St Catherine Monastery

A journey back in time

Devout understanding

inner change and respect for the desert, literature and mankind

Now that I have started my journey as a blogger focusing on books among other topics, it was natural to want to visit this place. My eldest daughter was undoubtedly the best possible travel companion as she understands my fascination with the art of literature. No one could take her place. What we experienced together was unique and it created a new bond between mother and daughter.

A trip well worth taken – filling my understanding with this powerful place including such magic

This is so powerful that it is such awe that I feel for our journey. My husband and younger daughter stay at the hotel to snorkel. They have a great day, but I would say that what the eldest daughter and I experience is of a different kind.

The oldest library that is still in operation is the library of St Catherine’s Monastery, located in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula at the foot of Mount Sinai (Jebel Musa). It has been continuously running since about 565 AD.

Take a step back and see what magic history wants to share with us

The trip starts early one morning and we are in a small bus with tourists from other countries. We have many good laughs because one of our fellow travellers does not quite understand how she behaves. An older woman with braids rarely lets the tour guide finish his sentences. There is always something she wants to ask or add. It interferes with us and our experience, but at the same time we are different. She could be perceived as inquisitive, but our assessment is rather that she does not really keep up with the flow of information.

Sand, sand and more sand. These are the roads that take us through the desert.

The time spent building these roads to reach this library is impressive. I’ve seen a lot of sand in my day, but never this amount. No scale could ever tell how much the sand weighs and how many cubic meters it contains. Interesting to reflect on this fact. Of course, the daughter and I talk about it.

The art of book printing has evolved and changed over the centuries that have passed since then. Handmade with patience is not something that is done today. Now it is mass production that takes place. How about taking the time to see each book as a work of art of a rare kind? The value behind each word should have its weight in gold. Before you put your words on paper, you should think about what the words really mean.

The following information is striking;

The monastery library preserves the second largest collection of early codices and manuscripts in the world, outnumbered only by the Vatican Library. It contains around 6,000 manuscripts on various topics, including religion, history, geography, and philosophy, the oldest of which dates to the 4th century AD.

Johannes Gutenberg is perhaps the person in world history who has had the greatest impact on the development of humanity. In the mid-15th century, in Mainz, Germany, he developed the technology to print and mass produce books. The art of printing quickly spread across the continent.

We get a guided tour of the area and it is a passionate and informed guide who takes us back in time. For our part, there is no problem understanding what he says, but for our fellow travellers who are neither fluent nor have a high knowledge of the English language that the guide speaks makes me wonder how much the others get out of the trip. My daughter and I take in everything that is conveyed and we listen with great interest.

Unfortunately, we do not get access to the library itself, it turns out, but having been right next to this is a nice experience. An experience that no one can take away from us. We have immortalized this day both in our memories and in photos, and I feel a respect for what books can give us. Without them, society would probably never have looked like it does today.

It is actually kind of hard to describe what this place offers me. The words do not come out as they usually do. I hardly lack words and the imagination of using words. Now I do and simply like this feeling. Unfamiliar just like this place – but it stays in my memory.

“If you want a new idea, read an old book.“ – Ivan Pavlov

CONCLUSION;
understand the history and the appeal of books. It almost feels like a betrayal not to visit this place and dedicate my time to these historical authors to appreciate what they have contributed.

Why visit this place?
* The history ought to be studied since it is from that we learn about the future as well
* The nature is part of our natural habitat and feeling that we belong here in this surrounding offers a peaceful mind.

Three questions and reflections

How informed are you before you visit a historical place?
Do you let the knowledge you gain from visiting a place influence you in the future?
How aware are you that history has shaped today?

Three main take-aways from visiting this place;

That a historical place can have a long-lasting impact
Seeing this as a modern person is kind of weird and yet awesome at the same time
Breathing this air gives me inner joy and peace