Monastery of Saint Macarius the Great

Coordinates: 30°17′29″N 30°28′34″E / 30.29139°N 30.47611°E / 30.29139; 30.47611
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Monastery of Saint Macarius the Great
دير الأنبا مقار
Saint Serapion
Site
LocationWadi El Natrun
Country Egypt
Coordinates30°17′29″N 30°28′34″E / 30.29139°N 30.47611°E / 30.29139; 30.47611
Public accessYes

The Monastery of Saint Macarius The Great also known as Dayr Aba Maqār (

Coptic Orthodox monastery located in Wadi El Natrun, Beheira Governorate, about 92 km (57 mi) north-west of Cairo, and off the highway between Cairo and Alexandria.[1]

Ancient history

The monastery was founded in approximately 360 AD by

Saint Serapion among others.[1]

Modern history

In 1969, the monastery entered an era of restoration, both spiritually and architecturally, with the arrival of twelve monks under the spiritual leadership of

Fayoum.[1]

Assiut.[1]

Under

Pope Shenouda III, who was himself busily engaged in restoring the Monastery of Saint Pishoy and the Paromeos Monastery, and after fourteen years of constant activity both in reconstruction and spiritual renewal, the monastic community in the Monastery of Saint Macarius numbers about one hundred monks.[1]

The Monastery of Saint Macarius maintains spiritual, academic and fraternal links with several monasteries abroad, including the monastery of Chevetogne in Belgium, Solesmes Abbey and the Monastery of the Transfiguration in France, Bose Monastic Community in Italy, Deir El Harf in Lebanon, and the Convent of the Incarnation in England.

The Monastery of Saint Macarius the Great contains the relics of many saints, such as the Forty-Nine Martyrs of Scetis.

Discovery of relics

During the restoration of the big Church of

Saint John the Baptist
in the church of Saint Macarius. A detailed account of this discovery and an assessment of the authenticity of the relics was published by the monastery.

Popes from the Monastery of St. Macarius

This table is a listing of the

Popes of the Coptic Orthodox Church
that were from the Monastery of St. Macarius or that spent long periods in it.

Former abbot

Main article: Anba Epiphanius

As of 2013, Anba Epiphanius, who had been a member of the brotherhood since 1984, was appointed as the bishop and abbot of the Monastery of St. Macarius. He was 64 years old when he died in 2018.[2]

The Coptic Church published a statement to say that Pope Tawadros “mourned in Anba Epiphanius a true monk whose life was steeped in meekness and humbleness; also a scholar who possessed a wealth of knowledge that fruited research and publications in various branches of ecclesiastical studies. The Pope prayed for peace for his soul, and comfort for the St Macarius monk assembly as well as all who loved the late Abbot [...] He was simple in his clothes, his house and his food. Bishop Epiphanius was very simple and he preferred to sit in the last rows,".[3][4]

Pope Tawadros would also consult the abbot due to his extensive knowledge and authorship. The abbot had attended 20 conferences in five years with the Pope's blessing.[5]

Anba Epiphanius was an ardent follower of Matthew the Poor and it is believed that this led to severe tension within his monastery particularly where the former monk and suspect in the abbot's killing, Wael Saad Tawadros, was concerned.[6]

Forty days after his death, a retreat house was inaugurated by Pope Tawadros II himself, bearing the name of "Anba Epiphanius Retreat House", which welcomes foreign pilgrims from all around the world.

Other monasteries of the Desert of Scetis

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "The Monastery of St. Macarius at Scetis (Wadi Natrun)". stmacariusmonastery.org. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
  2. ^ "Egypt investigates 'mysterious' death of Coptic Bishop". news24.com. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  3. ^ "Former monk arrested after murder of Coptic bishop". catholicherald.co.uk. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  4. ^ "St. Macarius's Faltaous al-Makary hospitalized due to leg gangrene". egypttoday.com. Retrieved 22 August 2018.
  5. ^ "St. Macarius's Faltaous al-Makary hospitalized due to leg gangrene". egypttoday.com. Retrieved 22 August 2018.
  6. ^ "A Theological Murder Mystery Is Rattling Christians in Egypt". theatlantic.com. Retrieved 3 November 2018.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Monastery of Saint Macarius the Great.

30°17′29″N 30°28′34″E / 30.29139°N 30.47611°E / 30.29139; 30.47611

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