Religious Sightseeing in Cairo

An Inspiring journey to some Religious Sightseeing in Cairo and to start off with:

The Hanging Church it’s also known as Saint Virgin Mary's Coptic Orthodox Church (El Muallaqa) is one of the oldest churches in Egypt and the history of a church on this site dates to the 3rd century A.D.[1] The Hanging (The Suspended) Church is named for its location above a gatehouse of Babylon Fortress. The Hanging Church is the most famous Coptic Christian church in Cairo, as well as possibly the first built in Basilican style. The Hanging Church has 110 icons, the oldest of which dates back to the 8th Century, but most of them date to the 18th Century. Some novels say that the hanging church had been built on some ruins which in it the virgin Mary and the kid Jesus and the saint Yossif El Nagar had been protected for three years which they have spent in Egypt running away from Herot who was killing every kid afraiding of the prophecy.

The Church and Monastery of Mar Girgis or Deir El Banat locates in Mar Girgis Street in the Coptic Compound in Old Cairo. During the crusades attack and the accident of Cairo fire the church has been totally ruined like many other churches in Cairo at that time. The present structure has been reconstructed in 1909 and since the 15th century the church is regarded as a Greek Orthodox Church. Among the remains of the ancient Church exists the hall that is known as the marriage hall that is admired for its width and height. Worth admiration in this hall, are the windows of ivory and ebony inlays ornamenting the central hall in addition to the ornate paintings over its ceiling. The church encloses a beautiful mosaic icon depicting St. George with two angels descending down from heaven and giving him seven crowns as a reward from god for his patience and strong faith since he has been tortured for seven years before his martyrdom. It is one of the most visited churches in Cairo due to the religious value of St.George since he is believed to have some miraculous powers and blessings.

The Ben Ezra Synagogue, sometimes referred to as the El-Geniza Synagogue, is situated in Coptic Cairo. According to local tradition, it is located on the site of where baby Moses was found. The land for the synagogue was purchased in 882 CE for 20,000 dinars by Abraham Ibn Ezra of Jerusalem. This was the synagogue whose geniza or store room was found in the 19th century to contain a treasure of abandoned Hebrew secular and sacred manuscripts.