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Before writing this paper, many thoughts of knowing what Egypt was all about had crossed my mind. Of course, this was completely wrong of me to think this. Egypt is famous for its ancient civilizations and some of the world's most famous monuments such as the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx and places such as the Valley of the Kings. However, many new things were learned while creating this essay. Egypt itself plays a significant political and cultural role in the Middle East, and St. Catherine’s Monastery plays a major role in religious and economic activities in the Middle East as well.
To my amazement, Egypt is actually called the Arab Republic of Egypt. It is a country that is located in the Northern region of Africa that includes the Sinai Peninsula. The country of Egypt consumes an area of about 386,660 square miles. It is neighbors with Libya to the West, Sudan to the South, and the Gaza Strip and Israel to the East. The northern coastal region borders the Mediterranean Sea and the island of Cyprus. The eastern coastal region, however, borders the Red Sea. The country itself is a republic government meaning the people actually have a say in what goes on politically; a regular head of state is elected as the official person in charge as well. (Spencer)
All this, however, was not what amazed me the most. What did amaze me though, was what was found out about St. Catherine’s Monastery. It is known as one of the most significant centers of Orthodox Monasticism in the world. Nestled high in Mt. Sinai, the Monastery is surrounded by desolate land. Very stark, red toned, jagged rocks surround the Monastery along with a landscape that seems to be lacking the central element of life, water. What water there is is some of the most sacred water in all the land, and even all the world. Inside of the Monastery’s walls is a bush that is known as the Burning Bush. This bush seems to have been unaffected when it burst into flames...