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The Egyptian government has just finished the restoration of the 4th century Coptic Monastery of St. Anthony in the Red Sea Mountains which is reputedly the world's oldest Christian monastery. Indeed, the monks still observe rituals that have hardly changed in sixteen centuries.
Announcing the completion of the £9 million work which took eight years, Egypt’s head archaeologist, Zahi Hawass, confirmed that Egypt was keen to restore the monuments of its past, whether Coptic, Jewish or Muslim.
Born near Herakleopolis Magna in Lower Egypt in 251 AD to wealthy landowner parents, St. Anthony the Great was orphaned at the age of 18 and became a hermit, living to be 105 years old. The saint is buried beneath one of the monastery’s two churches which are a site for Coptic Christian pilgrimages.
As one who has visited Egypt and some of its historical monuments though, sadly, not this one, it is good to hear of such projects which, regardless of religious differences, are nonetheless part of Egypt’s heritage.
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The Egyptian government has just finished the restoration of the 4th century Coptic Monastery of St. Anthony in the Red Sea Mountains which is reputedly the world's oldest Christian monastery. Indeed, the monks still observe rituals that have hardly changed in sixteen centuries.
Announcing the completion of the £9 million work which took eight years, Egypt’s head archaeologist, Zahi Hawass, confirmed that Egypt was keen to restore the monuments of its past, whether Coptic, Jewish or Muslim.
Born near Herakleopolis Magna in Lower Egypt in 251 AD to wealthy landowner parents, St. Anthony the Great was orphaned at the age of 18 and became a hermit, living to be 105 years old. The saint is buried beneath one of the monastery’s two churches which are a site for Coptic Christian pilgrimages.
As one who has visited Egypt and some of its historical monuments though, sadly, not this one, it is good to hear of such projects which, regardless of religious differences, are nonetheless part of Egypt’s heritage.
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