More on St. Catherine’s

by Andrea Elizabeth

Father Justin, originally from El Paso, Tx, also explained that St. Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai has been in continuous operation for 1700 years. It is one of the most remote Orthodox monasteries and up until 100 years ago, was a 10 day camel caravan trek from Suez. In the last 100 years, roads were created for the pilgrims who visit. When it was under Israel from the 1960′s to the 1980′s the roads were paved so more pilgrims came. Lately, St. Catherine’s has been added to a popular Russian tourist package as an excursion from a nearer port city. Now hundreds of Russian tourists come every day. The Fathers have wanted to help the Russians reconnect to their faith, so after the casual tourists leave, the religiously interested ones are allowed to venerate St. Catherine’s relics that are now in the Church continuously for that purpose.

Father Justin photographs ancient manuscripts using a newly developed special “cradle” by which the book only has to open 90 degrees so the pages rest naturally flat and are photographed from a 45 degree angle. I don’t believe the manuscripts were photographed at St. Catherine’s before this because they didn’t want to damage the paper. People had to come to the monastery to see them under strict conditions. Before this technology, in England glass was used to press ancient pages down to be photographed, which cracked the paper. He seems peaceful about the advances of technology at the monastery. He appreciates that with digital copies, much more detail can be observed through magnification. He showed us the compass point in the middle of an ornately embellished “O” which you wouldn’t have noticed on the original. He said also that one does not have to be as careful with the copy and can take the time necessary to translate and study the words.

He said some of the older monks miss the more solitary days, but the extra activity is all the newer monks have known. They have managed to keep the ancient service of prayers and times of quiet despite these changes. I believe it because his stillness and humility made an impression.