Saint Catherine’s Monastery
People often think that the Greek Orthodox monastery of St. Catherine on the slopes of Mount Sinai is the oldest Christian monastery in the world that has always had people living there. The monastery has stood the test of time since it was built in 400 AD.
It is said that Emperor Justinian built this temple in 527 AD on the spot where Moses met the Burning Bush. It was built in 337 to replace a church that Empress Helena had ordered to be built there earlier.
In the ninth or tenth century, when monks said they had found all of Saint Catherine’s bones on a nearby mountain, the monastery was renamed Saint Catherine and given its current name. Today, people in the area call the top of the mountain Saint Catherine Mountain.
Saint Catherine’s Monastery Features
Icon Collection.
The monastery has more than 2,000 icons, and this one is of Saint Peter. Some of them are on display at the Basilica in a cabinet.
Library.
People often think that the collection of rare early Christian writings is one of the most important things in history.
Basilica of the Transfiguration.
It was named after a beautiful mosaic from the sixth century that shows the Transfiguration. This mosaic is now in the apse of this beautiful church. The mosaic is from the 17th century, but it is hard to see because it is covered by a gilded screen.
The Burning Bush.
This evergreen tree was put there to mark the spot where the Israelites first set foot in the Land of Promise. It is said to have come from the same bush where God spoke to Moses. The bush grew in the desert of Sinai.
Bell Tower.
The bell tower was built in 1871, and Tsar Alexander II of Russia gave it nine bells as a gift. They are only rung at special events, like religious ceremonies.
Monastery Gardens.
Inside the orchard, you can find both the charnel house and the cemetery. Sometimes, the skeletons of monks who have died are dug up and moved from the cemetery to the charnel house.
Well of Moses.
Jethro’s daughter Zipporah is said to have met Moses for the first time inside the monastery’s outer wall. Since this is where the main water source for the monastery is, it seems likely that Moses would have met her here first.
