Ad Orientem: On a wing and a prayer: The extraordinary hanging monasteries that cling to the sides of cliffs

Monday, May 28, 2012

See the story and remarkable photos here.

Jon Marc said...: Beautiful pictures! There are similar monasteries in northern Ethiopia and I believe in Upper Egypt as well - the asceticism involved just in reaching such places (much less going on to build monasteries!) is impressive...; 5/29/2012 3:44 PM
Stephen said...: I remember reading, some years ago, about a monastery carved into the cliff, where the only access was by baskets pulled up by ropes. Baskets and ropes were woven by the monks themselves. When asked how often they replaced the hauling ropes, the monk in charge of maintaining them shrugged and said, "when God wills that the rope should break". Also according to the monk, there had never been an incident where a rope or basket failed and caused death or even injury to any living thing.

There are times when my faith is so weak that I feel unworthy even to enter into the Temple... Kyrie eleison!; 5/29/2012 6:58 PM