The Monastery of st. Catherine in the midst of the Sinai desert , at the foot of mt.Sinai where Moses received t
he Tablets of the Law and on the site of the Burning Bush, is named after a martyred fourth century saint. The Byzantine church was built in the sixth century by the Emperor Justinian and enclosed within walls strong enough to withstand attacks and protect the monks against possible raids. A Greek inscription dedicates the monastery to him and his wife Theodora. The ancient gate is no longer in use and the present entrance was built in 1861. Winding doorways lead to the Church and monks' quarters. At the beginning of the 12th century, a mosque was erected cloše to the bell tower. The Church contains many treasures, but all are overshadowed by the sixth century Mosaic of the Transfiguration. Seventeenth century icons portray the story of Mt. Sinai and the life of St. Catherine. The oldest icons in the Icon Gallery date from the sixth century. The Chapel of the Burning Bush is the holiest place in the Monastery and pilgrims must remove their shoes before entering. The library contains a superb collection of ancient icons, books and manuscripts second in importance only to the Vatican library. In the gardens of the complex is the Charnel House, containing the repository of bones of deceased monks.
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