The Tea Fire in Montecito and Santa Barbara which broke out at 6 p.m. last night has been devastating with more than 100 houses destroyed and one person dead. I was utterly shocked to see on the news tonight that the Episcopal Mt. Calvary Benedictine Monastery in Santa Barbara burned down last night although the brothers were able to get out most of the books, some of the art and the computers.

Welcome Armenia invites you to discover an ancient mysterious place full of secrets and puzzles where the traces of various nations and cultures can be found. St. Cross preserving place- Akhtala monastery surpassed European renaissance passing through the invasions of Tamerlane and inspiring Pasolini of Armenian cinematography. Akhtala is truly full of mysterious legends and picturesque landscapes and it was always a source of inspiration even for ordinary people.

USA Today has an article on how the six monks of the Cistercian Abbey of Our Lady of Spring Bank have turned LaserMonks into a $4.5 Million office supply giant.

Armed Chinese police have surrounded and sealed off two monasteries in Tibet after monks began to celebrate the Dalai Lama's honor of receiving the United States Congressional Gold Medal. At least 100 monks are reported to be held inside the Drepung monastery and its not known if any have been injured or arrested. Earlier, at least 3,000 police surrounded the Zhaibung Monastery.

The pilgrimage to the Turkish occupied Armenian Monastery of Sourp Magar, organised by the Armenian MP Vartkes Mahdessian's office and The Armenian Prelature of Cyprus took place last Sunday 6th of May, 2007 with the participation of more than 200 community members - most of whom were visiting the Armenian Monastery for the first time in 33 years.