SNAI: St Catherine
The Monastery of the Transfiguration, popularly known as
Saint Catherine’s Monastery in the Sinai peninsula of Egypt is a sacred
place of pilgrimage for three major world religions: Christianity, Judaism
and Islam. Located at the foot of Mount Sinai it is said to be constructed
on the site of the biblical `burning bush` where Saint Helena, mother of the
Byzantine Emperor Constantine I built a chapel in the fourth century AD. A
monastic community drawn from local Christian hermits developed and in 542 AD, the fortress-like monastery was built to protect them
from Bedouin raids. Catherine born as Dorothea in Alexandria in 294AD was a
Christian martyr beheaded for preaching against the Romans pagans. Legend
says that her body was born by angels to Jebel Katerina, the highest peak in
Sinai, where 300 years later monks discovered her uncorrupted remains and the
monastery was renamed in her memory. The Holy Land Crusades between 1099-1270 spurred an
interest in the monastery which began attracting Christian pilgrims. The Old
Testament parable of Moses receiving the Tablets of Law from God on the
sacred mountain saw many Jews also making the journey across the rugged
peninsula but the most famous pilgrim of all was the Prophet Muhammad. Well
received by the monks, He gave his personal pledge of protection which
became incumbent on all Muslims to ensure the monastery’s continued safe
existence. Saint Catherine`s is noteworthy for
its collection of early manuscripts, icons chalices and other religious
reliquaries. It was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2002.