St Catherine’s Monastery - Overview
There were at least one hundred people gathered in front of the St. Catherine’s Monastery
all waiting to enter the oldest Christian monastery in the world. Located at the foot of
Mount Sinai, this monastery remains sacred to the three monotheistic religions of the
world, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, making it an important site for pilgrims. The
monastery’s history is traced to St. Helena, who recognized the sacredness of this
location and therefore ordered the construction of a small chapel on the site of the
Burning Bush. It is believed that it is through the Burning Bush that God spoke to Moses
and informed him of his divine calling. It was not until the sixth century, however, that
Emperor Justinian I (527-565 BC) ordered the St. Catherine Monastery to be built at this
site. Encompassing St. Helena’s earlier constructions, the Monastery was built to provide
a spacious church and cells for the monks with the intention of protecting the monks of
this area. Over the years, several constructions have taken place within the Monastery’s
wall, including a number of chapels, a mosque and a library.
Initially, I expected the entire monastery to be open to the public; however this is not the
case. The areas open to the public include the Church of the Transfiguration, the site of
the Burning Bush and Moses’ Well. From 9 a.m. to noon, Mondays to Thursdays, and
Saturdays, pilgrims and visitors from all over the world enter the monastery’s narrow
door to absorb the rich history of this sacred site. These regulations have been put in
place because after all, this is a functioning monastery. I had the opportunity to learn the
significance of the three main areas mentioned above. Upon entering the monastery, I
found myself standing in front of Moses’ Well. According to tradition, it is at this well
where Moses met Jethro’s daughters, the oldest of whom later became his wife. I was
informed that along with this well, there are two other wells, which altogether, provide
water for the monastery. Of the most visited parts of the monastery, I believe, is the site
of the Burning Bush. Although it is believed that the original burning bush is now dead,
the present bush is claimed to be its descendents and can be viewed by all. This site is
protected by a wall, with branches of the bush protruding from the top. Standing close to
the wall, I saw small pieces of folded paper placed between the many bricks. I was told
by one of the guides that these notes are wishes and prayers left by people who come to
see what is left of the Burning Bush. Following the footsteps of others, I wrote my prayer
and placed it amongst the rest.
After spending time in the Church of the Transfiguration, I realized that this is more than
a church; it is a museum filled with icons and artifacts from as early as the 6th century.
Looking around, I saw many decorative lamps hanging from the ceiling. The walls of this
church are filled with icons and paintings depicting scenes from the Old and the New
Testament, many of which focus on Jesus Christ. The church is well sealed by its doors,
one built in the Fatimad period (11th-12th century) and the other, a Justinian door from the
6th century. I observed as a monk led a small congregation into prayer by reading from
the Holy Bible in the Greek language. At the end of the prayer, it was fascinating to see
the worshippers pay their respect to some of the remains of St. Catherine’s body, which
are sheltered in a box and kept inside this church. I learnt that the monastery also contains
other chapels, including the St. John’s Chapel, St. Anthony’s Chapel and the Chapel of
the Burning Bush, the Library Icon Gallery, a Fatimid Mosque and a Monks’ quarters for
the monks of Sinai. I was surprised to learn that the library of St Catherine’s Monastery
contains the second largest collection of early codices and manuscripts in the world,
following the Vatican.
As I walked around the monastery, I noticed that this monastery is visited by people from
all walks of life. I saw groups of people of different ages, many of which were speaking a
variety of languages, including Arabic, English, French, Russian and German. The
groups varied in size and they were often led through parts of the monastery by guides. I
observed the guides closely and overheard them leading their groups in the respective
language of the group members. When I was speaking to some of the visitors, I learnt that
many of them had come here simply as tourists. I met a group of young university
students from England who told me that visiting the monastery was part of their tour of
Egypt. It was clear to me that the great significance of this monastery is well understood.
Tamer Nadi, a 24-year-old guide of the Church of Transfiguration told me that he is
certain that this monastery is the number one in international monasteries. According to
him, St. Catherine’s Monastery retains its significance to all Christians because of its
holy location and its relationship to Moses. Because Moses was here, he told me,
everyone wants to come here. I left the monastery with a great sense of appreciation,
respect and gratitude for a monastery that seems to have preserved much of its original
state. With the holy ring that I received from one of the monks on my hand, the
significance and richness of this Monastery shall forever remain with me.
Link to:
-St Catherine’s Monastery - Overview
Multi Media:
-Video Interview with Tamer Nadi
-Pictures of Monastery: Burning Bush/Moses Well/Church of the Transfiguration –
Interior/Exterior/Overview shots