The monastery of St Catherine at the foot of Mount Sinai in Egypt, is known for its holy silence, but now it is preparing to open to the public.
The Greek Orthodox monastery was founded in the 6th century and is one of the oldest Christian monasteries in the world.
God is said to have appeared to Moses at the burning bush, and Moses is said to have received the ten commandments at Mount Sinai.
Nearby, this 1,500-year-old building was built where the valley meets Mount Sinai.
Well-known among the faithful are the plaques of St Catherine of Alexandria, an ancient library of rare manuscripts and attracts many pilgrims.
Right now, you can feel closer to God than in many other places, the wind blows through the brown rocks that cause rose bushes and olives.
Spend a few days here and see what you see in peace.
Christians, Jews and Muslims revere this place, where faith, history and nature all come together in a powerful combination.
But down in the valley, it bustles with concrete, containers and construction vehicles as today’s Egypt prepares for tomorrow’s tourism.
Hotels and villas are arranged, offering up to 1,000 rooms and exposure to the bazaar, the peace plaza and the visitor center. The sign is already in place.
‘A great place for all visitors’
The government celebrates the construction project, scheduled to be completed in October 2026, as “Egypt’s gift to the world and all religions.”
A museum and theater are planned, as well as conference rooms and restaurants. The highways are paved and the airport, which is currently under construction, has been paved. It is set to cost $220 million.
It will be “a good end for all tourists,” whether they come for religious, recreational or environmental reasons, said Prime Minister Mostafa Madboulyly.
According to sources close to the government, the aim is to “capture the magic of the region” and turn it into a “must visit.” A major German hotel chain is already on board.
But can a monastery grow peacefully and socially to deal with so many visitors? Wouldn’t a religious site with few occasional visitors be a tourist site with few religious items?
Balancing Openness and Peace
A “critical balance” is needed, said Father Justin, one of the 22 monks who live at St Catherine’s monastery. “Open and accessible to a degree, but also preserving moments of peace and otherness.”
The monks start their day at 4 a.m. and live according to “a complicated schedule that existed for centuries,” as Father Justin said. The monastery is currently open to visitors three hours a day.
But change is coming. The project is “a big difference from what this place represents,” said World Heritage Watch, an organization dedicated to protecting UNESCO’s world heritage sites. This place received this status in 2002.
UNESCO has asked the Government in Cairo to introduce a security plan, stop construction work and allow visitors to the country but so far, nothing has come of it.
Houses were demolished, graves were destroyed
The Bedouins have been facing a new reality. Members of the Jabaliya tribe came from Byzantine soldiers who were sent in the 6th century to guard the monastery and are believed to be the oldest tribe in the area.
The name “Jabalaliya” comes from the Arabic word for “Mountain,” as they live in the mountainous region.
They made the construction and operation of monasteries possible in the beginning, acting as protectors, mountain guides and camel drivers.
Now, their houses have been demolished during the construction work and the old cemeteries have been destroyed. With their bare hands, they dig up the remains of their relatives to bury them far away.
Where the cemetery used to be, there is now a car park.
“They didn’t care about everyone,” said one of the Bedouins about government jobs.
St Catherine is in danger of becoming SHARM El-Sheikh further south: an area with “5-Star Hotels and tourists staying in their hotels only.”
After being forced into the Hinterland in Shinm, many Bedouins made their lives in retrenchment.
Singing and tears at the conference
At Mount Sinai, everything seems to be the same forever. For others, after a hard climb, all the power of St. Catherine is released.
A Korean Tour group sings Christian songs, a woman cries loudly as she prays at the conference. One sits quietly weeping on a rock, watching the sunset.
Down in the monastery, the chanting of the monks can be heard from the loudspeaker in the small shop, and the smell of burning auspicious candles fills the air.
A few rooms above, the library houses more than 3,300 ancient manuscripts, said to be as important as those in the Vatican.
“You have to protect the people who come here to feel something inside themselves,” said the monk. “Something in their hearts. If you don’t protect it, it becomes a tourist attraction,” he said, placing both hands on his chest.
A view of the monastery of St Catherine in the Sinai Peninsula. – / DPA
Parts of an ongoing construction project near St Catherine’s Mourestery on the Sinai Peninsula. – / DPA
