. The labrys, which has been a religion symbol going back as far as the Neolithic proto-city of Çatalhöyük (7500 B.C. – 6400 B.C.), strikes me as an unexpected decorative element for the floor of a Christian monastery church. I can’t think of another instance of it in my admittedly limited knowledge of the topic. Byzantine mosaicists borrowed heavily from classical Greek and Rome, however, and the labrys made frequent appearances in representations of storm gods Zeus and Teshub. There are Biblical references to the axe as an instrument of God’s power and judgment, and while it’s not double-headed, it wouldn’t be the only ancient symbol to have been ported into the new religion. It could also have been a recycled element. The mosaic in the overhead view of the whole floor looks a little variegated — the chevrons are intersected by a diagonal border, the center right has a leafy plant that cuts in and to the right of that what looks like opus sectile (marble inlay) rather than the tesselated style of the rest of the floor. Then again, there may be different levels of flooring that you can’t see in the flat overhead shot, and that at least part of it pre-dates the church. I dunno. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ The Byzantine abbey was discovered in 2023 during an excavation of a site where eight tombs dating to the Roman Empire were found in 2021. The 2023 excavation uncovered the remains of a later structure in the tombs and identified it as a monastery church dedicated to the Roman Emperor Constantine and his mother Helena, both venerated as saints in Eastern Christianity. Helena (who famously went on a pilgrimage to Palestine and Syria and left with armfuls of ostensible relics of Christ, including his cross, his tunic, the crucifixion nails and the rope that bound him to the cross) is considered a saint in Roman Catholicism, Orthodox, Anglican and Lutheran denominations too.

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August 12, 2024 Seeking Jesus for SatisfactionMICHELLE MARTINO, COMPEL Pro Member Lee en español "On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, "Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."'" John 7:37-38 (ESV) I'll never forget the day I signed into the hospital as a visitor and checked out as a patient. While caring for a friend, I unexpectedly fainted. As I tended to her needs, my vision declined to darkness, and my body grew numb. Nurses transported me to the emergency room for testing and care. Later that day, I was cleared to return home with only one recommendation: "Stay hydrated - drink more water." I didn't understand. How could this happen? I carried water with me everywhere! But I realized having water nearby isn't the same as actually consuming it. I also realized my physical condition reflected my spiritual state at that moment. I had access to God, but I wasn't making time to meet with Him, and in the busyness of life, my prayers had dwindled. My soul longed to rest in His presence. But by prioritizing an unending to-do list, I had become spiritually dehydrated. In today's key Bible verses, Jesus used the metaphor of water as an invitation to seek Him and be spiritually filled: "... If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water'" (John 7:37-38). This passage boldly proclaims two key truths that direct us toward abundant life: Christ alone is our satisfaction. Jesus Himself is Living Water (John 4:14). We can approach Him with confidence because He promises to supply our every need both now and for eternity (Philippians 4:19). When we believe in Jesus, our hearts flow with life. The moment we trust in Jesus, the Holy Spirit dwells within us (Romans 8:9). Scripture tells us the Holy Spirit is our present help as we await our heavenly home (John 14:16). Because of His nearness, we walk with peace today while holding on to the promise of eternal life to come. Jesus grants us full access to His presence and His living water! Still, like I learned at the hospital, true transformation requires access plus action. We can carry around our Bibles every day and remain unchanged. However, if we study Scripture and persist in prayer, by faith, we encounter the One who is worthy of our worship. He calms us with His perfect peace. He refreshes us with His rest. He embraces us with His steadfast love. He replenishes our languishing souls (Jeremiah 31:25), and as we wait on Him, we will never faint or grow weary (Isaiah 40:31). No matter the challenges you face today, friend, come to Jesus. He will satisfy your deepest needs. Heavenly Father, thank You for providing me with Your living water. My satisfaction comes from You alone. Let Your presence transform my heart and mind. Fill me with Your perfect peace as I seek You today. Help me see that more of You is all I need. In Jesus' Name, Amen. OUR FAVORITE THINGS The wisdom, stories and words tucked inside of you matter too much for you to waste time wondering what you’re supposed to do next. That's why we've created COMPEL Pro! At COMPEL Pro, you'll stop questioning if you're on the right track in your writing journey - you’ll follow customized Learning Pathways we've designed to guide you lesson by lesson. Today is the last day to join, so don't delay ... Sign up today! ENGAGE Today's devotion writer, Michelle Martino, is a member of COMPEL Pro. Receive writing tips on your social media feeds when you follow COMPEL Pro on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! FOR DEEPER STUDY John 4:14, "but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (ESV). Revelation 7:16-17, "They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes" (ESV). Where have you been looking for satisfaction? How can you prioritize a relationship with Jesus and see Him as your source today? Share your thoughts with us in the comments! © 2024 by Michelle Martino. All rights reserved. Proverbs 31 MinistriesP.O. Box 3189 Matthews, NC 28106 www.Proverbs31.org The post Seeking Jesus for Satisfaction – Encouragement for Today – August 12, 2024 appeared first on GodUpdates.