“…Let us celebrate the Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ, and elevating our mind to Bethlehem, let us soar aloft in thought and behold the great mystery in the cave; for Eden was opened when God issued forth from the pure Virgin, being perfect in both divinity and manhood.” - Forefeast of the Nativity Vespers
Dear Friends of Mount Sinai Monastery,
As our hearts turn again to Bethlehem, we can only hope and pray that the nearby war in Gaza resolves soon and that our Christian brethren in Syria remain safe. While the ravages or war are of course horrific, it is such a consolation to have St. Catherine’s Monastery as a beacon of hope and peace in the region, a reflection of God’s succor for those in need.
His Eminence, Archbishop Damianos actually became the Archbishop of Sinai during another tumultuous time, around the 1973 Middle East War, and for over 50 years, with great diplomacy, has guided the Monastery through various difficulties. Please keep him in your prayers. At this year’s Feast of St. Catherine at the Monastery, he was unable to serve due to his health, though fortunately, he was able to attend.
One of the hallmarks of this past year, was the launch of the St. Catherine’s icon replica project (based on high resolution photographs of the ancient Sinai icons), with the kind help and hard work of David DeJonge and his team at Legacy icons, in collaboration with the Monastery. A substantial portion of the sale of each icon goes to the Monastery through FMSM. The project now offers replicas of the famous Sinai Pantocrator icon, Great Martyr St. Catherine with scenes from her life, and the Holy Prophet Moses with the Burning Bush. We are currently working to expand the number of icons available in this “Mount Sinai Collection” (to view, please see https://sinai.legacyicons.com and press release).
Fr. Justin, the Monastery librarian, sends his greetings and provided information, further below, about a couple important, recently published books about St. Catherine’s, which those who are interested in the Monastery may like to see. The book pictured to the left is narrated by Archbishop Damianos.
FMSM YEAR 2024 IN DETAILS
Dear Friends, on behalf of the Fathers, thank you for all of your generous donations in 2024, for the icon storage and other projects of the Monastery. As of December 20, 2024, FMSM has received $79,082 in funds, which includes $12,372 from the Sinai icon project with Legacy icons and $2,753 in interest payments.
Because of the nearby war, the Monastery has put the icon storage and other projects on hold, and has asked us to hold on to funds until they resume, which we hope will be this year. As we have noted before, the icon storage project is updating the storage facility to efficiently and safely maintain the Monastery’s renowned icon collection. The configuration of the space has been completed (eg windows, plastering, floors), and the next phase involves the construction of the stainless steel structure that will house the icons (for a diagram from the plans and other pictures, please see: https://www.mountsinaimonastery.org/news-blog/fmsm-ninth-year-report).
OTHER INFORMATION
Donations to the Monastery, including those through online shopping, can be made through FMSM's support page:
- https://www.mountsinaimonastery.org/support
- through your online shopping. While Amazon Smile is no longer available, iGive has discounts for a number of common online stores (please see the support page link for instructions),
Another way to help is to forward this to let your friends know!
Many Blessings and thanks from the Fathers of Saint Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai!
Saint Catherine's Monastery, view from the surrounding Sinai Mountains (book by Lizy Manola).
And to all friends, best wishes for a blessed Nativity and a Happy New Year!
- You can visit a museum tour of Saint Catherine's Monastery and explore and marvel at their famous ancient icons at: https://stcatherines.mused.org/en/tours/2/the-monastery-museum. This site also has virtual tours of a part of the Monastery and the Summit of Mount Sinai.
- Please visit FMSM's Facebook page, which lets you see the many facets of the Sinai Monastery’ fascinating history, daily life and events: https://www.facebook.com/ForStCatherinesMonastery
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GREETINGS FROM FR. JUSTIN, THE SINAI MONASTERY LIBRARIAN
“I do not think these important publications have received the recognition they deserve. Your featuring these two important books would be a nice way of introducing them to a wider audience. They also both show the continuing importance of Saint Catherine’s Monastery.”
Assouline has published “Saint Catherine’s Monastery: Behind Sacred Doors”, by Lizy Manola. It is a splendid coffee table book with breathtaking photographs of Saint Catherine’s Monastery. The author and photographer came to Sinai on several occasions, and photographed the celebration of the feast of Saint Catherine, Holy Week and Pascha, and the more day-to-day activities of the monastery.
View from Mt. Sinai (book by Lizy Manola).
From the Book Description:
Stepping through the ancient Justinian door of St. Catherine's Monastery at the base of Mount Sinai in Egypt is an unforgettable experience. This living UNESCO World Heritage site has stood for nearly fifteen centuries, embracing Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. Originally built by Emperor Justinian in 545 CE, it safeguards the very spot where God appeared to Moses in the Burning Bush. Greek photographer Lizy Manola offers an exclusive glimpse into the monastery, capturing its inhabitants, daily life, and priceless relics. This unique volume, narrated by Archbishop Damianos, takes readers on a remarkable journey through the Sinai Peninsula, where history, culture, and spirituality converge.
“The Sinai cannot be compared to anywhere else on Earth because it stands above it. It stands between heaven and Earth! It offers its visitors wings to experience a purely spiritual ascent.” - Eleni Glinou, author and professor
Daily life and Feasts (book by Lizy Manola).
“Nothing could have prepared me for the feelings I actually felt once I’d come face-to-face with St. Catherine’s of Sinai. The Monastery stood more like a castle, less like a convent: Towering mountains all around, a wild, natural beauty.” Lizy Manola, author.
Another recently published book, related to St. Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai:
On The Edge: Endbands In The Bookbinding Traditions Of The Eastern Mediterranean Hardcover – by Georgios Boudalis (Author)
George Boudalis wrote his doctoral dissertation under the direction of Nicholas Pickwoad, in the University of the Arts London. His focus was manuscript bindings from the fifteenth to the eighteenth centuries at Saint Catherine’s Monastery and Iviron Monastery on Mount Athos. In the fifteenth century, manuscripts are still being bound in the Byzantine style. By the eighteenth century, this has been supplanted by the Western style. Sinai retained the older methods longer than Iviron. The more remote areas are the most conservative. He is now a curator of manuscripts at the Byzantine Museum in Thessaloniki.
He spent twelve years researching Byzantine headbands and footbands, and has now written a magisterial study. The book has many photographs of these complex sewings, that provide the strength to a manuscript bound in the Byzantine style. He has included careful drawings that analyze the structure of each sewing. This is an authoritative text, and a major contribution to the field.