Tour overview

  • From the memory of history.. St. Catherine’s Monastery is the oldest Coptic monastery in the world located in South Sinai and the second largest manuscript library after the Vatican.
  • Saint Catherine’s Monastery is one of the oldest religious sanctuaries for Christians located in southern Sinai, below Mount Catherine, next to Mount Moses. It is said to be the oldest monastery in the world, known as the Monastery of Saint Catherine, its actual name is “The Sacred Monastery of God on Mount Sinai.” It was built by order of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I in 548-565 AD, to house the monks who had been living on the Sinai Peninsula since the fourth century AD. It is one of the most important destinations that attract visitors from all over the world, as well as Mount Saint Catherine, Mount Moses, and Mount Manağa (supplication)
  • The tradition was to appoint a head of the monastery elected by members of the Orthodox sect, historically the Monastery of Saint Catherine was under the authority of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, but in 1575 Constantinople recognized its independence.
  • The monastery contains a historic church with ancient gifts from kings and princes, including silver censers, as well as the Well of Moses and the burning bush where Moses spoke to God. It is said that attempts have been made to cultivate the burning bush outside the monastery but they have failed, as it only grows within the monastery.
  • The monastery represents a piece of diverse historical art, with Arabian mosaics, Russian, Greek icons, oil paintings, wax engravings, and more. It also has a guesthouse for visitors and a distinctive bell tower. Some Bedouins are involved in serving the monastery.
  • In addition to the relics of Saint Catherine, the monastery also houses a (mausoleum) containing the remains of all the monks who lived in the monastery. It is open for visitation from early morning until noon, after which the doors are closed to visitors so the monks can attend to their religious duties.
  • The monastery includes multiple structures, the most important of which is the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord Jesus, which houses nine smaller churches. One of these churches is the Burnt Church. The monastery of Saint Catherine also includes monks’ accommodations, a dining hall, an olive press, a Fatimid mosque from the twelfth century AD, and a library containing rare books and 6000 manuscripts.
  • Saint Catherine’s Monastery contains icons and historical manuscripts, most of which were drawn before the eighth century. Among the most prominent are a manuscript written in Syriac and another in Sinaiic written in Greek dating back to the fourth century AD, in addition to the discovery of around 3000 other manuscripts including ancient Torah texts and documents in other ancient languages, as well as various artworks.
  • The monastery houses a very precious artistic icon dating back to the early thirteenth century, made of gold, tempera, and wood, depicting the moment when God spoke to our Prophet Moses.* The monastery contains mosaic works above the altar, indicating the name of the original building, depicting Jesus Christ with a shining golden background symbolizing the light emanating from him.
  • The icon of Saint Theodosia dating back to the thirteenth century, depicting the saint herself, is one of only five icons depicting the same saint, dating back to the Byzantine era. Saint Theodosia is depicted wearing a black nun’s robe, and it is believed that this nun died defending an icon belonging to Jesus Christ in the city of Constantinople.
  • Although the monastery is named Saint Catherine, its true name is the Monastery of the God-Trodden Mount Sinai, but the monastery’s name was later changed to bear the name of the saint and nun Catherine who was martyred in the early fourth century AD. Her body was found on Mount Saint Catherine nearby in the ninth century AD, and it was not decomposed or corroded despite the long years since her death. Since then, its name became Saint Catherine’s Monastery.Saint Catherine’s Monastery is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.This monastery is the oldest Eastern Orthodox monastery.

Included

  • transportation
  • Monastry visit
  • Basilic church
  • Wel of water of moses
  • Burning burch
  • Lunch
  • Guiding

Not Included

  • Breakfast
Download pdf brochure

Day 1

Let's travel too far very deep in history and grave our religious journey between the roots of the past and the edges of the present in an exceptional tour to the holy place of the Ten comandmants and God manifested the place where the three religions met: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
Visit the oldest Coptic monastery in the world

Pick ups starts early morning from hotels . join a convoy and driving 250 km ( like 2.30hrs) to the monastry of saint cathrine to star our vist

İncluded
transportation
Monastry visit
Basilic church
Wel of water of moses
Burning burch
Lunch
Guiding

optional
The liberary of manoscribts

What to bring:
Comfortable clothes and shoes
Passport.

Download pdf brochure

Google Maps API Key is not set. You can add your Google Maps API Key under Easy Tours > Settings options panel. If you do not have one yet then create by clicking here.

Download pdf brochure