Two Orthodox monks publish a punk-style zine in the USA

Moscow, November 6, 2009 (Interfax) - Two monks for the St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood monastery in Platina, California, publish a punk zine Death to the World.

"These kids (punks - IF) are sick of themselves. They feel out of place in this world. We try to open up to them the beauty of God's creation and invite them to put to death 'the passions,' which is what we mean by 'the world,' Father Damascene (Christensen).

He publishes the zine together with Father John, previously a punker himself. Their monastery under protection of the Serbian Orthodox Church was established by a well-known Orthodox theologian and ascetic hieromonk Seraphim (Rose), Miloserdie.ru reports.

"We talk about the idea of suffering because that is what the kids feel most strongly. We show that there can be meaning in suffering," Father Damascene says.

The first issue was published in December 1994. Its front cover shows an elderly monk wearing glasses and holding a skull. The upper caption reads "Death to the World: The Last True Rebellion", and the back cover shows the caption: "They hated me without a cause".