It was also a time after the Arab-Israeli War in which the Sinai was locked amid a struggle between Egypt and Israel. At times instead of Arabic, regional government officials were speaking Hebrew. "One thing was, I was able to drive a vehicle," he said, which made him the monk who would leave to run errands, putting himself amid the military tension. "I would think of St. John and think, 'What do you have to be afraid of?' You shouldn't fear death, we should fear sin," Makarios said.

A lot of his time was spent in prayer for others and for peace. Being inside a monastery also means taking oneself out of the events of the world. Because the monastery is a steep, 3-mile hike up the mountain, visitors have historically been few, except for pilgrims and occasional tourists. The monks also worked with local orphanages and hospitals run by the church.

One popular story from the monastery, Makarios said, is when World War II came to an end. "Visitors came and told the monks that the war was over, and the monks said, 'What war?' "

Starved for news, Makarios admits some monks would try to talk tourists into giving up newspapers and magazines. "I recall a visitor came with a Time magazine in his back pocket and this monk from Utah was starved for news." After some sweet-talking, the man reluctantly gave up his magazine to Makarios.

Yet within a five-year period, this monastery, which existed with no electricity or refrigerator for food, soon could no longer keep the outside world out. Most Orthodox monasteries are now wired for the Internet and have electricity. At St. Catherine's tourists became more common.

This didn't seem to be a huge problem until word got out that the Egyptian government had kept tight wraps on a plan to build a tram to the top of Mount Sinai, considered one of the holiest sites for Christians and Jews.

"Monks do leave monasteries, but for specific reasons," Makarios said, leaning back in his chair, counting on his fingers. "If you're ill, if you're dead, or if there is an issue of heresy."

Makarios said he likes to think he fell on his sword for his order. He said he felt the Egyptian government's plan for a tourist tram was about to defile one of the holiest sites in Christianity. Makarios decided to leak the news outside Egypt, which sparked an outcry of protest against the plan around the world. Soon, Egyptian agents showed up at the monastery, threatening to make things difficult for the monks unless Makarios not only left the walls of the monastery, but left the country as well.

"The abbot ordered me to leave out of the best interest of the monastery and my personal best interest," he said.

That was in 1990. Since then, Makarios has been back for visits but still is not allowed by the government to come back permanently.