Mused Mused Logo St. Catherine's Monastery
St. Catherine's Monastery
Illuminated Manuscripts and Printed Books Modern History

Printed Books

The library of printed books of the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine of Mount Sinai is truly remarkable in terms of the antiquity, the number, and the variety of its contents

The Holy Monastery of Sinai, Library. Mega Etymologikon, Detail of the name of the printer Nikolaos Vlastos, first edition of Venice, 1499, [Room 6, 27.4]. Archive of the Monastery of Sinai, HJ

1 MIN READ

The library of printed books of the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine of Mount Sinai is truly remarkable in terms of the antiquity, the number, and the variety of its contents. The old section (containing books that were acquired before 1972) contains over 8000 books.

The printed books represent the literary production of antiquity, Byzantium, the period of Ottoman rule, and modern times. The library of printed books began to be organized during the sixteenth century thanks to numerous scholars and bibliophile archbishops and monks of Sinai.

The printed books date to several time periods and were printed in a variety of locations. The library preserves some early incunabula printed books (books printed before March 25th, 1501), such as the first edition of Homer (1488) [27.3], the first edition of Aristophanes (1498), the first edition of the Great Etymological Lexicon (1499) [27.2] etc. as well as other early printed books (printed between 1501 and 1600) from the famous printing house of Aldus Manutius [27.5], and printing houses of Florence, Rome, Leyden, Paris, Basil, etc.

One stands in awe before a variety of editions of ancient Greek authors and Church Fathers, a multitude of liturgical texts, lexicons, manuals on grammar, and several editions of the Philological Encyclopedia of Ioannis Patousas, among many others. These books were acquired as dedications, direct acquisitions, and donations, and are preserved with the utmost care. The two-fold spiritual legacy of the monastery, Christian and Classical, is preserved in this library, as an essential part of Sinai monastic life. The collection illustrates the spiritual interests of the fathers of Sinai, many of whom were notable scholars, such as Gregory Melissinos, Nikiphoros Marthalis, Ilarion of Crete and others. AN

Keep Reading

Manuscripts and Crosses Ecclesiastical Metalwork, Miniature, Printed Icons

The Holy Fathers Slaughtered at Sinai and Raithou "Having emulated the baptism by blood of the …

Saint Catherine Liturgical Life and Gold Embroidery

Historical Outline of the Monastery of Sinai Centuries of monastic life at Saint Catherine's Monastery

Saint Catherine Liturgical Life and Gold Embroidery

Divine Art: The Relics of St. Catherine Relics are an important part of Christian ideology, …

Saint Catherine

The Martyrdom of Saint Catherine and Sinai Martyred in Alexandria in the 3rd Century after …

Saint Catherine Modern History

Introduction to the Monastery and Museum Located where God appeared to Moses in the …

Byzantine Icons – Prophet Moses Saint Catherine

Moses in Sinai, the Holy Bush and Saint Catherine «...And he said, Draw not nigh hither: loose …

Saint Catherine

The History of Sinai through Pilgrim and Traveller Accounts Many pilgrim accounts concerning the Sinai have been …

Byzantine Icons – Prophet Moses Liturgical Life and Gold Embroidery

Saint John of Sinai, Author of the Klimax A sixth century ascetic living in the Sinai, …

Saint Catherine Byzantine Icons – Theotokos (Mother of God)

Who was Saint Catherine? Saint Catherine, the namesake of the monastery, is …

Ottoman Documents Modern History

The Monastery of Sinai and the Bedouin The relationship between the monastery and six large …

Modern History Liturgical Life and Gold Embroidery

The Dependencies of the Monastery of Sinai Scattered around the world, they have supported monastic …

Modern History Liturgical Life and Gold Embroidery

Architecture: The Monastery of the Sinai, its Founders and the Sacristy Quarters About the construction of one of the oldest …

Saint Catherine Modern History

The Monastery of Sinai and the Living Quarters of its Roman Guardians The history of the excavations of the monastery …

Byzantine Icons – Prophet Moses Ecclesiastical Metalwork, Miniature, Printed Icons

The Mosaic of the Katholikon The ornately-decorated mosaic in the apse above the …

Byzantine Icons – Prophet Moses Ecclesiastical Metalwork, Miniature, Printed Icons

Christ Pantocrator, Palladion of the Monastery of Sinai A sixth century icon painted with the encaustic …

Byzantine Icons – Prophet Moses Ecclesiastical Metalwork, Miniature, Printed Icons

Icons, Depictions of Divine Beauty The history and use of icons at the …

Byzantine Icons – Prophet Moses Ecclesiastical Metalwork, Miniature, Printed Icons

Icons, Tributes of Faith and Reverence Generous donors from around the world dedicated icons …

Saint Catherine Byzantine Icons – Theotokos (Mother of God)

Miracle of the Mother of God the Guarantor or Oikonomissa The miracle of the Virgin Mary at the …

Saint Catherine Modern History

Pilgrimage to Sinai, Fourth to Twenty-First Century Pilgirms all of the world have been traveling …

Saint Catherine Modern History

St. Catherine’s Feast Day Around the World The calendar of saints is a tradition of …

Byzantine Icons – Prophet Moses Ecclesiastical Metalwork, Miniature, Printed Icons

Printed Icons Printed paper icons, i.e, religious etchings given by …

Modern History Liturgical Life and Gold Embroidery

Goldwork Embroidery The archives of the monastery of Saint Catherine …

Byzantine Icons – Prophet Moses Saint Catherine

The Sinai Landscape from Crete to Venice: Faith, Light and Radiance Mount Sinai and the surrounding landscape are a …

Modern History

Presenting the Holy Treasures of the Sinai at the Beginning of the Twenty-First Century For more than sixteen hundred years, the monks …

Manuscripts and Crosses Illuminated Manuscripts and Printed Books

Manuscripts and Archive The Holy Monastery of Sinai possesses one of …

Manuscripts and Crosses Illuminated Manuscripts and Printed Books

Illuminated Holy Manuscripts The illuminated manuscripts of Sinai are of great …

Manuscripts and Crosses Modern History

The Modern History of the Codex Sinaiticus Eighteen pages of the Codex Sinaiticus are preserved …

Ecclesiastical Metalwork, Miniature, Printed Icons

Ecclesiastical Metalwork The types of vessels used during the liturgy …

Byzantine Icons – Prophet Moses

Prophet Elijah and Sinai About the prophet that encountered God at the …

Saint Catherine Byzantine Icons – Theotokos (Mother of God)

The Mother of God’s Miracle of the Oil that Spontaneously Overflowed at the Prayers of Abba George Arselaites Recounting of a miracle of overflowing olive oil …

Ecclesiastical Metalwork, Miniature, Printed Icons Byzantine Icons – Theotokos (Mother of God)

Icons of the Virgin of the Burning Bush in Sinai The Mother of God has been omnipresent in …

Ottoman Documents Ecclesiastical Metalwork, Miniature, Printed Icons

What is a Palimpsest? Uncovering hidden texts in reused centuries-old manuscripts