Saint Catherine's Monastery

Saint Catherine's Monastery is a very special and old Christian monastery in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. It was built between the years 548 and 565 by order of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I. The monastery is located at the foot of Mount Sinai and is the world's oldest Christian monastery that people have lived in continuously.

The monastery is very important because it is said to contain the burning bush that Moses saw. Later, it was named after Catherine of Alexandria, whose relics were kept there. Because of this, many people from many religions visit it as a Christian pilgrimage.

The monastery is controlled by the autonomous Church of Sinai, which is part of the Greek Orthodox Church. In 2002, it became a World Heritage Site because it is important to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Inside the monastery, there is a very old mosque from 1106 AD.

The monastery's library has very rare and old books and artworks, including early Christian icons like the earliest known depiction of Christ Pantocrator. The monastery is also near three important mountains: Willow Peak, Jebel Arrenziyeb, and Mount Sinai, which is traditionally thought to be the biblical Mount Sinai.

Christian traditions

Saint Catherine's Monastery was built around a place believed to be where the burning bush appeared to Moses. The site also includes the "Well of Moses," where Moses is thought to have met his wife, Zipporah. This well still provides water for the monastery today. The area is important to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Long ago, people discovered what they believed to be the remains of Saint Catherine of Alexandria in a cave nearby. Her relics are kept inside the monastery, making it a popular place for travelers to visit. The main celebration at the monastery is called the Feast of the Transfiguration.

History

The oldest record of monastic life at Mount Sinai comes from a travel journal written by a Christian pilgrim named Egeria around 381–386.

The monastery was built by order of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I between 548 and 565. It encloses a chapel said to mark the spot where Moses saw the burning bush. The monastery’s roof structure is the oldest known surviving roof truss in the world.

Throughout history, the monastery attracted visitors from many places. It had monks from Arab, Greek, Syrian, Slavonic, and Georgian origins. Over time, it became mainly linked with the Greek Orthodox Church. The monastery also includes a mosque that was created during the Fatimid Caliphate and is still used today on special occasions.

Manuscripts and icons

Saint Catherine's Monastery has a very old library, recognized as the world's oldest continuously operating library. It holds many important early books and handwritten texts, including Greek, Arabic, and other languages. One famous discovery there is the Codex Sinaiticus, an old copy of the Bible found in the 1800s.

The monastery also has special old books called palimpsests, which were scraped and rewritten over time. Scientists used special imaging to see the original texts again. These discoveries include unknown poems, early Christian stories, and texts in languages that are no longer widely used. The library was renovated and reopened in 2017, making these treasures available for scholars to study.

Stainless Steel Boxing Project

The Saint Catherine Foundation worked with the Ligatus Research Centre at London’s University of the Arts to create special steel boxes for rare manuscripts stored at Saint Catherine’s Monastery on Mount Sinai. These stainless steel boxes protect the manuscripts from harsh desert conditions, natural disasters like earthquakes, and damage from age.

The steel boxes were chosen instead of wooden ones because steel does not let out harmful gases that could ruin the manuscripts. Steel is also better at stopping insects and fire. Each box is made from strong stainless steel and lined with soft foam to keep the manuscripts safe and secure.

Works of art

Saint Catherine's Monastery is home to many important and irreplaceable works of art, including beautiful mosaics and a large collection of early icons. These icons are special because they survived times when icons were being destroyed and the monastery was never attacked. Some of the icons date back to the 5th and 6th centuries and show scenes from the Old Testament.

The monastery also helped develop a special art style during the time of the Crusaders and has the largest collection of icons created in that style, with over 120 pieces. Many of these were made by monks living near the monastery in the 13th century. The monastery has been working on cataloguing these treasures since the 1960s.

Icons

Saint Catherine's Monastery is home to many beautiful and important icons, which are special images used in Christian worship. One of the oldest icons there shows Christ Pantocrator, painted with a technique called encaustic on panel. There are also icons depicting scenes like The Last Judgement and the Ladder of Divine Ascent, as well as images of saints such as Saint Michael the Archangel and Saint George. These icons range from the 6th century to later periods, showcasing the monastery's long history of artistic and religious significance.

Historical images

Here are some famous artists and works that have depicted Saint Catherine's Monastery:

• El Greco (1568)
• Carsten Niebuhr (1762)
• Description de l'Égypte (1809)
• David Roberts (1839), published in The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt, and Nubia
• Ernst Keil (1861)
• Adolf Meckel von Hemsbach (1892)

Panoramic view

A panorama of St Catherine's Monastery shows its impressive architecture and setting at the foot of Mount Sinai. The monastery, built between 548 and 565, is the oldest continuously inhabited Christian monastery in the world.

In literature

The French writer Pierre Loti wrote about the monastery and its treasures in his 1895 book Le désert. He described his journey through the Sinai desert on a camel, sharing his experiences and impressions of this special place.