.jpg){kind=link}
Introduction
Until 1912, the city and port of Thessalonica was in the hands of the Muslim Turks, and any Greek, especially a Christian, took his life in his hands passing through. In 1910, a newly-minted monk of the Longovarda monastery on Paros got himself into very hot water.
ON his way home to Paros after a long-anticipated visit to Mount Athos, a young monk named Constantine Zervakos decided he had enough time before his ship left Thessalonica to nip into the Turkish-controlled city and visit the church of St Demetrius.*
He had not gone far, however, when he felt a tap on his shoulder. It seemed that he had been under surveillance for some days, and this latest escapade was too much. A Turkish soldier now guided him through three barbed wire fences to a cell in the customs house, where he was locked up with a young man who informed him tersely that they were to be executed. ‘What wrong did we do?’ complained Constantine. ‘Don’t ask’, his fellow-prisoner advised.
Suddenly however, there was a commotion in the harbour: an oil-barrel on a passenger ship had mysteriously caught fire. Everyone rushed out to watch or help, and the two ‘spies’ found the door of their cell unlocked and unguarded.
When he was ordained priest, Constantine took the name Philotheos, and is better known today as Elder Philotheos Zervakos (1884-1980). In Greece he is venerated as a saint.
Précis
A young Greek monk named Constantine Zervakos took a chance by going into Turkish-ruled Thessalonica in 1910, hoping to see the shrine of St Demetrius. He was arrested as a spy and was due to be executed. However, after a fire broke out in the harbour, his cell was left unguarded and Constantine and another prisoner were able to escape. (60 / 60 words)
A young Greek monk named Constantine Zervakos took a chance by going into Turkish-ruled Thessalonica in 1910, hoping to see the shrine of St Demetrius. He was arrested as a spy and was due to be executed. However, after a fire broke out in the harbour, his cell was left unguarded and Constantine and another prisoner were able to escape.
Edit | Reset
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: about, besides, despite, not, or, ought, unless, until.
Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Why was Constantine in Thessalonica that day?
Suggestion
He travelling back home from Mount Athos. (7 words)
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
Constantine was in Thessalonica for a short time. St Demetrius is the city’s Patron Saint. Constantine decided to visit his shrine.