St Catherine's Monastery on Mount Sinai is a Greek Orthodox monastery. It is known as the oldest monastery in the entire world that is still active today. The monastery is home to Greek monks and novices.
It was founded in 527 in the place where, as legend says, the Lord appeared to Moses in the burning bush of the Neopalimaya Kupina. In the 9th century the relics of Saint Catherine were found here, in whose honour the monastery was consecrated. Near the entrance to the monastery in the 19th century a bell tower was built on the money of Russian donors, nine bells were cast by Russian craftsmen. In the annex to the main church of the monastery there is an exhibition of old icons and books. These exhibits are only a small part of the treasures that belong to the monastery. The central hall is separated by six pillars where saints are depicted. The marble floor dates from the 18th century and the gilded iconostasis of the church from the 17th century. The relics of St Catherine are located on the altar in a tomb covered with a white blanket.
The most sacred place in the temple is the chapel behind the altar, and shoes must be removed upon entering. Marble columns support the altar of the chapel, and below are the roots of the legendary biblical bush - the Neopalimaya Kupina. For the bush itself there is a high pedestal outside the chapel walls.
The monastery has a large library with more than three thousand ancient manuscripts. The monastery garden includes a cemetery with six graves and the Chapel of St Timothy, which contains the remains of monks who lived in the monastery for several centuries.
Thousands of tourists from all over the world visit St Catherine's Monastery every year.
