The Monastery of Saint Catherine

Monasticism

Since the early Christian Period , South Sinai was of a great attraction for the Christian monks . The Monasticism was as an escape from the Roman violence spread in the 4^th century A.D. Especially in Firan Valley , El Tur , and Mount Moses, those who have fled the roman persecutions have taken shelter in various area in Egypt , particularly those area where near water sources.

Who is saint Catherine ?

She lived in Alexandria during the persecution of Christians at the reign of Maximinus 305-313 A.D . and She converted to Christianity thus the Roman tortured her severely and finally she was beheaded in 307 A.

Five centuries later a monk saw a vision in which her body was carried by angles an gently placed on top of a peak of the highest mountain in Sinai,

Therefore the monks carried her relics to the church of transfiguration which was named beside the monastery formerly called the virgin. and ever since the name of the monastery was changed into saint Catherine

The Monastery

In 342 A.D The Empress Helena mother of Constantine the Great built a monastery including the chapel known as the Virgin Mary at the burning Bush site where it is believed that Moses received the two tablets. In the 6^th century AD the Emperor Justinian ordered the building of the church known today as the church of Transfiguration, both the church and the monastery were later named for Saint Catherine. Also Justinian ordered the building of a high enclosure wall with towers to protect the monastery, and it is said that he provided it with 200 roman soldiers to protect it against the attacks of the Bedouins.

The monastery lies at the foot of Moses mountain where the beauty of nature and climate and the fresh well water. To its west is El Raha Valley. It was built on a high location about 1570 feet above the level of the sea.

The most important Elements of the Monastery

1-The Enclosure wall and the Gate.

2-the Great Church

3-The Burning Bush Chapel

4-The Fatimid Mosque

5-The Library

6- the Wells

7- The oil press

8-The Garden

9-the Monks Cells

10-the Guests dwellings

11-The two Mills

12-The Grain stores

The Enclosure wall

This monastery is similar to the fortresses of the middle ages and it is provided with an enclosure wall of granite stones including towers at its corners and surrounded inner buildings .The height of the wall is from 12 to 15 m. while its sides measure 117 ,80 ,77,76 m .

The original Gate

The original gate is actually located at the western side, but it is now blocked ,and to its left is the gate which is used at present, this actual gate was made in 1801.

2- The Main Church (The Great Church )

It was built at the Northern side of the monastery. It takes the shape of a basilica. and it consists of a central nave and two aisles that lead to small chapels. The central nave ends with the altar at its eastern side and the aisles end with 2 rooms. Near to the Altar to the right there is a reliquary of marble which contains the relics of St. Catherine. The abs is covered by wonderful Byzantine mosaic The visitors to this church must take off their shoes outside before they enter, imitating Moses when he approached this holly place.

*The monastery contains about 2000 icons which is considered as one of the most important collections of icons in the world. Some of them date back to the 5^th century and the 8^th century. you can see some of them hanged on the walls of the vestibule which leads to the entrance of the main church.

3- The Mosque

It was built during the caliphate of Al- Amer Be Ahkam Allah in 500 A.H ( 1106 A.D). to be a resting place for the pilgrims who pass by the monastery in their way to mekka It is situated to the Southwest of the main church .It is a small mosque and rectangular in shape .It measures 11m in length and 7 m in width ,its walls are built of granite mortared with loam clay, and it covered from inside and out side by loam clay plaster. The mosque consists of 3 Riwaqs , the middle one is the biggest . It has a main Mihrab flanked by 2 others. The floor of the mosque is covered with hip tiles , but not the original. The roof is covered with wood and reed , tiled with hip tiles. This roof stands on circular arches supported on 2 piers .

The minaret is 12 m. in height , it ends with a balcony projecting 50 cm. and it bears a semi-ball shaped dome at the top.

The Minbar (pulpit) is mad of cedar wood decorated with floral decorations of a Fatimid style .This Minbar is one of 3 famous others Minbars of the Fatimid style.

The mosque contained 2 silver candlesticks, still preserved in good condition .There is a chair on which 4 lines of inscription were written in Floral Kufic mentioned that the mosque was built The prince Anoshteken Al Amer in the period of the caliph Al Amer Be Ahkam Allah in ( 500 A.H , 1106 A.D)

4- The Library

The monastery contains One of the most important religious libraries in the world since it contains a great number of very rare and old manuscripts. This library has a large number of decrees of the Caliphs and the rulers. in recent years it had received great attention by many scholars, as most of the manuscripts had been microfilmed by Alexandria University and the Congress Library in Washington.

5- The wells

There are many wells inside the monastery , the most important are the well of Moses , north the main church. The Burning Bush well, and Saint Stephan 's well south the Main church.

6- The Oil Press

It situated below the mosque , below its courtyard. It is for squeezing Olives to extract oil. Its ceiling is roofed by wooden beams and reed ties resting on granite arches. The floor of the yard is provided with lanterns to lighten the oil press.

7-The Garden

In the front of the monastery there is a garden including a cemetery for the monks in the middle, and a skull house beside it , the monks used to bury their dead and leave the bodies for a certain period , then they collect their bones and deposit them in that skull house .

8- The Guests dwellings ( or the guest house)

Inside the enclosure wall there is a small building which was constructed in 1863 during the reign of Khedive Ishmael. It is dedicated for the monastery visitors and guests.

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The most important Elements of the Monastery

*The monastery contains about 2000 icons which is considered as one of the most important collections of icons in the world. Some of them date back to the 5th century and the 8th century. you can see some of them hanged on the walls of the vestibule which leads to the entrance of the main church.

*The monastery contains about 2000 icons which is considered as one of the most important collections of icons in the world. Some of them date back to the 5^th century and the 8^th century. you can see some of them hanged on the walls of the vestibule which leads to the entrance of the main church.