Coptic Cairo

Note: This article or section represents an Oriental Orthodox (Non-Chalcedonian) perspective, which may differ from an Eastern Orthodox (Chalcedonian) understanding.

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).

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. The Ben Ezra Synagogue is also located here.

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 area, built the Babylon Fortress in the area. The area was at the time at the mouth of an ancient canal that once connected the Nile to the Red Sea.

The Holy Family visited the area during the Flight into Egypt.

In the 11th Century AD, Coptic Cairo hosted the residence 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 and it houses the world's most important examples of Coptic art.

Churches of Coptic Cairo

The Art Detail Inside The Hanging Church

• Saint Mary Church (Haret Elroum)
• Abu Seifein Convent and Saint Mercurius Church in Coptic Cairo
• Saints Sergius and Bacchus Church (Abu Serga)
• The Hanging Church
• Church of the Holy Virgin (Babylon El-Darag)
• Church of the Virigin Mary (Haret Zuweila)
• Saint Barbara Church
• The Church of Saint Menas
• St. Mina (Pope Kyrillos VI) Church in Zahra'a^{(info and pics)}
• Monastery and Church of St. George

See also

• Coptic art
• Coptic architecture
• The Coptic Museum
• The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria
• The Holy Family in Egypt

External links

• Tour Egypt article on Coptic Cairo
• Coptic Cairo on egyptologyonline.com
• On Wikimapia

References

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coptic_Cairo#_note-Egyptology