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Sinai Spiny Mouse

At the Chapel of Saint Panteleimon, a mouse emerged from crevices in the wall, to collect dried pieces of bread. It would emerge cautiously, pick up a piece of bread, and then dart back into the wall.

This was a Sinai spiny mouse, a native wild mouse with spiny cinnamon coloured fur on its back, […]

Chapel of Saint Panteleimon

Some distance beyond the Chapel of Saint Anne lies the Chapel of Saint Panteleimon. It is on the south side of Mount Horeb, and from there you can see the peak of Mount Saint Catherine. The chapel is in a walled compound that includes a cell nearby, and a well.

Father Michael usually celebrates the […]

Ruins of an Ancient Hermitage

Ruins of an ancient hermitage on Mount Horeb, in the first light of day

Οὗτος [ὁ Χριστὸς] ὁ λίθος ὁ ἀκρογωνιαῖος, ὁ συνδέων ἡμᾶς ἑαυτῷ, καὶ ὁ πολύτιμος μαργαρίτης· ὃν ζητῶν ὁ εἰς τὸν βυθὸν τῆς ἡσυχίας εἰσδύων Μοναχός, πάντα τὰ ὑπάρχοντα αὐτῷ θελήματα, πιπράσκει διὰ τῆς ὑπακοῆς τῶν ἐντολῶν, ἵνα ἀπ᾿ ἐντεῦθεν αὐτὸν […]

Sunbeams at Saint Anne’s

Photographs of another sunrise at the Chapel of Saint Anne

Thin layers of clouds catch the early morning sunlight

This is visible through the open east window of the chapel

The first sunbeams that enter are butterscotch, and the whitewashed walls reflect the golden colour. The rays of light shine to the […]

Sunrise Through the East Window

At dawn, the clouds briefly reflect the colours of the rising sun. These can be seen through the east window of the Chapel of Saint Anne.

Ζωὴν τὴν κυήσασαν, ἐκυοφόρησας, ἁγνὴν Θεομήτορα, θεόφρον Ἄννα· διὸ πρὸς λῆξιν οὐράνιον, ἔνθα εὐφραινομένων κατοικία ἐν δόξῃ, χαίρουσα νῦν μετέστης, τοῖς τιμῶσί σε πόθῳ, πταισμάτων […]