Posted 7:06 PM by John Bell
Tomorrow is the commemoration of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus, one of the odder tales in Orthodox hagiography. Recountings of it can be found at this page from St. John's Cathedral of the Russian Church Abroad and on this page from the OCA website. The story of the Seven Sleepers was popular in both Eastern and Western Christendom and a version of it can be found in the Koran. For the skeptic, it is an interesting folktale. For the believer, it is a story of faithfulness in persecution, and a living parable of the Resurrection.

The cave where the Seven slept was later turned into a pilgrimage site. The ruins of the site remain today and pictures of it can be found here.

Posted 6:34 PM by John Bell
Monday is the start of the week long Warren County Fair. Both of the boys are showing sheep at the 4H Market Lamb show, so someone from the family where be there every day for the duration. If you want to put in a bid on a sheep, goat, hog or steer at the 4H auction, just stop on by Friday evening at 6:30. I'll be the middle-aged man in the Glenrose Hampshires ball cap. Come on by and say hello.

If you are in the area tomorrow night, come to the fairgrounds before 7:00 p.m. for a special show by Loretta Lynn.