Imagine their surprise when Constantine’s mum, later known as St. Helena, showed up around 313 AD and declared their particular piece of rock to be Mount Moses: the exact place where a few years earlier God had also revealed himself to the Prophet Ilia, complete with burning bush or remnants thereof. In fact, she was so enamoured with the vibrations eminating from this spot that she built a chapel right on top of a suitably scorched blackberry bush. Having drawn all this attention to the place, she was then duty bound to add a good strong wall and a couple of watch towers to assist the ex-hermits and clergymen in dissauding unwelcome visitations from the marauding Saudi Arabian nomads, who even then were intent on raping and pillaging whatever they came across. Thus are the origins of St.Catherines Monastary.

The reputation of the Mount of Moses and his burning bush spread far and wide, drawing pilgrims from all over the Christian world, and eventually a band of Greek Orthodox monks decided to muscle in and set up shop on this revered spot. As with all ex-pats, they brought with them a few things to remind them of home, amongst which were some seeds from their native grown Cypress trees. These seeds, and indeed the monks, felt quite at home in the cooler climate high up on the 1500 m mountain. The soil, previously deposited by the hermits to grow their crops, coupled with the cool arid atmosphere provided an ideal environment for them to flourish. The trees, of which over 100 remain to this day, liked it too. The largest example is about 500 years old and 12 metres tall. Being only a couple of metres wide at the bottom and tapering needle like to nothing at the top they have been likened, by those with restricted vision and a vivid imagination, to the shape of angels hands in the position of prayer.

They would, however, appear to be trees with a message. Worldwide, there are about 20 species constituting the genus Cupressus. One species aptly named Mourning Cypress not surprisingly represents death. The Italian Cypress is, to some cultures, a symbol of immortality. Despite extensive research there appears to no reasoning combining immortality and the Italians, save for the fact that since their trunks are weak, knotty and have what the Encyclopaedia Britannica politely refers to as " an odour sometimes considered offensive", nobody actually wants them for anything hence ensuring their longevity.