About the Iconographer
Tucked away near the summit of the Mount of Olives, with its terraces overlooking the Ancient City of Jerusalem, hides a Benedictine convent of French speaking nuns. Their days unfold in monastic tradition punctuated with the five-time-a-day Islamic call to prayer echoing from the minaret towers, the sound of the shofar which signifies the opening of the Sabat every Friday afternoon, and the chiming of Church bells every Sunday and Feast Day.
For over a hundred years, the Benedictine nuns of the Mount of Olives have been present to the drama of the Holy City. At their feet lies the Garden of Gethsemane, the scene of the arrest and betrayal of Jesus and facing them is Golgatha. These sacred sites forever recall the Passion and invoke their hope in Him who is alive.
Faithful to their Benedictine duty of “ora et labora” (pray and work), they pray – with the world and for the world. Their principal work is iconography. The intricate steps of writing the icons (from initial preparations on the wooden canvasses to final touch-ups to the figures' faces) are the sisters contribution according to their aptitude, and all is overseen by the expertise of Soeur Marie-Paul.
As master iconographer, Soeur Marie-Paul, born in Egypt of Palestinian and Italian descent, paints in the Byzantine style, following faithfully the ancient methods of pattern layout and colouring. More significantly, all Soeur Marie-Paul's work is the fruit of her meditation and prayer with Sacred Scripture.