St. Catherine's Monastery
Among the Sinai Peninsula, which connects Africa with Asia, there is an interesting tourist site, which is known as the Monastery of St. Catherine. It was erected during the reign of Emperor Justinian somewhere in the period from 537 to 565. In order to protect the territory from the constant raids of nomads, over time the monastery was transformed into a powerful fortress building.
After Islam was accepted in Egypt, a mosque was built at the monastery, which prevented from destruction and ruin. During the time of the monastery’s existence, it has never been possible to capture or simply damage it. For many centuries, the monastery of St. Catherine served as the main place of pilgrimage, the Russian people. It is in it that there are many ancient Russian icons, valuable books, as well as various objects of church destiny.
The real name of St. Catherine is Dorothea, who was born in 294. This beautiful girl has been beautiful since childhood, and was also very educated. Once she recognized the history of Jesus Christ from the lips of a Syrian monk, after which she accepted martyrdom. After her death, for a long time the body could not be found, and only after three centuries, with the help of a vision to one of the monks, the remains of Catherine were discovered among Mount Sinai. They were placed in church, and the mountain itself began to be called in the name of St. Catherine. Soon, European residents from the crusaders learned about the difficult death, who began to honor it as a saint.
Among the complex of sacred structures, a basilica stands out, which began to be built back in 542. The darkest part of the church is the Chapel of the Indescribable Pointe, which St. Helena ordered to build.
The species of the church has been preserved since the time of Justinian, which is represented by chic columns, as well as roofs and inscriptions. The oldest icons that are located in the basilica date back to the 6th century. There is an unusual image of Jesus Christ, which is made from the mosaic. This mosaic belongs to the earliest and is one of the best such works of that time.
Usually, without shoes, pilgrims visit the Chapel of the inopalimy dome, which is located at the altar of the main church. On the territory of the monastery of St. Catherine there is a unique gallery, the exhibits of which are ancient icons. Some of them date back to the 6th century and have been written in wax paints. The value of this collection can only yield to the Vatican meeting.
It is possible to get to the monastery every day, but from 9 to 12 hours. Given the fact that the monastery itself is located at an altitude of 1570 meters, there is no particular heat there, but in winter it is cooler. To visit him, you need to wear modest clothes, and women are required to cover their heads. But for those who came here in inappropriate clothes, special long shirts are hung on the hanger at the entrance.
The resort town of St. Catherine is located very close to the monastery, the main activity of its inhabitants is the service of foreign travelers. Here you can sit in a cozy hotel, taste a local restaurant, as well as purchase a souvenir.
