Amid saints

I recently went on a trip with a work colleague and 20 or so Copts to the Monastery of St. Mina near Alexandria. (Just me, Milli didn't go.) It was built by the beloved Pope Kyrillos VI, who is almost as revered as Mina, his patron saint and the monastery's namesake.





























This monastery was hardly an oasis of calm and meditation. People were everywhere -- and they told me it was a light day. Praying, chanting, singing, taking pictures with their camera phones... Here you can see a bit of that activity.















People praying over the pope's coffin.















The monastery was nice, and it was fun to meet and hang out with people, but my favorite part of the trip was a solitary vigil over the Mediterranean at sunset...