The Monastery of St. Catherine in Sinai in Egypt is an amazing place where time seems to have stood still. This attraction is worth visiting for both believers and connoisseurs of ancient buildings. Everyone here will find something interesting for themselves. And thanks to the photo and description of the attraction, there will be no question about whether it’s worth going here. The monastery is located at a relatively close distance from the resorts; if you look at the map, this is the southern part of the Sinai Peninsula. Tourists who visit the monastery receive vivid impressions and a lot of interesting information. Even if we describe what the monastery became famous for, it would be a very lengthy article.
Why you should visit the Monastery of St. Catherine in Sinai in Egypt
Many historical and biblical events took place on the Sinai Peninsula, and amazing people live here. It was on Mount Sinai or Mount Moses that God gave the future prophet the Ten Commandments. And it is not surprising that in such places in ancient times a Christian temple was built, which still stands today, receives tourists, and holds services. That is, in Egypt, on the Mount of Moses, or rather at the foot, there is the monastery of St. Catherine, and this is one of the revered holy places in the Christian world.
The ancient monastery is a World Heritage Site and is included in the UNESCO list. It is already many centuries old. And tourists have the opportunity to touch history.
Shrines and other treasures
For more than 1,500 years, the monastery, in fact, has never been plundered, so it stores unique treasures of the highest historical and spiritual value.
The library in the monastery was created only in 1734 under Archbishop Nikifor; before that time, no work on the study of books and manuscripts was carried out.
Library
According to experts, it is second only to the Vatican. More than 5,000 ancient manuscripts in different languages, including Slavic, are stored here. Among the most valuable:
- Gospel of Matthew – 6th century manuscript;
- The Gospel of 717, donated to the monastery by the emperor. Theodosius;
- the oldest Psalter in the Slavic language, dating back to the 11th century.
On July 7, 1975, the monastery’s collection increased further: when the northern wall of the monastery, which had been damaged by a fire, was being repaired, a cell filled with bricks was found, where many ancient manuscripts were located..
Icons
In the museum at the monastery you can see unique icons of the 6th century, the oldest surviving ones. They are written with wax mastic. There are also images created by Byzantine masters.
Christ Pantocrator First half of the 6th century. Essays on history 84 × 45.5 × 1.2 cm Monastery of St. Catherine, Sinai, Egypt
All icons of Jesus Christ with names and photos
Where is St. Catherine's Monastery in Egypt?
The Monastery of St. Catherine in Sinai in Egypt can easily be called the main attraction of the Sinai Peninsula. Of course, it is closer and more convenient to get to it from the resorts of Sharm el-Sheikh, Dahab and others, located on the peninsula. From cities located on the Egyptian mainland, travel takes a long time, and hot weather is unlikely to make the journey comfortable. The exact location of the monastery is the town of El Migla (St. Catherine), after traveling one kilometer from it, tourists will see the walls and will be able to wander around the territory of the monastery.
Under Muslim rule
In the 7th century, Sinai was captured by the Arabs, but never during the many centuries of its existence under the rule of representatives of a different faith was the monastery destroyed or plundered. In 625, the monastery received a charter, personally certified by the Prophet Muhammad, in which the monastery was guaranteed protection of Muslims and tax exemption. The mosque built within the walls of the monastery became a symbol of the prophet’s patronage, the presence of which prevented possible raids.
During the era of the Crusades, in order to protect pilgrims going to venerate the relics of the martyr, the Order of St. Catherine was established. The fame of the Sinai island of Christianity thundered throughout the Christian world. The construction of a Catholic church dates back to this period. A small town grew up around the monastery.
The monastery received considerable help from fellow believer Russia. Beginning with Dmitry Donskoy, to whom the monks turned for help in 1375, Russian rulers provided support to the monastery. In 1559, ambassadors of Ivan the Terrible visited here, and in 1687 the monastery was accepted under the official patronage of Russia.
Until the end of the Russian monarchy, the tsars supported the monastery with money, often from personal funds. But not only Russia helped the monastery. So, during his Egyptian campaign, Napoleon visited here and ordered the restoration of dilapidated buildings.
In 1517, Sinai was conquered by the Turks, but Sultan Selim I confirmed the special status of the community. The monks carried out active cultural and educational activities; schools and monastery farmsteads appeared from Russia to India.
Distance from St. Catherine's Monastery to the resorts of Egypt
To make it more convenient to imagine the path and the time taken along the way, we will indicate the distance from the monastery of St. Catherine on Mount Sinai to famous resorts. So, the beginning of the path is the holy monastery, the end of the path is the resorts listed in the table.
| Resort | Distance to St. Catherine's Monastery |
| Sharm el-Sheikh | 210 km |
| Dahab | 129 km |
| Naama bey | 209 km |
| Sharks Bay | 207 km |
| Nuweiba | 117 km |
From the popular resort of Sharm el-Sheikh to the Monastery of St. Catherine, the distance is covered in about 3 hours. Therefore, it is important to prepare for the trip in advance. It is better to choose light clothing that covers your shoulders and hides your legs. The path is not short, you must have a supply of water with you.
Place of power
Egyptian land is a unique place. Here you can combine acquaintance with amazing sights, ancient culture and excellent active recreation. Thus, the small resort of Dahab once “hooked” me with its energy, tranquility, and tranquility. Everyone wants to come back here! I also returned... Probably, its magic is explained by new discoveries that you can make in yourself, contemplating these mountains, sea, sky...
Having come into contact with the centuries-old history of humanity and the planet itself, an awareness of the frailty of existence comes. One has only to see thousand-year-old fossils raised from the bottom of the ocean on the slopes of the mountain, walk the path of Moses, and touch the holy relics. And acquaintance with the emerald tablets... When the Egyptian land is mentioned in the writings of the people of Atlantis.
And also, Sinai is one of the energy centers of the Earth... but this is a separate topic for discussion
