The work of digitally preserving ancient New Testament
manuscripts continued in the summer of 2007. The first team for the summer went
to Patmos; the second team went to an eastern
European country. (We will bring the full report of that second expedition
later.) The Patmos team consisted of four
people including Dr. Daniel B. Wallace, Emmanuel Guegain, Billy Todd, and
Andrew Wallace. We went to the Mediterranean
with several goals in mind. Our group included not only students of the Greek
Bible, but a videographer (Andrew) as well. The cast left Dallas
at a very early hour one June day and flew to Athens
by way of Philadelphia.
Packing for the Trip
In a previous expedition to Patmos we experienced a number
of difficulties when we were in Athens. All were related to the taxi service.
Athens taxi
drivers like to bungee cord everything in an open trunk in the back of a
Corolla. With the expensive equipment that we bring, this is unacceptable. Last
year, we argued extensively with the taxi drivers about this, finally having
our way but only after some heated squabbling. Even with this victory in place,
the taxi drivers would go up to 100 miles an hour, risking life and limb
through heavy traffic. This year we determined that the best solution was to
get a shuttle service, providing better security for the equipment and a lot
fewer worries. Once we deplaned, however, we couldn’t find the shuttle van. We
were looking for a 10-seat van. In the end the confusion resulted from the fact
that the shuttle van was actually a 51-passenger bus! We traveled in
style since it was only the four of us on the large bus (complete with plush seats,
real air conditioning, and a bathroom). No extra charge, either. Needless to
say, we did not have to worry about getting all of the equipment across town
safely and in a single trip.
Our ‘little’ shuttle van!
Once in Athens we were able
to spend a couple of days between the flight and the first available ferry ride
to Patmos. The time was used to decompress and
prepare for the work ahead. This ended up providing an opportunity to see some
of the many historical sites in Athens.
A Dallas Seminary alumnus, Jeff Baldwin, now heads up a Bible Institute in Athens. He graciously
provided the school’s van and met the team at one of the train stations on the
outskirts of Athens.
We then spent the day at Corinth.
Also joining us on the excursion to Corinth
was noted scholar Daniel Block and his wife.
Emmanuel Guegain in front of the Bema in Corinth (Acts 18:12-16) - (click each for larger image)
GETTING TO PATMOS
The only way to get to Patmos
is by boat, ferry in our case. The ferries to Patmos depart from Athens only on certain
days of the week. We’re sure that the view would have been breathtaking, but we
didn’t get to see it. We left at midnight on Saturday for the eight-hour trip.
Once on board, we looked out at the murky waters and saw some lights in the
distance every once in a while. But all was too dark to really get a good view
of the beauties of the Aegean. We went into
our cabins for some shuteye. We faced the difficult task of hauling 15 pieces
of luggage on board. Even with this large burden, it was very important to get
on the ferry quickly or be left behind. On a previous trip one of the team
members (Billy Todd) had to run up the ramp, with luggage in tow, just as the
ferry was leaving the dock!
One might picture different things when thinking about a
ferry. This ship was large enough to house several 18-wheelers traveling across
the Aegean. At seven or eight stories tall, it
looked a bit like a small cruise ship.
After dawn, we saw Patmos
coming into view. As the ship came up the east side of the island, we could see
the monastery on the hill towering over the town of Chora. The ferry finally lumbered into the
harbor at Skala, turning rather deftly to position itself just right at the
dock. Not much room for error, but the captain was a superb navigator!
Blue Star Ferry docked in Skala Harbor (click each for larger image)
ON PATMOS
Saturday silently passed into Sunday while we slept on the
ferry. The Center’s last trip to Patmos
resulted in many friends and contacts. One of these was Theo, the owner of the
hotel. Theo graciously came to the port and drove his vehicle to help bring the
equipment and luggage to the hotel. There was not enough room for all of the
equipment and the whole team in
Theo’s micro-van. So Dan went with Theo to get everything checked in while the
others decided to enjoy the short walk to the hotel. Along the way, the team
saw several friends from last year’s trip. Something felt very right about the
ongoing relationships that were developing through our work.
Theo strikes us something of a practical joker. Twice in two
years he virtually forced down our throats what we would call ‘sea urchin
surprise.’ We ate them because to not do so seemed rude on an international
scale, but now we are wondering if Theo simply has a sadistic side to him :).
In the least, this is not the sort of cuisine that
Americans see every day.
Sea Urchin Surprise—you can’t eat just one!
Once everyone was at the hotel, the luggage was distributed
among the rooms and checked to make sure that everything was working. The last
logistical detail was to pick up the ultra-micro compact rental car. It was so
small that some of us could not drive it because our feet were too big for the
pedals! Andrew became the designated driver. All that remained was a little
time to continue preparing for the intense work ahead.
THE PRESERVATION WORK
Monday was the first day that we were able to begin our
digital preservation efforts. It took two trips to get all of the equipment and
people up to the monastery in the ‘Patmos SUV’—a one-liter, four-door (!)
sedan.
A fleet of Patmos SUVs!
We were grateful that we did not have to haul the camera
equipment up the hill every day, but could leave it behind in the library for
the duration of our work there. The car had to be left at the parking lot of
Chora, as we hiked four hundred yards up the hill, lugging the equipment.
Near the end of the hike up the hill to the monastery
The Abbot greeted us warmly as we began our work. We were so
grateful for his support!
The Monastery of St. John the Theologian includes two
different libraries. Both libraries are immaculate. One is used primarily for
study. It includes many modern and resource materials in general circulation,
used by the priests. The other library is dedicated to the collection of
ancient books. Visually, it is breathtaking. It contains three or four reading
tables in the middle of the room, surrounded by a cloud of silent witnesses,
the bookshelves filled with the ancient volumes. One end of this library is
roped off for a special collection of ancient manuscripts. This small library
is one of the most important in the world for ancient Greek manuscripts. It
also is a model of how these documents should be stored and cared for. What a
wonderful environment for housing their collection of 80 New Testament
manuscripts! It is clear that the monks of Patmos
take their responsibility of these important artifacts very seriously.
The assistant librarian, Ioannis Melianos, was waiting to
assist us when we arrived. He truly exemplified a servant’s heart. Ioannis,
always with a smile on his face, let everyone into the library. We were brought
to a special room, used for photographing the documents. Every morning began
with the team in prayer as an important part of the process. About the time
that the computers were set up Ioannis would come in, announcing that coffee
was served. Nothing quite like fresh-brewed Greek coffee to wake you up in the
morning!
The team usually began work by 9:30 and continued shooting
until about 1:00 PM. The process used is designed to be efficient but
never at the cost of damaging a
manuscript. Each team member has an important responsibility such as squaring
up the text, noting details about the leaves, taking the shot, turning the
page, verifying the images on the computer.
Billy Todd at work in the library (click each for larger image)
This year CSNTM was able to photograph thirteen manuscripts
on Patmos that range from the 9th
to the 14th centuries. Before photographing the manuscripts we
prepare them by counting the leaves, confirming the content (Gospels, Paul,
etc…), determining if the dating found in other sources is accurate, noting the
material the manuscript is made of, and measuring the manuscript. This results
in a detailed description of each manuscript, almost a unique fingerprint if
you will. Included in those being preserved were Gregory-Aland 1175 and
Gregory-Aland 1164.
Gregory-Aland 1175, with a child’s doodlings in the margin
Manuscript 1164 had to be removed from a museum case in
order to be photographed. It had probably been a very long time since this
manuscript was last handled. The first paragraph or two of 1164 in each Gospel
is written in gold ink. What a magnificent treasure this is!
By about 1:00 PM Ioannis would come in to say that lunch was
ready. Operations stopped so that we could enjoy eating the meal in the
monastery dining hall, an ancient room with two long stone tables running the length
of it. The priests sat at one table, and the guests (usually just the CSNTM
team and one or two others) at the other. The Abbot, who is the spiritual
leader of the monastery, is also present for lunch. Throughout the meal one of
the priests would conduct prayers and liturgical readings while we ate quietly,
only whispering when necessary. We tried to take our lead from the priests, not
only in conversation (or lack thereof), but also by standing when the Abbot
entered the room. The meal typically lasted about 30 minutes and was concluded
when the priests and the Abbot were finished. A benediction would be offered,
then the priests and monks would file out, with the Abbot
greeting all the guests as they left.
After lunch, we returned to the library and continued our
work. This would last until 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM, depending on the librarian’s
duties and schedule. We always strove to finish on time, packing up whatever
needed to be taken back to the hotel for the evening.
Gregory-Aland 0150, one of only a dozen uncial manuscripts with commentary
This year’s trip included several very special occasions. On
the first day, the Abbot invited the entire team to his office for coffee.
There was another priest in his office who had served at one of the monasteries
on Mt. Athos. He was able to speak English, a great benefit for us, since our modern Greek is still
in its infancy!
Over the weekend the team stayed on Patmos.
The Abbot invited us to attend a museum opening at the convent on the island.
The festivities began with a special service in the sanctuary. The Abbot
invited us to stand in the main part of the sanctuary with other guests. We
were told that this was a very special privilege indeed. The next morning,
Sunday, everyone was invited to another service in the same sanctuary. After
the service, we were invited to a fellowship area for coffee and pastries.
In nearly two weeks of work on Patmos,
we took over 7000 pictures (each
weighing in at between 32 and 48 megabytes). On our last day, we presented the
Abbot with a gift of the DVDs of the images. We expressed our gratitude to him
and to Ioannis for the extreme hospitality and genuine love that they showed
us.
looking down at Skala harbor from the town of Chora
BACK TO ATHENS
Thursday night the team took the ferry back to Athens, another late
night trip. We arrived on the mainland early the next morning. The next couple
of days were spent examining manuscripts in the Athens National Library. This
provided us an opportunity to observe the manuscripts and conditions at this
library.
Unfortunately, the environment in the National Library is
not nearly as good as Patmos. The temperature
was very hot in the manuscript room. The team spent as much time there as
possible, but the manuscript room is only open five hours a day. We were able
to spend two days in preparation work. Hopefully this will be useful in future
efforts to complete preservation work at the National Library.
Then, with fond memories, excellent digital images, and
tired bodies, we hopped on a plane for the States. The day we left, it was 114
degrees in Athens, but only 74 degrees in Dallas—a forty degree difference! Yet
we missed Greece already,
and were longing to be back on the island made famous by St. John’s Apocalypse.
Billy Todd observed, “The work that is being done is not
just for scholarship. It seemed that the monastery really appreciated receiving
the DVDs. Every manuscript that is photographed does not necessarily need to be
handled anymore. Manuscripts that are part of the museum can stay behind glass
but still be studied without danger of further damage that naturally occurs by
handling.”
As exhausting as the work was, it was equally thrilling. We
are deeply grateful for the opportunity to assist the Monastery of St. John the
Theologian in the work of preserving these treasures of the church for future
generations.