Garden of tranquility

Next to the bustling traffic of Ninth Avenue Southwest, there is a place to "reflect, be quiet and pray."
Father Walter Smith was giving tours of Holy Trinity Orthodox Church and its new meditation garden on Sunday.
"One of our many goals is to just let people know they can come and take a look," he told the Times-Herald, adding although the church might be Orthodox, the garden certainly isn't.
He said anyone from any religious tradition is welcome to visit the 725 Ninth Ave. S.W. garden and just relax, pray, reflect on Bible passages, do tai chi, meditate in the Buddhist sense or do basically anything to enjoy the quiet space.
However, the garden is set up with certain Christian symbols and people are encouraged to pick up pamphlets from a box located next to the church so they might better understand the meaning behind the symbols.
For example, the garden includes an iris patch. According to Smith, the iris is a flower often used to represent Christ's mother. There is also a small waterfall and pond, which represents baptism, cleansing and life.
Smith said there is a quote from the Bible (John 4:10) where Christ is referred to as the living water.
Borrowing from Japanese tradition, the local meditation area includes a small rock garden. In the rock garden are three large rocks representing the Holy Trinity, as well as two smaller rocks representing Abraham and Sarah.
The garden includes a large wooden cross, which Smith said is the central symbol of Christianity.
However, something in the garden that is particular to the Orthodox tradition is a small shrine with an icon of the Holy Trinity.
Called the Hospitality of Abraham, the icon depicts three men who appeared at Abraham's home (Genesis 18). The three men are often thought to have been angels and Smith said Abraham showed the men hospitality, as everyone should show strangers.
Smith said the three persons in the icon demonstrate the Holy Trinity in the Old Testament, long before Jesus Christ entered the scene.
Ultimately, Smith said it would be great if people visiting the garden were inspired to visit the church (which is often open to public viewing), possibly taking in a Sunday service and, ideally, finding some comfort in the Orthodox tradition.
However, he said the goal of the meditation garden is not to enlist new congregation members, but merely serve the community as a nice place "to reflect and pray."

Carter Haydu can be reached at 691-1265.