Retired army general wants Egypt's St. Catherine's Monastery demolished

Al-ahram ^ | 13 Apr 2014 | Sherry El-Gergawi

[BlackVeil]

A retired army general says he has filed a court case pushing for Egypt's historic Saint Catherine's Monastery to be demolished and its Greek monks deported on the grounds that they pose a threat to national security.

In May 2012, Ahmed Ragai Attiya obtained 71 administrative orders regarding the demolition of the monastery's multiple churches, monk cells, gardens and other places of interest on the grounds, which he claims were all built in 2006 and thus not historic, according to Ihab Ramzy, the monastery's lawyer.

... In the same ONTV interview, Attiya levelled a host of accusations against the monastery's monks, alleging that they have changed the names of landmarks in the surrounding area and tried to hide an underground water source known as Moses' Well (Oyun Moussa).

He also took issue with them supposedly raising the Greek flag on Egyptian land and turning the site into an area occupied by foreigners, both which he says are a breach of national security and Egyptian sovereignty....

Most of the Saint Catherine's 37 monks are Greek.

[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.

[BlackVeil]

There may be something in what you say - also, it does get St Catherine’s into the news - all publicity is good publicity.

However, with the extremist ideologies now rampant, I don’t like to hear of threats to this historic monument.

[MeshugeMikey]

ahahahaha I laugh, but only because it seems far TOO likely!

[Feckless]

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

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks BlackVeil. At least twice a lawsuit was brought in Egyptian courts against all the Jews in the world, charging them with having looted Egypt as they left in the Exodus. Of course, more than one pharaoh made war on ancient Israel, and one sacked Jerusalem, carrying off the Temple treasures, and having the loot depicted in a bas-relief. Also there's been a recent-years revival of the muzzie drive to demolish the Giza pyramids.

...he has filed a court case pushing for Egypt's historic Saint Catherine's Monastery to be demolished and its Greek monks deported on the grounds that they pose a threat to national security... the monastery's multiple churches, monk cells, gardens and other places of interest on the grounds, which he claims were all built in 2006 and thus not historic... In the same ONTV interview, Attiya levelled a host of accusations against the monastery's monks, alleging that they have changed the names of landmarks in the surrounding area and tried to hide an underground water source known as Moses' Well (Oyun Moussa).

[BlackVeil]

At least twice a lawsuit was brought in Egyptian courts against all the Jews in the world, charging them with having looted Egypt as they left in the Exodus.

Well... that certainly answers my rhetorical question - have you ever heard the like? Nutty lawsuits.

[SunkenCiv]

Muzzies clog what passes for their legal system with all kinds of stupid suits about being victimized by sorcery, crazy unsubstantiated claims, and false witness such as we see throughout this latest fiasco. The general should be prosecuted for frivolous waste of the court’s time, fined, jailed, and then executed — either that, or they should have “court TV” over there.

[1010RD]

Can you see the countersuit against Muslims?

[SunkenCiv]

There are over two million topics on FR, and of those, perhaps a quarter will be exhibits in the trials. :’)

[SunkenCiv]

Historic Sinai monastery criticized as threat to Egypt’s security
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3140650/posts
http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=20977

[Fred Nerks]

A copy of the document by which the Prophet Mohammed gave protection to the monastery Source: romanvirdi.com

"This is a message from Muhammad ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them. Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because Christians are my citizens; and by Allah! I hold out against anything that displeases them.

No compulsion is to be on them. Neither are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks from their monasteries. No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims' houses. Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil God's covenant and disobey His Prophet. Verily, they are my allies and have my secure charter against all that they hate.

No one is to force them to travel or to oblige them to fight. The Muslims are to fight for them. If a female Christian is married to a Muslim, it is not to take place without her approval. She is not to be prevented from visiting her church to pray.

Their churches are to be respected. They are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness of their covenants. No one of the nation (Muslims) is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (end of the world)."

English translation from 'Muslim History: 570 - 1950 C.E.' by Dr. A. Zahoor and Dr. Z. Haq, ZMD Corporation. P.O. Box 8231 - Gaithersburg, MD 20898-8231 - Copyright Akram Zahoor 2000. P. 167. The original letter was taken away in 1517 by the Turkish Sultan Selim I and is now in the Topkapi Museum in Instanbul, but the sultan gave the monks a copy of it and sanctioned its terms. From the enormous collection of ancient and modern rolls preserved in the monastery's library, it is clear that the Covenant of the Prophet, whether or not authentic, was in some way or other renewed, and the privileges of protection and safe-conduct for the monks were upheld.

ST KATHERINE NET

[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.

[BenLurkin]

Islam — the religion of destruction.

[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

[Pelham]

Saint Catherine’s Monastery is the oldest functioning monastery in the world dating back to the mid 500’s.