The monks

The qalansuwa is a black hood that covers the head and neck's back of a Coptic monk or nun in Egypt. It is associated with a monastic professional of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria. It is officially called a koulla (Coptic; but the word itself is wide-spread in the Middle East), but by the end of the twentieth century it was commonly referred to as a qalansuwa (Arabic).

Spirituality, contemplation, pristine natural landscapes and exceptional food all come together in a unique hospitality experience on Mt Athos.

@orthomonk on Instagram: ““A certain monk asked one of the elders, "Why are my thoughts always inclined to defilement, so that they give me no rest even for an hour,…”

The Coptic Church is the West's last link to an early form of Christianity, and to a tradition of eremitical life that has all but disappeared from the modern world. Copts remind us of what Egypt means as a repository of all that the West holds dear in terms of thought, culture and civilization.

Two people have died and more than 100 were injured in battles between troops and anti-government protesters in Thailand.

The Monks - Series of work during my visit to India

Around the entrance of refectories in Orthodox monasteries, there can sometimes be seen a shocking image of a monk being crucified. The unnamed monk silently reposes on the cross, whilst around him…

A man is driving down the road and breaks down near a monastery. He goes to the monastery, knocks on the door, and says, “My car broke down. Do you think I could stay the

Alfred van Muyden 1818-1898 Zwitserland

In an isolated part of the Caucasus, a monk is spending his days in prayer and silence atop a 40-meter pillar of limestone in western Georgia (near the town of Chiatura). The Katskhi Pillar was used by stylites -- Christian ascetics who lived atop pillars and eschewed worldly temptations -- until the 15th century when the practice was stopped following the Ottoman Empire's invasion of Georgia. For centuries the pillar was abandoned and locals could only look up at the mysterious ruins on its…

Monk-priests inside tree with Dog

Orthodox Monks writing icons [notice the adaptation at top of easel that allows for balancing the prop-stick]

“The difficulty of explaining ‘why I am a Catholic’ is that there are ten thousand reasons all amounting to one reason: that Catholicism is true.” – G.K. Chesterton Many of you know that I am a convert to the Catholic church. Why, you may wonder, would anyone, especially in the 21st century, join such an […]

Parable of the Day: Two Monks and a Woman Read parable: http://blog.obitel-minsk.com/2018/08/parable-of-day-two-monks-and-woman.html #orthodox #orthodoxy #orthodoxchurch #parable #faith #spirituality #guidance #parableofday #CatalogOfGoodDeeds

Becoming a Monk: a Closer Look at Monastic Tonsuring in Orthodoxy. Find out about it in our monastery blog. We have been writing about Christianity, church history, church products and crafts, the lives of the great ascetics, etc.

All countries and cultures have their own customs, traditions and superstitions, some happen to have more than others, take Greece for example, here are just a few weird Greek superstitions that any Greek...

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