Monastery of Saint Catherine Day Tour

Departure: From Sharm El Sheikh
Days: Monday, Thursday, Saturday

To see the monastery of St. Catherine, you will have to wake up early, by 6:40 you should already be on the sightseeing bus that departs from Sharm el-Sheikh. Don’t be late, tours are not held every day, but on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. If you are not a lark, try to make an effort on yourself and be in time for departure. Because the impressions from this excursion are worth your suffering and money. The tour costs $25 for adults and $15 for children.

The journey will take about three hours. On the way, one stop will be made in a small and picturesque valley nestled between sand dunes. Seeing this miracle of nature, you will immediately understand what a paradise oasis is. The next stop at 9:45 am will be at the monastery of St. Catherine. It is surprising that during the 16 centuries of its existence, the religious building was never plundered, despite the numerous wars and armed conflicts that broke out in this territory. aggression. And now it is a functioning monastery, which has become the smallest diocese in the world. It is headed by the Archbishop of Sinai.

A professional guide, talking about the history of the monument, about the religious buildings located on the territory of the monastery, will tell that it was here that God appeared to Moses in the flame of a bush. At the place where the miracle happened, now there is a chapel of the Burning Bush. It was built in 324 by Empress Helen, the mother of Emperor Constantine. The main temple of the complex – the Church of the Transfiguration, was built in the sixth century AD during the reign of Emperor Justinian. This is one of the highest points of the Sinai Mountains – 1570 meters above sea level.

A lot of Russian icons and church utensils are stored here. Our compatriots, adherents of the Greek Orthodox Church, to which the shrine belongs, often make a pilgrimage here. The unique architecture of the basilica and the main decoration of the temple, the mosaic icon of the Transfiguration of the Lord, will be remembered by you for its grandeur and energy, which seems to envelop the entire room. It is noteworthy that until the 11th century the monastery was called the Monastery of the Transfiguration or the Burning Bush. But after the monks brought here the relics of St. Catherine, revered by Christians, the monastery began to be called in her honor.

On the territory of the monastery of St. Catherine there are other buildings that tell about the history of religion. On the Development of Christian Philosophical Doctrine. This is not just an ancient religious building. Here are the stones of the foundation that became the basis for the development of Christianity – one of the three main religions of mankind. A real miracle will seem to be a unique garden, which can be accessed through an underground tunnel. The refectory, built in the Gothic style, is of great artistic value.

Among the treasures of the monastery there are more than 6 million manuscripts, in Greek, Arabic, Georgian, there are also manuscripts in the Old Slavonic language. The collection is second only to the Vatican Library in scale. True, this wealth is unlikely to be shown to an ordinary tourist. But, understanding that this knowledge is very close, for a sophisticated visitor will be an opportunity to at least mentally get in touch with the wisdom of ancient thinkers. The presence of such an assembly in the monastery is probably no coincidence.

During her lifetime, Catherine was an educated person. She studied mathematics, philosophy, poetry, astronomy. Perhaps it was this knowledge that led her to Christianity, to the faith for which the young beauty, who knew no shortage of suitors, gave her life and died a martyr’s death. But before that, she was able, steadfastly enduring torture, to convert several aristocrats of Rome and even a member of the imperial dynasty to Christianity.

If what you see captivates you, then in your free time you will not be bored either. Take a look at the monastery museum. Having paid 25 euros, you will not regret the money and time spent. Take a walk around the surroundings and take photos, looking at which after a while you will be able to remember the feelings that you had in the monastery of St. Catherine.

In the afternoon you will drive to the city of Dahab. Most likely, you will not have the strength to see its sights, but despite this, driving through its streets and looking out the window, you will notice the old city of Masbat and the Bedouin village of Assala. This is an area and expensive hotels, in one of them lunch will be waiting for you. After that, having rested, you will be happy to stroll along the picturesque streets and be able to look into local shops, where tourists are welcomed like relatives.

You will return to Sharm El Sheikh by 18:00

IMPORTANT: When preparing for the trip, please note that the monastery, the operating one and the clothes must still match. Take with you something with long sleeves, refrain from shorts and frank necklines, this is simply prohibited here. Although, if you still do not comply with the dress code, you will be given special shirts at the entrance.

The price of the tour includes:

• Meeting and assistance upon arrival.
• Entrance fees to all visited places.
• Travel by comfortable bus.
• Russian speaking guide.

Attention! So that the heat does not spoil the experience, take water with you, as there will be no water to drink on the road. This tour only includes lunch and you will likely get hungry earlier, so we recommend bringing breakfast. Be sure to have a passport and money, do not forget to put on comfortable shoes.