595 - The secret prayer

N. Lygeros
Translated from the Greek by Athena Kehagias

[In the ruined church of Kythreas, a grandfather is showing his grandchild the stigmata of time …]

Neokles: Grandpa, what happened to the church?

Panicos: It could not bare our pain [Silence]

Neokles: It was so great?

Panicos: The power of the church is the people … … Without people

Neokles: It dies?

Panicos: Not immediately… at first the ordeals begin… [Time] the cross collapses … The church does not have the power to hold it close to the sky … Then the bells go silent …

Neokles: Why? did they get tired ?

Panicos: There is no longer anyone to hear them!

Neokles: But I hear their silence …

Panicos: You can even hear the pain of silence … But the others …

Neokles: Now the ceiling is our sky !

Panicos: And the floor is our land …

Neokles: The walls are praying …

Panicos: What are you saying my child?

Neokles: I hear their prayer …

Panicos: Someone must be in there … Lets go see!

Neokles: There is not only one …

[The grandfather and his grandson enter the church. Panicos is looking everywhere, whereas the look of Neoklis was nailed onto the wounded hagiographies …]

Panicos: There is no one here! [Silence]

Neokles: These poor ones … [his eyes are weeping .]

Panicos: [Looking at Neoklis] What happened to you? [watching the hagiographies] They didn’t leave … They became martyrs twice.

[They approach together silently. The young one is holding the hand of the older. The older is holding back the cry of the young]

Neokles: Why have they got so many wounds?

Panicos: Because they were left alone … [Time]

Neokles: And what would happen now? [Time] will we leave them alone again?

Panicos: No! Now we will protect them …

Neokles: Their eyes didn’t see a sunny day … I feel sorry for them…

Panicos: The sufferings are over now … their wounds will heal as well…

Neokles: We need to find a doctor for the Saints …

Panicos: They went through so much torment, nothing will happen to them for a few more days …

Neokles: [In a loud cry] No! Now they need us! [Time] Now that we saw how much they were hurt over the years, we must help them!

Panicos: You’re right! [Time] Now we are also responsible …

Neokles: They have hidden Christ … Look! [The youngster points to a white area]

Panicos: But I do not see anything … [The youngster touches the hagiography carefully]

Neokles: [Pulling out a piece of paint] Do you see?

Panicos: These Saints are miraculous … how did you know?

Neokles: Their Prayer !

Panicos: Their prayer …

Neokles: They want it to see the light …

Panicos: Is that what they were saying?

Neokles: Nothing else! Their only request …

Panicos: We must hurry then … we must come back …

Neokles: Can I kiss them?

Panicos: But of course … [Grandfather lifts his grandson to kiss the hagiographies]

Neokles: Higher! I want to kiss their face.

Panicos: It’s not proper my child …

Neokles: But that’s where their wounds are! [Time] Please. [He lifts him higher and he kisses all of the Saints]