Saint Catherine’s Monastery (Greek Orthodox) Google Maps: Find It Located in the southern mountains of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, Saint Catherine’s Monastery is among the oldest Christian monasteries. Founded in 565 by Roman Emperor Justinian I, the monastery has stood for more than fourteen centuries. During that time it faced many dangers, and been attacked on multiple occasions. But despite the monumental changes brought by events like the Arab Conquest, and the Crusades, it remains. The monks of the monastery believe this is due in part to protection they say was bestowed upon the monastery by Muhammad, in a document known as the Ashtiname of Muhammad. The monastery, which houses the largest known collection of ancient manuscripts (after the Vatican), maintains the oldest continuously operated library in the world. Discovered within its library were a number of important early Christian manuscripts. Included were the Codex Sinaiticus, which is one of the only complete manuscripts of the early Bible, and the Syriac Sinaitic, which was discovered by two sister from Victorian Britain, Agnes Smith Lewis and her sister Margaret Dunlop Gibson. The Syriac Sinaitic, represents the oldest known copy of the gospels written in Syriac, the original language of Biblical writers. Saint Catherine of Alexandria, the Monastery’s namesake, is said to have been a Christian martyr that was put to death by the Roman emperor Maxentiusm. However, many modern scholars believe the legend of Saint Catherine is actually based on the life and death of Hypatia, a well known Greek philosopher, astronomer, and mathematician that lived in Alexandria. Hypatia, while a pagan, worked with and taught many from the emerging Christian community of her time. But the growing sectarian strife between the two groups ultimately cost her her life, when she was murdered by a mob of Christian monks in 415 A.D. Videos: Greek-Orthodox: Monastery Of St.Catherien,...Read more