[BlackVeil]

This is from Al-Ahram, Egypt's leading English language daily. If it wasn't, I would think it a mad story which someone had made up.

St Catherine's Monastery in the Sinai has been under pressure for some time. Recently, the Egyptian govt forced the monastery to close to visitors, which made the community very unhappy, because they need the tourist income to support their paid staff, who are locals with no other source of income. The official reason for the closure was 'security reasons.'

There are militant groups active in the Sinai, so I suppose that an actual attack upon the monastery is not out of the question.

About the monks being Greek, and therefore foreigners. This relates to the history of Christian communities in Egypt. Because the Orthodox Church is based in Greece, their clergy are privileged as the foundation of the faith. Egyptian clergy are not admitted to St Catherine's - they go to other monasteries - I think that is an outmoded rule and they should change it. But of course it is up to the Orthodox Church to make their own rules.

[BlackVeil]

Ping.

Have you ever heard the like?

[Defiant]

The truth is always a threat to the big lie. Muhammad’s effort to create a new religion out of whole cloth is perhaps the biggest lie in world history.

[hinckley buzzard]

This simply reflects the psychosis of islam. St Catherine's has been there longer than Islam has existed. To destroy it would be on a par with the animals who blew up the giant Buddhas in Afghanistan.

[1010RD]

Perhaps this is just a publicity trick from Egypt’s Tourist Ministry. Kind of a reverse psychology - visit Egypt before we’ve destroyed everything worth seeing - strategy.

[Feckless]

What a douche. I have pictures of me in the Monastery and at the summit in 1986.

[bad company]

Because the Orthodox Church is based in Greece, their clergy are privileged as the foundation of the faith. Egyptian clergy are not admitted to St Catherine's - they go to other monasteries - I think that is an outmoded rule and they should change it. But of course it is up to the Orthodox Church to make their own rules.

Actually crossing jurisdictions in the Orthodox church is pretty easy. As services are held in greek at that monastery I would guess that the language would be a deciding factor on sending locals to an other monastery.

[datura]

THE BURNING BUSH still grows at St Katherine's!!!!!

Yes, that one.

[NYer]

St. Catherine's Monastery

This is outrageous!! It is a test. If they succeed in demolishing the Greek Monastery, they will pursue demolition of the Coptic monasteries, as well.

Coptic Monasteries

[SevenofNine]

Does Egyptian military really want Economy fail in Egypt really are they that stupid

Don’t answer that LOL!