Monasteries offer to take in prisoners

Tom Esslemont (BBC News, Tbilisi)
Officials in the ex-Soviet republic of Georgia have announced a plan to let prisoners shorten their jail terms by spending time in a monastery instead. The idea for petty criminals has been proposed by the country's Eastern Orthodox Church and government officials. It comes as prisoner numbers in Georgia continue to rise as does the popularity of the Church. It is unclear how many prisoners will be allowed to become [Christian] monks or if they have any choice in the matter. To say that the Orthodox Church plays an important and influential role in Georgia is an understatement. More>>
  • Women violate male-only monastic community
    ATHENS - Greek women violated a 1,000-year ban on the male-only monastic community of Mt. Athos during a protest over disputed land, one of the demonstrators said.
  • PHOTO: Orthodox monk walks in courtyard of one of the monasteries in the Mt. Athos autonomous community (Reuters/file).

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