Ancient monasticism in the Middle East
n.b This image of Saint Hilarion is from Archangelos Monastery, Almopia, Greece
Image from: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Agios_Ilarion_Meglenon.jpg
The archaeology website Past Horizons showcases rare wall paintings in the 6th century Coptic Deir al-Surian (“Syrian Monastery”) / Monastery of the Holy Virgin of Anba Bishoi in the Wadi al-Natrun in the Nile Delta, and the online newspaper Hurriyet reports on efforts to conserve the remains of one of the Holy Land’s earliest monasteries, Saint Hilarion’s (Tel Umm al-Amr) near Nusseirat in the Gaza Strip. This site dates from the late Roman period. Abandoned after an earthquake in the 7th century, it was not rediscovered until 1999.