St. Saorian Monastery

Mission to Egypt

April 2000 - September 2001

Week of January 14, 2001

St. Sourian Monastery.

"Manal and Remon took us to visit three monasteries that are between here and Alexandria. He took us to places that are locked to the average tourist. We were able to get up to the roof top and see the surrounding view. The monasteries are located on 500+ acres of ground. Monasteries originated in Egypt."

St. Mary Baramouse Monastery.

"Our attention was directed to the ostrich eggs that they hang over entrances to the more sacred areas where there are velvet curtains to close off the entries. They are very symbolic to them. Once an ostrich lays an egg she never lets it out of her sight. That is to remind them that they are never out of the sight of God."

St. Bishoy Monastery.

"We were told a story about a monk who wanted to pray for 24 hours who tied his hair to a rope hanging from the ceiling of a small cubicle. If he were to fall asleep and his head began to droop, the rope would pull on his hair and wake him right up."

"For the first time we saw some monks. I was glad we were able to take a picture of Manal's monk friend. They of course wear the long flowing robes, but I was most interested in the head caps that they wore. They all had similar embroidery on them, but of
different shades and patterns."

St. Bishoy Monastery.

"We were told another story was about a monk who walked with a stick because he was lame. He was criticized for doing it to get attention. So he discarded his staff
by sticking it in the ground and it grew into a huge tree that now has a building around it with the tree coming out of the top."

	St. Sourian Monastery. "Manal and Remon took us to visit three monasteries that are between here and Alexandria. He took us to places that are locked to the average tourist. We were able to get up to the roof top and see the surrounding view. The monasteries are located on 500+ acres of ground. Monasteries originated in Egypt."
	St. Mary Baramouse Monastery. "Our attention was directed to the ostrich eggs that they hang over entrances to the more sacred areas where there are velvet curtains to close off the entries. They are very symbolic to them. Once an ostrich lays an egg she never lets it out of her sight. That is to remind them that they are never out of the sight of God."
	St. Bishoy Monastery. "We were told a story about a monk who wanted to pray for 24 hours who tied his hair to a rope hanging from the ceiling of a small cubicle. If he were to fall asleep and his head began to droop, the rope would pull on his hair and wake him right up."
	"For the first time we saw some monks. I was glad we were able to take a picture of Manal's monk friend. They of course wear the long flowing robes, but I was most interested in the head caps that they wore. They all had similar embroidery on them, but of different shades and patterns."
	St. Bishoy Monastery. "We were told another story was about a monk who walked with a stick because he was lame. He was criticized for doing it to get attention. So he discarded his staff by sticking it in the ground and it grew into a huge tree that now has a building around it with the tree coming out of the top."