Today finds me in Athens, Greece.

Yesterday, I went to visit the Acropolis. It was free that weekend, which resulted in an enormous swarm of people checking out the ruins.

At one end of the complex there is a giant Greek flag, visible from many parts of the city. There is a crowded pedestal upon which this flag sits, where many tourists go to take photos.

Under this flag I found the above group of young priests or ecumenical students. The leader was lecturing about God and history in Spanish while rolling a cigarette. He held the filter in his mouth while his hands rolled the tobacco. He spoke slowly and clearly, his words a little compressed from the cigarette filter clutched between his teeth.

“Hay que tener algo de sabiduría...”

You can see from the body language in the photo the reverence and attention he commanded from the youngsters. One was from Mexico, one I think was American, and two others spoke Russian or some similar language. The group switched languages often, and with ease.

When the father finished rolling the cigarette, a staff member came over and worriedly told him off in Greek.

You can’t smoke here.

He shook her off, irritated but understanding, and headed down to the exit, cigarette in hand, his little lambs in tow.