Cruise Post 2 - Jonah, Paul, Titus ans Crete

So, the taxi driver in Ashdod (a few days ago), thought we were crazy when we asked him to take us to the site for "Jonah and the whale." He said, "Why you not go to Jerusalem today?" When we explained that we had just spent several days there he understood. The Jonah site was underwhelming! It is the supposed site where Jonah was buried...just a sign and a statue of Jonah. Afterward, we walked to the Sea Mall in Ashdod to board the Holland America shuttle bus back to the boat...a 35 minute walk through steamy, but thriving Ashdod. There is a lot of construction going on in Ashdod with building cranes everywhere. It is also the closest Israeli city to the Gaza area, so the Israeli military frequently intercepts missiles being sent to harm Ashdod.

Today, we went into Crete, the largest of the Greek islands. It is the center of the oldest recorded civilization in Europe, the Minoan civilization. It is also the island where Zeus was said to have been born. We took a tour bus around Irakklion, (Heraklion) the port city, but decided not to fight the tourist lines at the Knossos Palace. We followed the city map to where? A church, of course! Crete is home of the Holy Church of Titus, the Apostle. Here's your Bible history lesson from the brochure: 

"Titus, the Apostle, is the organizer and the first Bishop of the Greek Orthodox Church in Crete. He first appeared in history in about 49 A.D. as a fellow of Paul, the Apostle, and Varnavas (Barnabas) in the Apostles' Synod in Jerusalem. Titus accompanied Paul on his journeys in Asia and Europe. Paul refers to Titus in a way that reflects the very close bond between the two men.

Paul undertook the systematic preaching of Christ's Gospel in Crete on his second apostolic journey in about 62-63 A.D. His stay in Crete was short and he entrusted Titus with the difficult task of organizing the first Cretan Church (we can sympathize and relate to this task). He wrote to Titus: "The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you,' (Titus 1:5).

Titus' activity in Crete is not sufficiently known because there are no ancient official and verified records about the first period of the Cretan Church. In later times, there was founded in Crete a very rich biographical tradition about the first bishop and patron of the local Church. According to tradition, Titus was Cretan of a noble family descending directly from Minos, the mythical King of Knossus. Titus was a relative of Rustillus (or Rustulus), the Roman proconsul in Crete. He was well-educated and spent some time in Jerusalem where he became an eye-witness of the passion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Later, as a bishop in Crete, he founded nine bishoprics in Knossus, Lerapytna, Kydonia, Chersonissus, Eleftherna, Lambe, Kissamus, Kandanus, and Gortys. According to the same tradition, Titus died at 94 years old in about 105 A.D.

In the early 6th century A.D., a grand basilica with a wooden roof was erected in Gortys which had been the political and religious center of the island. A local tradition had it that the holy relics of St. Titus were kept in that basilica. We have no information about the worship of St. Titus in the period of the conquest of Crete by the Arabs (824-961). After the liberation of Crete by the Byzantine General Nikephorus Phokas in 961 A.D.., the political and religious center of Crete was moved to Chandax (Heraklion) where another magnificent cathedral, dedicated to Titus, the Apostle, was built at the same site where it stands today. The Skull of the Saint was transferred to the new church." (Church brochure written by Theocharis Detorakis).

Tomorrow, August 22nd, we'll tour Kusadasi, otherwise known as Ephesus to Christians!