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Sinai Greek Two is a beautifully written manuscript of the tenth century, containing the text of Genesis, Exodus, and Leviticus. The generous margins around each page are filled with commentary written in a minute script. These annotations are drawn from the writings of twenty-four different authors.
Cyril of Alexandria composed two commentaries on the Pentateuch, The Adoration and Worship of God in Spirit and in Truth, and the Glaphyra, both early works. These are highly allegorical, in keeping with the Alexandrian tradition.
On folio 81 verso we read, ‘Cyril. Now, Moses went from the land of the Egyptians into Midian, in the same way Christ did from Judaea into Galilee.’
This quotation is more than just a parallel between the life of Moses and the life of Christ. It invites us to see the entire life of the prophet Moses as a type of Christ. This understanding is very early. We find a specific reference to Moses as a type of Jesus in the Epistle of Barnabas, which dates to the end of the first century AD.
Moses was born at a time when Pharaoh had commanded that all male children of the Hebrews be put to death. He fled to Midian to escape the wrath of the king. He drove away the evil shepherds, and gave life-sustaining waters to the flock. He wrought signs and wonders before Pharaoh, and delivered the children of Israel from bondage. He led them into the wilderness, where they were nourished by food from heaven, and drank water that flowed forth from the rock. When the children of Israel had sinned, Moses was their mediator with God. He revealed to them the Law and will of God. He fashioned a serpent of bronze, and all who looked to it were healed. When he stretched out his hands in the form of a cross, the Amalekites were defeated. He brought the children of Israel to the Promised Land, a land flowing with milk and honey.
A thirteenth century Sinai icon of the Nativity of our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Σήμερον γὰρ ὁ χρόνιος ἐλύθη δεσμός, ὁ διάβολος ᾐσχύνθη, οἱ δαίμονες ἐδραπέτευσαν, ὁ θάνατος ἐλύθη, παράδεισος ἠνεῴχθη, ἡ κατάρα ἠφανίσθη, ἡ ἁμαρτία ἐκποδὼν γέγονεν, ἡ πλάνη ἀπηλάθη, ἡ ἀλήθεια ἐπανῆλθε, καὶ τῆς εὐσεβείας ὁ λόγος πανταχοῦ διεσπάρη καὶ ἔδραμεν· ἡ τῶν ἄνω πολιτεία ἐν τῇ γῇ ἐφυτεύθη, ἄγγελοι μετὰ ἀνθρώπων κοινωνοῦσι, καὶ ἄνθρωποι μετὰ ἀγγέλων ἀδεῶς διαλέγονται.
Διὰ τί; Ἐπειδὴ Θεὸς ἐπὶ γῆς ἦλθε, καὶ ἄνθρωπος ἐν οὐρανῷ· πάντα ἀναμὶξ γέγονε. Ἦλθε γὰρ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὅλος ὢν ἐν οὐρανοῖς· ὅλος δὲ ὢν ἐν οὐρανῷ, ὅλος ἐστὶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Θεὸς ὢν, γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος, οὐκ ἀρνησάμενος τὸ εἶναι Θεός· λόγος ὢν ἀπαθὴς, σὰρξ ἐγένετο, διὰ τὸ ἐνοικῆσαι ἡμῖν σὰρξ ἐγένετο. Θεὸς γὰρ οὐκ ἐγένετο, ἀλλὰ ἦν. Διὰ τοῦτο σὰρξ ἐγένετο, ἵνα ὃν οὐκ ἐχώρει οὐρανός, δέξηται φάτνη. Διὰ τοῦτο ἐν φάτνῃ ἐτέθη, ἵνα ὁ τρέφων τὰ σύμπαντα παιδίου τροφὴν παρὰ μητρὸς παρθένου λάβῃ Διὰ τοῦτο ὁ τῶν μελλόντων αἰώνων Πατὴρ ὡς ὑπομάζιον βρέφος παρθενικῶν ἀνέχεται ἀγκαλῶν, ἵνα καὶ μάγοις εὐπρόσιτος γένηται. Σήμερον γὰρ καὶ μάγοι προσῆλθον, ἀρχὴν λαβόντες ἀρνεῖσθαι τὸν τύραννον, καὶ ὁ οὐρανὸς καυχᾶται ἀστέρι τὸν ἴδιον Δεσπότην μηνύων.
Come, then, let us observe the Feast. Truly wondrous is the whole chronicle of the Nativity. For this day the ancient slavery is ended, the devil confounded, the demons take to flight, the power of death is broken, paradise is unlocked, the curse is taken away, sin is removed from us, error driven out, truth has been brought back, the speech of kindliness diffused, and spreads on every side, a heavenly way of life has been implanted on the earth, angels communicate with men without fear, and men now hold speech with angels.
Why is this? Because God is now on earth, and man in heaven; on every side all things commingle. He became Flesh. He did not become God. He was God. Wherefore He became flesh, so that He Whom heaven did not contain, a manger would this day receive. He was placed in a manger, so that He, by whom all things are nourished, may receive an infant’s food from His Virgin Mother. So, the Father of all ages, as an infant at the breast, nestles in the virginal arms, that the Magi may more easily see Him. Since this day the Magi too have come, and made a beginning of withstanding tyranny; and the heavens give glory, as the Lord is revealed by a star.
Saint John Chrysostom
After the Divine Liturgy on the feast of Saint Catherine, many pilgrims came to the saloni to greet Archbishop Symeon and receive his blessing. He, in turn, was able to express his thanks to the clergy, the chanters, and all who had come to celebrate the feast.
After the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, the icon and relic of Saint Catherine were carried in procession around the church. Prayers were said for the members of the community, for the pilgrims, and for the monks of Sinai who have gone to their rest.
On the feast of Saint Catherine at the Sinai dependency in Athens, a relic of Saint Catherine is placed before her icon for the veneration of the faithful.
On the feast of Saint Catherine at the Sinai dependency in Athens, the icon on the iconostasion is framed with beautiful and fragrant roses and other flowers.
Icon lamps in front of the iconostasion are lit on Sundays and feast days.
The first column on the left in the Sinai basilica has a menologion icon depicting all the saints whose feast days fall in October. On the wall behind is an icon of the holy Apostle Paul.
On Friday, October 18/31, Archbishop Symeon was formally enthroned as Archbishop of Sinai, Faran, and Raithou, at Saint Catherine’s Monastery. Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem was present, and presented Archbishop Symeon with the episcopal staff of authority.
Also present from Jerusalem were Metropolitan Hesychios of Capitolia, Archimandrite Ieronymos, Secretary of the Holy Synod, Archimandrite Christodoulos, and Deacon Prodromos. The Ecumenical Patriarchate was represented by Metropolitan Demetrios of the Princes’ Islands, the Patriarchate of Alexandria by Metropolitan George of Guinea. Bishop Christophoros of Karpasia was present, representing both the Church of Greece and the Church of Cyprus.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Greece, was present at the enthronement, together with important officials from Greece.
Present also were Major General Khaled Mubarak, Governor of South Sinai, together with important officials from Egypt. Representing the United States were Michael Rigas, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, and Herro Garg, Ambassador to Egypt.
Patriarch Theophilos made an address in which he said,
«Ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ ἰδιαιτέρᾳ καὶ ἱστορικῇ στιγμῇ, ὅπου παρίστανται ἐνταῦθα ἐξέχουσαι προσωπικότητες, καλοῦμεν ἀμφοτέρους νὰ συνεργασθῶσι πρὸς διαφύλαξιν τοῦ ἱεροῦ τούτου χώρου καὶ τῆς μακραίωνος παραδόσεως αὐτοῦ, ἐν ἐγρηγόρσει συνειδήσεως καὶ ὑψηλῷ αἰσθήματι εὐθύνης ἔμπροσθεν τῆς ἱστορίας, τῆς ὁποίας πάντες καθιστάμεθα μέρος καὶ μάρτυρες».
‘At this special and historic moment, where prominent personalities are present here, we call on both to cooperate in preserving this sacred space and its centuries-old tradition, with a heightened sense of conscience and a high sense of responsibility before the history of which we are all part and witnesses.’
Icon lamps hanging before the icon depicting all of the saints whose feast days fall in the month of September.
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