Saint Catherine's Monastery, Sinai, Egypt

Saint Catherine's Monastery also known as the Monastery of the Transfiguration is a Greek Orthodox monastery located at the foot of Mount Sinai, Egypt. The monastery was built on orders of Byzantine Emperor Justinian between 527 and 565. It is the oldest still functioning monastery in the world and is also inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Saint Catherine's Monastery was built on the traditional site of the Burning Bush of Moses, while its name is associated with the early Christian martyr St Catherine of Alexandria whose relics are supposedly brought to the monastery by the monks. The monastery enclosed within walls survived the Arab conquests in the 7th century. According to a monastery document the monks of the Saint Catherine's Monastery gained personal pledge of protection of Prophet Muhammad what ensured the monastery's further existence although the Christian religion on the Sinai Peninsula disappeared.

Following the Ottoman conquest of Egypt Saint Catherine's Monastery achieved favorable degrees also from the Ottoman authorities, while Napoleon placed the monastery under his protection when he conquered Egypt. The monastery attracted many Roman Catholic pilgrims since the Crusades, while the Vatican issued numerous bulls and proclamations defending the monastery's rights.

Saint Catherine's Monastery went through little changes since its construction and represents the sacred site for the Christians as well as for the Muslims and Jews. The monastery is also one of the finest examples of Byzantine architecture and houses the second largest collection of ancient codices and manuscripts and an impressive works of art: icons, mosaics, wall paintings, and miniatures.

Mount Athos, Greece

Mount Athos or Holy Mountain is located on Chalkidiki peninsula in Greece but it is a self-governed monastic state within the sovereignty of Greece. Its 20 Orthodox monasteries (17 Greek monasteries, 1 Russian, 1 Bulgarian, and 1 Serbian) are inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Spiritually, Mount Athos is under jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

The first monasteries of the Mount Athos were built in 10th century. The exact year of the first built monastery - the Great Lavra monastery is not known but it is believed that it was constructed around year 963. The monasteries of Mount Athos flourished during the Byzantine Era until the 15th century when the Byzantine Empire was conquered by the Ottomans. The monks of Mount Athos maintained good relations with the Ottoman authorities after the fall of Constantinople in 1453 and preserved their independence.

Mount Athos was captured from the Ottoman Empire by the Greeks during the First Balkan War in 1912 but they came into conflict with Russia over sovereignty of the Holy Mountain. Chalkidiki peninsula and with it also the Athos Mount fell under Greek sovereignty after World War I. The Greek Government proclaimed Mount Athos a part of Greece in 1926 but allowed the monasteries to retain an autonomous theocratic government.

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