Ancient Sinai art draws the faithful to the Getty
An exhibit of icons from a 6th century Greek Orthodox monastery turns the Brentwood museum into a holy place as churches organize pilgrimages.
By Larry Gordon, Times Staff Writer
December 30, 2006

For 94 members of St. Paul's Greek Orthodox Church in Irvine, the freeway drive north to Brentwood in morning traffic was the equivalent of a pilgrimage.

They recently traveled in two buses to the Getty Museum and its current exhibition of ancient icons and spiritual artifacts from a monastery in the Sinai, a show that has taken on special meaning for Greek Orthodox and other denominations in Southern California.

More than 60 religious groups, including some from Fresno, Texas and Minnesota, are scheduled to see — and in some cases venerate — the items lent by the Holy Monastery of St. Catherine in Egypt.

Although the Getty remains just a snazzy art museum for other people, it is a holy place for the faithful. They are crossing themselves before the 750-year-old icon of Saint Theodosia and restraining themselves from kissing the plexiglass case holding a 1,500-year-old image of St. Peter the Apostle. the rest