www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News Melkite monks expelled by Franciscans

This disturbed me profoundly. What a sad event with which to begin Great Lent!



Tuesday, February 27, 2001




Unholy war over a piece of Holy Land paradise

Israel's last seven Melkite monks to be evicted today from their monastery near Jerusalem

By Yair Sheleg
Ha'aretz Correspondent

Just west of Jerusalem, below Moshe Even Sapir, stands the monastery of John in the Desert, a little piece of God's heaven on earth. The monastery sits on a terraced hillside, dripping with greenery and full of springs that burble out of the ground and Christians use for baptisms.

Every Shabbat, dozens of Israelis flock there to enjoy the beauty of the scenery and buy sweet dessert wine from the seven monks who remain in the monastery.

However, behind the monastic tranquillity a bitter legal battle has been waged for seven years over this lovely little spot, between the tiny community of Melkite monks and the Roman Catholic Church - specifically the Franciscans. For hundreds of years the Franciscan Order has been protecting the Holy Land's sacred places for the church.

The Melkites rented the monastery 25 years ago from the Franciscans, who now want them to return it to the church. Unless there is last-minute change, Israeli police will show up tomorrow morning to evict the seven monks and whoever shows up to support them at the monastery.

The Melkites are still hoping that at the last minute, whether because of publicity (like this article), or because of an urgent appeal by the French ambassador to the Justice Ministry for a delay, their residence might be saved. Just in case not, they were busy last night packing up sacred objects and art treasures of the monastery in case of damage during the eviction.

Father Elisha, the abbot of the monastery, tells its story which began with John the Baptist, the hermit preacher who baptized Jesus. John escaped from neighboring Ein Kerem just ahead of Herod's troops hunting out babies because of a prophecy that a new born boy who would be "king of the Jews."

In honor of the tradition monks have lived in this place from the dawn of Christian history - Father Elisha knows about groups of monks that go back to Crusader and Byzantine times. When no monks lived there, the area remained a place of pilgrimage for those wanting to be baptized in waters where the Baptist himself once bathed.

In 1870, the Latin Patriarch bought the site and in 1922 the Franciscans built the present monastery. During the War of Independence, said Father Elisha, fighting around Ein Kerem and Stef forced the monks to leave and the site was abandoned until 1975, when the current group rented it.

The Melkite story is also a little complicated. They belong to a sect of the Greek-Orthodox church that decided in the 1800s to rejoin the Roman Catholic church, yet retain their special rituals and customs of the Greek-Orthodox, such as allowing priests (though not monks or bishops) to marry. "Catholics are more formalistic and legalistic than we are, and we are closer to mysticism like all eastern branches of the church," said Father Elisha.

However, those living in the monastery didn't start out as Melkites. They grew up as French Catholics and in adulthood "converted" to the Melkite rite. That biography partially explains the group's complications with the Catholic establishment.

French Melkites are a tiny group - 10 monks and four nuns in all, divided between their monastery in France and the one Israel, which has only the seven male monks. In 1978 they signed a rental agreement with the church, through the Franciscans. "That's when our troubles began," said Father Elisha. "After a few years they understood that if ten years passed, we would become protected tenants and they would not be able to evict us, so they made us sign an annual lease. This is entirely unusual with monasteries, but we agreed on condition a letter be attached to the lease explaining the spirit of the original contract, which specified many years, should be honored. They promised, but never delivered, such a letter.

"In 1993 they wanted a new contract - and increased the rent ten-fold. We refused so they went to Jerusalem Magistrates Court seeking our eviction. In 1998 we lost the first round of legal arguments. We appealed to the district court and lost again in 1999."

They were not evicted immediately after getting a six month reprieve from the court and another year from the Franciscans themselves. Father Elisha said the Franciscans didn't want a scandal while Pope John Paul II was visiting Israel last year. After all the stays the eviction date finally arrives - tomorrow.

Asked why they didn't try to reach a compromise with the Franciscans over the rent, Father Elisha said "It's only an excuse for them. That's their way, to raise the rent over and over to astronomical heights to get rid of groups they don't like."

It is an interesting irony, considering that the anti-establishment Saint Francis of Assisi founded his order in protest at the greed of the medieval church and with the declared aim to live and honor the vow of poverty.

Furthermore, says Father Elisha, "it is not customary for the Catholic church to settle its disputes with courts and police."

He said he doesn't believe the Franciscans will preserve the beauty of the place. "We expect them to neglect it as they did up until we moved in. They come up with all sorts of ideas, like a hostel for rehabilitating drug addicts, but this is totally unrealistic because of the topography - all the high roofs and deep pools could easily become suicide traps for disturbed addicts. In fact, only monks can live here in these difficult conditions."

So now they wait for the France's ambassador's appeal to work. He wrote to the Justice Ministry suggesting that the eviction be stayed because of the religious sensitivities at stake. Father Elisha points to the dispute in the Holy Sepulchre as a precedent. There the Ethiopians took part of the Copt's possessions, but to avoid conflict, the authorities did not force the Ethiopians to give it back.

Tomorrow, when the police arrive the monks will exercise non-violent passive disobedience. They'll lock themselves in the chapel and pray, which means the police will be forced to break down the doors.

"We want our voice to be heard," says Father Elisha. "If they evict us, we'll have to go back to France, because I don't believe there's another place for us in the Holy Land, and all our activities and the connections we made in the last 25 years will go down the drain. It's a shame."

A Franciscan source said last night "we're interested in building a spiritual center, so we wanted the Melkites evicted. We tried to solve the argument in a friendly manner, and not to involve the courts. But they demanded more than $1 million [in compensation] - and they also went to the court.".
A Jew's grave
In the small garden below the monastery is a lone grave, its tombstone written in Hebrew - Avona, Avraham Shmueloff. The Hebrew writing and the Jewish name mark one of those odd stories typical of the Holy Land. Shmueloff was a Bucharan Jew who lived in Palestine and in World War II he joined the British army. Captured by the Germans, he converted to Christianity, whether from sympathy with his comrades or in true belief, we'll never know. When he returned home he became a priest and lived in Galilee. He had a close relationship with the Melkites and that is why he is buried in their garden.

Father Elisha says when a friend asked how a Jew could be a priest, Shmueloff answered "Jesus was a Jew.

This is not only disturbing, but malignant and uncharitable to say the least. Not to mention the shameful act of calling in Israeli police to evict these monks! This reminds me of the time that Muslims, ever so much the enemies of Zionism, decided to procure their help for the Nazareth mosque incident. Religious territorial disputes in civil courts?! Unbelievable! Is this the 1800's?; are we again asking the Ottomans to intervene in our quarrels and rough up somebody?! This boggles the mind. The Muslims laugh at us thanks to this sort of "brotherly affection". Why haven't the religious superiors and bishops tried to remedy this situation?

>He said he doesn't believe the Franciscans >will preserve the beauty of the place. "We >expect them to neglect it as they did up >until we moved in. They come up with all >sorts of ideas, like a hostel for >rehabilitating drug addicts....

Oh yes, I can certainly believe that! I know some Roman Catholics, one having made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and to the Holy Sepulchre and had seen the Franciscans' horrible handiwork up close, who would gladly give custody of the Church of the HS to the Orthodox instead.

What kind of vitriolic contempt possessed these arrogant and vain fops to expel self-sacrificing contemplatives (which I assume these Fransciscans are anything but), their own brothers in Faith, for the sake of their crazy ambition to turn the monastery into what I can only assume to be a charade and joke of a "spiritual center", the word being a clear euphemism and buzzword for "absolute fiasco". I'm certain that the prayers of these monks would be of more benefit than whatever desecratory transformation of the monastery these clerical clowns are planning to cook up.

If any good opportunity is to come out of this for the Lenten season, it's having another group of misguided priests to forgive and pray for, but judging by the slightly higher temperature in this room owing to my fuming, it won't be easy. Pray for me to keep my anger and pride in check.

In IC XC
Samer

[This message has been edited by SamB (edited 02-27-2001).]

Nothing is as controversial, or as disputed as "land" in that poor long-suffering country.

I would suggest that it is not a religious issue, or an east-west thing, as much as a land question, and the law there is very complicated. The fine points of it, cannot be conveyed by that article.

So, not knowing the details, or the whole story, I won't be outraged yet.

Christian

Dear Friends,
Christ is among us!
If we had not just celebrated the Sunday of Forgiveness, I would suggest our Greek Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, of Alexandria and Jerusalem Gregory III Laham excommunicate the Fransican Custody until the Monestary is returned. Having been to the Holy Land on pilgrimage myself, I certainly must stand with the monks rather than the Franciscans, who often act as if no native or Eastern Christians excist in Palestine. I must now calm down and pray: "O God, be merciful to me a sinner."
Fr. Bryan

More information is needed on this one before a rush to judgment based on one Israeli press article. Does anyone have any corroborating/elaborating information?

If this is true, however, it certainly is very disappointing, to say the least.

Brendan

I know that this is an internal (RC/Byz)situation, but couldnt they have waited to evict these monks until Pascha is over?????
JoeS

JoeS,

That is right. Let them first sing "Christ is Risen!" first before using police force to toss them out. It is the only Christian thing to do, right.

Love that Franciscan spirit.

Joe


[This message has been edited by Joe Thur (edited 02-28-2001).]

Has anyone seen any more about this? Has the eviction actually taken place?

Christian

SLAVA ISUSU CHRISTU!
SLAVA NA VIKI BOHU!

Has anyone tried to contact the Byzantine Franciscans in Sugarloaf, PA?

Does anyone think they could help mediate??

just a thought.....

the least servant of the servants of God
mark

If the Melkite monks are eventually evicted and end up in Europe, I would suggest that they settle in Italy.

Perhaps, then, His Beatitude, Patriarch Gregory III, can appoint them as the "Custodians of the Roman Catacombs and the Tomb of the Holy Apostle Peter".

I am somewhat sympathetic to the monks based on the limited information we have. But I also realize that our friends of Latin heritage who post here might be going a litle bit overboard.

To dave, obviously, the Patriarch can appoint them custodians of any property the Patriarchate has in Italy. No problems from any quarter there.

I am also unaware of any other Byzantine monastic community that has both a summer home in France and a winter home elsewhere (though I know of several desposed European monarchs who do).

But I also realize that our friends of Latin heritage who post here might be going a litle bit overboard.

Condescending.

<A HREF="http://oldworldrus.com">Old World Rus�</A>

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I cannot resist the temptation to comment on this, especially since, as I write this, I am about to leave for my Secular Franciscan Fraternity meeting.

It is a sad day when Franciscans facilitate poverty and homelessness, instead of mitigating its effects on others while embracing it as their own after the much needed example of holy father Francis, the deacon and servant of the Gospel.

To me it is a sad reminder that it takes more than cord and habit to make one a true follower of the poor man of Assisi.

May God have mercy on us all!

Peace and all good things,

Gordo, sfo

[This message has been edited by CaelumJR (edited 03-02-2001).]

Monastic Calm in Israel Threatened by Eviction



JERUSALEM, Feb 27 (Reuters) - The quiet hillside setting of the Monastery

of Saint John in the Desert, near Jerusalem, shows little sign that it is

at the centre of an unholy row that could leave half a dozen monks looking

for a new home.



The Greek-Melkite monks have already packed some precious religious icons

and their most valuable books after being told they face eviction on

Wednesday, following a legal wrangle with fellow Christians from the

Franciscan order. Some of the monks have lived at the holy site for 20 years.



The monks are ready to go quietly, but not willingly.



"We will lock ourselves in the church and pray, and we will not collaborate

in any way in our eviction," Father Elisha said on Tuesday at the retreat,

where legend says the biblical John the Baptist was hidden as a baby during

King Herod's massacres.



"But we will not use any violence, even verbal violence. Our protests will

be passive and non-violent resistance," the 41-year-old monk said from a

shady terrace overlooking the Soreq Valley, already showing the first signs

of spring.



The monks have had links to the monastery since 1975, but in 1980 signed a

15-year, renewable lease with the Franciscan Custodian of the Holy Land,

which owns the site. Since the long lease expired they have renewed the

agreement on an annual basis.



The monks say the lease was originally intended to offer them a long-term

future at the site. They accept they do not own the land, but wanted the

issue resolved through the church and not civil courts.



The Franciscans say the lease was a temporary arrangement, made at a time

when the monastery had fallen out of use. As the custodians of holy sites

in Israel and Palestinian areas, they say they now want to run the site for

pilgrims.



The dispute is only the latest in a history of disagreements between

different Christian groups over such sites in and around Jerusalem, a holy

city for Christians, Muslims and Jews alike.



ASKED TO LEAVE



"For two years, we asked them to go away because we have a programme

there," said Father Claudio Baratto, the Franciscan Custodian's spokesman

in Jerusalem.



"They have to free up the spot, one way or another, voluntarily or with

public power," he said, adding that the Israeli police would evict the

monks if necessary.



The six monks, five of them French, were served an eviction order some two

weeks ago. But apart from the packed bags outside the chapel, there is

little sign of any imminent departure.



The table is laid in the frescoed refectory, which was transformed from a

stable, and the regular call to prayer -- which by tradition is by knocking

a wooden pole -- still sounds.



The belief that John the Baptist, who baptised Jesus, was hidden by his

mother in the cave underneath the monastery, gives the place particular

Christian significance.



"We drink the same water from the same spring as St John. It is very

special," said a bearded Father Thomas, a Hungarian who like the other

monks wears a traditional black habit.



The monks, whose order follows Greek Orthodox rules but is a member of the

Catholic church, say they receive thousands of visitors every year,

including Christian pilgrims and tourists.



They worry that the buildings and gardens, which they have worked to

renovate over the years, could fall back into the abandoned state they say

they first found them in.



The monks say they would like to remain in Israel, but if they cannot find

a place, they may go to France.



"Nothing is eternal or perennial in this life, so we will see what will be

the next step of our pilgrimage," said Father Elisha.



Copyright 1999 Reuters.All rights reserved.



2001.02.28 Independent:

Police to evict monks from Holy Land monastery

By Eric Silver in Jerusalem



28 February 2001



In another skirmish in the war of the churches over holy places, police are

to evict seven Melkite monks whose obscure French order restored a ruined

site in the Jerusalem hills 25 years ago.



You won't find St John in the Desert in most guidebooks of the Holy Land.

The tiny gem of a monastery sits at the end of a narrow, crumbling road

amid steep old terraces and blossoming almond trees. Yet 30,000 visitors -

Christian pilgrims and Jewish hikers - make their way there every year.



According to ancient tradition, this is where John the Baptist, a local boy

from the nearby village of Ein Karem, took refuge from the tyrannical King

Herod. In bright spring sunshine yesterday, a bus load of Israeli

nature-lovers were exploring the church, St John's dank cave and the

freshwater springs that sustained him.



It may have been their last chance. Yesterday the monks of the order of St

Jean du Desert, aged from 37 to 61, were packing their icons and 2,000

books one jump ahead of the bailiffs.



In Jerusalem and Bethlehem, in the ongoing dispute over who controls holy

places, blood has been shed over who cleans windows. During the crush of

the millennium year, churches refused to cut a second door in the Church of

the Holy Sepulchre because each wanted to keep the key.



The Melkites, also known as Greek Catholics, are an Eastern church with

roots in Lebanon. They are in communion with the Vatican but follow some

Orthodox ritual. Worldwide, they claim one million followers. In Israel,

they are the biggest Christian community, with 70,000 Arab devotees in

Galilee and a patriarch in Jerusalem.



The monastery site was bought in 1922 by the Franciscans, the custodians of

Vatican property in the Holy Land. It was abandoned during the 1948

Arab-Israeli war The order was happy to lease it to the Melkites at a

modest rent, but the monks did such a good renovation job that the

Franciscans decided that they wanted it back. First they put up the rent

tenfold; then they went to an Israeli court and won an eviction order. They

say they want to turn the monastery into a spiritual centre and accuse the

Melkites of trying to extort $1m compensation for leaving.



This morning after matins, the Melkites will lock themselves in the church

and pray. They won't go quietly, explained their founding abbot, Father

Jacob, but they don't wanttheir treasures dumped down the hillside. Father

Elisha, the second-in-command, said: "We expect hundreds of our Christian

and Jewish friends to come and protest, but we are insisting on strictly

non-violent resistance. We understand that the police have a job to do."



Father Elisha, 41, blames the empire-building of the Roman church rather

than the Israeli authorities. "Eastern Catholics have always been

considered second-class Cath-olics," he said. "The Franciscans got it into

their minds that we wanted to steal their place ...Till the last moment, we

hoped that a solution could be found within the church."

� 2001 Independent Digital (UK) Ltd.

Robert,

Father Elisha, 41, blames the empire-building of the Roman church rather

than the Israeli authorities. "Eastern Catholics have always been

considered second-class Cath-olics," he said.

Sadly, you are correct. It is our vocation to seek to change that. Pray for us.

Dan Lauffer