The order, whose 55 members have been described as a "feisty crowd", are believed to have run up the debt after splashing out on six industrial knitting machines to produce woollens that became highly popular with the local community around their convent, close to the Greek-Bulgarian border. They apparently sold products to some 25 chains around Greece. Store owners complained that the nuns had also run off with a substantial amount in pocketed deposits. Apparently they removed their equipment a few days before they disappeared.
Greece's authoritative Kathimerini newspaper reported that the knitting business began to unravel when the nuns accrued massive debts after attending foreign fashion shows in a bid to keep up with the latest designs in woollen garments. They are then believed to have mortgaged the monastery of Kyrikos and Ioulittis to the hilt to pay off the debt.
The full story is here. I must admit to snickering when I think of the nuns sitting by the runways of Milan, taking notes on fashion trends. (Do you think they were at Pitti Filati?)
Haaaa, as a Catholic school survivor, I have to say this was a great way to start the morning. I hope these are the types of nuns who wear traditional robes and not the covert nuns in street clothing!
ReplyDeleteFor shame, sisters, for SHAME!! :-)
ReplyDeleteActually the nunly fashion obsession is not that surprising to me. My aunt was shrouded in black habits for 30 years until Vatican II gave her some options. After that, she was the snappiest dresser in the family. She is now in her 90s, frail and in the convent nursing home, but still dresses great every day. She doesn't knit, though, so is above suspicion in these Greek hijinks. :-)
I will definitely have to pass this along to my Greek Father-in-Law, who also happens to be a priest! Very funny!
ReplyDeleteToo funny!
ReplyDeleteThis the kind of story that makes me glad to be alive. Knitting nuns on the lam (lamb of God, that is, har har). It doesn't get much better than that.
ReplyDelete"knitting business began to unravel"...this one the funnier knitting-related stories I've ever read! thanks, Carol.
ReplyDeleteOh, don't you just love those fashion-funny Italians?
ReplyDeletePitti Filati just cracks me up.
This gem of an idea is from their website:
"The five themes and color groups are: Grey Erotic, Frozen Pastels, Sun Dried, Ultra Violent, Tropical Trash"
one OF the
ReplyDeleteYou know, I think I went to high school with Tropical Trash.
ReplyDeleteWish it had been fathers, not sisters. Then I could have used my Felonious Monks pun. Damn.
ReplyDeleteI definitely empathize with those ladies. Run up huge debts over knitting? yep, that would be me. If I could get any body to lend me the money, that is...
ReplyDeleteThat is quite funny. Yes, lovely image of them sitting at Milan runways taking notes.
ReplyDelete