Saint Catherine’s Monastery lies on the Sinai Peninsula, at the foot of Mount Sinai. It is also known as The Monastery of Transfiguration and it has been called the oldest working Christian monastery and the smallest diocese in the world. St. Catherine’s Monastery was constructed by order of the Emperor Justinian between 527 and 565 AD. St. Catherine’s body was allegedly carried away by angels and found 500 years later at the top of the peak that now bears her name. Emperor Justinian built the monastery to protect the monks in the region and to honor what is said to be the site of the Burning Bush. The monastery is also dedicated to Moses and Elias, both holy prophets who came to the mountain to speak with Christ. It has now been designated an UNESCO world heritage site.
Architectural Design
Mount Saint Catherine is situated at an altitude of 4854 feet in a very deep and narrow rocky valley. It is at the highest point in the Sinai Peninsula, standing 2,637 meters in height. The walls are made of granite and they measure 8 to 35 meters tall. The inside is equally impressive with its narrow passages and steep staircases leading to different levels on each floor.
Harmony with Nature
Saint Catherine’s Monastery is in a located in the desert and a region of the wilderness made up of granite rock and rugged mountains. Gardens and beautiful cypress trees surrounds it.
Symbolism and Sacred Objects
She was severely tortured for her Christian faith and eventually put to death by Emperor Maximus. She tried to convert the Emperor from Paganism to Christianity. He decided to execute her. He had blades attached to four wooden wheels, which were set on 2 axes rotating in opposite directions. She was strapped to it, but was not harmed. The Emperor became angry and decided to have her beheaded. The church of St. Catherine in Alexandria stands on the spot where she was martyred. Inside the church is a marble block to which she was strapped. It is said that her body was carried away by angels and placed on the top of a peak that now bears her name. Another Sacred Object is The Burning Bush; this bush is where God revealed himself to Moses. God manifested himself in visible form; this is significance to all Christian in the world. It is sacred to three major world religions - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Saint Catherine’s has been a center of Christian worship and thought for over 1600 years, containing one of the worlds most ancient and important libraries. Its 2000 manuscripts in Greek, 700 in Arabic, 300 in Syriac, 100 in Georgian and Armenian, 40 in Slavonic and 1 Latin recall sixteen centuries of Christianity.
How is it used by Worshippers?
The monks hold their public worship at the Chapel of the Burning Bush every Saturday. Anyone entering must remove their shoes as it’s written in the bible: “put off thy shoes from off thy feet for the place whereon thou standst is holy ground…” (Exodus 3:5) Pilgrims have traveled there for thousands of years to worship. It takes about 3 hours to climb to the top of the peek following the Path of Moses. There are nearly 4000 steps, but this does not deter worshipper from all over the world. Christians has come here for over 2000 years to worship.
Sources
http://www.sinaimonastery.com/
http://www.touregypt.net/Catherines.htm
http://www.umich.edu/~kelseydb/Excavation/St_Catherine.html
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