ANOTHER ISLAMIC ATTACK ON CHRISTIANS Bedouins attack St. Catherines Monastery in the Sinai The ancient Monastery of Saint Catherine’s, situated on the Biblical land of the Sinai peninsula has been once again been attacked by Muslim extremists and local authorities, this in spite of the long standing charity provided to the Bedouins by the monks. These Muslims took the monastery by storm, eventually managing to demolish the gate and take two of the monks hostage. The monks had to submit to the raiders and agreed to pay them a tax in exchange for end to the attacks. Nevertheless, the islamists are still threatening the Archbishop of Sinai and his monks with violence, claiming this ancient monastery was ‘illegally constructed’ in 2006, in spite of the fact the monastery dates to the time of the Emperor Justinian I (527-565)! The monks were forced to pay a ransom of $21,000 to obtain the release of the two kidnapped monks. In spite of the numerous complaints and appeals to local Egyption law-enforcement agencies, the situation remains bleak, with local autonomous bodies closing their eyes to the extremists’ calls to obliterate Christianity on Sinai and “to restore justice”, which means returning the Christian settlement Oyun Musa (“Moses springs”) to Muslims” with the reference to the Quranic texts. Not long ago the authorities imposed a tax upon all the monastery’s monks. It was done because the monastery had a refectory for pilgrims, which allegedly “served as a source of enrichment.” For the first time in Egyptian history, such a decision was made towards the ascetics who never leave the house of prayer! It is now feared that the Muslims are intending to destroy this ancient monastery, the oldest in the Orthodox world. Our monastic brotherhood has a particular attachment to Saint Catherines, following the visit of their spiritual father, the Elder Pavlos, in June of 2012 (see photo). The attack on these peaceful monastics is yet one more demonstration of the evil intent of Muslims to destroy all traces of Christianity in the Middle East, while Western nations, including the United States, continue to allow Muslims to migrate into our own nations, constructing mosques near our college campuses, and proselytizing for their religion among hardened prisoners in our state and federal prisons. Please join us in praying for the preservation of this ancient place of Christian prayer, and for Gods protection of these holy monks. And pray for the protection of the ancient icons, and the vast library of ancient Christian texts. One of the most ancient icons of Our Lord, the Sinai Icon of Christ, is within the walls of this holy monastery. With love and blessings, Abbot Tryphon
Posted on: Tue, 21 Oct 2014 03:51:58 +0000
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