How to Greet a Monk or Nun

[Natasha]

After reading about others experiences, I wanted to share this with you. When visiting a monastery/convent, never assume you allowed to take pictures. The last time I was in Moscow, my husband and I visited many churches, monasteries and convents. When we would leave, I would take a picture of the buildings we had just visited. We never had any problems with this until we visited a convent to venerate St. Matrona. As we were walking to the car (about 7pm in the evening in February), I turned around (at the exit gate to the convent) & quickly snapped one picture. Suddenly, guards ran at us, and started yelling, "Don't you realize that this is a holy place, and even if you were a monk, you would still have no right to take pictures here?!" My husband & were very confused, since this had never been an issue before. We apologized and left. On our way home, I told myself that when I had the roll of film developed, I would destroy the picture. About a week later, when I received my developed pictures, the picture of the convent was not there. Thinking someone at the photoshop took it, I began going through the roll of negatives. The picture was never developed-not because of a request, not because it was too dark out, but because such a beautiful light was beaming around the convent, the picture was overexposed!
This experience touched me greatly.

[尼古拉前执事]

Thank you for that additional note Natasha. It seems Divine Providence was in force in making sure you obeyed the rules of the monastery.

[Justin Kissel]

Natasha,

That's fantastic Thank you for sharing!

[Mary Kissel]

I agree Natasha! Thankyou for posting your experience! That's neat how the picture of that monastery never even developed! I got goosebumps reading how it never developed because of the light around the monastery being so bright! I also agree, you should ask permission before taking pictures at the Monastery, or even at Churches.

MaryCecilia

[尼古拉前执事]

Bumping this up due to the discussion on Deaconesses and convents at http://www.euphrosynoscafe.com/forum/vi ... .php?t=348

[ania]

Hi all.
My father, who was a protodeacon for 28 years, and just a year & 1/2 ago became a priest, had stories pretty often of people trying to get blessings from him. On his part he was never really embarassed, as it's not really in his nature. He had a catch phrase for such events, though I don't quite remember what it was, but it put the people at ease, and in some cases made them laugh.
As far as taking pictures in churches in Russia, or any place where it's both a house of prayer & a tourist attraction (we encountered this in Nice, France as well, where there's a beautiful pre-revolutionary cathedral built on funds from I believe either Nicholas I or Alexander III), the caregivers or guards of the church would prefer you buy the postcards of the church in their shops, rather than disturb whatever's going on in or around the church with flash photography, etc, as well as it being good revenue for the parish, monastary, whatever.
The only way to get around that, if you want to take photos, is if you "have connections," in other words, your a guest of the local clergy or someone in the church administration.
Toodles,
Ania

[Methodius]

If you wish to enter the holy grounds of the monastery, you should be dressed appropriately and modestly. Men are asked to wear long pants and sleeved shirts. Women are asked to wear skirts well below the knees, long-sleeved shirts, and are to have their heads covered with a scarf. (No hats, sheer scarves, pants, shorts, tight skirts or tight blouses, etc.) Everyone is asked to wear socks.