Located on the site of God’s famous revelation to Moses at the burning bush, Saint Catherine’s monastery houses the greatest collection of Christian icon paintings in the world.

Use our guide to learn about the history and religious importance of Christian icons and to enhance your visit to St. Catherine’s Monastery in Egypt.

This Approach Guide affords insight into what makes this collection so special by providing following:

• A background on icons in general, including their origins, ecclesiastical function, and the nature of the beholder’s ritualistic interaction with them.
• A look at the history and influences of the Monastery’s 6th century icon masterpieces, the oldest in existence.
• A review of the changes in iconography that occurred in the 12th century as the Church recast itself as a Western Latin institution (as opposed to its original Eastern Orthodox orientation) in the wake of the Crusades’ success in securing the Holy Land.
• Descriptions of the defining characteristics of the Byzantine and Crusader artistic styles.
• Detailed profiles — with high quality, zoom-in images — of nine of the most impressive icons in the Monastery’s collection.

Finally, this Approach Guide concludes with the history on the Monastery and critical information for those considering a hike up to the summit of Mount Sinai (Moses Mountain).

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