Mount Sinai and St. Catherine’s Monastery – Where Heaven Touched Earth
One of Egypt’s most breathtaking spiritual experiences begins under the stars. Our sunset-to-sunrise pilgrimage to Mount Sinai’s 2,285-meter summit started at 10 PM with 25 fellow travelers and a Bedouin guide. While the desert night was frigid (pack warm layers!), the well-trodden path glowed with pilgrims’ flashlights – a modern version of the ancient tradition where this sacred mountain has drawn seekers for millennia.
Pro tip: Though camel rides are available (300 EGP ≈ $15), I recommend walking – the animals make the narrow trail crowded, and you’ll stay warmer by moving. The real challenge comes at the summit, where hundreds jostle for sunrise views. Arrive early to claim your spot!
The Mountain of Revelation
“Yahweh said to Moses, ‘Cut two tablets of stone like the first ones and come up to me on the mountain… Then Yahweh passed before him and called out, ‘Yahweh, Yahweh, God of tenderness and compassion, slow to anger, rich in faithful love and constancy…'” (Exodus 34:1,6)
Standing on this wind-swept peak where Moses received the Ten Commandments, you understand why ancient people believed mountains were divine meeting places. The stark beauty humbles you – jagged peaks stretching into Jordan and Saudi Arabia, with the Red Sea glinting in the distance. Early Christians called this “Moses Mountain,” while locals know it as Jebel Musa.
St. Catherine’s Monastery – A Living Library of Faith
At the mountain’s base lies the world’s oldest continuously operating Christian monastery, founded in 565 AD around the legendary Burning Bush:
“The angel of Yahweh appeared to him in a flame blazing from the middle of a bush… God called to him from the middle of the bush. ‘Moses, Moses!’… ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.'” (Exodus 3:2,4-5)
The monastery’s priceless collections include:
- The world’s second largest library of ancient manuscripts (after the Vatican)
- 6th-century mosaics of Christ’s transfiguration
- Over 2,000 icons, including rare pre-iconoclastic examples
- The Chapel of the Burning Bush (built around the supposed original plant)
Modern Pilgrimage Tips
Best time to visit: October-April (summer temperatures exceed 40°C/104°F)
What to bring: Headlamp, warm layers, hiking shoes, water (3L minimum)
Monastery hours: 9AM-noon (closed Fridays and Orthodox holidays)
Local custom: Dress modestly – covered shoulders/knees required
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