In Egypt, there is a church dedicated to Saint Barbara.
Location:
The Church of Saint Barbara is located in the Old Cairo region, about 30 minutes from downtown Cairo.
It lies in the center of Old Coptic Cairo, in the Old Cairo district.
It is situated amid several other churches in a private Christian community that has been in existence and well-preserved since the 10th Century.
If you want to enjoy a memorable trip in Egypt, check out our Egypt Excursions with our certified Egyptologist and Egypt travel guide.
History:
It was burned, along with the other churches of Babylon, by the two great fires of Fustat that occurred in the 8th and 12th centuries, respectively, and was afterward rebuilt on multiple occasions.
Al-Maqrizi referred to it as the most renowned church in the world at the time.
Designed in the basilican style with galleries, it is a sister structure to the Church of Saint Sergius and serves the same purpose.
The outside of the church is not imposing, so fanatical crowds, who regularly pillaged churches during times of turmoil and persecution, would not be able to differentiate it from the neighboring residences while approaching.
The church is 26 meters long, 14.5 meters broad, and 15 meters high, It is made of stone.
The northern and southern aisles are separated from the nave by two rows of five columns on each side.
In between the columns, there is a beautifully carved wooden architrave.
There is a tank in the nave that was formerly filled with water and used for the service of foot-washing on Maundy Thursday and the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, but currently, a portable basin is used in its place.
Only the main sanctuary has an apse; the remaining two rooms on each side of it are rectangular in design.
At the beginning of this century, the Church of Saint Barbara underwent considerable repair.
Several significant monuments were discovered in the Church of Saint Barbara, and they are presently on display in the Coptic Museum.
In Saint Barbara’s Church, the section to the north of the sanctuary is roughly square, and it has three chapels dedicated to Saints Cyrus and John.
This area is devoted to Saints Cyrus and John. The facility was constructed during the start of the twenty-first century.
Don’t miss to check our Egypt Vacation Packages
0 Comment