Coptic Cairo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Coptic Cairo is a part of Old Cairo which encompasses the Babylon Fortress, the Coptic Museum, the Hanging Church, the Greek Church of St. George and many other Coptic churches and historical sites. It is believed that the Holy Family visited this area and stayed at the site of Saints Sergius and Bacchus Church (Abu Serga). [1]
The area was a stronghold for Christianity in Egypt until the Islamic era, though most of the current buildings of the churches in Coptic Cairo were built after the Muslim conquest of Egypt.[2] The Ben Ezra Synagogue is also located here[3] which is Egypt's oldest and dates to the 9th Century. [4]
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[edit] History
There is evidence of settlement in the area as early as the 6th century BC. Later the Romans, recognising the strategic importance of the region, built the Babylon Fortress in the area. [5] The area was at the time at the mouth of an ancient canal that once connected the Nile to the Red Sea.[6]
The Holy Family visited the area during the Flight into Egypt. [7]
Following the spread of Christianity in Egypt, numerous churches were built in this part of Cairo to celebrate the Holy Family’s visit. At one point, as many as twenty churches were located within an area of just one square mile (only five have survived). [8]
In the 11th Century AD, Coptic Cairo hosted the Seat of the Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria, which is historically based in Alexandria, Egypt. As the ruling powers moved from Alexandria to Cairo after the Arab invasion of Egypt during Pope Christodolos 's tenure, Cairo became the fixed and official residence of the Coptic Pope at the Hanging Church in Coptic Cairo in 1047.
The Coptic Museum was built in the area in 1910[9] and it houses the world's most important examples of Coptic art. [10]
[edit] Churches of Coptic Cairo
Pre-Islamic Babylon is, to this day, a disproportionately Christian area,[11] hosting many historically important churches:
- Saint Mary Church (Haret Elroum)
- Saint Mercurius Church
- Saints Sergius and Bacchus Church (Abu Serga)
- The Hanging Church
- Church of the Holy Virgin (Babylon El-Darag)
- Saint Barbara Church
- The Church of Saint Menas [1]
- Monastery and Church of St. George
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[edit] See also
- Old Cairo
- Coptic Orthodox Church
- Coptic architecture
- Seat of the Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria
- Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral, Cairo
- Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral (Alexandria)
- Church of the Virigin Mary (Haret Zuweila)
- Holy family in Egypt
[edit] References
- ^ a b Coptic Cairo egyptologyonline
- ^ Tour Egypt: Babylon
- ^ egyptologyonline
- ^ Sharm-club
- ^ A tour of Old or Coptic Cairo, Egypt
- ^ Sacred Destinations
- ^ ancient civilization
- ^ Sharq magazine
- ^ Coptic museum
- ^ Lastminute
- ^ Cairo travel
[edit] Satellite Maps
[edit] External links
- Tour Egypt article on Coptic Cairo
- Coptic Cairo on egyptology online
- A video on the Coptic Orthodox Church of St. George (Coptic Cairo)
- On Wikimapia
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