 When Egeria came here in the fourth century, she said sometimes it was like climbing straight up a cliff to reach the peak of Sinai. Sometimes? But the steps were in place by the sixth century. They're called the steps of repentance, but I think it's the repentance of the person who climbs the steps and the exertion that he makes in going up, and sometimes even the greater exertion that it takes to get down.