A Rhodes Awakening: A Spiritual Journey Unfolds in the Heart of Greece, Story of the Candle

Angelplace on Earth
Jun 8, 2016
2 min read

Updated: Oct 27

In the spring of 2016, I returned to Rhodes, Greece, a place that had once been my home for ten beautiful years, from 1991 to 2001. Greece has always held a sacred space in my heart. Its warmth, its people, its ancient energy, it’s more than a country to me, it’s a soul memory. I thought I was simply going on holiday. But what unfolded was far from ordinary. It became a profound healing journey that changed me forever.

Although I’m not religious, I’ve always been deeply spiritual. I honor the energy of rituals from all traditions, sensing their power beyond doctrine. That spring, I found myself drawn to a Greek Easter Ceremony on the Saturday before Easter Sunday. I hadn’t planned to attend. In fact, despite living in Greece for a decade, I had never stepped into a church for ritual. But something shifted that day.

The ceremony was unlike anything I had experienced. The energy was palpable, ancient, reverent, alive. I felt it in my bones. And then came the moment that would stay with me forever: the lighting of the candle. This wasn’t just any flame, it was the Holy Light, brought from Jerusalem. I held it with awe, sensing the weight of centuries, the presence of Christ, the vibration of healing.

I brought that candle back with me to Sweden. Its flame carried more than light, it carried transformation. As I lit it again in my own space, I felt something awaken inside me. A deep peace. A knowing. A connection to something far greater than myself. That simple act became a turning point. It marked the beginning of a new chapter in my spiritual path.

But the journey didn’t end there.

During my time in Rhodes, I connected with a Greek saint I had never heard of before, Saint Panteleimon, or Agios Panteleimon as he’s known in Greece. He came to me gently, revealing his name and presence. I later learned he was a healer, a martyr, and a patron saint of physicians. His story resonated deeply with me: a young man of compassion, who healed in the name of Christ, and who stood firm in his faith even in the face of persecution.

Saint Panteleimon’s energy felt familiar, like a guide I had known before. His miracles, his grace, his unwavering love for humanity, they mirrored the healing I was experiencing. I felt held. Supported. Reminded that healing is not just physical, it’s spiritual, emotional, and deeply personal.

That trip to Rhodes was more than a vacation. It was a pilgrimage. A return to sacred ground. A reconnection with my soul’s truth. And the candle, oh, the candle, it still burns in my heart, reminding me that light is eternal, and that healing is always possible when we open ourselves to divine love.

Read more about my experience and the Greek Orthodox Easter through the link below

Holy light Lambada, Λαμπαδα - Story of the Candle