Saint Anne (2024)From Fr. Justin's Sinai Blog.

In the Chapel of St. Anne: "In these chapels we encounter the ancient Sinai."For the Feast of the Dormition of ST. ANNE, the MOTHER of the VIRGIN MARY

Saint Anne (2024)

From Fr. Justin's Sinai Blog

This year, once again, we were able to celebrate the Divine Liturgy at the Chapel of Saint Anne (dates likely before the 9th or 10th century, during the most active Sinai monasticism) on her feast day. The only person who could go with me needed to be back at the monastery to open the gift shop when the monastery is open to visitors. That is why we decided to have the service at night. 

We left the monastery at 9:00 PM. It was more difficult to make our ascent in the dark, but a little after midnight, we saw the chapel above us and were soon inside. The celebration of the Divine Liturgy proceeded in the stillness of the night in this beautiful little chapel.

The stars were bright in the sky overhead, and the Milky Way was clearly visible, spanning from one horizon to the other.

As we made our descent, the first light of day shone on the horizon. We were back at the monastery before sunrise.

- This little chapel is especially beautiful, and it is a joy to return every year for the feast of Saint Anne.

Based on Fr. Justin's Sinai Blog: https://www.fatherjustinsblog.info/archives/8749

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Chapel of Saint Anne

There are several chapels to the west of the Basin of the Prophet Elias. The most remote of them all is the Chapel of Saint Anne, perched incongruously next to massive outcrops of solid granite. It is my favourite of all the little chapels in the Sinai mountains.

I first saw the Chapel of Saint Anne in January of 2005, when I joined Father Nilus as he took holy water from the Theophany services to bless all of the outlying chapels. The roof had cracked, allowing water to seep in. This was eroding the earth mortar between the stones, and much of the plaster inside had fallen off. No one had celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the chapel for many years, because it had become so dilapidated. But every detail of the chapel seemed to have been made with sensitivity and devotion, and it was beautiful, even in that state.

 I was able to clean the chapel, and Evangelos Zournatzis, an iconographer from Samos, sent me a photograph of an icon of Saint Anne he had painted, that I was able to print and frame. We returned on July 25, the feast day of Saint Anne, to celebrate the Divine Liturgy. It was a great joy, and we have been back every year since then.

From Fr. Justin's Sinai Blog: https://www.fatherjustinsblog.info/archives/1774

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The Renovated Chapel of Saint Anne

In 2008, the Chapel of Saint Anne was renovated. Mortar on the roof and outside walls that had crumbled was replaced. The plaster inside was patched, and the walls and ceiling whitewashed. A wooden floor was installed over the earlier dirt floor, while retaining the flagstones at the eastern end of the chapel.

From Fr. Justin's Sinai Blog: https://www.fatherjustinsblog.info/archives/2005