The document discusses hospitality in the Bible and Christian tradition. It provides examples of hospitality shown by Abraham, Lot, Jesus, and Apostle Paul. Abraham welcomed three strangers without question and offered them food. Jesus emphasized the importance of welcoming strangers as if welcoming him. Apostle Paul reminded that through hospitality, some have hosted angels without knowing. The document also discusses examples of modern-day hospitality towards refugees in Lesvos, Greece and at the Vatican.

1. HOSPITALITY IN
THE BIBLE
And Christian Tradition

2. In the Old Testament

3. In the Old Testement
◦Hospitality in the Old Testament has much in common with
the form of hospitality in Homer, like the offer of bath,
food and accommodation without requiring the name.
◦Also, as in the Odyssey, the offer of hospitality is considered
as a measure of virtue. A key feature of hospitality is the
generosity towards the guests.

4. Habraam – hospitality

5. The most well-known and prominent example is the
hospitality of three strangers by Abraham.
◦Abraham does not ask any questions to his strangers and
offers them more than he can handle. (Genesis 18, 1-8 )
◦Then Abraham ran to the tent and said to Sarah, "Quickly
take three cups of fine flour, and knead it, and make cakes."
Then he ran to the oxen, took a tender and good calf, gave it
to the servant, and he prepared it quickly. He also took
butter, milk and the beef that he had prepared and put them
in front of the men.

7. Holy Trinity
◦Christian tradition in this
biblical event saw a prototype
of the sacrament of the Holy
Trinity, which was fully
revealed in the New Testament.
That is why the hospitality of
Abraham is used in the
depiction of the Holy Trinity.

8. ◦in the Old Testament, there are other examples of
hospitality, such as the hospitality of two strangers by
Lot, and the hospitality of the Levite of the tribe of
Ephraim.
◦These people, however, prove to be exceptions in a
completely hostile and disrespectful environment for
foreigners.

9. Lot and the angels

10. In the New Testament
◦ Jesus in the Gospels is invited as a guest in many houses. On one
occasion, an incident occurred in the home of Simon the Pharisee,
forcing him to recall the rules of hospitality which the host did not
follow. Jesus was welcomed by the sinful woman who came in, fell at
Jesus' feet, kissed him, poured perfume and tears and wiped them
with her hair.
◦ Jesus describes how the host had to greet him: wash his feet, give him
a kiss, and anoint his head with oil. This was the way of hospitality in
the ancient Middle East.

12. Ξένος ήμην και με φιλοξενίσατε
◦Jesus in the parable of
the final judgment
emphasizes that one of
the good things people
can do, is to welcome
and host strangers and
that will be like hosting
Jesus himself.

13. Apostle Paul

14. Apostle Paul
◦Apostle Paul in his letter to the Hebrews reminds: τῆς
φιλοξενίας μὴ ἐπιλανθάνεσθε· 2 διά ταύτης γὰρ ἔλαθόν
τινες ξενίσαντες ἀγγέλους.
◦“Do not forget the hospitality, because through it
some hosted angels”.
◦ And it refers to the hospitality of Abraham.

15. In the liturgical tradition
◦Characteristic in Byzantine hymnology is the
Troparion of Holy Friday where Joseph from
Arimathea goes to ask for the body of Jesus from
Pilate and asks for it with the words: Δος μοι τούτον
το Ξένον - Give me this foreigner.

17. In our days: In Lesvos – Greece
◦Today there are many examples of hosting.
◦Father Stratis, a priest in Lesvos from 2007 to 2015
who died, helped many thousands of refugees who
arrived from the sea to the island. That's why they
called him “Baba Nour” (father – light) in their
language.

19. In our days: In Vatican
◦A new sculpture in the Vatican since 2019 is dedicated
to the hospitality of refugees.
◦It is a boat that carries 140 immigrants and refugees.
◦ The central figure in the "boat" is an Angel, who is
visible only from his wings.

21. υπόδειγμα δέδωκα ὑμῖν, ἵνα καθὼς ἐγὼ
ἐποίησα ὑμῖν, καὶ ὑμεῖς ποιῆτε.
«I gave you
the example
so that what I
did, you can
do too !»

22. «Ιf you host strangers
it is like hosting me myself»
◦

23. Thank you ! Grazie ! Ευχαριστούμε !!!
◦Bakali Barbara - Μπακάλη Βαρβάρα
◦Trasias John - Τράσιας Γιάννης
◦Amarantidis Kostas – Αμαραντίδης Κώστας
◦Dimitriadis Christos - Δημητριαδης Χρήστος