St. Katherinels is an ancient sacred site, a place of devotion and pilgrimage. There is a small village called St. Katherine that is located between the mountains.
There is the Greek Orthodox Monastery located right at the foot of Mount Sinai right by the village of St. Katherine. The Monastery was founded in 530 by Emperor Justinian.
It is considered a holy place of great significance for Christians, Jewish and Moslems. Mount Sinai is a holy mountain of revelation, a place of spiritual wealth.
St. Catherine is the Patron Saint of the Holy Monastery of Sinai
She was born in Alexandria and came from Aristocracy. She decided not to marry and took Christianity as her faith and love. She was a brilliant lady and she was able to convert many people to Christianity. She was beheaded for her faith but her body is at the Monastery and it is said to be the center of many miracles and blessings to this day.
The monastery is still protected by fortified walls that kept it safe and preserved.
According to the bible, God appeared to Moses in the Burning Bush. In the bible, the story of the “Burning Bush” describes a supernatural phenomenon. The Burning Bush was a sacred site where the Bush was in flames but it was never consumed. An angel of God appeared to Moses in Mt. Sinai in the form of a flame in the bush and called Moses by his name, the angel asked him to take the Israelites into safety because they were being oppressed by the Egyptians.
According to the scriptures, God gave Moses here the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5). It is a fascinating place of spiritual significance to Christians, Moslems, and Jewish alike.
There was a chapel built over burning Bush’s roots by Empress Helena for the Hermits (who lived a monastic life) and in honor of the place. Helena was the mother of Emperor Constantine, she used to go on pilgrimages to search for holy sites and relics of the Christian faith. At the same site, around 330 A.D., the current Monastery of St. Katherine’s was built which is the oldest functioning monastery in the world. The Christian Orthodox Monastery has never been destroyed and it is a UNESCO heritage site.
DID YOU KNOW?? The vertical post that supports a beam inside the monastery is the oldest roof thrust in the world!!!
The monastery has always had a library and is still active today. Since the monastery was somehow hidden and protected, it was able to collect and protect plenty of incredible documents. The library has the second largest collection of manuscripts and codices in the entire world!
For the ones who have been there, the whole place truly has a different vibe that is really hard to explain. Incredibly truly a worth place to visit. I was not able to stay at the Guesthouse because it was closed due to Covid for a long time. I am hoping to be able to stay there, what an experience!
The Monastery had the oldest manuscript of the BIble however, it was sold and then the Tzar of Russia sold it to the British, and unfortunately now is in the British Museum instead of where it originated and where it belongs…..SAD!!!! The library has such an incredible collection that even researchers found the oldest-known recipe attributed to Hippocrates, the Greek physician!!! MIND-BLOWING FOR US NERDY BEINGS!
Hiking and trekking Mount Moses is a favorite activity, many people around the world come here to do it. Many people hike as a sport, for religious reasons, and/or as a tribute. There are several trails to hike in the area.
Mt Sinai, also called Mt Moses is a sacred place, it is believed by many to be an energy center where many go to meditate and ask for blessings throughout the years.
Outside the Monastery, Bedouin sells crystals, bags, and ornaments. These crystals are wanted by many because they are taken from the Mount and from the area.
