Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral
Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral | ||
---|---|---|
Style Coptic | | |
Administration | ||
Division | Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate | |
Clergy | ||
Bishop(s) | Pope Tawadros II |
St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral (
The church is dedicated to St. Mark the Evangelist, an apostle of Jesus and founder of the Coptic Orthodox Church. Relics of his life are kept inside. It was, until 2019, (after the inauguration of the new Nativity Cathedral) the largest cathedral in Africa[2] and the Middle East.[a]
History of the land
The cathedral is located in the place of a village called p-Sovt em-p-Hoi (Coptic: ⲡⲥⲟⲃⲧ ⲙ̀ⲡϩⲟⲓ "the wall of the moat") which had been given to the Coptic Church in 969 by Jawhar.[3][4][5] This land was a replacement for the land that was taken from the church to be included in building the Palace of Al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah as part of the planning of the new capital of Egypt, Cairo.[6]
During the twelfth century the area contained ten Coptic churches, but during the rule of Qalawun on 18 February 1280, the churches were destroyed by Muslims who persecuted the Copts. Two churches were subsequently built in the area under the rule of his son.[6]
In 1943, the governorate of Cairo attempted to expropriate the area for public use. This was opposed by the
Office of the Coptic Orthodox Pope
The cathedral is where
Architecture
The cathedral is considered a unique example of architectural evolution which includes seven churches of which some have a great historic value such as the Church of St. Rewiss. The Cathedral represents the rapid development of Coptic architecture,[9][10] as the famous Coptic civil engineer Michel Bakhoum contributed in its structural design. It has a capacity for 5,000 worshipers.[11]
Relics of Saint Mark
Before the completion of the cathedral, the
Inauguration ceremony
The inauguration of the new Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral took place on 25 June 1968[12] in a ceremony hosted by Pope Cyril VI and attended by Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser and Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie, among other foreign clergy members from other churches.
Burials
See also
- Botroseya Church bombing / 2016 Cairo Church bombing
- 2017 Palm Sunday church bombings
- List of large Orthodox cathedrals
Notes
- Diocese of Yamoussoukro.
References
- ^ "50 years on St Mark's, Pope consecrates renovated Cathedral". Watani. 2018-11-19. Retrieved 2022-09-29.
- ^ "Churches in Egypt". Egyptvoyager.com. Retrieved 6 May 2009.
- ISBN 978-977-416-777-5.
- ^ "Khandaq, Al- :: Claremont Coptic Encyclopedia". ccdl.libraries.claremont.edu. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
- ^ Casanova, Paul. "Les noms coptes du Caire et localités voisines". BIFAO. 1: 139–224.
- ^ a b "دير الأنبا رويس". Coptichistory.org. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
- ^ St Abraam Archived 2 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Hassan, Ahmed Mohammed; Abdelaty, Ali (11 December 2016). "Cairo church bombing kills 25, raises fears among Christians". Retrieved 13 December 2016.
- ^ "Cathedral of Abbasiya - Coptic Cairo". Memphis Tours Egypt.
- ^ Helloegypt Archived 16 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Old Cairo and Roda Island". Footprinttravelguides.com. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
- ^ "Pope Saint Kyrillos VI (Cyril VI), 116th Pope of Alexandria". Zeitun-eg.org. Retrieved 6 May 2009.
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