This year, the celebration of the memory of St. Catherine in the Sinai Monastery will be held without pilgrims. The monastery explains that the monastery “is open for visiting only in the outer space of the monastery, in the storage of utensils and in the pronaos (when there are no liturgies). To protect the health of the inhabitants, the entrance to the cathedral of the monastery is prohibited.”

The announcement was published on the orthodoxianewsagency portal.

“We inform friends and pilgrims of the Sinai Monastery of St. Catherine, that due to the fact that information appeared on the network about the opening of the monastery for pilgrimage, which is still closed for pilgrims, we explain that only the outer spaces, the storage of utensils and the pronaos (when there are no liturgies) are open for visiting. To protect the health of the inhabitants, access to the cathedral of the monastery is prohibited.

Therefore, for the same reason, the monastery hotel will be closed during the period from November 25 to December 8 this year during the feast of St. Catherine, which will be held without pilgrims and with the participation of only the inhabitants of the monastery. We call on the mercy of the Lord, who has looked after Sinai, we earnestly pray to our representative Saint Catherine for an end to the pandemic and the healing of the sick and reconciliation of all, ”the message says.