Saint Barbara Church in Coptic Cairo
Encyclopedia
The Coptic Orthodox Church of St. Barbara (or Sitt Barbara) is one of the many famous Coptic Orthodox parishes that can be found in the district of Coptic Cairo
Coptic Cairo
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...

. The building is located on the eastern part of the Babylon Fortress
Babylon Fortress
Babylon Fortress was an ancient fortress city or castle in the Delta of Egypt, located at Babylon in the area today known as Coptic Cairo.It was situated in the Heliopolite Nome, upon the right bank of the Nile, at latitude 30°N, near the commencement of the Pharaonic Canal , from the Nile to the...

 and is one of the oldest buildings in Cairo, dating back to the 5th or 6th century AD. However, like many other buildings of Coptic architecture
Coptic architecture
Coptic architecture is the architecture of the Copts, who form the majority of Christians in Egypt.Coptic churches range from great cathedrals like Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral to the smallest churches in rural villages. Many ancient monasteries like Monastery of Saint Anthony, the oldest...

, it was rebuilt several times, most notably by the end of the 11th Century.

History

St. Barbara's Church stands north of the Coptic Museum
Coptic Museum
The Coptic Museum is a museum in Coptic Cairo, Egypt with the largest collection of Egyptian Christian artifacts in the world. It was founded by Marcus Simaika Pasha in 1910 to house Coptic antiquities. The museum traces the history of Christianity in Egypt from its beginnings to the present day...

 and is east of the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus (Abu Serga)
Saints Sergius and Bacchus Church (Abu Serga)
Saints Sergius and Bacchus Church, also known as Abu Serga, in Coptic Cairo is one of the oldest Coptic churches in Egypt, dating back to the 4th century.-Importance:...

, on the eastern side of Fort Babylon
Babylon Fortress
Babylon Fortress was an ancient fortress city or castle in the Delta of Egypt, located at Babylon in the area today known as Coptic Cairo.It was situated in the Heliopolite Nome, upon the right bank of the Nile, at latitude 30°N, near the commencement of the Pharaonic Canal , from the Nile to the...

. It was originally dedicated to Abu Kir and Yohanna (or Ss. Cyrus and John
Cyrus and John
Saints Cyrus and John are venerated as martyrs. They are especially venerated by the Coptic Church and surnamed Wonderworking Unmercenaries because they healed the sick free of charge....

). When the remains of St. Barbara were brought here, a separate sanctuary was built. Thus, there are now two separate churches that were built on this location. Athanasius, a wealthy scribe and a secretary of Abdel-Aziz Ibn Marwan (governor of Egypt between 685 and 705 AD), had built the Church. A door found during one of the church's many restorations could date as early as the 4th Century. Between 1072 and 1073, the Church was fully restored to house the relics of Saint Barbara. These relics remain to this day. The Church was damaged again by another fire during the 12th century. In fact, the church was renovated as recently as the beginning of the 20th century, when the khurus, a transverse room preceding the sanctuary, was sacrificed in order to allow more space.

Architecture

The Church of St. Barbara is known for its many precious items. These items were sent to the nearby Coptic Museum
Coptic Museum
The Coptic Museum is a museum in Coptic Cairo, Egypt with the largest collection of Egyptian Christian artifacts in the world. It was founded by Marcus Simaika Pasha in 1910 to house Coptic antiquities. The museum traces the history of Christianity in Egypt from its beginnings to the present day...

, which is only a two-minute walk from the church. The basilican structure and tripartite sanctuary of the church closely resembles the one of Abu Serga
Saints Sergius and Bacchus Church (Abu Serga)
Saints Sergius and Bacchus Church, also known as Abu Serga, in Coptic Cairo is one of the oldest Coptic churches in Egypt, dating back to the 4th century.-Importance:...

.

Nearby there is a convent which comprises several buildings, including a school built by the well known architect, Ramses Wissa Wassef
Ramses Wissa Wassef
Ramses Wissa Wassef was an Egyptian architect and professor of art and architecture at the College of Fine Arts in Cairo.-Biography:...

.

While Saint Barbara's Church has been a long-lasting example of ancient Coptic architecture
Coptic architecture
Coptic architecture is the architecture of the Copts, who form the majority of Christians in Egypt.Coptic churches range from great cathedrals like Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral to the smallest churches in rural villages. Many ancient monasteries like Monastery of Saint Anthony, the oldest...

, it resembles the shape of ancient Basilicas. It comprises an entrance, a narthex, a long nave, several aisles and three sanctuaries.

Like most other Coptic Orthodox churches that have more than one Sanctuary, the middle sanctuary is the one of main importance, dedicated to St. Barbara. After entering, from the narthex's lobby, there are five marble columns that separate the nave from the two aisles. In front of the middle sanctuary there is a semi-circular choir, which consists of 7 large steps.

There are several other icons on the southern aisle of the church, representing the Virgin Mary and Jesus when he was a child, Jesus entering Jerusalem and the baptism of Christ.

See also

  • Coptic Orthodox Church
  • Christian Egypt
  • Coptic architecture
    Coptic architecture
    Coptic architecture is the architecture of the Copts, who form the majority of Christians in Egypt.Coptic churches range from great cathedrals like Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral to the smallest churches in rural villages. Many ancient monasteries like Monastery of Saint Anthony, the oldest...

  • List of Coptic Orthodox Churches in the United States
  • Coptic Cairo
    Coptic Cairo
    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...

  • Seat of the Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria
    Seat of the Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria
    The Seat of the Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria is historically based in Alexandria, Egypt. It is commonly known as the Holy See of St. Mark, as the Coptic Pope is the successor of St. Mark....

  • Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral, Cairo
  • Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral (Alexandria)
    Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral (Alexandria)
    Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Alexandria is the historical seat of the Pope of Alexandria, the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church.-Beginning:The cathedral is said to stand on the site of the church founded by St. Mark the Evangelist in 60 AD.St...

  • Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral (Azbakeya)
    Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral (Azbakeya)
    Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Azbakeya, Cairo was the seat of the Coptic Pope from 1800 to 1971.Due to Ibrahim El-Gohary's influential position in the government and his great favor to the Muslim rulers, he was able to issue fatwas that permitted the Copts to rebuild the destroyed...

  • Saint Mary and Saint Abasikhiron Coptic Orthodox Church
  • Church of Saint Menas (Cairo)
    Church of Saint Menas (Cairo)
    The Coptic Orthodox Church of Saint Menas is a Coptic Orthodox church near Coptic Cairo and is one of the oldest Coptic churches in Egypt, dating back to the 6th century AD.-Geographic Significance:St...

  • St Mary and St Mercurius Coptic Orthodox Church
    St Mary and St Mercurius Coptic Orthodox Church
    St Mary and St Mercurius Coptic Orthodox Church is the first Coptic Orthodox Church in Wales, at St Mary Street in Risca, Newport, Wales.It was consecrated in 1992 by H. H. Pope Shenouda III in the town of Risca, South Wales, under the official name of St Mary’s and St Abu Saifain’s Coptic Orthodox...

  • Saint Mercurius Church in Coptic Cairo
    Saint Mercurius Church in Coptic Cairo
    Saint Mercurius Church in Coptic Cairo is one of the churches situated just to the north of the Babylon Fortress in Old Cairo among a group of important churches, and within the area known as the Abu Sayfayn Cloister is to be found three churches and a convent...

  • Saints Sergius and Bacchus Church (Abu Serga)
    Saints Sergius and Bacchus Church (Abu Serga)
    Saints Sergius and Bacchus Church, also known as Abu Serga, in Coptic Cairo is one of the oldest Coptic churches in Egypt, dating back to the 4th century.-Importance:...

  • The Hanging Church
    The Hanging Church
    Saint Virgin Mary's Coptic Orthodox Church also known as the Hanging Church is one of the oldest churches in Egypt and the history of a church on this site dates to the 3rd century AD....

  • Church of the Holy Virgin (Babylon El-Darag)
    Church of the Holy Virgin (Babylon El-Darag)
    The Church of the Holy Virgin in Babylon El-Darag is a Coptic Orthodox church in Coptic Cairo built in the 11th century AD.-History:...

  • Church of the Virigin Mary (Haret Zuweila)
    Church of the Virigin Mary (Haret Zuweila)
    The Church of the Virgin Mary in Haret Zuweila is the oldest church in the district of Haret Zuweila, near the Fatamid section of Cairo. It was probably built around the AD 10th century, though it is first mentioned in writing in the early 12th century on the occasion of the consecration of the...


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