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At
the foot of the mountain where Moses is said to have received the
Ten Commandments, lies the monastery. Early Christian hermits, searching
seclusion from worldly affairs, were living around the holy mountain
since the early times of Christendom. |
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After
her visit to the impressive site of the Burning Bush Empress Helena,
the mother of Constantine the Great, decided in 330 AD to let a chapel
be build at the site; and dedicated it to the Virgin Mary. |
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Many
travelogues from early pilgrims talked about the massacres among the
monks. Finally in 527 AD Emperor Justinian ordered the construction
of a fortress. Above the heavy wooden entrance wooden frames carry
the names of Justinian, his wife Theodora and the architect’s
Stephanos. |
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St.
Catherine is among the oldest Christian monasteries, and the smallest
diocese in the world. The Monks today are Greek Orthodox and of different
nationalities. The wealthy monastery has branches in Cairo, Cyprus
and Crete.
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