In the southern part of the Sinai Peninsula, near the city of Santa Katarina, at an altitude of 1570 m, is the monastery of St. Catherine of Alexandria, which is one of the oldest in the Christian world. From the day it was founded, monastic service was not interrupted in it, the beginning of which was laid in the VI century by the command of Emperor Justinian 1. Since then, the majority of its inhabitants are Orthodox Greeks. According to established tradition, the abbot of the monastery is the current head of the Sinai Orthodox Church. Below is a map showing its geographical location.
Holy Mountain Community
In the III century, among the Christian monks, a tendency appeared to settle in Sinai (Egypt) near the place where, according to the Bible, the prophet Moses spoke to God, who appeared to him in the Burning Bush - engulfed in fire, but not burning bush. These were hermits who used natural caves formed on the mountain slopes as housing.
In the first third of the 4th century, they turned to the mother of Emperor Constantine the Great - Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Helena - with a request to help them build a church dedicated to the Most Holy Theotokos, and at the same time a small fortification to protect them from raids by nomads. Their request was met with lively participation, and thanks to the allocated funds, by the end of the century a monastic community already existed on the sacred mountain, which was fully formed and had everything necessary for both spiritual and earthly life. Her material well-being was supported by a large number of pilgrims flocking there from different countries, but mainly from Byzantium.
The Good Deed of Emperor Justinian
The foundation of the monastery of St. Catherine in the Sinai, in the form in which he survived the centuries and has survived to this day, is associated with the name of the Byzantine emperor Justinian the Great (482-565). Being a deeply pious and pious man, he considered it his duty to do everything possible to transform the religious community in Sinai into a monastery and to protect its inhabitants from constant threats from the half-wild and extremely aggressive nomads.
To this end, Justinian 1 ordered to surround the previously erected buildings with a powerful fortress wall and, to be faithful, contain a combat-ready military garrison in them. We note in passing that the monastery received its present name only in the XI century, when the veneration of St. Catherine of Alexandria spread throughout the Christian world. At first it was called the Transfiguration Monastery, and somewhat later - the Burning Dome.
7th century Arab invasion
Over the following centuries, the monks did not spare funds for the maintenance of these walls in due order, thanks to which they were repeatedly saved from the invasion of robbers. However, even these powerful fortifications could not protect them from the hordes of Arab conquerors who invaded the Sinai Peninsula in 625. To preserve faith, and indeed their own lives, the monks had to look for diplomatic ways to communicate with the invaders.
They sent a delegation to Medina, a city now owned by Saudi Arabia, where at that time was the residence of the greatest religious and political leader of Islam - the Prophet Muhammad. Having received an audience and secured his support, the envoys returned back with a letter of protection - a firman, according to which the monks were not only guaranteed personal security, but also provided tax benefits. This document is now stored in Istanbul, where it was taken from the monastery of St. Catherine in Sinai in 1517.
Mosque erected in a Christian monastery
Despite the privileges received, the life of the monks at that time depended entirely on the will of the conquerors who sought to spread Islam throughout Egypt. In particular, they were compelled to meekly agree with the demand of the invaders to erect a mosque on the territory of the Christian monastery, and to ensure free access for all pilgrims to it. Not wanting to put up with such sacrilege, many monks left the monastery, which is why by the beginning of the 9th century their number was reduced to 30 people.
Crusade Period
In the history of the monastery of St. Catherine in the Sinai there were also periods of prosperity. One of them, which lasted almost 170 years, was the result of the Crusades (1099-1270). Having expelled the Arab conquerors, the crusaders took over the protection of the paths along which European pilgrims went to Sinai, the number of which increased from year to year. This ensured an influx of funds into the monastery treasury and greatly improved the living conditions of the monks themselves.
Years of Turkish rule
This continued until 1517, when the Sinai, like the rest of Egypt, was captured by the Ottoman conquerors. The influx of pilgrims then sharply decreased, but otherwise the life of the monastery did not undergo significant changes. As once the Arabs, and the current owners of the peninsula - the Turks, did not interfere in its internal affairs, and even left inviolable the status of archbishop, who was both the abbot of the monastery and the head of the entire Sinai Orthodox Church. The tradition of combining these two high posts has been preserved to this day.
Despite the material difficulties caused by the peculiarities of the political situation, the brothers of the monastery of St. Catherine in the Sinai launched a wide educational activity among the inhabitants of Egypt and neighboring countries. So, on the Mediterranean island of Crete, they opened a Christian religious school, which received worldwide fame due to the fact that among its graduates were many famous Greek theologians. In addition, the monks conducted active missionary work, within the framework of which they established courtyards in Egypt, Turkey, Palestine, Romania, India and Russia.
Embassy of the Sinai monks in Moscow
The history of relations between the brethren of the monastery of St. Catherine in Sinai and Russia began with the fact that in 1375 their embassy, headed by Metropolitan Makarii, arrived in Moscow to collect donations. Having received the desired and returning home, the monks sent to Russia the icon of the “Burning Cup”, which was placed with great solemnity in the Annunciation Cathedral of the Kremlin.
Further exchange of signs of attention and mutual disposition continued during the reign of Ivan the Terrible, who sent his embassy to the eastern patriarchs and the Sinai Monastery and donated a gold-cloth cover that adorned the cancer with the relics of the Holy Great Martyr Catherine. In a cover letter, the emperor asked honest monks to earnestly pray to the Lord for the sending of grace to him and to the entire Russian people.
Under the auspices of the Romanov dynasty
The next visit of the Sinai bishops to Moscow took place during the reign of the first Tsar from the House of Romanov - Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich. In 1619, the numerous embassy of the Jerusalem patriarch Theophanes came to him, which included the abbot of the Sinai monastery. Distinguished guests and members of the royal family took part in a solemn prayer service at the crayfish of St. Sergius of Radonezh, after which donations from all Russian rulers began to regularly come to the monastery of St. Catherine.
In 1687, the longest visit of Sinai guests to Moscow began. Arriving in connection with the campaign initiated by their rector Archbishop Ananius to transfer the monastery under the patronage of the Russian Empire, they left our country only two years later, taking with them a royal letter and many valuable gifts. Peter I, his brother John V and Princess Sophia promised the Sinai monks comprehensive financial and political support. This promise was kept by all subsequent rulers.
The current state of the monastery of St. Catherine in the Sinai
How are things today? Nowadays, the monastery, which has been counting for almost 17 centuries of its history, is the spiritual and administrative center of the Sinai Orthodox Church, the head of which, by tradition, is its rector. It is curious to note that the management of the monastery is based on the principle of true democracy.
To resolve all serious issues, a general meeting of the inhabitants is convened, and its decisions are implemented by a special body - the Council of Fathers, consisting of 4 people. All are elected by secret ballot. We add that in 2002, by decision of UNESCO, the monastery was included in the list of World Heritage Sites.
As in the old days, the shrines of the Sinai Monastery attract many pilgrims who come to the holy mountain from all over the world. For them, daily at the appointed time, access to the cancer with the relics of the Great Martyr Catherine is opened, and after worship, everyone is awarded a commemorative silver ring with the name of the saint.
Today on the relevant information resources you can find many reviews of those who happened to visit the monastery. Many of them write with undisguised excitement about the deep religious feeling that engulfed them in this sacred place for every Christian. There is also a sincere cordiality with which the monks meet the arrivals, and their willingness to give clarifications on all issues of interest.
We inform everyone who wishes to make a trip how to get to the monastery of St. Catherine in the Sinai. As follows from the reviews, it is easiest to use the services of a travel company that organizes trips to the Sinai, or go to the pilgrimage centers created recently at many large monasteries and parishes. Anyone who wants to make an individual trip will first of all have to get to the cities closest to the monastery - Hurghada or Sharm el-Sheikh, and then continue on by bus or taxi.