Daily prayer in Ordinary Time 2026: 139, Thursday 24 September 2026

‘It was said by some that John had been raised from the dead, by some that Elijah had appeared’ (Luke 9: 7-8) … the Prophet Elijah by Phyllis Burke in the Carmelite Church in Clarendon Street, Dublin (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Patrick Comerford

We are continuing in Ordinary Time in the Church Calendar and this week began with the Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity (Trinity XVI, 20 September). Wednesday, Friday and Saturday in this week in the Church Calendar are also known as Ember Days.

1, today’s Gospel reading;

2, a reflection on the Gospel reading;

3, a prayer from the USPG prayer diary;

4, the Collects and Post-Communion prayer of the day.

A hilltop chapel dedicated to the Prophet Elijah in a small graveyard east of Georgioupoli in Crete (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Luke 9: 7-9 (NRSVA):

7 Now Herod the ruler heard about all that had taken place, and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead, 8 by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the ancient prophets had arisen. 9 Herod said, ‘John I beheaded; but who is this about whom I hear such things?’ And he tried to see him.

‘It was said by some that John had been raised from the dead, by some that Elijah had appeared’ (Luke 9: 7-8) … an icon of the Prophet Elijah in a hilltop chapel near Georgioupoli in Crete (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Today’s Reflections:

The Prophet Elias (Hλίας) or Elijah is a popular dedication for mountain-top and hill-top churches and chapels throughout Greece, because of his association with hilltops and mountains, including, in the New Testament, the mountain of the Transfiguration.

Elijah, one of the most studied prophets in the Old Testament, is perhaps too the loftiest and the most worthy of all the prophets.

Of all the Biblical prophets, the New Testament mentions Elijah more than any other: he is mentioned by name 29 times in New Testament and he is alluded to a few other times.

Some English translations of the New Testament use Elias, a Latin form of the name, and in the King James Version the name Elias appears in texts translated from the Greek.

In the New Testament, both Christ and Saint John the Baptist are compared with Elijah and on some occasions they are thought by some to be manifestations of Elijah.

In the Annunciation narrative in Saint Luke’s Gospel, an angel appears to Zechariah, the father of Saint John the Baptist, and tells him that John ‘will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God,’ and that ‘the spirit and power of Elijah will go before him’ (Luke 1: 16-17).

In Saint John’s Gospel, Saint John the Baptist is asked by a delegation of priests and Levities from Jerusalem if he is the Messiah or Elijah. He replies: ‘No’ (John 1: 19-21).

Saint John the Baptist preaches a message of repentance and baptism. He predicts the day of judgment, using imagery similar to that of Malachi, and he preaches that the Messiah is coming. For those who hear him, he does all this in a style that immediately recalls the image of Elijah. He wears a coat of animal hair secured with a leather belt (see Matthew 3: 1-4; Mark 1: 6), and he preaches frequently in wilderness areas near the River Jordan (see Luke 3: 4).

Christ says that for those who believe Saint John the Baptist is like Elijah, who would come before the ‘great and terrible day’ as predicted by the Prophet Malachi (see Malachi 3: 1; Malachi 4: 5-6). In Saint Matthew’s Gospel, Christ compares Saint John the Baptist with Elijah, fulfilling his office but not being recognised for this, yet greater than Elijah (see Matthew 11: 7-14, 17: 10-13).

In Saint Luke’s Gospel, Herod Antipas is perplexed when he hears some of the stories about Christ. Some people tell Herod that Saint John the Baptist, whom he had executed, has come back to life, others tell him that Christ is Elijah, and still others think that one of the ancient prophets has risen from the dead (see Luke 9: 7-9).

Later, Christ asks his disciples who do people say he is, and their answers include Elijah, other prophets and Saint John the Baptist (see Matthew 16: 13-14; Mark 8: 27-30; Luke 9: 18-20).

Christ is associated with miracle stories similar to those of Elijah, such as the raising of the dead (Mark 5: 21-23; Luke 7: 11-15, 8: 49-56; John 11) and miraculous feeding (Matthew 14: 13-21, Mark 6: 34-45; Luke 9: 10-17; John 6: 5-16; see II Kings 4: 42 ff). Yet Christ implicitly separates himself from Elijah when he rebukes James and John for desiring to call down fire on an unwelcoming Samaritan village in a similar manner to Elijah calling down fire on the Samaritan troops (Luke 9: 51-56; cf II Kings 1: 10).

Similarly, Christ rebukes a potential follower who wants first to return home to say farewell to his family, whereas Elijah permitted his successor Elisha to do this (Luke 9: 61-62; cf I Kings 19: 16-21).

We might also ask whether the cup Christ blesses at the Last Supper is the Cup of Elijah.

During the Crucifixion, some of the onlookers mistakenly think Christ is calling out to Elijah and wonder whether Elijah will come to rescue him, for in the folklore of the time Elijah was seen as a rescuer of Jews in distress (Matthew 27: 46-49; Mark 15: 34-36).

In all three Gospel accounts of the Transfiguration, the Prophet Elijah appears with Moses at the Transfiguration (see Matthew 17: 1-9; Mark 9: 2-8; Luke 9: 28-36).

Elijah’s appearance in glory at the Transfiguration does not seem to startle the disciples, and it appears they are overcome by fear only when they hear the voice from the cloud.

At the summit of the Mount of the Transfiguration, Christ’s face begins to shine. The disciples who are with him hear the voice of God announce that Christ is ‘My beloved Son.’ The disciples also see Moses and Elijah appear and talking with Christ.

Saint Peter is so struck by the experience that he asks Christ if they should build three booths or tabernacles – one for Elijah, one for Christ and one for Moses.

Saint John Chrysostom explains the presence of Elijah and Moses at the Transfiguration in three ways:

• They represent the Law and the Prophets – Moses receives the Law from God, and Elijah is a great prophet.
• They both experience visions of God – Moses on Mount Sinai and Elijah on Mount Carmel.
• They represent the living and the dead – Elijah, the living, because he is taken up into heaven in a chariot of fire, and Moses, the dead, because he does experience death.

Moses and Elijah show that the Law and the Prophets point to the coming of Christ, and their recognition of and conversation with Christ symbolise how he fulfils ‘the law and the prophets’ (Matthew 5: 17-19). Moses and Elijah also stand for the living and dead, for Moses dies and his burial place is known, while Elijah is taken alive into heaven in order to appear again to announce the time of God’s salvation.

It was commonly believed that Elijah would reappear before the coming of the Messiah (see Malachi 4), and the three interpret Christ’s response as a reference to John the Baptist (Matthew 17: 13).

Elijah is mentioned on three other occasions in the New Testament: in Saint Luke’s Gospel, in Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans, and in the Epistle of James:

1, After he reads from the scroll in the synagogue in Nazareth and is criticised for his teaching, Christ cites Elijah as an example of the rejected prophets when he says: ‘No prophet is accepted in the prophet’s home town’:

24 And he said, ‘Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s home town. 25 But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up for three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; 26 yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. 27 There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.’ (Luke 4: 24–27).

2, Saint Paul cites Elijah as an example that God never forsakes his people:

1 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? 3 ‘Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars; I alone am left, and they are seeking my life.’4 But what is the divine reply to him? ‘I have kept for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.’ 5 So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. 6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace would no longer be grace. (Romans 11: 1-6)

3, Saint James says: ‘The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.’ He then cites as examples Elijah’s prayers which start and end the famine in Israel (see James 5: 16-18).

Elijah is honoured as a saint in the calendars of both the Orthodox Church and Roman Catholic Church on 20 July. In Greece, chapels and monasteries dedicated to the Prophet Elias (Προφήτης Ηλίας) are often found on mountaintops, which themselves are often named after him.

Elijah is revered as the spiritual Father and traditional founder of the Order of Carmelites. In addition to taking their name from Mount Carmel where the first hermits of the order established themselves, the Carmelite traditions about Elijah focus on his withdrawal from public life.

It could be said that to read Saint Luke’s Gospel with insight we also need to read the story of Elijah and Elisha. To read their story, keeping in mind the miracles, the actions, and the teachings of these two prophets, is to add a richness to our reading of Saint Luke, but also brings with it a vital understanding of the continuity and discontinuity of God’s ways in the Old Testament and New Testament.

Where do you find Elijah and Elisha in Saint Luke’s Gospel?

What are similarities and contrasts between Jesus and them?

Why is it easier to face a dilemma with the questions ‘What Would Jesus Do?’ rather than the questions ‘What Would Elijah Do?’

What richness does it add to your understanding of the kingdom?

Inside a hilltop chapel dedicated to the Prophet Elias in Crete (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Today’s Prayers (Thursday 24 September 2026):

In Pray with the World Church, the prayer diary of the Anglican mission agency USPG (United Society Partners in the Gospel), the theme this week, from 20 to 26 September 2026 (pp 40-41), is ‘For God and Country’. This theme was introduced on Sunday with a reflection by Rosie Dawson, USPG Trustee and freelance journalist.

The USPG Prayer Diary today (Thursday 24 September 2026) invites us to pray:

Father, we pray for your grace in the healing of historical legacies where mission has been entangled with colonialism, slavery, and domination. Grant us truth-telling and reconciliation that leads to new life.

The Collect of the Day:

O Lord, we beseech you mercifully to hear the prayers
of your people who call upon you;
and grant that they may both perceive and know
what things they ought to do,
and also may have grace and power faithfully to fulfil them;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

The Post Communion Prayer:

Almighty God,
you have taught us through your Son
that love is the fulfilling of the law:
grant that we may love you with our whole heart
and our neighbours as ourselves;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Additional Collect:

Lord of creation,
whose glory is around and within us:
open our eyes to your wonders,
that we may serve you with reverence
and know your peace at our lives’ end,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Yesterday’s reflections

Continued tomorrow

The Monastery of Profitis Elias near Pyrgos on the Greek island of Santorini

Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Edition copyright © 1989, 1995 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. http://nrsvbibles.org

The Skete of Prophet Elias near the Monastery of the Pantokrator Monastery on Mount Athos

£48 million Cambridge grants, 48 million in tourism saturation, 48 million litres in wine fraud, and 48 million blog hits

Trinity College and the University of Cambridge are providing £48 million in the Trinity Cambridge Research Studentships programme, supporting up to 300 PhD students (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Patrick Comerford

I continue to be overwhelmed by the viewing and reading figures for this blog. These figures reached a total of 48 million early this morning (24 August 2026), having reached 47 million a week ago (17 August 2026) and 46 million eight days previously (9 August 2026), the third time this month these figures passed the million mark. Last month, the readership figures also passed the million mark three times: 45 million on 29 July, 44 million less than a fortnight earlier (16 July 2026), and 43 million 12 days before that (4 July 2026).

These viewing and reading figures are overpowering at times, and this blog continues to reach volumes of readers I never expected when I first started blogging 16 years ago. At the end of last year, this blog had 21 million hits (31 December 2025). So far this year, there have been more than 27 million hits or visitors in 2026 alone, and almost 2.7 million hits already this month.

Half of all hits or reader figures have been in the past six months or so, with 24 million hits since 20 February 2026. I first began blogging back in 2010, and it took almost two years until July 2012 to reach half a million readers. Throughout this year and last, the daily figures are overwhelming on many occasions. Of the ten days of busiest traffic on this blog, three were in May (1, 6 and 14 May 2026), three were the previous month (26, 29 and 30 April 2026), three in March, and one in February:

• 1,124,925 (1 May 2026)
• 525,719 (14 May 2026)
• 509,644 (29 April 2026)
• 344,003 (30 April 2026)
• 323,156 (27 March 2026)

• 322,038 (26 April 2026)
• 318,835 (6 May 2026)
• 318,307 (1 March 2026)
• 314,018 (28 February 2026)
• 301,449 (2 March 2026)

The daily average was over 187,000 throughout May, but that figure was distorted by the exceptionally high number of hits on three days. There was an average of almost 88,000 hits a day last month, and an average of about 110,000-120,000 a day so far this month. Yet, I remember that ten years ago, back in 2016, the daily average was around 1,000, or 30,000 a month.

Anti-fraud authorities in France uncovered a massive wine scam involving over 48 million litres or 64 million bottles of wine (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

To put this latest figure of 48 million into perspective:

Sudan, Uganda, Iraq and Algeria have populations of about 48 million people – although that depends on who is counting and how they are counting.

Save the Children reports that 48 million children a year are affected by climate disasters.

The US Centre for Disease Control estimates that roughly 1-in-6 Americans – or 48 million people – fall ill from contaminated food each year, leading to 128,000 hospital cases and 3,000 deaths.

Greece continues to experience an unprecedented surge in tourism, with predictions that it could be heading for record-shattering visitor numbers by the end of the year, near to or exceeding 48 million over the annual cycle. These figures are driven by major increases in arrivals from the EU, the UK, and the US, and Greece’s South Aegean and Ionian island regions have recorded the highest tourism saturation of any region in the EU.

The islands of Santorini, Rhodes and Kos are proving to be particularly popular, and the Ionian islands, which include Corfu and Zakynthos, are in second place when it comes to tourism saturation.

Trinity College Cambridge and the University of Cambridge are providing £48 million in the Trinity Cambridge Research Studentships (TCRS) programme, funding up to 300 fully supported PhD students over a decade.

About 48 million tons of plastic waste is generated in the US each year – and less than 10% of it is recycled.

About 48 million kangaroos live in Australia, outnumbering human residents by nearly two to one.

The Еuropeana online archive collection contains digitised versions of more than 48 million works of art that include thousands of photographs, paintings, books and other artefacts, collected from more than 100 museums and archives all over Europe.

48 million litres is equal to 13 Olympic-sized swimming pools or 64 million bottles of wine. French anti-fraud authorities uncovered a massive wine scam involving over 48 million litres of table wine falsely sold under prestigious regional labels like Côtes du Rhône and Châteauneuf-du-Pape between 2013 and 2016.

The Pan-American Highway is the world’s longest motorable road network. It spans roughly 48,000 km (48 million metres) from Prudhoe Bay in Alaska to the southern tip of Argentina. It crosses 14 countries, including Canada, the US and Mexico, and several in Central and South America, but the route is interrupted by the Darién Gap, a 160 km swampy jungle between Panama and Colombia with no paved road. 48 million minutes is equal to 91 years, 3 months, 28 days and 8 hours. In other words, if this blog was getting only one hit a minute, I would need to have been blogging since April or May 1935, more than four year before World War II began.

I retired from active parish ministry over four years ago, on 31 March 2022. These days, though, about 130-140 people on average are reading my daily prayer diary posted on this blog each morning, or up to 1,000 people each week.

This evening, once again, I am truly grateful to the real readers among those 48 million hits on this blog to date, and in particular I am thankful for the faithful core group of 150 or so people who join me in prayer, reading and reflections each day.

The blue-domed churches of Santorini in a poster in Milton Keynes … with predictions of 48 million or more tourists visiting Greece, islands like Santorini are suffering from tourism saturation (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

A guide to some cathedrals, churches and monasteries visited in Greece over 40 years

Collecting my own Greek churches … a souvenir shop in Koutouloufari in Crete (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Patrick Comerford

Over the past week or so, I have been sifting through photographs of and postings about cathedrals, churches, chapels and monasteries throughout Greece, putting together this guide to the churches and church sites I have visited, similar to those I have compiled for churches in Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire, Staffordshire and the Diocese of Lichfield, Oxford, Co Wexford, Co Limerick and Dublin.

I have been a frequent visitor to Greece for almost 40 years, since the late 1980s, when I first stayed in Rethymnon. In time, three churches have become, effectively, my parish churches in Crete: the Church of the Four Martyrs in Rethymnon, and the paired churches in Platanias and Tsesmes. As the list of Greek churches, cathedral, chapels and monasteries I have visited grows, I am surprised how many I have visited, and by this afternoon the number has grown to more than 130.

But I am also surprised by the number of churches I have visited in Greece but have never blogged about or have lost my photographs of.

I compiled a now-lost feature as a guide to the cathedrals and churches of Athens to mark the Athens Olympics in 2004. But over the past 22 years, all those notes and photographs seem to have been lost on old laptop, missing memory sticks, or on memory sticks that no longer seem to remember anything.

Gone too are photographs from my journeys throughout the Peloponnese and past visits to many islands on working trips and family holidays, including islands such as Halki, Ikaria, Kalolimnos, Kalymnos, Kephallonia, Kos, Patmos, Pserimos, Rhodes, Samos, Santorini and Zakynthos.

Missing are notes and photographs from many places in Athens and the Peloponnese, especially from Mystras, with its amazing hill-top Byzantines ruins and from islands such as Ithaka, Kephalonia –including churches that are part of the story of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, Kalymnos, Kos, Leros, Patmos, Pserimos, Rhodes, Samos, Symi and Zakynthos. The photographs from Patmos included the Monastery of Saint John and the cave where he wrote the Book of Revelation.

Lost too are photographs from those early visits to Crete from the 1980s, including churches in Vai, Ierapetra and Paliachora, and monasteries such as Gonia Monastery (Μονή Γωνιάς), or the Monastery of Panagia Hodegetria (Μονή της Οδηγήτριας) in Kolymbari, about 26 km outside Chania, with the Orthodox Academy of Crete and its Patristic library – it was the venue for the Pan-Orthodox Synod ten years ago in June 2016, and I may try to recover some of those memories in a posting in the days to come.

To make it easier to find those memories and postings, or to download my photographs of Greek churches, I have put together this guide in recent days. It does not include Greek Orthodox churches and cathedrals I have visited outside Greece; nor are all the churches in this guide Greek Orthodox – some are Anglican and Roman Catholic.

As I recover some more of those lost photographs and memories, or find more of these postings lost in poor labelling, I intend to update this guide and to provide a link in the toolbar at the top of this site.

The tiny Church of Kapnikarea, stranded in the middle of Ermou Street in Athens (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Athens:

1, Agia Dynami Church, Athens (29 Spril 2024)

2, Church of Kapnikarea, Ermou Street (21 August 2017)

3, Saint Paul’s Church (Anglican), Philellenon Street, Athens (25 February 1997) and HERE (25 January 2026)

4, Church of Aghios Philippos (Apostle Philip), Monastiraki (21 August 2017)

Every visitor to Corfu wants a picture postcard photograph of Vlacherna, with its convent and church (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Corfu:

Cathedrals:

5, The Cathedral of the Virgin Spiliotissas and Saint Vlassis and Saint Theodora, Corfu (5 September 2019) and HERE (1 August 2021)

6, Achilleion Palace chapel, Gastouri (4 August 2021)

7, (former) Church of the Annunziata (Roman Catholic), Corfu (29 April 2020)

8, Church of Saint Eleftherios and Saint Anna, Corfu 6 September 2019) and HERE (3 August 2021)

9, (former) Saint George’s Church (Anglican garrison church), Corfu (7 August 2021)

10, Saint George, Aghios Georgios (29 April 2020)

11, Holy Trinity Church (Anglican church), Corfu (4 September 2019) and HERE (7 August 2021)

12, Church of the Panagia Kassopitra, Kassiopi (4 September 2019) and HERE (5 August 2021)

13, Church of Panagia Mandrakina, Corfu (6 September 2019) and HERE (29 April 2020)

14, Church of Saint Spyridon, Corfu (25 August 2019) and HERE (2 August 2021)

15, Church of Saint Spyridon, Palaiokastritsa (6 August 2021)

16, Vlacherna church and convent (3 September 2019) and HERE (29 April 2020)

Saint Nicholas Chapel, on an islet off the coast of Crete at Georgioupoli (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Crete:

Aghios Nikolaos:

17, Saint Nicholas, Aghios Nikolaos (5 December 2022)

Argiroupolis:

18, Church of Aghia Dynami, Argiroupolis (8 July 2017)

Chania:

Cathedrals:

18, Cathedral of the Panaghia Trimartiri, Chania (19 June 2018)

19, Cathedral of the Assumption (Roman Catholic), Chania

20, Aghia Magdalini, Dagli Street, Chalepa (2 July 22017)

Élos:

21, Agios Ioannis Theologos, Élos (17 July 2016) and HERE (19 April 2020)

22, Aghios Nikolas, Élos (19 April 2020) and HERE (5 Deceember 2022)

Georgioupoli:

23, Analipsi Church, Georgioupoli (14 June 2018)

24, Saint Barbara, Georgioupoli (14 June 2018)

25, Chapel of the Prophet Elijah (16 June 2018)

26, Feriniki Chapel (16 June 2018)

27, Chapel of Aghios Nikolaos, Georgioupoli (9 July 2017) also HERE (20 June 2018) and HERE (5 December 2022)

Gramvousa:

28, Chapel of the Twelve Apostles, Gramvousa Bay (8 July 2016) and HERE (19 April 2020)

Hóra Sfakíon

29, Searching for the 100 churches and chapels of Hóra Sfakíon (17 June 2018)

Saint Minas Cathedral in Iraklion is one of the largest and most impressive churches in Greece (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Iraklion:

Cathedrals:

30, Saint Minas Cathedral, Iraklion (20 April 2025) and HERE (24 July 2017)

31, (former) Saint Mark’s Church (former cathedral), Eleftheriou Venizelou Square (25 May 2025)

32, Saint Titus Church (former cathedral) (18 May 2025)

Churches and chapels:

33, Saint Andreas Church, Nikolaos Plastiras Street (25 May 2025)

34, Saint Catherine of Sinai, Iraklion (8 May 2021) and HERE (3 September 2017)

35, Saint Dimitrios Church, Marineli Street (25 May 2025)

36, Saint Dimitrios Church, Ikarou street (25 May 2025)

37, Holy Cross Church (Roman Catholic), Iraklion (23 May 2026)

38, Church of Saint Matthew of the Sinaites, Iraklion (4 May 2025)

39, Saint Minas Church, Iraklion (20 April 2025)

40, Saint Peter’s Church (Saint Peter and Saint Paul), Iraklion (11 May 2025)

See also:

41, The Cretan School of Icons and its contribution to Western Art, public lecture (27 June 2009)

Kalamitsi Alexandrou:

42, Church of Aghia Triada, Kalamitsi Alexandrou (22 June 2018)

Kourtaliotiko Gorge:

43, Agia Kyriaki Chapel (not available yet)

The church bell in the Byzantine-style Church of Aghios Vasilios in Koutouloufári, in the hills above Hersonissos in Crete (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Koutouloufári:

44, Aghios Vasilios, Koutouloufári (4 July 2010), also HERE (7 May 2021), HERE (22 April 2023) and HERE (24 April 2024)

Maroulas:

45, Church of Aghia Anna (4 September 2016)

46, The double Church of Aghios Nikolaos and Aghios Antonios (4 September 2016)

47, The Despotiko, summer residence of the Archbishop of Rethymnon (4 September 2016)

Panormos:

48, (former) Basilica of Aghia Sophia (3 July 2017) and HERE (25 April 2025)

49, Church of Saint Agathopodos, Panormos (25 April 2024)

50, Church of the Ascension and Saint George, Panormos (5 May 2021) and HERE (21 April 2025)

51, Graveyard chapel, Panormos (25 April 2024)

The Church of the Transfiguration rises high above the village of Piskopianó (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Piskopianó:

52, Church of the Transfiguration, Piskopianó (24 April 2024)

53, (former) Church of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary, Piskopianó (24 April 2024)

54, (former) Church of Saint Dimitrios (24 April 2024)

55, Graveyard chapel, Piskopianó (24 April 2024)

The Church of the Four Martyrs is the largest church in Rethymnon (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Rethymnon:

Cathedrals:

56, The Cathedral of the Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple, Mitropolis Square (29 March 2021), and also HERE (4 May 2021) and HERE (27 April 2025)

57, (former Venetian) Cathedral of Saint Nicholas, the Fortezza (8 October 2021)

58, Aghios Anargyron, Koumoundourou Street (29 April 2024)

59, Saint Anthony’s Church, Mitropolis Square (17 January 2026) and HERE (3 October 2021)

60, Saint Anthony of Padua Church (Roman Catholic), Mesolongíou Street (11 January 2018) and HERE (10 October 2021)

61, Saint Barbara’s Church, Aghia Barbara Street (11 June 2018), also HERE (6 Seprember 2021)

62, (former) Saint Catherine’s Church, the Fortezza (6 October 20221)

63, Saint Constantine and Saint Helena Church (28 September 2021) and HERE (27 April 2025)

64, (former) Corpus Christi Chapel, beside the Nerantze Mosque (6 July 2012) and HERE (9 October 2021)

65, Church of the Four Martyrs, Tessaron Martiron Square (3 May 2021) and HERE (27 Apri;l2025)

66, (former) Saint Francis Church, now the The Archaeological Museum of Rethymnon, Ethnikís Antistaseos Street (4 October 2021) and HERE (27 April 2025)

67, Saint George’s Church, Aghios Gheorghíou Street (1 OHERE (23 April 2024)

68, Saint George’s Church, Egeou Street (23 April 22024)

69, (former) Saint Lazarus Church, Patelárou Street (8 July 2012)

70, (former) Santa Maria Church, Ethnikis Antistaseos (Nerantze Mosque), Rethymnon (27 April 2025)

71, Saint Mary Magdalene Church, Nea Magnesia (22 July 2017)

72, Mikri Panaghia (Church of Our Lady of the Angels), Nikifórou Foká Street (30 September 2019), and HERE (8 July 2012)

73, Saint Nektarios Church, Ioannou Melissinou street, Rethymnon (27 September 2021)

74, Saint Nektarios Church, Tsemes (19 April 2023)

75, Saint Nicholas Church, Priskosoridi street and Emmanouil Kefalogianni avenue (6 December 2023)

76, (former) Church of Aghia Sophia, Koronaíou Street, Rethymnon (6 July 2012)

77, (former) Church of Saint Theodore or Aghios Theodoros Trachinás, the Fortezza (7 October 2021)

78, Aghia Triada (Church of the Holy Trinity), Platanias (5 October 2021) and HERE (19 April 2023)

See also:

79, The former Episcopal Palace, the Fortezza, Rethymnon (8 October 2021)

80, The Bishop’s Palace, Mousoúrou Street, and the Diocesan Church Museum, Rethymnon (8 July 2012)

81, ‘The Bishop’s House’, Rethymnon (1 October 2021)

82, Greek roadside shrines (4 July 2016)

Spinalonga:

83, The Church of Saint Panteleímon (4 October 2010)

Kastellórizo:

84, Cathedral of Saint Constantine and Saint Helena, Kastellórizo (6 November 2011)

85, Church of Saint George of the Well, Kastellórizo (6 November 2011)

The blue-domed churches of Santorini in a poster … poster and picture-postcard images of Greek churches (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Santorini:

86, Saint Anastasis Church and the churches of Santorini (30 March 2014), also HERE (9 June 2017), HERE (4 September 2017) and HERE (30 November 2017)

Thessaloniki:

Cathedrals:

87, Cathedral of Saint Gregory Palamas (26 July 2021) and HERE (18 April 2020)

88, Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Frangon Street (18 April 2020)

Churches and chapels:

89, Church of Óssios Davíd (18 April 2020)

90, Church of Aghios Dimitrios (27 July 2021), also HERE (26 October 2020) and also HERE (18 April 2020)

91, Church of the Prophítis Ilías (18 April 2020)

92, Church of Saint Menas (18 April 2020)

93, Church of the Panagia Acheiropoietos (7 April 2018), also HERE (28 July 2021) and HERE (18 April 2020)

94, Church of Panaghía Chalkéon (29 July 2021) and HERE (18 April 2020)

95, Church of Panagia Deksia (31 July 2021) also HERE (18 April 2020)

96, Church of Aghios Panteleimon (18 April 2020)

97, The Rotunda Church, Aghios Georgios (25 July 2021) and HERE (18 April 2020)

98, Church of the Saviour or the Church of the Transfiguration (9 April 2018), also HERE (30 July 2021) and HERE (18 April 2020)

99, Church of Aghia Sophia (18 April 2020)

The Monastery of Arkadi, near Rethymnon, is the best-known monastery in Crete (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Monasteries in Greece:

Crete:

100, Monastery of Saint Anastasia, Tsesmes (30 June 2021) and HERE (4 July 2016)

101, Arkadi Monastery (5 July 2012), also HERE (11 July 2017) and HERE (1 May 2021)

102, Moni Arsanios (Saint George), Pagalohori (29 June 2021) and HERE (3 July 2016)

103, (former) Saint Barbara’s Monastery (Kara Musa Pasha Mosque), Rethymnon (1 July 2021) also and HERE (24 August 2014)

104, Capuchin Friary, Chania ()

105, Panagia Chalevi, near Chromonastiri (2 Seotember 2013)

106, Chryssoskalítíssa (the Golden Step) (19 June 2023) and HERE (30 May 2024))

107, Agia Irini, near Rethymnon (10 October 2013), also HERE (25 August 2014) and HERE (27 June 2021)

108, Gonia Monastery (Panagia Hodegetria), Kolymvari (not available yet)

109, Saint George, Karydi (21 June 2018)

110, Saint John the Theologian, Preveli (28 August 2014) and HERE (28 June 2021)

111,The monastic Church of Saint Paisios, Damnoni (19 September 2021) and HERE (7 November 2021)


112,The monastic Chapel of Saint Savvas, Preveli (25 May 2026)

113, Aghios Panteleimon, Adele (3 July 2016)

114, Agia Triada Tsangarolon, Chania (31 May 2024)

A monastery built on a rock top in Meteora (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Meteora:

115, All Saints or Varlaam (27 August 2019) and HERE (6 October 2019)

116, Great Meteoron (27 August 2019) and HERE (6 October 2019)

117, Holy Trinity (27 August 2019) and HERE (6 October 2019)

118, Rousanou or Saint Barbara (27 August 2019) and HERE (6 October 2019)

119, Saint Nicholas Anapafsas, near Kastraki (27 August 2019) and HERE (6 October 2019)

The katholikon or main church in the Monastery of Vatopedi on Mount Athos (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Mount Athos:

120, Mount Athos on the Chalkidiki peninsula (19 June 2004), also HERE (2 September 2018), and HERE (24 April 2020)

121, Dionysiou (2 September 2018), also HERE (24 April 2020)

122, Docheiariou (2 September 2018), also HERE (24 April 2020)

123, Esphigmenou (2 September 2018) also HERE (24 April 2020)

124, Gregoriou (2 September 2018), also HERE (24 April 2020)

125, Saint Panteleimon (2 September 2018) also HERE (24 April 2020)

126, Saint Paul (2 September 2018), also HERE (24 April 2020)

127, Simonopetra (2 September 2018), also HERE (24 April 2020)

128, Vatopedi (19 June 2004), also HERE (24 April 2020) and HERE (1 April 2021)

129, Xenophontos (2 September 2018) also HERE (24 April 2020)

130, Xeropotamou (2 September 2018) also HERE (24 April 2020)

131, Zographou or Saint George the Zograf Monastery also HERE (24 April 2020)

132, The Skete of Mount Athos, including Kelli Ayiou Modestou, Skiti Monoxilites, and Metochi Chourmitsis (2 September 2018), also HERE (24 April 2020)

The Monastery of Vlatadon in the hills above Thessaloniki (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Thessaloniki:

133, The Monastery of Vlatádon, Thessaloniki (9 April 2020), also HERE (18 April 2020), and HERE (29 April 2021)

See Also:

134, The offices of Mount Athos, Egnatia Street, Thessaloniki (2 September 2018) and HERE (18 April 2020)

135, The Greek word εκκλησία (ekklesia), Church (13 August 2025)

136, The Greek words ναός (naos) and ἱερός (ieros), Church (19 September 2021)

137, The Greek words μοναστήριον (monastērion), ‘a monastery,’ (21 August 2025)

A roadside shrine near the Sunset Taverna in Rethymnon, after sunset behind the Fortezza (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Lastupdated: 25 May 2026

A nearby passing asteroid, 31 million tourists in Greece, 31 million sq m in Vancouver, and 31 million blog readers

The blue-domed churches of Santorini in a poster in Milton Keynes … the visitor numbers to Greece exceed 31 million people each year (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Patrick Comerford

The viewing and reading figures for this blog continue to surprise me, and these figures passed the 31 million mark earlier this morning (8 April 2026).

This blog passed the million figure in readership numbers no less than five times last month, reaching the 30 million mark by 29 March 2026, 29 million four days earlier (25 March), 28 million on 20 March, 27 million on 12 March, and 26 million at the beginning of that month (1 March). The number of hits on two days last month were the highest daily figures I have ever recorded: 323,156 on 27 March 2026 and 318,307 on 1 March.

This year so far has seen a phenomenal amount of traffic on this blog, reaching a volume of readers that I never have expected when I first started blogging 16 years ago. Half the total hits (15.5 million) have been within less than eight months, since 23 July 2025. The total hits last month were the highest monthly total ever (4,523,648), following on the heels of the previous month and a total of 3,386,504 in February 2026.

At the end of last year, this blog had 21 million hits (31 December 2025). So far this year, there have been more than 11.5 million hits or visitors in 2026.

I first began blogging in 2010, and it took almost two years until July 2012 to reach half a million readers. Half of the 29.5 million hits have been within the last nine or ten months, since mid-July.

Throughout this year and last, the daily figures have been overwhelming on many occasions. Of the 12 days of busiest traffic on this blog, six were in March, three were in February, one was in January, and two were in January 2025:

• 323,156 (27 March 2026)
• 318,307 (1 March 2026)
• 314,018 (28 February 2026)
• 301,449 (2 March 2026)
• 289,076 (11 January 2025)
• 285,366 (12 January 2025)

• 280,802 (26 February 2026)
• 273,022 (27 February 2026)
• 270,983 (25 March 2026)
• 261,422 (13 January 2026)
• 234,737 (26 March 2026)
• 228,931 (18 March 2026)

The number of readers continues to be overpowering and the daily averages are currently running at almost 90,000 or more hits a day so far this month. Ten years ago, the daily average was around 1,000.

To put today’s figure of 31 million in context:

The Euro 2020 final attracted an estimated TV audience in the UK 31 million. Television coverage of the England v Italy match was watched by more viewers than any programme since Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997.

Greece is a premier global tourism destination, with visitor numbers exceeding 31 million annually in 2023 and 2025. Tourism now accounts for about one-fifth of Greece’s GDP, one of the highest percentages in the industrialised world.

31,000 km is 31 million metres and 31,000 sq km is 31 million sq metres.

Vancouver Island in Canada’s northern Pacific measures 31,285 sq km.

Apophis, a 370 metre asteroid, will pass just 31,000 km from Earth In 2029. That’s about one-tenth of the distance to the Moon, and inside the orbit of geostationary satellites. It will be visible to the naked eye, and while the impact risk is low, the flyby could shift its future trajectory. A direct hit would create a 1 km crater and regional devastation.

There are 31 million seconds in a full year and 31 million minutes is about 58 years, 11 months, and 8 days. In other words, if this blog was getting only one hit a minute, it would take almost 59 years, from April 1967, to reach today’s latest figure of 31 million.

It is now more than four years since I retired from active parish ministry on 30 March 2022. These days, though, about 100-120 people on average are reading my daily prayer diary posted on this blog each morning. A similar number were reading my recent series of postings on the churches and chapels of Walsingham over the past two weeks. I imagine many of my priest-colleagues would be prayerfully thankful if the congregations in their churches totalled 700-800 or more people each week.

This afternoon, I am very grateful to the real readers among those 31 million hits on this blog to date, and in particular I remain thankful to the faithful core group of about 100-120 people who join me in prayer, reading and reflections each day.

25 million drachmai in war-time, 25 million visitors to Greece, 25 million metres from Malaysia and 25 million blog readers

A 25 million drachmai banknote issued by the Bank of Greece in 1944

Patrick Comerford

This month of February and this year so far have seen a phenomenal amount of traffic on this blog, reaching a volume of readers that I could never have expected in the past. Earlier today (26 February), this blog passed a new milepost of 25 million, and has passed the half-million mark six times in all this month: 24.5 million hits earlier this week (22/23 February Sarawak or Irish time), 24 million last week (20 February 2026), 23.5 million (17 February 2026), 23 million (12 February 2026), and 22.5 million (4 February).

At the end of 2025, this blog had 21 million hits by New Year’s Eve (31 December 2025). So far this year, there have been more than 4 million hits or visitors for 2026, and February 2026 has been the busiest month ever, with over 2.6 million hits.

I first began blogging in 2010, and it took almost two years until July 2012 to reach half a million readers – a number reached six times this month alone. Half of the 25 million hit – 12.5 million – have been within the nine months since 6 June 2025.

Throughout last year and into this year, the daily figures were overwhelming on many occasions. Seven of the 12 days of busiest traffic on this blog have been in this month so far, one was last month, two were in December last and two were in January 2025:

• 289,076 (11 January 2025)
• 285,366 (12 January 2025)
• 261,422 (13 January 2026)
• 195,391 (20 February 2026)
• 190,630 (23 February 2026)
• 190,467 (21 February 2026)

• 188,376 (19 February 2026)
• 183,317 (22 February 2026)
• 166,155 (15 December 2025)
• 156,311 (18 February 2026)
• 146,944 (14 December 2025)
• 145,259 (17 February 2026)

The rise in the number of readers seems to have been phenomenal throughout last year, and the daily figures are overwhelming at times, currently running at over 100,000 a day. Ten years ago, the daily average was around 1,000.

The blue-domed churches of Santorini in a poster … I was only one among 25 million visited Greece during the first eight months of last year, an all-time record (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

With this latest landmark figure of 25 million readers, I once again find myself asking questions such as:

• What do 25 million people look like?

• Where do we find 25 million people?

• What does £25 million, €25 million or $25 million mean?

• What would it buy? How far would it stretch? How much of a difference would that much make to people’s lives?

I was just one among almost 25 million people who visited Greece between January and August last year, and by the end of 2025 Greece had 38 million international visitors, surpassing all previous records.

Malaysia welcomes almost 25 million tourists annually.

About 25 million people, including 14 million children, are in dire need of humanitarian assistance in Sudan.

The bubonic plague or Black Death in the 14h century, killed more than one third of Europe or 25 million people in the space of 10 years.

The US spent about $12 billion on global health in 2024. Those programmes are now severely threatened by the capricious polices of the Trump regime. Yet, the journal Nature warned last year, without that yearly spending, about 25 million people could die in the next 15 years, according to models that have estimated the impact of such cuts on programmes for tuberculosis, HIV, family planning and maternal and child health.

A study published in the British Medical Journal last year (March 2025) estimates the number people with Parkinson’s Disease worldwide will grow to more than 25 million by 2050.

Schizophrenia affects approximately 23 million people or 1 in 345 people (0.29%) worldwide.

The number of Asian Americans reached 25 million, or 7% of the US population, in 2023.

Ireland is providing €25 million to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund to support Ukraine in restoring light and warmth to people’s homes.

25 million sq metres is 25,000 sq km, and that’s roughly the same size.

In 2023, Seet Wai Song, a 65-year-old chef, concluded an epic overland journey from Kuala Lumpur to Stuttgart, Germany, traversing 21 countries in 60 days. He drove the 25,000 km journey done in a 1974 custom-painted Mercedes-Benz W115 sedan. The self-funded journey aimed to raise funds for the National Cancer Society Malaysia.

Inflation in Greece was so overwhelming during World War II that the Bank of Greece issued a 25 million drachmai banknote on 10 August 1944.

A federal judge in the Southern District of California in 2018 finalised a $25 million settlement to be paid to people who attended the so-called Trump University. The Attorney General of New York, Eric T Schneiderman, described the settlement as a victory for Trump University’s ‘victims’, meaning the victims of ‘Trump’s fraudulent university will finally receive the relief they deserve.’

And 25 million minutes is 47 years, 6 months, and 26 days, or more than 17361 days, or almost 416,667 hours. In other words, if this blog was getting only one hit a minute, it would take more than 47½ years to reach today’s 25 million mark.

It is almost four years now since I retired from active parish ministry. These days, though, about 100 people on average are reading my daily prayer blog posted on this blog each morning. I imagine many of my priest-colleagues be prayerfully thankful if the congregations in their churches totalled 700 people or more each week.

Today, I am very grateful to all the 25 million readers of this blog to date, and in particular I remain grateful for the faithful core group among you who join me in prayer, reading and reflection each morning.

Lion dancers as part of the Chinese New Year celebrations on China Street in Kuching this week … Malaysia welcomes 25 million tourists annually (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2026)

22 million metres from Venice, 22 million sq metres of Greek sea, Trump’s ‘$22 million man’, and 22 million blog readers

Saint Mark’s Square and the Doge’s Palace in Venice … Vienna Cammarota trekked 22,000 km (22 million metres) from Venice to Beijing, following the route taken by Marco Polo (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Patrick Comerford

Once again, this blog continues to reach more and more readers, and had 22 million hits by 9:30 this morning (20 January 2026). This follows soon after reaching a landmark a week ago with 21.5 million hits by early morning last Tuesday (13 January 2026). At the very end of 2025, this blog had 21 million hits shortly after 1 pm three weeks ago on New Year’s Eve (31 December 2025), and with almost 2.5 million visitors throughout December (2,423,018). We are less than three weeks into January, and so far there have been over a million hits or visitors for 2026 by mid-afternoon today.

This blog passed the half million mark five times in one month alone last month, hitting the 21 million mark on New Year’s Eve (31 December 2025), 20.5 million on Christmas Day (25 December), 20 million mark a week earlier (18 December 2025), 19.5 million the previous Sunday (14 December 2025), and 19 million less than a week before that (9 December).

I began blogging in 2010, and it took almost two years until July 2012 to reach half a million readers – a number reached within the past week alone. It then took more than another year before this figure rose to 1 million by September 2013. This blog reached the 10 million mark a year ago (12 January 2025), almost 15 years later. In the 12 months since then, another 11.5 million hits have been counted.

Throughout last year, the daily figures were overwhelming on many occasions. Seven of the 12 days of busiest traffic on this blog were last month alone, four were last January, and one was this month:

• 289,076 (11 January 2025)
• 285,366 (12 January 2025)
• 261,422 (13 January 2025)
• 166,155 (15 December 2025)
• 146,944 (14 December 2025)
• 140,417 (16 December 2025)

• 122,398 (17 December 2025)
• 116,911 (30 December 2025)
• 112,221 (13 December 2025)
• 106,475 (27 December 2025)
• 106,169 (16 January 2026)
• 100,291 (10 January 2025)

The latest figure of 22 million is all the more staggering as more half of those hits (11 million) have been within less than a year, since 12 February 2025. The rise in the number of readers seems to have been phenomenal throughout last year, and the daily figures are overwhelming at times, currently running at about 50,000.

With this latest landmark figure of 22 million readers, I once again find myself asking questions such as:

• What do 22 million people look like?

• Where do we find 22 million people?

• What does £22 million, €22 million or $22 million mean?

• What would it buy? How far would it stretch? How much of a difference would that much make to people’s lives?

Picture postcard images of Santorini in Milton Keynes … Greece plans a new Ionian and South Aegean Marine Park of 22,000 sq km or 22 million sq metres (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2025)

22 million metres is 22,000 km and 22 million sq metres is 22,000 sq km.

Israel is officially 22 million sq metres (22,000 sq km), but his figure usually includes the occupied Golan Heights (1,200 sq km) and East Jerusalem (64 sq km) yet excludes parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, so that the official figures is around 22,072 sq km.

The Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis recently announced Greece is creating two new marine parks in the Ionian and South Aegean Seas – one in the Ionian Sea and one in the Southern Cyclades. He said that these parks ‘will be among the largest marine protected areas in the entire Mediterranean’ and will allow Greece to reach its target of protecting 30 per cent of its territorial waters by 2030, much earlier than originally planned.

The extent of these parks exceeds the initial announcements in 2024, when Mitsotakis suggested marine parks covering a total area of 22,000 sq km – 14,000 sq km in the Ionian Sea and 8,000 sq km in the Southern Aegean.

Some calculations suggest the longest walkable road is 22,000 km long (22 million metres), from Cape Town in South Africa to Magdan in East Siberia in Russia. There are bridges across the way, but no boat or air journeys are required.

It would take 4,492 hours or 187 days to travel if you walked nonstop . If you take a more realistic pace and walk just eight hours a day, it will take you 561.5 days – about a year and a half – walking through 17 countries, six time zones, and experiencing all seasons and weathers along the way. Needless to say, no one has ever done it, and technically it would be illegal in many places.

It takes about 11 days and 11 hours to drive 22,000 km at an average speed of 80 km per hour.

Vienna Cammarota, an Italian grandmother in her 70s, set off from Venice on 26 April 2022 on an epic 22,000 km hike, following the route taken by the Italian explorer Marco Polo to Beijing 750 years ago. Her extraordinary journey was to promote peace, courage, and cultural exchange followed the ancient Silk Road route.

After more than 850 days, covering 22 million metres (22,000 km), Vienna Cammarota arrived in China with The Travels of Marco Polo in hand, and she reached Beijing on 27 September 2024.

Chris LaCivita, who co-managed Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential election bid, has abandoned a high-profile lawsuit against the Daily Beast, 10 months after alleging the news outlet had defamed him in reporting on campaign expenditures. The Daily Beast has not retracted the story, has made no apology and has not made any cash payment to LaCivita, who quietly dropped his legal action olastn Friday (16 January 2026).

LaCivita’s lawsuit involved a series of reports from the Daily Beast that suggested he had ‘raked in’ huge payments, including a piece by the journalist Michael Isikoff that was headlined ‘Trump in Cash Crisis – As Campaign Chief’s $22m Pay Revealed’. LaCivita said the $22 million figure represented gross campaign advertising expenditures, not personal income. After initial correction demands from LaCivita’s legal team, the Daily Beast modified its reporting, reducing the claimed compensation to $19.2 million and clarifying that funds went to LaCivita’s consulting firm.

The Atlantic reported in November 2024 that Trump furiously questioned LaCivita about the figure while they were both on a campaign plane. Trump told LaCivita: ‘You should sue those bastards,’ and would later teasingly refer to him as ‘my $22 million man’.

Meanwhile, YouTube has agreed to pay Trump $22 million to settle his 2021 lawsuit, which he filed after YouTube suspended his account following the Capitol riot on 6 January 2021. Driving the news: In addition, YouTube will pay $2.5 million to the other plaintiffs on the case, which include the American Conservative Union and writer Naomi Wolf. According to the court filing, Trump’s $22 million gains will go into a trust to help fund his White House ballroom renovation project, which has an estimated $200 million price tag.

And 22 million minutes is almost 15,278 days or 41.8 years. In other words, if this blog was getting one hit a minute, it would take almost 42 years to reach this 22 million mark.

So, yet again, this blog has reached another humbling statistic and a sobering figure, and once more I am left with a feeling of gratitude to all who read and support this blog and my writing.

Once again, a continuing and warming figure in the midst of all these statistics is the one that shows my morning prayer diary continues to reach up to 70-90 people each day.

It is almost four years now since I retired from active parish ministry, but I think many of my priest-colleagues would be prayerfully thankful if the congregations in their churches totalled 500 to 600 people or more each week.

Today, I am very grateful to all the 22 million readers of this blog to date, and in particular I am grateful for the faithful core group among you who join me in prayer, reading and reflection each morning.

The longest walkable road is 22,000 km long (22 million metres), from Cape Town in South Africa to Magdan in East Siberia