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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.
On Sunday, October 6/19, 2025, Hegoumenos Symeon of Sinai was consecrated Archbishop of Sinai, Pharan, and Raitho, by Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Many bishops and priests were present, to show their respect and support for the newly consecrated Archbishop.
He made his Confession of Faith, and promise to uphold the traditions and teachings of the Church. ‘And all those things, my bounden duty, which I have this day promised in word, I also promise to perform in deed unto my uttermost breath, for the sake of the covenanted good things to come. And may God, who seeth the heart, be the witness to my vow. And may our Saviour himself be my helper, in my sincere and zealous government and my performance thereof; and unto Him, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be glory and dominion, honour and worship, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.’
Following the Entrance with the Gospel, he made a personal address. ‘Called by the honourable and unanimous vote of the Venerable Sinai Brotherhood to take upon myself the burden of the cross of the Hegumenship of the ancient Imperial and Autonomous Monastery of Christ the Saviour and of the Holy Great-Martyr Catherine, and with it the Archiepiscopal protection of the God-trodden Archbishopric of Sinai, Pharan and Raitho, I was not able to refuse this new evangelical yoke of my ecclesiastical ministry in remote Arabia, despite my many inner hesitations and grave objections, and despite my relatively advanced age and certain problems with my bodily health. And this because, whereas I never coveted, desired, or in any way whatsoever, directly or indirectly, sought such a position, as all who know me well, and especially my Sinai brethren, can attest, I was found, alas! in a time of exceptionally great tempest and painful historical turmoil of Sinai affairs, useful as it seems and fit in the eyes of my Brethren to take up the sacred duties. . . .
‘I had not, therefore, the right to refuse the call and to desert my post! And so, having loosed the latchet of my shoes before the mystery of the burning bush in the midst of which I unexpectedly found myself, with bowings of neck and knees I spake, and again I say, unto the All-Holy God: Lord, I have not sought the honour! I have not desired nor have I pursued golden stoles of positions, glories, and pastoral responsibilities! My humble priestly ministry in Thy Church sufficed me! But I have been pressed into service! Thou hast pressed me into service!’
In concluding his personal address, he said, ‘Your Beatitude, the rest of the things which flood my soul at this sacred hour, honouring them with silence, I commit to God, entrusting now to You in compunction and sacred awe my right hand, for Your further actions concerning me! O Lord, save now! O Lord, prosper now! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!’
‘0 Master, Lord our God, who through thine all-laudable Apostle Paul hast established for us an ordinance of degrees and ranks, unto the service and divine celebration of thine august and all-spotless Mysteries upon thy holy Altar; first, Apostles, secondly, Prophets, thirdly, teachers: Do thou, the same Lord of all, who also hast graciously enabled this chosen person to come under the yoke of the Gospel and the dignity of a Bishop through the laying-on of hands of us, his fellow Bishops here present, strengthen him by the inspiration and power and grace of thy Holy Spirit, as thou didst strengthen thy holy Apostles and Prophets; as thou didst anoint Kings; as thou hast consecrated Bishops: And make his Bishopric to be blameless; and adorning him with all dignity, present thou him holy, that he may be worthy to ask those things which are for the salvation of the people, and that thou mayest give ear unto him. For blessed is thy Name, and glorified thy Kingdom, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.’
He was vested with the sakkos, omophorion, and mitre, and presented with the pastoral staff.
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the newly consecrated Archbishop Symeon made the dismissal and blessed the people.
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