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The
city of Cairo holds a large Coptic district which is known
as "Old
Cairo". This eye opening area is a delight to observe,
itself alone, and
contains various historical churches.The Fortress of
Babylon houses the majority of these churches which are
located in the maze of cobblestone alleyways that crisscross
the interior
of the fortress. Every church found within the fortress is
an open history book, each pertaining their own
artistry and style. Here
you can find the "Convent of St. George", the
"Church of Saint Barbara",
the "Hanging Church", and the "Church of Abu
Serga", which was
built above the cave where the Holy Family took refuge in
their flight
from Herod.
Although
there are hundreds of ancient Christian sites throughout
Egypt the
Coptic Museum in Cairo can give us insight into what a
church interior
from the fifth, sixth or seventh century looked like. The
museum's most
prized relics are the "Nag Hammadi Codices"; a
collection of 1,200 papyrus
pages bound together as books. The Coptic Museum is also the
home to thousands of relevant historical religious artifacts
which makes it a fascinating tourist venue.
The
majority of the Christians in Egypt
are Copts, a religious
sect which severed
itself from the Byzantine and Latin Christians in the fifth century.
The Copts were the founders of monasticism which was born in
the deserts of Egypt
around 341 A.D.
Escaping
persecution from the Romans, many Christians came to Sinai searching
for peace and isolation. By the time that Christianity was recognised
by Constantine the Great most of the population of Sinai had
become Christian, which in turn caused Monasticism to grow.
It
was within the Sinai area that the Exodus of the children of
Israel from
Egypt
occurred. It is documented that they journeyed within
this expanse of land for forty years. Many significant holy
sites are present throughout this fascinating area, such as
the site of the "burning bush", where
Moses had God revealed to him, and "Moses Well" as
it is called today,
where after Moses fled from Egypt he came upon the seven
daughters of Jethro tending their flocks at a well. Perhaps
the most popular religious site is Mount Sinai.
This
is the glorious mountain where Moses received the 10 commandments
from God. Whilst hiking up one of the trails towards
the mountain's peak you can find other sites of historical
significance, such as, the "Spring of Moses" as
well as various small chapels dedicated to different
saints. On the summit you will find a chapel dedicated to
the Holy Trinity, built on the site where God appeared in
the form of fire and spoke to Moses. Sunrises viewed from
here are heavenly experiences themselves, as all of the
mountain range
is illuminated.
At
the base of Mount Sinai is the St. Catherine
Monastery. This
famous
Greek Orthodox Monastery is 1,528 metres above sea level
at the foot of Mount Sinai. This perfectly preserved sacred site
was built by Emperor Justinian in 527 on the area where thousands
of people settled who were following the Exodus tradition
and seeking safety during the persecution of the Christians
by the Romans. The Monastery has been a
center of
worship and learning for around 1,600 years and is still functioning
today, being the home to a few monks who spend their days in
prayer, study and contemplation. The
Monastery's main
features are the nostalgic "Chapel of the
Burning
Bush", the "Chapel of St. Triphone", which
contains the
bones of monks from the Monastery over the centuries,
and
the "Basilica Church". This spectacular church is
completely embellished
with priceless treasures. Housing perfect examples of
Byzantine art. The most important features of this church are
the icons representing the religious history of Mount Sinai and
the life of St. Catherine. Flawlessly created these icons
are considered
to be the visual highlights within the Monastery.
The
Monastery also accommodates an outstanding library. The
library contains a priceless collection of ancient books and
manuscripts, being the second in importance to the Vatican library.
The library houses over 300 incunabula and 7000 ancient
books and manuscripts, including the Codex Syriacus, a
fourth century biblical manuscript. Spotted throughout the Sinai
are many significant monasteries that all possess their own
appealing history. Travellers can also enjoy the picturesque
journey
before reaching each of them.
Misr
Sinai has designed many programs, all varying in length, to
make sure that these locations are properly considered
and explored.
CLICK
HERE FOR PROGRAMS
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