Travel
Saint Catherine monastery (Egypt): a pilgrimage destination in the Sinai
The monastery of Saint Catherine in the Egyptian protectorate park of Saint Catherine is a UNESCO site since 2002. It is located at 5249 feet (1600 m) in the valley of Wadi el Deir, in the Sinai mountains.
It is also known as the monastery of transfiguration or the sacred and imperial monastery of the God Trodden Mount Sinai. Christian hermits came to the region in the 3rd century and the monastery was built by the Byzantine emperor Justinian I in the mid 6th century. The time of the crusades brought lots of pilgrims to the monastery.
Monastery of St Catherine, Sinai Egypt
It is a Christian Orthodox monastery with Georgian monks since the 6th century. The basilica is surrounded with thick fortifications, which you enter through a tiny little door.
Close up of the Saint Catherine monastery
How did it get its name? It is named after the christian saint, Catherine. Born in Alexandria in 282 A.D., she was martyrized due to her faith. She was beheaded in 305 A.D. Her remains, according to a legend, were brought to Mt Sinai in the 6th century.
Today, around 200-250 visitors come each day. Groups come mainly from towns like Sharm-el-Sheikh, Nuweiba or Dahab. The monastery is opened in the morning every day except Fridays and Sundays.
If you are mainly interested in the history of the monastery and the visit, we recommend you not visiting it together with the hike to Mt Sinai. Tours are either for the hike and monastery or for the monastery in the morning with a visit of Dahab for instance.
Photos credits Vivamost
