Sanctuaries of Faith and Heritage in Egypt

The Church of Alexandria

The Church of Alexandria is considered the oldest Christian church on Earth, and thus its opinion was always highly regarded in church councils. As Alexandria was a Greek city, the church’s clergy spoke Greek. However, most Egyptians spoke the ancient Egyptian language, which eventually evolved into Coptic. For this reason, Saint Shenouda introduced Coptic prayers into his White Monastery in Sohag.

the beginning of monasticism

This was the beginning of monasticism in Egypt. Monasticism arose in Egypt for several reasons, the most significant being Roman persecution, especially under Diocletian, who is known for the era of martyrs. Secondly, it was sought as a means of quiet worship and tranquility. The oldest monasteries in Egypt are the Monastery of Saint Anthony and the Monastery of Saint Paul in the Red Sea. Saint Pachomius is considered the first to establish rules and regulations for monastic life.”

Monastery Architecture

A monastery typically consisted of a series of cells or hermitages. Each cell was a small building with two rooms: one for living and the other for necessities. A collection of these cells formed a monastery. This necessitated the construction of a church for worship, a well for water, a storehouse for grain, and farmland for self-sufficiency. A substantial wall was built around the monastery to protect it from desert animals.

The Most Important Monasteries in Egypt:

1-Muharraq Monastery Located west of the city of Asyut, the Muharraq Monastery is considered the largest monastery in all of Egypt, spanning approximately 100,000 square meters. It’s worth noting that this monastery was known by several names, the most famous being the ” Muharraq) means the burnt (said to be named so because it was once attacked and burned by Bedouin tribes. The significance of this monastery lies in the fact that it was built on the site of a cave where the Holy Family have stayed during their flight to Egypt. This cave has been transformed into a church, known as the Church of the Virgin Mary.

2-Red Sea Monasteries

The Monastery of Saint Anthony (365 AD) Saint Anthony was born in 254 AD in Beni Suef Governorate, Egypt. He came from a wealthy Christian family. When he was over twenty years old, his parents passed away, leaving him with a younger sister and a significant inheritance. He placed his sister in a monastery, sold his possessions, and distributed the wealth among the poor. After renouncing worldly life, he ventured into the Eastern Desert until he reached a spring a few kilometers from the Red Sea coast. There, he met Saint Paul and lived in a cave within the monastery for the rest of his life. He passed away in 365 AD.

Saint Paula Monastery

3-Wadi Natrun Monasteries

Wadi Natrun is located near Alexandria in the Western Desert, and due to its proximity to the desert, it was always necessary to build massive walls to protect the monasteries from Bedouins and desert animals. It consists of a group of monasteries located close to each other, including: The Monastery of Wadi Natrun (387 AD)

Monastery of St. Abu Makar

Alsourian Monastery

Anba Bishoy Monastery

4 – The White Monastery

Located near the city of Sohag, it is commonly called the White Monastery due to the use of limestone in its construction. It is considered the first monastery to use the Coptic language in church rituals.

5 – The Red Monastery

One of the most important disciples of Saint Shenouda was Anba Bishay, who founded the Red Monastery near the White Monastery. It is considered one of the most beautiful monasteries in Egypt. It was named the Red Monastery because red bricks were used in its construction. -The Red Monastery from inside

The Red Monastery from outside

6- Saint Catherine’s Monastery

Sinai is considered a holy land because it was on one of its mountains that God spoke to Moses. This mountain is where the magnificent Saint Catherine’s Monastery is located, making it a complete museum of Coptic art and housing some of the most beautiful Coptic icons in Egypt. -Mosaics of Saint Catherine’s Monastery

Icons

An icon is a painting that depicts images of Jesus, the Virgin Mary, or Christian saints, the disciples of Jesus. One of the most famous icons in the Coptic Orthodox Church is the icon depicting the Holy Family’s flight into Egypt.

The Egyptian Mona Lisa

This is an icon of the Virgin Mary holding the child Jesus, with John the Baptist as a young boy beside them. It is located in the Church of the Virgin Mary and Saint Demiana, also known as the Hanging Church in Old Cairo.

icon of the Virgin Mary holding the child Jesus in Hanging Church

The most important Egyptian churches

The Hanging Church also known as the Church of the Virgin Mary and Saint Demiana, is built on top of the Roman fortress known as Fort Babylon in Old Cairo. The name “Hanging Church” is commonly used because the building is essentially supported by two towers of the Roman fortress. -The Hanging Church

The Church of Abu Serga

The church derived its name from the two martyrs, Saint Sergius and Bacchus. The church holds significant historical importance as it is believed that the cave where Jesus and Mary sought refuge is located beneath it, and the church was built over this very spot.

The church of Dendera

Ancient Egyptians were accustomed to constructing temples and depicting Egyptian deities in animal form. When Christianity spread in Egypt, Christian clergy established numerous churches within Egyptian temples. They deliberately defaced the faces of Egyptian deities, believing them to be idols. In some cases, they replaced these temples entirely with churches, particularly in temples like Karnak, Philae, and Dendera. The church was built adjacent to the outer courtyard of the Temple of Dendera, near the main courtyard. -The church of Dendera