Saint Catherine Monastery at Mount Sinai by Caitlin Hall

The Saint Catherine Monastery is a very sacred place located on the Sinai Peninsula. This religious sight is well known for many different reasons. The sight of the monastery has religious significance for many different religions. The Chapel at the monastery is built around the sight of the Burning Bush where Moses spoke to Jesus, and at the bottom of Mount Sinai where it is believed Moses received the tablets with the Ten Commandments. The Chapel of the Burning Bush was built by St. Helena in the early 4^th century. Then, around 527, the byzantine emperor Justinian built the great walls around the chapel. Then around 560 the workers of Justinian built the Church of the Transfiguration. The Monastery was originally known as the Monastery of the Transfiguration but was renamed after St. Catherine of Alexandria.

The architecture of the monastery is different according to whom each part was built by. The great walls surrounding the chapel are made of Granite blocks. Inscribed into these walls are different crosses and monograms to symbolize the worshipper’s beliefs. The Church of the Transfiguration is the main church at the monastery, the churches structures are all originals from when it was first built in 527. The monastery has many other parts to it such as, monk’s cells, a bell-tower, a garden and cemetery. The library in the monastery has many manuscripts and early codices with numbers only less than those of the Vatican Library. The library also has a collection of icons of Christ, Mary and many of the saints displayed in a special gallery. These icons are a great example of scared objects that can be found in the Monastery. The monastery makes up the whole Orthodox Church of Mount Sinai.

The monastery is built right into the Sinai Peninsula and is focused around the sight of the burning bush. There is still a bush that is believed to be a descendant of the original bush seen by Moses. This bush is probably one of the most sacred objects at the Monastery. Inside the chapels, there are many mosaics, paintings and other artworks representing Christ, the Virgin Mary and many saints. The Ark of Christian art is also a big symbol of faith that can be found in the monastery.

Worshippers have seen the sight of the Monastery as very sacred. It has high importance to Christians, Muslims and Jewish followers. The fathers still respect the site as an Ark of Faith and protect it with self-sacrifice. Other people who come to the Monastery in search of guidance and spiritual help bring gifts. The Monks of the monastery also, have kept up a dedication to prayer in the monastery. The Bedouin people who inhabit the area around the monastery see it as their “Great Protector”. It is a highly revered religious sight and in 2002 was deemed a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The religious significance of the sight, to so many different religions, makes it a very well-known and well respected site. To visit the Monastery, most enter through Cairo and have to take a bus or drive the rest of the way to the Monastery.

Sources:

1. Hayes, Holly. "St. Catherine's Monastery". Sacred Destinations. April 4, 2010 .

2. "The Holy Monastery of the Mount Sanai". April 4, 2010 .