- Title: Dutch city tells floating Georgian monastery to cast off
- Date: 31st December 2019
- Summary: VLISSINGEN, THE NETHERLANDS (DECEMBER 30, 2019) (REUTERS) GEORGIAN ORTHODOX ABBOT, FATHER ABIBOS, STANDING ON BOAT BEING CONVERTED INTO MONASTERY 'ELIA II' REAR OF BOAT SHOWING CHAPEL CROSS ON CHAPEL ROOF BOAT STERN WITH PAINTED NAME READING: "ELIA II VLISSINGEN" NUN SITTING IN FRONT OF ICONS IN GALLEY OF BOAT NUN SITTING IN FRONT OF ICONS, SMOKE FROM INCENSE BURNER RISING INCENSE BURNING ICON OF VIRGIN MARY AND JESUS ICON AND CANDLE FATHER ABIBOS STANDING IN CHAPEL, ARTISTS PAINTING FRESCOES ON WALLS AND CEILING CROSS ON CHAIN (SOUNDBITE) (Dutch) GEORGIAN ORTHODOX ABBOT, FATHER ABIBOS, SAYING: "I am Father Abibos, archimandrite Abibos and we have two sisters, sister Elisabeth and sister Nino. We live on a ship and we're building a chapel here. We try to build our monastic life on this ship. A monastic life according to the rules of the (Georgian) Christian Orthodox Church." FATHER ABIBOS GESTURING TO FRESCOES ON CHAPEL CEILING FATHER ABIBOS TALKING ABOUT FRESCOES (SOUNDBITE) (Dutch) GEORGIAN ORTHODOX ABBOT, FATHER ABIBOS, SAYING: "Through everything we do every day we try to honour God. With everything we do, whether that is praying, working, eating, even while resting, we try to do that in God's name." FATHER ABIBOS GESTURING TO FRESCOES ON CEILING OF CHAPEL ARTIST DIPPING PAINTBRUSH INTO POT OF PAINT HAND PAINTING DETAIL OF FRESCO ARTIST PAINTING FRESCO (SOUNDBITE) (Dutch) GEORGIAN ORTHODOX ABBOT, FATHER ABIBOS, SAYING (TALKING ABOUT REASONS FOR HAVING A MONASTERY ON A BOAT): "The first reason is the chapel, that we can build our way and paint on the inside and this is easier on a ship. The second is that it is not in the city and is a quiet place for a monastic life. The third reason could be that we cannot be far from our parishioners." VARIOUS OF FATHER ABIBOS IN WHEELHOUSE OF BOAT
- Embargoed: 14th January 2020 11:09
- Keywords: Christian Orthodox church Netherlands Vlissingen chapel foating Georgian monastery frescoes monastic life
- Location: VLISSINGEN, THE NETHERLANDS
- City: VLISSINGEN, THE NETHERLANDS
- Country: Netherlands
- Topics: Religion/Belief,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001BCB36T5
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:A tiny Georgian Orthodox monastery being built on board a ship in the Dutch port of Vlissingen is facing an uncertain future, after the city ordered it to set sail by March 1.
The unfinished monastery is the dream of Abbot Abibos, who has overseen two years of renovations on the ship - re-christened the Elia II, after the head of the Georgian Orthodox Church - including having frescoes painted on the ceiling of its small chapel.
Abibos said a floating monastery, with living space for himself and two nuns, Sister Elisabeth and Sister Nino, gives the three a quiet place to live a monastic life.
He added that it would also allow them to be able to travel to visit fellow worshippers. The church has several hundred members in the Netherlands and Belgium.
Abibos had hoped the Elia II would be able to have a regular berth in Vlissingen. The hand-painted frescoes on the chapel's ceiling and walls are still to be completed.
But Mayor Els Verhage said the city had been granting permits month by month for the ship's renovation on the understanding Abibos would soon "sail away to serve fellow members of his faith".
Verhage said in a statement that establishing a church in the town's harbour was not allowed and Abibos had been told in writing that his ship was no longer welcome.
Now Abibos is trying to have the ship finished by the March 1 deadline and looking for other options, while he and the sisters lodge in the town.
(Production: Hilde Verweij, Dominik Starosz, Lewis Macdonald) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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