He philosinaïtike politike tes Venetias kai to metochi Hagias Aecaterines ton Sinaïton sten Crete (13os - mesa 17ou ae.)

[The pro-Sinaite Policy of Venice and the Cretan Dependency (Metochion) of Saint Catherine's Monastery at Crete (13th - mid 17th ce.)]

Athens, 2023. In Greek, Latin and Italian. Soft cover, 24 cm, 212 pp. ISBN: 978-618-84285-3-9.

First publication of the Codex SInaiticus No. 2246.

The first settlement of Sinaïte monks at Crete (a Metochion) dates back at the beginning of the 13th century. Saint Catherine's Monastery already had in its possession large areas of fields, from donations made during the Byzantine years. In 1210 or 1212 the Venetians officially recognized these possessions with a document signed by the Doge Ziani. The Metochion flourished during the Venetian era and was famous for its wealth and the number of monks. In 1594, when a Turkish invasion was threatened, the Metochion had a body of 400 archer monks ready to help the Venetians !

This book presents the relations of the Venetian authorities with the Crete Metochion and in general with Saint Catherine's Monastery at Mount Sinai. The introduction presents the history of the Metochion and discusses the privileges, which the Venetians had from time to time granted to the Monastery. Then follows the Codex Sinaiticus 2246, today kept in the library of the Monastery. The manuscript includes 72 letters addressed by the doges (13th - 17th ce.) to the local Venetian authorities and regulating such issues, which clearly highlight the importance that the Sinai Monastery had for the Venetians. The Italian or Latin text is listed on the left pages of the book and the Greek translation on the right ones.