Until my trip to Egypt last month, I had only known this country from elementary school studies. And it was mostly the Pyramids and the Sphinx. Visiting Egypt was eye-opening. Being there in person, I learned how diverse this country is. While most Egyptians are Sunni Muslim and Islam is the official religion, it has a Christian past. A minority of Egyptians are Christians, mostly Coptics. Egyptian Copts is about 10% of the population and form the largest group of Christians in Northern Africa and the Middle East.

I was in Cairo for a training and the organizers arranged a tour of Cairo for the three foreigners. They hired a van with a driver and one of the office staff was our guide and translator. We saw many of the must-see places in Cairo, including various Coptic Churches. We didn’t have the time to see everything, though sitting in the van, I did get a better sense of the city.

Quick Links for this article Cave Church | Hanging Church | Mosque of Sultan Hasan | Al-Rifa’i Mosque

The word “Copt” had originally referred to all Egyptians until the Arab conquest between 639–646 AD. This term then came to refer to a Christian ethno-religious group in North Africa. The Copts are descendants of pre-Islamic Egyptians and Pharaonic people and once spoke a language called Coptic. They are also the largest religious minority in Egypt. Prior to the 7th century, Egypt was a Christian country and after the 9th century, Egypt’s Christians were persecuted, having their books burned and churches destroyed. Today, the Hanging Church continues to offer services in Coptic.

Manshiyat Naser (“Garbage City”)

Manshiyat Naser is a ward in the southeast part of Cairo. Its story is an interesting one.

We were introduced to it as “Garbage City” and the Zabbaleen “garbage people” in Arabic. These are farmers who migrated from Upper Egypt in the 1940s and became freelancers who hauled trash back to their homes with trucks and donkey-drawn carts. Among what they found, organic waste became food for animals they raised and anything of value was resold. This was a profitable niche they found.

Around 1970 the government moved all the garbage collectors and recyclers to Mokattam village, located at the base of the cliffs. The population in the 1980s was about 8,000, a number that’s grown to tens of thousands. Known for efficiency, the Zabbaleen continue to collect from residents around the city and so about 80 to 90% of Cairo’s waste gets recycled. While the government has attempted to marginalize their role, this hard-working community has proven their necessity.

The Zabbaleen are primarily Coptic Christians and we were in Manshiyat Naser to visit the impressive Cave Church of Saint Simon. The road through Mokattam village is the only way there.

Cave Church of Saint Simon

The streets are narrow and winding and oftentimes we stopped to let trucks go by. This slow drive gave us an opportunity to see a glimpse of the daily life in Manshiyat Naser. Having a driver take us around really made sightseeing in Cairo easy as traffic can be a thing.

At the heart of Garbage City is a massive complex of seven chapels, known as the Cave Church or Monastery of Saint Simon. It is also the largest Christian church in the Middle East. The unassuming entrance beneath the outer building does not prepare visitors for the sheer size. The chapels were built out of existing limestone caves. The monastery can sit about 20,000 people. As the biggest Christian Church in the area, this is a pilgrimage site for hundreds of thousands of worshippers each year.

   

Coptic Cairo

After our visit to the Cave Church, we continued with other Coptic churches.

Coptic Cairo is part of Old Cairo (Masr al-Qadima). It includes the Babylon Fortress, the Coptic Museum, and Coptic Churches such as the Hanging Church and St George. We followed our guide and leisurely took in the impressive architecture.

Hanging Church

Hanging Church (Al Moallaqa) is the oldest Coptic Church in Cairo. Dedicated to the Virgin Mary, as a sanctuary, it was built into the walls of the water gate of the old Roman Fortress. The ground used to be lower. Hence its name, the Hanging Church. The courtyard is lined with mosaics. A set of stairs leads up to a porch dating back to the 11th century. Before stepping through the entrance, I stopped to look at the intricate patterns on the walls.

This is an active church and when we went inside, we found people sitting in the pews in prayer. Coptic Mass continues to be held three days a week.

Although its first mention came much later, the first iteration of the Hanging Church likely appeared in the 3rd or 4th century, beginning as a humble construction with palm logs and stones as a foundation. A more permanent structure was built in the 690s. In 1047, the Coptic Orthodox pope’s seat was moved from its historical home in Alexandria to the Hanging Church, where it remained until the 13th century.  

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Islamic Cairo

Next we visited two beautiful Islamic mosques.

Mosque of Sultan Hasan

Located in the Salah al-Din Square, the Mosque of Sultan Hasan is a complex that includes a madrasa for all four schools of Sunni Islamic law, a mosque, and a funerary complex. Built between 356 and 1363 in the Mamluck style of architecture, this mosque is one of the biggest buildings in Cairo.

We covered our heads and stepped through the entrance portal which stands about 125 feet tall. It is massive and looking up we can see intricate carving at the bottom of the arch. The stone carvings are apparently incomplete. Stepping into the dark vestibule, we turned towards the Mosque. Through gigantic wooden doors, I could glimpse the courtyard. This is a massive square surrounded by four vaulted chambers (iwan). In the centre is a giant ablution fountain where you wash before prayers.

The southeastern iwan is different from the other three. This is the main one or qibla iwan and faces the direction of Mecca. A large platform carved out of marble stands in front of the wall. This is called the dikka and is where people stand to repeat the prayer for all to hear. The wall itself is elaborately decorated. In the middle is the mihrab, which indicates the direction of Mecca. It is a niche that has a pointed arch with alternating coloured stones and two sets of colonettes on each side. On one side is the ornate pulpit.

The four of us wandered off separately and each spent time sitting on the beautiful red carpet that protects the marble floor underneath. I sat there looking at the low hanging oil lamps. Later, I read that there are 155 throughout the mosque. Visually they were beautifully symmetrical and I imagined how the mosque would be lit at night.

Al-Rifa’i Mosque

Also known as the Royal Mosque, al-Rifa’i Mosque is next to the Mosque of Sultan Hasan. From afar it looks like these two are part of the same complex. Both imposing structures are as impressive outside as on the inside. Here is the burial place of many members of the royal family as well as last two rulers of the Muhammad Ali Dynasty. The tombs are beautifully ornate. Built in two phases between 1869 and 1912, al-Rifa’i has room for 10,000 worshippers and is one of the largest mosques in Cairo. Its rectangular plan covers over 20,000 square feet, with nearly 6,000 square feet as dedicated spaces for prayers.

For anyone who loves architecture, this is yet another must-see when you visit Cairo.

The grand dome, minarets, marble floors, stained glass, gigantic chandeliers… The prayer hall, which has 44 columns, is covered by colourful marble, some nineteen types from seven countries. The gold in the ceilings was imported from Turkey.