coptic museum, cairo - gmpviaggi pl… · coptic museum, cairo housing the world's largest...

Coptic Museum Cairo

Housing the worlds largest collection of Coptic Christian artwork the Coptic

Museum in Cairo is a must-see for visitors interested in Christian art or

Egyptian history after the pharaohs

History

The Coptic Museum was founded in 1910 and recently reopened after

extensive renovations

What to See

The Coptic Museum is generally arranged by artistic medium The first floor

has carved stone and stucco frescoes and woodwork The second floor

includes textiles manuscripts icons and metalwork

The collection includes many exquisite works of art as well as some artifacts

notable for their religious syncretism - the gradual transformation of the

Egyptian ankh into the cross and divine sun discs into halos Christian scenes

incorporating Egyptian gods and ancient Egyptian columns transformed into

baptismal fonts

Some of the Nag Hammadi manuscripts important early copies of Gnostic-

Christian writings like the Gospel of Thomas are upstairs

Hanging Church Cairo

Known in Arabic as al-Muallaqah (The Suspended) the Hanging Church

is the most famous Coptic church in Cairo The church is dedicated to the

Virgin Mary and is thus also known as Sitt Mariam or St Marys Church

The Hanging Church is named for its location above a gatehouse of the

Roman fortress in Old Cairo its nave is suspended over a passage The

church is approached by 29 steps early travelers to Cairo dubbed it the

Staircase Church

History

The Hanging Church was built in the 7th century probably on the site of a 3rd

or 4th century church for the soldiers of the bastion It has been rebuilt several

times since then including a major rebuild under Patriarch Abraham in the

10th century

By the 11th century the Hanging Church became the official residence of the

Coptic patriarchs of Alexandria and several Coptic synods were held in the

church The main furnishings - the pulpit and screens - date from the 13th

century

What to See

Entrance to the Hanging Church is via a beautifully-decorated gate on Shara

Mari Girgis Street This leads into an open courtyard flanked by mosaics

from which there are 29 steps to the church At the top of the stairs are three

wooden doors decorated with geometric patterns framed with decorative

carvings in the stone wall

Inside only the section to the right of the sanctuary above the southern

bastion is considered original Nevertheless the Hanging Church remains

one of the most impressive churches in the city remarkable for its marble

pulpit inlaid screens icons and murals The timber roof of the nave recalls

Noahs Ark

The 11th-century marble pulpit surmounts 13 graceful pillars representing

Jesus and the 12 disciples As customary in Coptic churches one of the

pillars is black representing Judas and another is grey for doubting Thomas

Its steps are carved with a shell and a cross

The oldest icon in the Hanging Church dates from the 8th century Many

other artifacts from this church are now displayed in the Coptic Museum

including a lintel showing Christs entry into Jerusalem that dates from the 5th

or 6th century

St Georges Church Cairo

The Church of St George in Coptic Cairo is the principal Greek Orthodox

church of Egypt It is built atop an old Roman tower and adjoins the

Monastery of St George

History

The Church of St George was built in the 10th century but a fire destroyed

the original structure The present church dates only from 1904

What to See

St George is the only round church in Egypt but unlike the original Church of

the Holy Sepulchre and its many imitators (such as Romes Santa Stefano

Rotondo and Londons Temple Church) this is only for practical reasons - it is

built atop the foundations of a Roman round tower

Inside the dark interior is heavy with incense and pierced by sunbeams that

filter through its stained glass windows A (closed) flight of steps leads down

into the old Roman tower once believed to be peopled by devils

Next door the Monastery of St George is now the seat of the Greek

Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria The monastery rarely admits tourists

Confusingly just down the road is another Church of St George and a

Convent of St George the latter of which opens its chapel to visitors (daily

9-4) and has some English-speaking nuns Both of these institutions are

Coptic Orthodox

Festivals and Events

St Georges celebration of the Moulid of Mari Girgis (St Georges Day) on

April 23 is one of the largest Coptic festivals in Cairo - despite the fact that the

church is Greek not Coptic

St Marks Coptic Cathedral Alexandria

St Marks Coptic Cathedral in Alexandria is the seat of the Pope of

Alexandria the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church The cathedral is said to

stand on the site of the church founded by St Mark the Evangelist in 60 AD

History

St Mark the Evangelist (author of the second Gospel) has been connected

with the city of Alexandria since earliest Christian tradition Coptic Christians

believe he arrived in Alexandria around 60 AD and stayed for about seven

years

During this time Mark converted many to Christianity and performed miracles

He is considered the founder of the church in Alexandria and the first Bishop

of Alexandria According to tradition St Mark was arrested during a festival of

Serapis in 68 AD and martyred by being dragged through the streets He was

buried under the church he had founded

In 828 the body of St Mark was stolen from the Alexandrian church by

Venetians to be enshrined in the grand new St Marks Basilica in Venice

However the head of the saint remained in Alexandria and every newly-

appointed Patriarch of Alexandria began his service with holding the holy

head of St Mark in his lap and changing its cloth shroud

The head of St Mark was moved around a great deal over the centuries and

has been lost for over 250 years Some of the relics from the body of St

Mark however were returned to Alexandria from Rome in 1968

What to See

The present St Marks Coptic Cathedral is of recent date but is said to stand

on the site of church founded by St Mark himself

Mount Sinai

Mount Sinai (also called Jebel Musa or Mount Moses) on the Sinai

Peninsula of Egypt is the traditional site where Moses received the Ten

Commandments from God There are some small chapels at the summit from

which there are spectacular sunrise views The starting point for the climb

and an unmissable sight in itself is St Catherines Monastery at the base of

the mountain

In the BibleNow Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law the priest of Midian and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb the mountain of God There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look God called to him from within the bush Moses Moses And Moses said Here I am

Do not come any closer God said Take off your sandals for the place where you are standing is holy ground Then he said I am the God of your father the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob At this Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God The Lord said I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt So now go I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt

Moses said to God Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them The God of your fathers has sent me to you and they ask me What is his name Then what shall I tell them God said to Moses I am who I am This is what you are to say to the Israelites I AM has sent me to you (Exodus 31-14 NIV)

In the third month after the Israelites left Egyptmdashon the very daymdashthey came to the Desert of Sinai After they set out from Rephidim they entered the Desert of Sinai and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain

Then Moses went up to God and the LORD called to him from the mountain and said This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt and how I carried you on eagles wings and brought you to myself Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession Although the whole earth is mine you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites

And God spoke all these words I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt out of the land of slavery You shall have no other gods before me (Exodus 19 the Ten Commandments are given at Exodus 201-17)

Authenticity

The geographical locations of these biblical events are not known and a wide

variety of theories have been offered by scholars No particular evidence

supports the site on which the monastery is built nor for the peak identified as

Mount Sinai However the attachment of early Christian monks to these sites

is not without significance

What to See

From St Catherines Monastery it is an uphill hike or camel ride to the

summit of Mount Sinai (2285m) This is identified as the mountain where

Moses received the Tablets of the Law from God The main route to the

summit is known as the Path of Moses (Arabic Sikket Sayidna Musa) and is

lined with remains of various chapels This is a very popular place from which

to watch the sunrise which is spectacular

There is both a mosque and a chapel at the summit of Mount Moses The

Chapel of the Holy Trinity was built in 1934 using the remains of the chapel

built by Justinian in the 6th century Justinians chapel itself replaced an

earlier chapel built in 363

Clearly visible from the mountain is the village of St Catherine located

some distance from the Monastery on the El Raha plain It is an old

settlement that has received considerable development in recent years

St Catherines Monastery Sinai

St Catherines Monastery is an Orthodox monastery on the Sinai peninsula

at the foot of Mount Sinai in Egypt One of the oldest Christian monasteries in

the world St Catherines incorporates the burning bush seen by Moses and

contains many valuable icons Above the monastery is Mount Sinai (see

separate article) where Moses received the Ten Commandments from God

Because God spoke to Moses in these places this area is sacred to three

world religions Christianity Islam and Judaism

In the BibleNow Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law the priest of Midian and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb the mountain of God There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look God called to

him from within the bush Moses Moses And Moses said Here I am






Authenticity






History

In the early 4th century St Helena mother of Constantine the Great built the

Chapel of the Burning Bush at the site where Moses is supposed to have

seen the miracle

The fortified walls were built around the chapel by the Byzantine emperor and

great church-builder Justinian (who also commissioned the Hagia Sophia)

starting in 527 The Church of the Transfiguration was completed by

Justinians workers in the 560s around the time of his death

The monasterys actual name is the Monastery of the Transfiguration but it

later became associated with St Catherine of Alexandria a 3rd-century

martyr whose head and hand were brought here for safe keeping in the 10th

century St Catherines Monastery became a major pilgrimage destination in

the Byzantine Era and it still is today

Mount Sinai is also revered by Muslims as Jebel Musa (Mount Moses) the

place where God handed down his Law In 623 a document signed by the

Prophet Muhammad himself the Actiname (Holy Testament) exempted the

Christian monks of St Catherines from the usual taxes and military service

and commanded that Muslims provide the community with every help

In recognition of this gesture the St Catherines monks permitted the

conversion of a small Crusader chapel within the monastery to a mosque

between 1101 and 1106 during the Fatimid Caliphate (909-1171) This was in

regular use until Mameluke rule in the later 13th century when it was

neglected until its restoration in the early 20th century It is still used on

special occasions by the local Muslims

In 2002 the area centering on St Catherines Monastery was declared a

World Heritage Site by UNESCO because of Mt Sinais importance in three

major world religions (Judaism Christianity and Islam) the natural

environment of the area and St Catherines historic architecture and art

What to See

St Catherines Monastery comprises the entire Orthodox Church of Mount

Sinai an autonomous Orthodox Christian church headed by an archbishop

who is also the abbot of the monastery The archbishop is traditionally

consecrated by the Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem

St Catherines Monastery is surrounded on all sides by a massive wall 25 m

wide and 11m high This is the wall provided by Emperor Justinian in the 6th

century It is made of huge dressed granite blocks except for the upper

sections which were restored on orders of Napoleon using smaller

undressed stone blocks Christian symbols such as crosses and monograms

are carved on the wall in various places Until the 20th century access was

through a door high in the outer walls The entrance is now through a smaller

gate (also original) to the left of the main gate

The holiest part of the monastery is the large living shrub that is said to be a

direct descendent of the very burning bush that was seen by Moses The

Chapel of the Burning Bush was built with its altar situated above the roots

of the bush and incorporates the 4th-century chapel built by Empress St

Helena The chapel is dedicated to the Virgin Mary The bust itself was

transplanted to permit the construction of the altar and now grows a few

meters from the chapel It is a rare species of the rose family called Rubus

Sanctus The bush is native to Sinai and extremely long-lived facts that help

lend credibility to the site

The main church of the monastery is the Basilica of the Transfiguration (or

Katholikon) which was built of granite by the Byzantine architect Stephanos

at the same time as the defensive walls The church structure the roof and

the carved cedar doors at the entrance are all originals from 527 AD

Inside the basilica has a broad main nave two side aisles an apse and a

narthex The nave is bordered by massive granite columns with capitals

decorated with Christian symbols Each aisle has three chapels and there is a

chapel on each side of the apse Next to the main altar is a sarcophagus with

the relics of St Catherine (head and hand)

The ceiling marble floor and elaborate iconostasis of the basilica date from

the 18th century The icons mosaics and works of art that decorate the

interior span many centuries The doors of the narthex were added by

Crusaders in the 11th century

The neo-Classical bell tower was built in 1871 by one of the monks

Gregorius It houses nine bells given by the Tsar of Russia

A continual supply of fresh water is provided to the monastery by the Well of

Moses which taps an underground spring According to tradition this stands

on the very spot where Moses met his future wife Zipporah after protecting

her and her sisters from an aggressive group of local shepherds (Exodus

216-21

St Pauls Monastery

St Pauls Monastery (Deir Mar Boulos) in the Eastern Desert of Egypt is an

ancient monastery dedicated to the hermit St Paul of Thebes who moved to

this spot in the wilderness around 250 AD Originally built in the 5th century

the monastery now has three churches and contains many important

manuscripts

History

The life of St Paul of Thebes was recorded early but has always been

intertwined with fabulous legends Born into a wealthy family Paul abandoned

civilization and fled the Decian persecution around 250 AD when he was only

16 years old to become a hermit in the Eastern Desert

Living a life of extreme austerity from until his death at the ripe old age of 113

the hermit is said to have been fed a half-loaf of bread each day by a raven

In the most famous episode of his life Paul was visited by the desert monk St

Anthony around 345 AD Nearing the end of his own life of austerity Anthony

had become tempted by vanity in thinking he was the first of the Desert

Fathers So God led him to meet one who had preceded him

Paul died during Anthonys visit According to one version of the legend

Anthony requested two lions to dig a grave Another version says that before

his death Paul requested the robe of Pope Athanasius be brought to him for

burial then died while Anthony was away on the errand Either way two lions

dug the grave and St Anthony buried the hermit there designating him a

saint

St Pauls Monastery was built around the hermits cave by the 5th century It

suffered from Bedouin raids throughout its history the worst being in 1484

when all the monks were murdered the monastery was plundered and the

Bedouins occupied it for 80 years

Deir Mar Boulos was rebuilt under the patronage of Pope Gabriel VII of

Alexandria (1526-69) then attacked and destroyed again towards the end of

the century The monastery was deserted for 119 years then extensively

reconstructed and repopulated by monks from St Anthonys Monastery under

the patronage of Pope John XVI of Alexandria (1676-1718)

What to See

The monastery that bears St Pauls name is located where he was buried in

a valley south of the St Anthony monastery It has been little changed over

the years preserving its remarkably ancient heritage

The monastery has four churches the most important of which is the

underground Church of St Paul that contains the hermits cave and burial

place Its walls are painted with well-preserved frescoes and the ceiling is

hung with ostrich eggs symbols of the resurrection The larger Church of St

Michael has a gilded icon of John the Baptists severed head

St Pauls possesses many illustrated manuscripts including the Coptic

version of the Divine Liturgy and the Commentary on the Epistle of Saint Paul

to Titus by John Chrysostom

It is possible to hike from St Pauls to St Anthonys Monastery along a trail

across the plateau but this is a demanding trek and should be done with a

guide

St Antony Monastery ndash Red Sea

THE STORY OF MONASTICISM

Monasticism is considered Egyptrsquos greatest gift to the world It is a life of solitude prayer

contemplation charitable deeds and manual labour It is being one with God

where the monastic focuses all their life on being with God and doing His will

Monasticism is built on three basic principles poverty obedience and

chastity Monasticism was founded by the Egyptian Saint Antony who was

granted the title lsquofather of monasticismrsquo

Other important names in monasticism are Saint Macarius and Saint

Pachomius both from Egypt It was Saint Pachomius the Egyptian who began

to constitute monastic rules and innovated the concept of communal monastic

living an innovation that is based on monastic life today Benedictine

Monasticism in the West based its monastic rules on those of Saint

Pachomius Many visitors came from the West in the early years of

monasticism to learn from the simple Egyptian monks People such as Saint

John Chrysostom Saint Jerome Saint John Cassian and Palladius wrote

many books about the lives and sayings of the desert fathers of Egypt as they

experienced them

Monasticism is still thriving in Egypt today thanks to a revival led by His

Holiness Pope Shenouda III There are many inhabited ancient monasteries

and convents in Egypt as well as new monasteries being established abroad

in the Diaspora such as in Europe the USA and Australia

THE CAVE

We know from the lsquoLife of Antonyrsquo that our great hermit when he ventured into

this wilderness to seek greater seclusion discovered a natural cave in the

mountain and loved it and hence made it his home for the remaining 43 years

of his life

Today as in time past this cave within which St Antony dwelt is the life force

and heart beat of the Monastery and in which liturgy is celebrated daily and

thousands of pilgrims each year journey to for spiritual nourishment and

contemplation

From the plateau to the cave is a climb of approximately 1 hour and is today

made accessible by means of concrete steps and hand-railing for support As

one climbs the mountain to which St Antony withdrew one passes the Church

of St Paul the Simple which was constructed over the site of where this

disciple of St Antony once lived St Paul the Simple a 4th century desert

father known as lsquothe Simplersquo due to his meek and simple nature was St

Antonyrsquos faithful disciple Prior to his monastic life he had been married and

caught his wife in the act of adultery Hence he left her and took the decision

to consecrate the rest of his life to monastic living He went to St Antony ndash

who at this time was now 80 years old ndash and asked that he become a monk

St Antony at first refused him on account of his age (St Paul was 60) and

therefore compelled him several times to leave and return to his village

saying he could not survive the harsh ascetical life And yet St Paul was so

persistent that St Antony have him many demanding and arduous tasks all of

which he fulfilled with such humility obedience and simplicity that St Antony

accepted him into his monastic community and called him the Pride of the

Desert and he bore with honour the title lsquothe Simplersquo The solitary life gave St

Paul the Simple the gift of healing and casting out demons a power in which

he even surpassed his teacher St Antony The remains of his cave upon

which is built a church in his honour and is seen on the climb to St Antonyrsquos

cave bears witness to this faithful contemporary of our great hermit About

100 metres further up one reaches a terrace and then St Antonyrsquos blessed

cave

St Antonyrsquos cave is located about 2 km south-east of the Monastery 680

metres above the Red Sea and 276 metres above the Monastery It

comprises 3 parts the terrace the tunnel and the cave The narrow tunnel

connects the outer terrace ndash where one can imagine St Antony would sit and

weave his palm leave baskets ndash with the inner cave where he once dwelt and

is now converted into a small chapel

St Bishoy Monastery

The most eastern surviving Christian monastery in the Wadi el-Natrun of

Egypt is Dier Al Anba Bishoy (Pshoi Bishoi) which was founded by St

Bishoy (Pshoi)

The Monastery of Saint Bishoy is one of the original monasteries of Scetis Its

counterpart monastery is that of the Syrians which was built in the sixth

century by the followers of Severus or the Theodosian monks when concepts

concerning the nature of Christ forced a chrism between many monks in

Egypt

Like the Monastery of Saint Macarius the Monastery of the Romans and the

Monastery of Saint John the Little the Monastery of Saint Bishoy suffered five

sacks by the Berbers Al-Maqrizi who wrote during the fifteenth century

refers specifically to the fourth destruction of the monastery during the

patriarchate of Andronicus (616-2623) The patriarch Benjamin I (623-662) is

said to have rebuilt the monastery after that When the persecution by the

Berbers finally came to an end in the ninth century the bodies of both Saints

Bishoy and Paul of Tammua (Tamweh Tamwa) were returned to the

Monastery of Saint Bishoy

However the monastery was once again pillaged in 1096 which resulted in

its depopulation Then during the reign of patriarch Benjamin II (1327-1339)

considerable restoration of the monastery was undertaken because ants had

destroyed much of the woodwork and the buildings were near collapse

A number of visitors traveled to this monastery during late antiquity and into

more modern times Coppin went there in 1638 and Thevenot visited it in

1657 reporting it as the best of the four Wadi Natrun monasteries Then came

Wansleben in 1672 and Sicard in 1712 Granger made the journey in 1730

Sonnini in 1778 Andreossy in 1799 and Curzon in 1837 In 1839 Tattam is

said to have acquired numerous manuscripts from the monastery and in

1843 Wilkinson discovered thirteen monks in the monastery

However in 1875 when Junkers attempted to visit the monastery he was not

permitted to enter because a European before him had stolen several

manuscripts In 1881 Jullien reported that the monastery had the best water

of any in the Wadi and this was substantiated by Butler in 1883 From these

and other visitors we find that the monastery had twenty monks in 1638 four

in 1712 twelve in 1799 four in 1837 seven in 1875 fourteen in 1896 and

twenty in 1923

The monastery is nearly oblong in shape and surrounded by a defensive wall

The great wall was built in the ninth century and measures about ten meters

high and two meters wide It is one hundred and sixty-six meters on the east

and west and ninety-five meters on the north and south

Originally there were four entrances to the monastery one on each side of the

wall Today there are only two consisting of one on the north and one on the

south The main entrance is a gateway near the western end of the north wall

This gateway which possesses an inner gatehouse and a large carefully built

tower is the best preserved in the Wadi as well as the most complete and

elaborate of its kind of the four remaining monasteries

The southern half of the monastery is occupied by the church and cells of the

monks as well as by a modern patriarchal residence The greater part of the

gardens and the keep are in the northern half

The most interesting building in the monastery is the tower located at the

northwest corner of the monastery Defensive towers or keeps have been a

part of the architecture of Wadi El-Natruns monasteries since the fifth century

This was a time when the Berbers often attacked monasteries in the area

The keep at Saint Bishoy dates to the thirteenth century and is a few years

older than the keep of the Monastery of St Macarius One enters it at the

second floor level by a wooden drawbridge that rests on the roof of the

gatehouseOn the first floor are rooms where food was stored and prepared

One can see traces of an oven a mill for grains a press for grapes as well as

an olive press There is also a well some thirty meters deep

The second floor comprises the living quarters of the monks during the

periods of siege There is also a long corridor and east of this are rooms

which have cupolas supported by brick arches These have now been

transformed into a church dedicated to the Holy Virgin It has a transverse

nave and a triple sanctuary

On the north side of the roof of the tower is the Church of St Michaels one of

five in the monastery The icons on the iconostasis which date to the

eighteenth century have been restored They depict the twelve apostles in

pontifical vestments It is noteworthy that in no other monastery do we find the

Church of Saint Michael so isolated as in the Monastery of Saint Bishoy so it

is probable that at one time the keep had an additional floor like those of the

other monasteries in the Wadi

The other churches really form more of a complex of chapels with the central

and main church dedicated to Saint Bishoy It has been restored and

extended several times but it has been suggested that the most ancient parts

of the church do not predate the fifth attack which occurred between 830 and

848 on the monasteries of Wadi Natrun Indeed nothing remains of the

original church built prior to this and many principal elements of the structure

that we see today probably date from the restoration and remodeling

conducted by Benjamin II around 1330

It has a naos a three-aisled nave including a main center aisle and a western

return aisle a khurus (Choir) and it currently has a tripartite sanctuary (three

alters) The nave has a precious wooden pulpit while the wooden door

separating the two bays of the nave has decorative hexagonal panels with

arabesques and ivory inlays It probably dates to the fourteenth century The

khurus is rectangular in plan and placed transversely in relation to the nave In

the tripartite sanctuary the north one is dedicated to the Holy Virgin and is

separated from the choir by an arched portal It is a particularly long and

narrow room and its structure probably dates to the ninth century The middle

sanctuary is dedicated to Saint Bishoy and is connected with the khurus

through a high portal with ornate wooden panels dating to the Fatimed Period

However its square plan probably dates to the ninth century and its cupola

to the fourteenth The southern sanctuary is dedicated to John the Baptist

and also dates to the time of the renovations made during the fourteenth

century

The church or chapel more properly a parekklesion of St Iskhyrun (Abu

Iskhirun Iskhiron) was apparently added in the eleventh century though the

cupola is part of the renovations made by patriarch Benjamin II It is accessed

from the south side of the khurus of the Church of Saint Bishoy The plan is

almost square and opens on the east into a semi-circular apse which serves

as a sanctuary Here the relics of the holy martyr Saint Iskhyrun are kept

under the altar An icon from the seventeenth century placed on the

iconostasis separating the choir from the sanctuary depicts Iskhyrun on

horseback As is customary a wooden partition separates the nave from the

choir

The baptistery accessed by a narrow passage is located to the north of the

sanctuary of the Church of Saint Iskhyrun The diameter of the stone

baptismal font is ninety-five centimeters Only this monastery and that of al-

Baramus possess baptisteries in the Wadi This is because Coptic families

sometimes wish for their children to be baptized in holy and particularly

venerated places

Remains of wall paintings were recently discovered in the so-called Chapel of

Benjamin which probably date to the second half of the twelfth century The

restoration of the wall paintings in this section of the Monastery is not yet

complete

To the northeast of the main church and accessed from the khurus of that

church through a door set to the left of the tomb of Saint Bishoy is the Church

of the Holy Virgin which is actually dedicated to Benjamin I It features a nave

roofed with a barrel vault The sanctuary almost square in plan is separated

from the nave by a finely worked wooden iconostasis and surmounted by a

cupola This church is used during the winter months for the divine Liturgy

Built in the eleventh or the twelfth century the Church of Saint George is not

used now for services Its entrance is near the southeast corner of the main

church It has two sanctuaries and is roofed with six low cupolas The

monastery contains three refectories The ancient one is situated parallel to

the west end of the main church from which it is separated by a long narrow

vaulted corridor Its entrance is in the middle of the corridor opposite the west

entrance of the church It is a long chamber measuring twenty-seven meters

in length and four and a half meters in width divided into five domed bays by

four transverse arches The central space is roofed with a beautiful

quadripartite vault while the other four have cupolas in which some openings

admit light A masonry table takes up almost the entire length of the hall It is

strangely low only rising thirty-six centimeters Clearly the monks set cross-

legged on the floor Originally monks came here after Sunday liturgy to

celebrate the agape but today the refectory is used as a museum that

exhibits both sacred and secular artifacts

The two other refectories are older The smallest one lies southwest of the

main church At an unknown date it was transformed into the present chapel

of Mari Girgis It consists of a square room with a central pillar from which

spring four arches The third refectory which is now used fro storage lies in

the southeastern corner of the monastery

There is also a bakery and a millhouse in the northeastern corner of the

monastery The latter is the most complete example of its kind in the Wadi

Natrun

Also located on the grounds of the monastery is the Well of the Martyrs which

has been used ever since the time of Anba Bishoy It is said that the Berbers

washed the blood from their swords here after having killed the 49 Martyrs

Monks at the monastery also say that the Martyrs were thrown in the well prior

to being interned at the nearby St Marcarius Monastery It is twelve meters

deep and continues to produce fresh water which is regarded as miraculous

Following his enthronement in November of 1971 His Holiness Pope

Shenouda III selected this monastery as his pontifical residence where he

generally spends two or three days a week For this reason it is therefore the

destination of thousands of Copts who visit Wadi Naturn At one point he was

exiled to this monastery for forty months and during this time he ordained as

many as one hundred young men as monks

In recent years four hundred acres of desert land were acquired for the

monastery much of which has been cultivated Three reservoirs for drinking

water a new library a three-story guest house three large units for monastic

cells as well as lecture and conference buildings have been constructed at

the rear of the old monastery This is also the location of the pontifical

residence and the new Church of Saint Shenuda Here the number of monks

has increased to over 160 though many of these monks now serve in the

restored Upper Egyptian monasteries as well as in Coptic churches overseas

St Mary Monastery - El Sorian

Different sources indicate that the monastery was built around the fifth century There are many proofs the most important of which are The old fortress to the right of entrance of the monastery (even though it was repaired) It is well known that King Xenon (474-491 AD) was the one that built these fortresses as a token to his daughter Saint Hillary who entered monastic life in the wilderness of Shiheet and became well known everywhere There is a source in the library of London of the writings of Saint Yacoub El Serougi that is dated back to 603 AD from El Sorian Monastery Putler mentioned that the partitions of the church of St Mary-El Sorian go back to before 700 AD which resembles those in the Church of St Pishoy and the Church of St Mary-El Baramous These churches are considered the oldest in the wilderness until now Brumster mentioned in his book ldquoGuidance to the Monasteries of the Natroun Valleyrdquo that it was one of the monasteries known by the Theotokos These monasteries appeared in the fifth century after the counsel of Ephesus in 431 AD that discredited the Nestorian heresy Afterwards monasteries were built bearing the name of the Theotokos ldquoMother of Godrdquo and so it was called St Mary-El Sorian Monastery beside St Pishoy Monastery in the eastern wilderness Evelyn White mentioned that the monastery became independently run from the eighth century

Why it is Called El Sorian [The Syrian] Since the fourth century people have come from all over to the wilderness of Shiheet to visit and get blessings of the ascetic monks that reached high spiritual levels of asceticism and worship Examples of those are St Arsanius and St Maximus and Dometius who are still placed in St Mary-El Baramos Monastery There are also remnants of the old monasteries about three kilometers southeast of the monastery including the monastery of St John

Kame Abanoub the Ethiopians the Armenians and St John the Short And because people from all over came to worship the Coptic monks welcomed some Syrian monks for a period of time which is why it became famous of the Syrian [El Sorian] Monastery and also to differentiate it from St Mary-El Baramous Monastery St Mary Monastery is not St John Kame Monastery As mentioned above El Sorian Monastery was from the fifth century while the Monastery of St John Kame is from the ninth century and its ruins still exist Prince Omar Tosson built a pillar for each monastery and wrote its name on it Also the scholar Mohaub visited this monastery in 1088 AD When St John Kame Monastery was destroyed because of white ants between 1413 and 1430 AD his monks went to El Sorian Monastery and carried with them the body of St John Kame and their belongings including a marble stone that is still in El Sorian Church and engraved on it in Coptic the dates of the departure of St John Kame and his disciple St Stefanos

El Sorian Monastery in the Twentieth CenturyThe monastery became quite famous among other monasteries especially in the second half of the twentieth century when it was the leader and the initiator of monastic revival under the encouragement of Bishop Theophilus since he became the abbot of the monastery in 1948 most important of which

Monasticism A group of educated individuals entered monastic life and started working whole-heartedly to revive the monastery that group included those who reconstructed St Macarius Monastery St Paul St Mina and St George [El-Rozaykat] in addition to St Pishoy Monastery the head of which is HH Pope Shenouda III All of these monks were part of El Sorian Monastery and they had a great impact on

the revival of the church The majority of the Holy Synod that represents the leadership of the church areeducated monks that were prior to monastic life servants in their old churches and had a great impact on the priesthood from the spiritual social and intellectual standpoint During that

period a great number of monks were ordained compared to the previous period in which the number usually wouldnrsquot exceed more than twenty or forty the number of monks being ordained now is double or triple that number

Reconstruction In the early fifties when Bishop Theophillus presided over the monastery he demolished the cells that were next to

the Southern wall and built a building for the monks that were four stories high with a beautiful faccedilade It was the first modern building in the monastery and other monasteries adopted the same idea In 1988 another three-story building was constructed on top of which a water tower was built Through the encouragement of HH Pope Shenouda III in 1993 another three-story building was constructed next to that There

were two old bell towers around a guesthouse that was at the east side of St Maryrsquos church one of them is still standing and the other one was demolished Bishop Theophilus built instead of it a high tower at the north of the cells of the monks that the visitors of the monastery can see from far away In 1968 the other tower was built and was even higher than the first one HH Pope Shenouda III [who was Bishop of Education at that time] supervised personally on the construction

The Water Tower In 1955 a big water tower was built under which two water closets were built Father Moussa [the late Bishop Andrawous bishop of Damietta] who was a brilliant engineer from Alexandria was the one that designed and supervised the construction of the water tower That was the first concrete water tower built in the wilderness of

Natroun Prior to that there were only towers that were built out of aluminum and their height did not exceed two meters there were no water fountains in the monastery and only an old primitive water closet In 1988 another water tower was built over the cells of the monks with an electricity-operated water pump

The Guest House To the east of El Sorian Church was a beautiful palace which contained a large hall and many guest rooms that was built by Father Maximus in the year 1914 And in 1974 a guest housebuilding was built in its place that was five stories high and a library of the monastery was transferred to the third floor In addition a small rest house was built in the eighties to the west of El Sorian church on top of an old well and next to it was a big

traditional water pump [sakia] for the monasteryrsquos garden which was transformed after that into a library In 1987 and with the encouragement of HH Pope Shenouda III a two-story building for visitors was built to the west of the monastery

Books of the Monastery In 1951 Bishop Theophilus bought a print-shop for the monastery which was the first of its kind in the Egyptian monasteries and the monks of the monastery ran it and produced important books such as Life of the Orthodox Prayer The Book of the Seven Prayers of Famous Church Saints The Life of Saint John Kame The History of El Sorian Monastery Series of the History of the Patriarchs [four parts] The Three Holy Macari St Basil

the Great His Life Asceticism and Laws and many small booklets that were distributed free of charge like The Life of Mar Ephraim the Syrian Psalm The Lord Has Reigned Saint John Chrysostom Saint Augustine Saint George St Mark St Anna Simon Logios the Stonecutter and

Famous Sayings of Saints about Nativity Epiphany and Resurrection For ten years these sayings are still being read in the mornings of these feasts when the monks get together and read one of them And these books that were produced by El Sorian Monastery had a great impact on the spiritual life of a lot of people and even encouraged some of them to seek the monastic life

Retreat House In 1959 the retreat house was built outside the monastery and was the first one to be built in the monasteries Father Antonious El Soriani [HH Pope Shenouda III] was the guiding father of it and it was receiving large numbers of youth The monastery was enlightening the Christian youth because the quiet atmosphere was a chance for them to grow in prayers fastings spiritual readings meditation and attending

midnight praises and enjoying the desert Especially at sunset when nature coupled with the spiritual guidance of the monks a lot of the youth were led to think seriously about their spiritual lives and yearned to repeat the experience and some of them sought the monastic life And so a lot of the current monks used to spend a lot of time in this house which continued to be a living message of the church for all generations to come

Coptic Museum Cairo

History

What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See

Mount Sinai

In the Bible

Authenticity

What to See


In the Bible

Authenticity

History

What to See

St Pauls Monastery

History

What to See


St Bishoy Monastery


The collection includes many exquisite works of art as well as some artifacts

notable for their religious syncretism - the gradual transformation of the

Egyptian ankh into the cross and divine sun discs into halos Christian scenes

incorporating Egyptian gods and ancient Egyptian columns transformed into

baptismal fonts

Some of the Nag Hammadi manuscripts important early copies of Gnostic-

Christian writings like the Gospel of Thomas are upstairs


Known in Arabic as al-Muallaqah (The Suspended) the Hanging Church

is the most famous Coptic church in Cairo The church is dedicated to the

Virgin Mary and is thus also known as Sitt Mariam or St Marys Church

The Hanging Church is named for its location above a gatehouse of the

Roman fortress in Old Cairo its nave is suspended over a passage The

church is approached by 29 steps early travelers to Cairo dubbed it the

Staircase Church

History

The Hanging Church was built in the 7th century probably on the site of a 3rd

or 4th century church for the soldiers of the bastion It has been rebuilt several


10th century




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What to See










Noahs Ark








or 6th century





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St Pauls Monastery





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saint










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guide


















experienced them





THE CAVE




of his life




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St Bishoy Monastery



Bishoy (Pshoi)





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twenty in 1923


























































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complete





























Natrun









































Coptic Museum Cairo

History

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History

What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See

Mount Sinai

In the Bible

Authenticity

What to See


In the Bible

Authenticity

History

What to See

St Pauls Monastery

History

What to See


St Bishoy Monastery



10th century




century

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Noahs Ark








or 6th century





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What to See













Coptic Orthodox









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years














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the mountain







Authenticity






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Authenticity






History



seen the miracle

























What to See









































216-21

St Pauls Monastery





manuscripts

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saint










What to See














guide


















experienced them





THE CAVE




of his life




contemplation























cave







St Bishoy Monastery



Bishoy (Pshoi)





Egypt



























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century










choir






venerated places




complete





























Natrun









































Coptic Museum Cairo

History

What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See

Mount Sinai

In the Bible

Authenticity

What to See


In the Bible

Authenticity

History

What to See

St Pauls Monastery

History

What to See


St Bishoy Monastery






History



What to See













Coptic Orthodox









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years














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Mount Sinai






the mountain







Authenticity






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Authenticity






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seen the miracle

























What to See









































216-21

St Pauls Monastery





manuscripts

History
















saint










What to See














guide


















experienced them





THE CAVE




of his life




contemplation























cave







St Bishoy Monastery



Bishoy (Pshoi)





Egypt



























twenty in 1923


























































century










choir






venerated places




complete





























Natrun









































Coptic Museum Cairo

History

What to See


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What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See

Mount Sinai

In the Bible

Authenticity

What to See


In the Bible

Authenticity

History

What to See

St Pauls Monastery

History

What to See


St Bishoy Monastery



Coptic Orthodox









History




years














What to See



Mount Sinai






the mountain







Authenticity






What to See





























Authenticity






History



seen the miracle

























What to See









































216-21

St Pauls Monastery





manuscripts

History
















saint










What to See














guide


















experienced them





THE CAVE




of his life




contemplation























cave







St Bishoy Monastery



Bishoy (Pshoi)





Egypt



























twenty in 1923


























































century










choir






venerated places




complete





























Natrun









































Coptic Museum Cairo

History

What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See

Mount Sinai

In the Bible

Authenticity

What to See


In the Bible

Authenticity

History

What to See

St Pauls Monastery

History

What to See


St Bishoy Monastery


History




years














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Mount Sinai






the mountain







Authenticity






What to See





























Authenticity






History



seen the miracle

























What to See









































216-21

St Pauls Monastery





manuscripts

History
















saint










What to See














guide


















experienced them





THE CAVE




of his life




contemplation























cave







St Bishoy Monastery



Bishoy (Pshoi)





Egypt



























twenty in 1923


























































century










choir






venerated places




complete





























Natrun









































Coptic Museum Cairo

History

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History

What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See

Mount Sinai

In the Bible

Authenticity

What to See


In the Bible

Authenticity

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What to See

St Pauls Monastery

History

What to See


St Bishoy Monastery


Mount Sinai






the mountain







Authenticity






What to See





























Authenticity






History



seen the miracle

























What to See









































216-21

St Pauls Monastery





manuscripts

History
















saint










What to See














guide


















experienced them





THE CAVE




of his life




contemplation























cave







St Bishoy Monastery



Bishoy (Pshoi)





Egypt



























twenty in 1923


























































century










choir






venerated places




complete





























Natrun









































Coptic Museum Cairo

History

What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See

Mount Sinai

In the Bible

Authenticity

What to See


In the Bible

Authenticity

History

What to See

St Pauls Monastery

History

What to See


St Bishoy Monastery






Authenticity






What to See





























Authenticity






History



seen the miracle

























What to See









































216-21

St Pauls Monastery





manuscripts

History
















saint










What to See














guide


















experienced them





THE CAVE




of his life




contemplation























cave







St Bishoy Monastery



Bishoy (Pshoi)





Egypt



























twenty in 1923


























































century










choir






venerated places




complete





























Natrun









































Coptic Museum Cairo

History

What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See

Mount Sinai

In the Bible

Authenticity

What to See


In the Bible

Authenticity

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What to See

St Pauls Monastery

History

What to See


St Bishoy Monastery




















Authenticity






History



seen the miracle

























What to See









































216-21

St Pauls Monastery





manuscripts

History
















saint










What to See














guide


















experienced them





THE CAVE




of his life




contemplation























cave







St Bishoy Monastery



Bishoy (Pshoi)





Egypt



























twenty in 1923


























































century










choir






venerated places




complete





























Natrun









































Coptic Museum Cairo

History

What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See

Mount Sinai

In the Bible

Authenticity

What to See


In the Bible

Authenticity

History

What to See

St Pauls Monastery

History

What to See


St Bishoy Monastery


























What to See









































216-21

St Pauls Monastery





manuscripts

History
















saint










What to See














guide


















experienced them





THE CAVE




of his life




contemplation























cave







St Bishoy Monastery



Bishoy (Pshoi)





Egypt



























twenty in 1923


























































century










choir






venerated places




complete





























Natrun









































Coptic Museum Cairo

History

What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See

Mount Sinai

In the Bible

Authenticity

What to See


In the Bible

Authenticity

History

What to See

St Pauls Monastery

History

What to See


St Bishoy Monastery


































216-21

St Pauls Monastery





manuscripts

History
















saint










What to See














guide


















experienced them





THE CAVE




of his life




contemplation























cave







St Bishoy Monastery



Bishoy (Pshoi)





Egypt



























twenty in 1923


























































century










choir






venerated places




complete





























Natrun









































Coptic Museum Cairo

History

What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See

Mount Sinai

In the Bible

Authenticity

What to See


In the Bible

Authenticity

History

What to See

St Pauls Monastery

History

What to See


St Bishoy Monastery


St Pauls Monastery





manuscripts

History
















saint










What to See














guide


















experienced them





THE CAVE




of his life




contemplation























cave







St Bishoy Monastery



Bishoy (Pshoi)





Egypt



























twenty in 1923


























































century










choir






venerated places




complete





























Natrun









































Coptic Museum Cairo

History

What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See

Mount Sinai

In the Bible

Authenticity

What to See


In the Bible

Authenticity

History

What to See

St Pauls Monastery

History

What to See


St Bishoy Monastery







saint










What to See














guide


















experienced them





THE CAVE




of his life




contemplation























cave







St Bishoy Monastery



Bishoy (Pshoi)





Egypt



























twenty in 1923


























































century










choir






venerated places




complete





























Natrun









































Coptic Museum Cairo

History

What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See

Mount Sinai

In the Bible

Authenticity

What to See


In the Bible

Authenticity

History

What to See

St Pauls Monastery

History

What to See


St Bishoy Monastery



















experienced them





THE CAVE




of his life




contemplation























cave







St Bishoy Monastery



Bishoy (Pshoi)





Egypt



























twenty in 1923


























































century










choir






venerated places




complete





























Natrun









































Coptic Museum Cairo

History

What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See

Mount Sinai

In the Bible

Authenticity

What to See


In the Bible

Authenticity

History

What to See

St Pauls Monastery

History

What to See


St Bishoy Monastery






THE CAVE




of his life




contemplation























cave







St Bishoy Monastery



Bishoy (Pshoi)





Egypt



























twenty in 1923


























































century










choir






venerated places




complete





























Natrun









































Coptic Museum Cairo

History

What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See

Mount Sinai

In the Bible

Authenticity

What to See


In the Bible

Authenticity

History

What to See

St Pauls Monastery

History

What to See


St Bishoy Monastery





cave







St Bishoy Monastery



Bishoy (Pshoi)





Egypt



























twenty in 1923


























































century










choir






venerated places




complete





























Natrun









































Coptic Museum Cairo

History

What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See

Mount Sinai

In the Bible

Authenticity

What to See


In the Bible

Authenticity

History

What to See

St Pauls Monastery

History

What to See


St Bishoy Monastery






Egypt



























twenty in 1923


























































century










choir






venerated places




complete





























Natrun









































Coptic Museum Cairo

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What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See

Mount Sinai

In the Bible

Authenticity

What to See


In the Bible

Authenticity

History

What to See

St Pauls Monastery

History

What to See


St Bishoy Monastery















twenty in 1923


























































century










choir






venerated places




complete





























Natrun









































Coptic Museum Cairo

History

What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See

Mount Sinai

In the Bible

Authenticity

What to See


In the Bible

Authenticity

History

What to See

St Pauls Monastery

History

What to See


St Bishoy Monastery

















































century










choir






venerated places




complete





























Natrun









































Coptic Museum Cairo

History

What to See


History

What to See


History

What to See


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What to See

Mount Sinai

In the Bible

Authenticity

What to See


In the Bible

Authenticity

History

What to See

St Pauls Monastery

History

What to See


St Bishoy Monastery




























Natrun









































Coptic Museum Cairo

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What to See


History

What to See


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What to See


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What to See

Mount Sinai

In the Bible

Authenticity

What to See


In the Bible

Authenticity

History

What to See

St Pauls Monastery

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What to See


St Bishoy Monastery






















Coptic Museum Cairo

History

What to See


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What to See


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What to See


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What to See

Mount Sinai

In the Bible

Authenticity

What to See


In the Bible

Authenticity

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What to See

St Pauls Monastery

History

What to See


St Bishoy Monastery


coptic museum, cairo - gmpviaggi pl… · coptic museum, cairo housing the world's largest...

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