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The Monastery Like many old Coptic Churches the Monastery is similar to an ark in shape representing Noah’s Ark which saved believers from the flood. Its main gate stands at the Western part of the Northern wall over which the Mattma(i.e. The feeding Place) that is a hole about 10 meters from which the gate-keeper looked to see who was ringing the bell without opening the gate. He lowered loaves of bread to the Bedwins who called on.
2. The Virgin’s Church (The Syrian) (From about 7 - 9th Century) At the South, East of the Tower-is situated this beautiful church with its Basilic roof (1), and with the four wings of the cross ending in semidomes. It consists of three sanctuaries in the East, two choirs and a nave. a. The Middle Sanctuary, a. The Middle Sanctuary, a. The Middle Sanctuary, is dedicated to St. Mary, and is one of the oldest and most beautiful Coptic remains with the walls ornamented with moulded and carved stucco representing the Christian symbols of fish, grapes, palm leaves and some of David’s musical instruments. The Altar slab is black marble.
The screen of the
Sanctuary is known as ”the door of symbols”. It consists of six leaves, three
forming a 1. Icons express the strong relation between the church of Alexandria and the church of Antioch. These icons for Jesus Christ and Holy Virgin, and on their right an icon for St. Mark and icon for Pope Dioscorus (represent the church of Alexandria, and on the left, an icon of St. Agnatious and an icon for St. Severus of Antioch (represent the church of Antioch. 2. Big crosses analogue in the form and interfered and surrounded with circles. They represent the first Christian epoc ( the strong belief, the unity of dogma and the join of the church and its spread in spite of the challenges of persecutions. 3. Encircled crosses, they represent the Roman Christian epoc during the era of the righteous Constantin, where big Christian centers had appeared in the world such as Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, Rome, Constantinople and Cartagena. 4. A cross encircled by crescent, it expresses the appearance of Islam. 5. Swastika, it expresses the spreading of heresies. 6. Crosses with different forms, small ones express the multitude of docrine, and belief’ weakness and the lukewarm love among some people. 7. Radiant cross, it expresses the Advent of Christ, when the sign of man’s son appears in the sky. b. The first Choir has a
beautiful door of four leaves, each of which has six panels of ebony inlaid with ivory.
The Northern and Southern semidomes of the ceiling preserve beautiful frescoes. The Southern dome shows the Annunciation of the Virgin clad in a
blue-green robe and a dark red mantle and Archange Gabriel in a yellowish robe and a dark
mantle. On the arched doorway of the place is the Greek text ”Hail, thou who art full
of grace. The Lord is with thee”. (Luke 1:28). In the same semidome there is a
painting of the Nativity. On the cave mouth there is in Syriac ”Glory be to God on
high, and on To the North Western Wall of the choir is fixed the marble
sepulchral stone of St. John Kame. It is written in Coptic in its outer circle ( I ask to
remember our blessed father beloved to our Lord Jesus Christ to comfort his blessed soul,
Amen ). Then 23 lines about priest and father stephenous one of his sons in monasticism. What is written on the stone is ( In the name of the Holy Trinity, one in essence. The Father, the Son and The holy Spirit.. Our blessd Father Pope John Kame died the 24the of Kiahk .. in the first hour of the night, the 25th year of the presidency of Abba Cozman High Priest of Alexandria. His sons, our Father Abraham: St. John Kame church, after few months from thc death of our father the saint, died our father Stephen on 9th Hatour. This father was his godson. Both died in peace in the year 575 of martyrs. Under the reign of our king Lord Jesus Christ, Amen . c. The Second Choir is separated from the first by the before -mentioned door and from the cave by a low masonry screen. In its East-Northern corner is the ferelory where Saints relics are laid during the Summer when the Church is used for services. d. The Nave. In the middle of the Eastern direction is fixed in the floor the Maundy basin used for the rite of washing the feet on Maundy Thursday. The Western semidome of the ceiling preserves a beautiful fresco of the Lord’s Ascension.
3. St. Pishoi’s
hermitage: The Western aisle of the above mentioned Nave leads to
one 4. The Refectory: A door in the Western wall of the Virgin’s Church leads to the old
Refectory. The custom was that 5. The Forty Martyrs Church lies close to the Northern wall of the Virgin’s Church. It is dedicated to
the famous forty  soldiers in Licinius’ army. (In 313 he
ordered 40 soldiers of Sebaste in Lesser Armenia to be cast into a lake of ice while a hot
bath lay before them ready to comfort any who would deny The Lord Jesus. One of the
persecutors saw 40 divine crowns descending from heaven, 39
rested on 39 heads of the martyrs while the fortieth remained suspended up. After a while
the a. The Middle Sanctuary, a. The Middle Sanctuary, is dedicated to St.
Mary, and is one of the oldest and most beautiful Coptic remains with the walls ornamented
with moulded and carved stucco representing the Christian symbols of fish, grapes, palm
leaves and some of David’s musical instruments. The Altar slab is black marble.
The screen of the
Sanctuary is known as ”the door of symbols”. It consists of six leaves, three
forming a 1. Icons express the strong relation between the church of Alexandria and the church of Antioch. These icons for Jesus Christ and Holy Virgin, and on their right an icon for St. Mark and icon for Pope Dioscorus (represent the church of Alexandria, and on the left, an icon of St. Agnatious and an icon for St. Severus of Antioch (represent the church of Antioch. 2. Big crosses analogue in the form and interfered and surrounded with circles. They represent the first Christian epoc ( the strong belief, the unity of dogma and the join of the church and its spread in spite of the challenges of persecutions. 3. Encircled crosses, they represent the Roman Christian epoc during the era of the righteous Constantin, where big Christian centers had appeared in the world such as Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, Rome, Constantinople and Cartagena. 4. A cross encircled by crescent, it expresses the appearance of Islam. 5. Swastika, it expresses the spreading of heresies. 6. Crosses with different forms, small ones express the multitude of docrine, and belief’ weakness and the lukewarm love among some people. 7. Radiant cross, it expresses the Advent of Christ, when the sign of man’s son appears in the sky. b. The first Choir has a
beautiful door of four leaves, each of which has six panels of ebony inlaid with ivory.
The Northern and Southern semidomes of the ceiling preserve beautiful frescoes. The Southern dome shows the Annunciation of the Virgin clad in a
blue-green robe and a dark red mantle and Archange Gabriel in a yellowish robe and a dark
mantle. On the arched doorway of the place is the Greek text ”Hail, thou who art full
of grace. The Lord is with thee”. (Luke 1:28). In the same semidome there is a
painting of the Nativity. On the cave mouth there is in Syriac ”Glory be to God on
high, and on To the North Western Wall of the choir is fixed the marble
sepulchral stone of St. John Kame. It is written in Coptic in its outer circle ( I ask to
remember our blessed father beloved to our Lord Jesus Christ to comfort his blessed soul,
Amen ). Then 23 lines about priest and father stephenous one of his sons in monasticism. What is written on the stone is ( In the name of the Holy Trinity, one in essence. The Father, the Son and The holy Spirit.. Our blessd Father Pope John Kame died the 24the of Kiahk .. in the first hour of the night, the 25th year of the presidency of Abba Cozman High Priest of Alexandria. His sons, our Father Abraham: St. John Kame church, after few months from thc death of our father the saint, died our father Stephen on 9th Hatour. This father was his godson. Both died in peace in the year 575 of martyrs. Under the reign of our king Lord Jesus Christ, Amen . c. The Second Choir is separated from the first by the before -mentioned door and from the cave by a low masonry screen. In its East-Northern corner is the ferelory where Saints relics are laid during the Summer when the Church is used for services. d. The Nave. In the middle of the Eastern direction is fixed in the floor the Maundy basin used for the rite of washing the feet on Maundy Thursday. The Western semidome of the ceiling preserves a beautiful fresco of the Lord’s Ascension.
3. St. Pishoi’s
hermitage: The Western aisle of the above mentioned Nave leads to
one 4. The Refectory: A door in the Western wall of the Virgin’s Church leads to the old
Refectory. The custom was that 5. The Forty Martyrs Church lies close to the Northern wall of the Virgin’s Church. It is dedicated to
the famous forty soldiers in Licinius’ army. (In 313 he
ordered 40 soldiers of Sebaste in Lesser Armenia to be cast into a lake of ice while a hot
bath lay before them ready to comfort any who would deny The Lord Jesus. One of the
persecutors saw 40 divine crowns descending from heaven, 39
rested on 39 heads of the martyrs while the fortieth remained suspended up. After a while
the
lies close to the Northern wall of the Virgin’s Church. It is dedicated to
the famous forty soldiers in Licinius’ army. (In 313 he
ordered 40 soldiers of Sebaste in Lesser Armenia to be cast into a lake of ice while a hot
bath lay before them ready to comfort any who would deny The Lord Jesus. One of the
persecutors saw 40 divine crowns descending from heaven, 39
rested on 39 heads of the martyrs while the fortieth remained suspended up. After a while
the
fortieth person cried a denial of our Lord and rushed up to the hot bath where he fell dead under the strain of the sudden change. Thc persecutor jumped in his place and announced himself Christian, giving an account of the scene. In the Southern side of the 2nd Choir of this Church is a grave of Bishop Christodulos of Elhiopia who was a monk of this Monastery. He died in it while on a visit to Egypt (1624). 6. The Church with a cave: (From about 13th Century) Like the larger Church, this is dedicated to The Holy Virgin. Things of particular interest here are the following: (From about 13th Century) Like the larger Church, this is dedicated to The Holy Virgin. Things of particular interest here are the following: (From about 13th Century) Like the larger Church, this is dedicated to The Holy Virgin. Things of particular interest here are the following:a - On the left side of the Northern Sanctuary there is a little door about half a square meter. It leads to a mysterious recess in the Monastery wall about 20 square meters. It was used as a hiding place in case of a sudden attack and a keep for sacred articles and materials. b- In the First Choir is an ancient painting of Virgin Mary. c- the Choir Door dates from the 14the or 15the century. d – This church had an Epiphany Basin south to the Nave 5.20 x 5.20 metres. 7. St. Fphraem’s Tree stands to the east of the Church with A Cave. When this Syrian saint (308-373)
came to Natrun, 8. The Library containing a wonderful collection of several hundred Coptic, Arabic, Syriac and Ethiopic manuscripts for which a Catalogue is being prepared, and over fourteen thousand printed volumes on different subjects. It is scientifically indexed; and monks and visitors make good use of it. containing a wonderful collection of several hundred Coptic, Arabic, Syriac and Ethiopic manuscripts for which a Catalogue is being prepared, and over fourteen thousand printed volumes on different subjects. It is scientifically indexed; and monks and visitors make good use of it.9. The Museum: Various religious and secular articles of the Monastry, from different ages, are
exposed. They include a. Ancient icons, some of which may prove of certain historic value. b. A marble tray which was moved to the Museum from th Church with A Cave, it has Greek and Nubian inscription to commemorate a certain King George of Nubia born in A. M. 822 (A. D. 1106) enthroned in A. M. 846 (A. D. 1130) and deceased in A. M. 874 (A. D. 1158)). Presumably the Tray was carried to the Monastery by Nubian monks. c. The Box of the Community is an old ebony box inlaid with ivory in which relics of saints were kept. The relics are now preserved in a separate tube kept together with that of St. John Kame in the Refectory. 10.The Orchard. An orchard has been cultivated by the monks in an area attached to the Monastery. It already provides the Monastery with fruits, citrons and vegetables.
1- Cells: Every monk occupies a private cell which consists of two small rooms, the outer one a living room and the inner, prayer room. 2- Hermitage: Monks enjoy periods of hermitage in some isolated cells about the Monastry in the Orchard and the desert around the monastry . 3 – Every Day Life Work: Monks perform the tasks of their every day life. Very few workers are employed at the Monastery. 4 – Two daily prayer meetings: one at dawn, followed by the Mass Service and one at sunset. 5 – One system of Eating: Monks prefer to lead the Solitary System and eat in their cells. |
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valve on each side. Each leaf has seven panels of ebony magnificantly
inlaid with ivory. From top to bottom they represent seven epocs which are believed to
cover the Christian era. There is an inscription on the screen frame which shows that it
was put in A.D. 913-914 when Gabriel (909-921) was Patriarch of Alexandria John (910-923)
of Antioch. These epocs are the following: 
earth peace, good will among men”. (Luke 2:14) (see Plate IV). In the
Northern semidome is a fresco of the Virgin’s Dormition. The Lord Jesus Christ, in a
blue tunic an a dark red robe bears her soul swathed in white, while the twelve apostles
surround her head and feet. 
of the most interesting monuments in the Monastery. A narrow and low
passage leads to St. Pishoi’s private hermitage which is said to have been joined to
St. Pishoi’s Monastery by an underground path. St. Pishoi withdrew to this place to
enjoy quiet prayer far from visitors. In the top of the cave is a piece of a chain to
which he tied his hair to avoid falling in sleep during his vigil prayers. 
monks lived in isolation through the days of the
week and met on Saturday evenings at Church where they passed the night in discussion with
their elders, psalmody and the Mass service in the morning. After the service they
proceeded to the Refectory where they enjoyed the weekly agape – a fellowship meal.
This proceeded in silence while a monk was standing at a lectern reading from the stories
of the fathers. The table, benches and lectern are made of masonary and are in proper
condition (1). 
soldiers in Licinius’ army. (In 313 he
ordered 40 soldiers of Sebaste in Lesser Armenia to be cast into a lake of ice while a hot
bath lay before them ready to comfort any who would deny The Lord Jesus. One of the
persecutors saw 40 divine crowns descending from heaven, 39
rested on 39 heads of the martyrs while the fortieth remained suspended up. After a while
the 
he
was weak and used to lean on a staff. Some monks thought that he carried it to assume
distinction. When he spiritually perceived their inner thought, he planted his staff in
the ground few meters from St. Pishoi’s hermitage. But God wished to appear his
righteousness, so his staff bud out and developed till it became the famous tamarind tree.
Clergy vestments, Church vssels and articles,
icons, oil lamps, seals of Various religious and secular articles of the Monastry, from different ages, are
exposed. They include
Clergy vestments, Church vssels and articles,
icons, oil lamps, seals of Kurban (Sacred Bead), pillar crowns, mills,
jars, yptrified wood and some old weapons which the caravan Arabs used in their journeys.
Objects of particular importance are: