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Sinai Greek 172 is a manuscript of the Four Gospels. On folio 197 recto we read the following inscription.
+ Ἐτελειώθη σὺν θ(ε)ῶ ἡ θεόπνευστος βίβλος αὕτη· διὰ χειρὸς ζαχαρίου πρεσ(βυ)τ(έρου) πανελαχίστου, του πραιτωριότ(ου)· ἐξεπιτροπῆς θεοδώρου μ(ε)γ(άλου) ὑπάτ(ου) καὶ τεποτ(ηρη)τ(οῦ) κολωνείας τοῦ γαβρᾶ· καὶ τῆς αὐτοῦ συνεύνου εἰρήνης· πρὸς σκέπην καὶ διατήρησιν καὶ ὑγείαν καὶ σ(ωτη)ρίαν καὶ ἄφεσιν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν· + μηνὶ μαΐω ινδ(ικτιῶνος) Ε΄· ἔτους ͵ϛφοε΄· επὶ βασιλέως αὐτοκράτορος ῥωμαίων κων(σταν)τ(ίνου) τοῦ δοῦκα + οἱ ἀναγινώσκοντες, εὔχεσθε ὑπὲρ τοῦ γράψαντος ἅμα τῷ κτησαμένω την βίβλον ταύτην· + διὰ τὸν κ(ύριο)ν· +
+ This God-inspired book, finished with the (help) of God by the hand of the presbyter Zacharias, the smallest, the praetoriotes, on the commission of Theodoros Gabras, great hypatos and tepoteretes (governor) of Koloneia and his wife Irene; for protection, preservation, health, salvation, and forgiveness of their sins; in the month of May, indiction 5, year 6575 (1067) in the reign of Constantine Doukas, emperor of the Romans. + May the readers (of this book) pray for him who wrote this book as well as for him who acquired it + for the sake of the Lord. +
Theodore Gabras recaptured Trebizond from the Seljuks in 1075. Alexis I Komnenos appointed him governor of Chaldia, the historical region in northeast Anatolia. In the late eleventh century, Theodore Gabras was de facto independent ruler of Chaldia. In 1098, he was defeated in battle and given an ultimatum, ‘Denounce your faith, or die’. He confessed his faith in Christ, for which he suffered many torments. He remained steadfast, and at last received the martyr’s crown. His memory is celebrated on October 2. Saint Theodore the Great Martyr is held in special veneration by the Greeks from Pontus.
Sinai Greek New Finds Majuscule 2 is a manuscript of the Epistles of Saint Paul in parallel Greek and Arabic, dated to the early tenth century.
On folio seven recto, we read in Galatians 1:3-4, ‘Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil age.’ Three red dots in the text lead to a comment written below in red, Πονηρὸν αἰῶνα τοῦτον καλεῖ διὰ τῆς ἀμαρτίας, ‘Evil age, this he says because of sin.’
Καὶ δείκνυσιν, ὅτι καὶ τῶν προτέρων ἡμᾶς ἀπήλλαξεν ὁ Χριστὸς ἁμαρτημάτων, καὶ πρὸς τὸ μέλλον ἠσφαλίσατο. Τῷ μὲν γὰρ εἰπεῖν, Τοῦ δόντος ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν, ἐκεῖνο ἐδήλωσε· τῷ δὲ προσθεῖναι, Ὅπως ἐξέληται ἡμᾶς ἐκ τοῦ ἐνεστῶτος αἰῶνος πονηροῦ, τὴν πρὸς τὸ μέλλον ἀσφάλειαν ἐνέφηνεν.
Αnd he shows that Christ has both delivered us from our offenses, and secured us for the future. The first he has declared in the words, ‘Who gave Himself for our sins’; and by adding, ‘that He might deliver us out of this present evil age’, he has pronounced our future safety.
Saint John Chrysostom
Ἐνεστῶτος, the present transitory age, as opposed to the other age, the age of eternity. Christians live on the frontier between two ages, and the Gospel transfers us across the threshold of the age to come, the age of God’s kingdom.
Sinai Greek Two is a beautifully written manuscript of the tenth century, containing the text of Genesis, Exodus, and Leviticus. The generous margins around each page are filled with commentary written in a minute script. These annotations are drawn from the writings of twenty-four different authors.
Cyril of Alexandria composed two commentaries on the Pentateuch, The Adoration and Worship of God in Spirit and in Truth, and the Glaphyra, both early works. These are highly allegorical, in keeping with the Alexandrian tradition.
On folio 81 verso we read, ‘Cyril. Now, Moses went from the land of the Egyptians into Midian, in the same way Christ did from Judaea into Galilee.’
This quotation is more than just a parallel between the life of Moses and the life of Christ. It invites us to see the entire life of the prophet Moses as a type of Christ. This understanding is very early. We find a specific reference to Moses as a type of Jesus in the Epistle of Barnabas, which dates to the end of the first century AD.
Moses was born at a time when Pharaoh had commanded that all male children of the Hebrews be put to death. He fled to Midian to escape the wrath of the king. He drove away the evil shepherds, and gave life-sustaining waters to the flock. He wrought signs and wonders before Pharaoh, and delivered the children of Israel from bondage. He led them into the wilderness, where they were nourished by food from heaven, and drank water that flowed forth from the rock. When the children of Israel had sinned, Moses was their mediator with God. He revealed to them the Law and will of God. He fashioned a serpent of bronze, and all who looked to it were healed. When he stretched out his hands in the form of a cross, the Amalekites were defeated. He brought the children of Israel to the Promised Land, a land flowing with milk and honey.
A thirteenth century Sinai icon of the Nativity of our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Σήμερον γὰρ ὁ χρόνιος ἐλύθη δεσμός, ὁ διάβολος ᾐσχύνθη, οἱ δαίμονες ἐδραπέτευσαν, ὁ θάνατος ἐλύθη, παράδεισος ἠνεῴχθη, ἡ κατάρα ἠφανίσθη, ἡ ἁμαρτία ἐκποδὼν γέγονεν, ἡ πλάνη ἀπηλάθη, ἡ ἀλήθεια ἐπανῆλθε, καὶ τῆς εὐσεβείας ὁ λόγος πανταχοῦ διεσπάρη καὶ ἔδραμεν· ἡ τῶν ἄνω πολιτεία ἐν τῇ γῇ ἐφυτεύθη, ἄγγελοι μετὰ ἀνθρώπων κοινωνοῦσι, καὶ ἄνθρωποι μετὰ ἀγγέλων ἀδεῶς διαλέγονται.
Διὰ τί; Ἐπειδὴ Θεὸς ἐπὶ γῆς ἦλθε, καὶ ἄνθρωπος ἐν οὐρανῷ· πάντα ἀναμὶξ γέγονε. Ἦλθε γὰρ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὅλος ὢν ἐν οὐρανοῖς· ὅλος δὲ ὢν ἐν οὐρανῷ, ὅλος ἐστὶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Θεὸς ὢν, γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος, οὐκ ἀρνησάμενος τὸ εἶναι Θεός· λόγος ὢν ἀπαθὴς, σὰρξ ἐγένετο, διὰ τὸ ἐνοικῆσαι ἡμῖν σὰρξ ἐγένετο. Θεὸς γὰρ οὐκ ἐγένετο, ἀλλὰ ἦν. Διὰ τοῦτο σὰρξ ἐγένετο, ἵνα ὃν οὐκ ἐχώρει οὐρανός, δέξηται φάτνη. Διὰ τοῦτο ἐν φάτνῃ ἐτέθη, ἵνα ὁ τρέφων τὰ σύμπαντα παιδίου τροφὴν παρὰ μητρὸς παρθένου λάβῃ Διὰ τοῦτο ὁ τῶν μελλόντων αἰώνων Πατὴρ ὡς ὑπομάζιον βρέφος παρθενικῶν ἀνέχεται ἀγκαλῶν, ἵνα καὶ μάγοις εὐπρόσιτος γένηται. Σήμερον γὰρ καὶ μάγοι προσῆλθον, ἀρχὴν λαβόντες ἀρνεῖσθαι τὸν τύραννον, καὶ ὁ οὐρανὸς καυχᾶται ἀστέρι τὸν ἴδιον Δεσπότην μηνύων.
Come, then, let us observe the Feast. Truly wondrous is the whole chronicle of the Nativity. For this day the ancient slavery is ended, the devil confounded, the demons take to flight, the power of death is broken, paradise is unlocked, the curse is taken away, sin is removed from us, error driven out, truth has been brought back, the speech of kindliness diffused, and spreads on every side, a heavenly way of life has been implanted on the earth, angels communicate with men without fear, and men now hold speech with angels.
Why is this? Because God is now on earth, and man in heaven; on every side all things commingle. He became Flesh. He did not become God. He was God. Wherefore He became flesh, so that He Whom heaven did not contain, a manger would this day receive. He was placed in a manger, so that He, by whom all things are nourished, may receive an infant’s food from His Virgin Mother. So, the Father of all ages, as an infant at the breast, nestles in the virginal arms, that the Magi may more easily see Him. Since this day the Magi too have come, and made a beginning of withstanding tyranny; and the heavens give glory, as the Lord is revealed by a star.
Saint John Chrysostom
After the Divine Liturgy on the feast of Saint Catherine, many pilgrims came to the saloni to greet Archbishop Symeon and receive his blessing. He, in turn, was able to express his thanks to the clergy, the chanters, and all who had come to celebrate the feast.
After the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, the icon and relic of Saint Catherine were carried in procession around the church. Prayers were said for the members of the community, for the pilgrims, and for the monks of Sinai who have gone to their rest.
On the feast of Saint Catherine at the Sinai dependency in Athens, a relic of Saint Catherine is placed before her icon for the veneration of the faithful.
On the feast of Saint Catherine at the Sinai dependency in Athens, the icon on the iconostasion is framed with beautiful and fragrant roses and other flowers.
Icon lamps in front of the iconostasion are lit on Sundays and feast days.
The first column on the left in the Sinai basilica has a menologion icon depicting all the saints whose feast days fall in October. On the wall behind is an icon of the holy Apostle Paul.
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