Good Lord!

The other day freespiral asked me about something inside a wayside shrine and so I have been conducting a small amount of research. 

I have known for a long time that this type of prefabricated shrine made from gypsum can be purchased from suppliers of marble. 

But I have only recently been told that this type of shrine has to be commissioned from a welder.

I have not found a shop on Skopelos which specialises in icons and other shrine-filling paraphernalia but several shops will have one or two bits and bobs even if they don't stock the full range. These delights are in the window of the electrical-cum-gift shop in Glossa and similar items can be found in the hardware store too.

On the right is a hexagonal church-shaped candle holder. It comes in either yellow metal or white metal varieties and the church part lifts off the base where you can place and light a tea-light. It's quite pretty, very heavy and only about 7€.

In the middle is a brass flip-top incense burner with a little handle so you can carry it about without burning your fingers.

It's the item on the left which I find the most entertaining and the one I am least likely to ever purchase, it's a great shame that reflection on the shop window makes it a bit tricky to see clearly. It is a red plastic container in the shape of a cross complete with a bas-relief person being crucified to death whom we shall assume to be Dear Lord Jesus. Inside this container is a cylinder of expanded polystyrene which, when viewed through the red plastic could be mistaken for a candle made of wax. Hidden within the polystyrene cylinder is a battery and poked into the top of it is one of those tiny flickery electric light bulbs designed to resemble a flickering candle flame. The gold top pulls off to allow you to tip out the contents if you ever wish to replace the batteries, or fill it with something else entirely one supposes.

I do hope the Lord of all Creation is impressed.