Saint Catherine, Egypt
Saint Catherine's Monastery
The oldest continuously inhabited Christian monastery, guarding the Burning Bush and a library second only to the Vatican's.
Biblical significance
Justinian fortified the site in 565 around a chapel Helena had built at the traditional Burning Bush. The monastery has never been sacked — partly thanks to a charter of protection tradition attributes to Muhammad himself, a copy of which is displayed. Its library holds some 3,300 manuscripts; the Codex Sinaiticus was found here in the nineteenth century. The icon collection survived the iconoclasm that destroyed almost everything else.
Scripture
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Best time to go
October to April.
Visitor notes
Open mornings only, closed Fridays, Sundays and Orthodox feasts. Combine with the overnight Sinai climb.
Coordinates
28.5556, 33.9756
On the map
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Getting to Saint Catherine's Monastery
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