Near Mt. Sinai, at the site where Moses is said to have seen the burning bush and received the Ten Commandments, lies Saint Katherine's Monastery. The monastery claims to be the oldest continually inhabited monastery in the world. Others may also make this claim but a chapel was founded here in 330 AD by the Roman Empress Helena, and the Emperor Justinian had the monastery built in the 6th century to better accommodate an already thriving monastic community. People have been making the pilgrimage here ever since, so the claim can be taken seriously.
The church is one of early Christianity's oldest remaining churches. It gets its name from nearby Gebel Katerina (Mount Katherine). Saint Katherine is an early Christian martyr who died on the wheel for her faith. According to the story - after her death, angels transported her from Alexandria to Mount Katherine where monks found her perfectly preserved body 300 years later. The monastery and surrounding countryside are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Orthodox Wiki (yes there is a wiki for the Greek Orthodox Church) has a great history of the monastery here.
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Various views of the monastery complex. Two rows up is the bell tower. Beyond that is actually a mosque built in the 12th century. You don't see that very often in a Greek Orthodox Christian monastery. Above left: Said to be a direct descendant of THE burning bush. The ancient monastery wall above and below. |
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A beautiful and surprisingly diverse garden leads up to the entrance to the monastery. |
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More views of the monastery interior and the burning bush. Though most indoor sections of the monastery are closed to the public (it is a working monastery after all), the Church of the Transfiguration is open. No photography inside I'm afraid. Very unfortunate since it is a beautiful church. Built on the orders of the emperor, Justinian with the original monastery. Below is the entrance. The Well of Moses below. This natural spring is supposed to bring marital happiness to anyone who drinks from it.. |
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