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St.
Catherine |
| Mt.
Saint Catherine is the highest mountain of
the entire Sinai Peninsula reaching a height
of about 2, 800 meters above sea level. An
ascent, made easily by camel, donkey,
or horseback, takes you to the peak. A small
path running along the edge of the ravines
was made by one of the monks of the
monastery of St. Catherine. Walking
up the mountain is a
tiresome 5 to 6 hour trek. At
the base of the mountain
is a monastery dedicated to St. Catherine.
Two rooms near the monastery serve as a
shelter for those wishing to
spend the night.
There is also a
hotel now built to
accommodate the increasing influx of
tourists. According to the legend, St.
Catherine's body was carried
from Alexandria by angels. Monks found her
body on this summit and then carried it down
the mountain to the monastery that bears her
name. |
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The
Monastery of Saint Catherine has been in
existence in the depths of the
Sinai desert ince the sixth
century. The Byzantine church has been
preserved here since its
construction in 542 A.D. The church's
history begins in biblical
times when Moses fled from the
Egyptian mainland. He came
upon the seven daughters
of Jethro who were tending their herd
near a well, later named the
Moses Well. Moses Well can still be seen
near the monastery's church. He
married one of the daughters and lived
there for forty
years until the occurrence
of the Miracle of the Burning
Bush whereupon he was ordered by God
to bring the Children of Israel to Mt. Horeb,
known today as Mt. Moses. |
| Christians
came later fleeing
the persecution of
Rome, in search of tranquility.
Monasticism spread
through Sinai. In
the 6 th century, Emperor
Justinian ordered the
construction of the
Monastery of St. Catherine. Today
monks go about their
duties in quite contemplation, opening the
doors to tourists and pilgrims who explore a
place halted in biblical times. In hope of
maintaining at least minimal isolation, only
parts of the monastery are open for tourism
for just a few hours a day. |
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