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St. Simeon Monastery, also called the Monastery of Anba Hatre or Hedra, is one of the most ancient monasteries in the world. It is located on a high hill surrounded by the desert south of the island of Elephantine, near the west bank of the Nile in Aswan. The monastery dates back to the 6th century. The monastery was first dedicated to Saint Hedra, who renounced the world on his wedding day after encountering a funeral procession. The monastery was rebuilt in the 10th century and dedicated to St. Simeon. Following the rebuilding, the monks started to travel to Nubia to encourage the Nubians to convert to Christianity. Unfortunately, Saint Simeon Monastery was destroyed by the Ayyubid Sultan Saladin in 1173. By the 13th century, the monastery had been completely abandoned because of a lack of water and desert marauders. The monastery still has graffiti made by Muslim pilgrims who stayed there on their way to Mecca.