Father Justin's Blog

Centuries ago, it was traditional for the priest to read the prayers for the Divine Liturgy from a scroll. A number of these have survived at Sinai. One of them is very worn on the outside, but the inside is still bright and fresh. The words said aloud by the priest are executed in gold, with elaborate opening initials at the beginning of each of the long prayers he reads to himself.

On Wednesday morning, we made three hundred loaves of bread for the feast of Saint Catherine. Each one was stamped with a carved wooden seal depicting the saint. These were blessed during the vespers service that evening, and given out to the pilgrims who had come to join us for the feast.

The loaves rising in trays.

Heating the ancient stone and brick oven.

The loaves bake from the radiant heat given off by the stones and bricks. They are inserted and removed with a long wooden paddle.

The wooden stamp depicts Saint Catherine seated upon a throne, and wearing a crown. In her right hand she holds a cross, and in her left, the palm of victory. She is wearing the robe of a princess, embroidered with flowers and stars.

The Holy Table at night, lit only by candles. Many Gospels are ranged across the back of the Holy Table.

With the arrival of a new day, the bishop’s mitre is placed on the Holy Table, together with the dikirion and trikirion, the candlesticks with two and three candles each, with which the bishop will bless the faithful. This year, Metropolitan Nicholas of the diocese of Mesogaia in Greece celebrated the Divine Liturgy, together with many priests and deacons. It was my turn to be priest for the week. It was a joy to take part in the service, but I could not take as many photographs as I have in previous years.

Many chanters came from Greece. Among them was Evangelos, the assistant photographer for the Sinai Palimpsests Project. He brought his son, eight years old, who is already helping at the chanting stand.

As the light grows stronger heralding the approach of another day, the holy mountain turns a beautiful rose colour that later shifts to blue.

This weathered plaster wall will soon be repaired and repainted. I wanted to photograph it as it was, still showing signs of age.

The humidity in the air from rain the previous day causes a small cloud to form for just a moment at dawn.