In the text of Justinian’s Neara to the Holy Monastery of Sinai, specific mention is made of the care that should be reserved to the liturgical vestments of its abbot. To this day, the simplicity and austerity of the monastic habit is in stark contrast to the liturgical vestments of the clergy, which testify to the significance of the celebration of the Holy Mysteries of the Church. One is reminded, also, of the ornate vestments that were directed to be made for the High Priest and his ministrations in the holy tabernacle. These vestments are gifts of faithful rulers and pilgrims to the holy monastery, which cares for them with great diligence.

Most of these vestments date from the sixteenth century and later, although the monastery possesses noteworthy examples dating from Byzantine times. These display the craftsmanship of the areas where each was made, and the devotion in which the holy monastery was held. These vestments employ a variety of fabrics, including silk and velvet, and decoration with gold embroidery and the use of seed pearls, corals, or semi-precious stones. Many of these include inscriptions listing the donor and a date, and some of them also include prayers or dedicatory inscriptions.