St. Simon's Monastery A Polish sculptor, Mariusz, decorated the site with sculptures and bas-reliefs inspired by religious themes. had no experience in sculpting. But he bought an electric drill and chisel hammer and within days had finished his first sculpture. It was all done to fulfil the wishes of the monastery's parish priest who met Mario in the early 1990s in Cairo. The Polish artist, who had arrived in Egypt earlier on an educational mission, was then looking for an opportunity to serve God at the monastery.