FatherJustinsBlog

This year, also, the church was filled with pilgrims who came to celebrate the feast of Saint Catherine.

Archbishop Philoumenos of Pella came as the representative of the Patriarch of Jerusalem. During vespers, we blessed the loaves that had been stamped with a special seal depicting Saint Catherine.

At the beginning of the Divine Liturgy. There were many concelebrating clergy.

After the Liturgy, we had a procession around the church with the relics of Saint Catherine. Monks and pilgrims led the procession with candles, the cross, and ripidia.

Father Symeon and Father Michael carried the relics of Saint Catherine around the church. Prayers were said at each corner, for the brotherhood, the pilgrims, and for the monks of Sinai who have gone to their rest.

Inside the foyer to the reading room, there is a marble plaque with a Greek inscription commemorating the recent renovation.

The Library of the Holy Monastery
of the God Trodden Mount of Sinai
was Renovated During the Time of
Archbishop Damianos
Through the Labours and Diligence of the Monks of Sinai
Generously Sponsored and Actively Supported
by the Saint Catherine Foundation of the United Kingdom
with their Associates in America and Friends in Switzerland
in the Year of our Salvation 2017

In September of last year, we completed the renovation of the library. Concrete beams were transformed into arches, and the floor and banister were covered with Sinai limestone. Concrete capitals were replaced with limestone capitals. All of this makes an impressive entryway to the new library.

The stair rail leading up to the trapeza (the monastery refectory) has been worn smooth over the years.

Ruined dry stone walls to the north above the monastery