Monasticism E ver since the early Christian Period, South Sinai was a great attraction for the Christian monks. The Monasticism was an escape from the Roman violence which spread in the 4 th Century A.D. Especially in Firan Valley, El-Tur, and Mount Moses, those who fled the Roman persecution have taken shelter in various area in Egypt, particularly those areas near water sources. Who was Saint Catherine? She lived in Alexandria during the persecution of Christians during the reign of Maximinus in 305-313 A.D, and when she converted to Christianity the Roman tortured her severely, finally beheading her in 307 A.D. Five centuries later, a monk saw a vision in which her body was carried by Angels, gently placing her on top of the peak of the highest mountain in Sinai, so the monks carried her relics to the Church of Transfiguration, which it was named then, next to the monastery that was formerly called “The Virgin”, and ever since then, the name of the monastery has been known as Saint Catherine. The Monastery In 342 A.D The Empress Helena, mother of Constantine the Great, built a monastery, including the chapel known as the Virgin Mary, at the Burning Bush site; where it is believed that Moses received the two tablets. In the 6 th century A.D the Emperor Justinian ordered the building of the church known today as the Church of Transfiguration; both the church and the monastery were later named for Saint Catherine. Justinian also ordered the building of a high enclosure wall, with towers to protect the monastery, and it is said that he provided it with 200 Roman soldiers to protect it against the attacks of the Bedouins. The monastery lies at the foot of “Moses Mountain”, a beautiful site, on a high location about 1570 feet above sea level, with a good climate and plenty of fresh well water. To the west of it is the El-Raha Valley. The most important Elements of the Monastery are: 1-The Enclosure Wall and the Gate 2-The Great Church 3-The Burning Bush Chapel 4-The Fatimid Mosque 5-The Library 6-The Wells 7-The Oil Press 8-The Garden 9-The Monks Cells 10-The Guests Dwellings 11-The Two Mills 12-The Grain Stores