Dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the monastery of Saint Samuel the Confessor is found in Mount Qalamoun, in the Upper Egyptian governorate of Al Minya, in the region of the Fayoum Oasis; the first monk to come to southern Africa from the Saint Samuel’s Monastery, was priest, Father Abd el Messeh el Samuely who arrived in Johannesburg in March 2005. He came with more than 20 years monastic learning and nearly three years African experience in east Africa, predominantly Kenya (2000-2002).