On my original post from Turkey I showed you how I was a great distraction to my fellow pilgrims in Laodicea. While our guide Mehmet was explaining the significance of the archeological site, I was climbing on top of this ruin to get a better vantage point to shoot the spring flowers.

Well here’s the picture I was taking from my Laodician perch. I had to get up high enough to get a green backdrop for the lovely red and yellow wild flowers. BTW that’s not snow in the background, but the calcium deposits of Hieropolis which would be our next stop.

Sister Heloise read the apocalytic letter to Laodicea [Rev 3, 14-22], but here we also have a Pauline connection. “For I would have you know,” Paul writes the Colossians, “what manner of care I have for you and for them that are at Laodicea.” [Col 2,1] Paul had never been to either Colossae or its neighboring city Laodicea. He begins his letter aware that these Christians only know him by reputation.

Paul assures them that he knows them by their reputation too: “For we have heard of your faith in Jesus Christ and of the love that you have for all the saints.” [Col 1,4] The founder of the Colossian congregation is a guy I call “Pap.” Epaphras was with Paul when he wrote this letter.

Antonio Lara and I stand on what’s left of Main Street in Laodicea. Some bikers had set up what our tour guide called “a shepherd’s tent” in back of us at entrance to the site. You can also see our tour bus in back of me.

Laodicea was a city of fashion as reflected in Saint John’s letter to the city: “You keep saying I am so rich and secure that I want for nothing; you fail to see how wretched you are, how pitiable and poor, how blind and naked. Take my advice. If you would be truly rich, buy from me white garments to cover the shame of your nakedness.” [Rev 3,17]