THE GUARDS OF THE HOLY SEPULTURE

A large number of monks and hermits who lived in Palestine during early Christianity resided in the natural caves that abounded in the abrupt ravines of the desert. Most of them, however, lived in organized monasteries, the size and customs of which were determined by internal and exterior conditions, the needs of the monks and their economic resources. These monks were called “Agiotafites”, guards of the holy Sepulture, a continuation of the “Order of the Spoudaeoi (wise, learned, worthy, gifted, exceptional, significant, industrious, serious)”. More than 200 large and important monasteries were built in the holy Land. Today only seven survive, all of them located in the desert of Judea. The few monks that live in them are the remnants of what used to be the large “community of the desert”. The last Greek-Orthodox monks, guardians of the holy Shrines of Palestine, recount personal testimonies and express their deep concern for the future of their community. They are the last ones of the “Order of the Spoudaeoi” and they still raise the Greek flag at the monasteries and the shrines. The documentary features five monks from different parts of Israel and Palestine. Each one has a different story to tell.