Article by Samar Abdel Karim - Lawyer at the Water Company

Reviewed and designed by Dina Al-Tawila

The Location

The Hanging Church is located in the Old Cairo district, in the important archaeological area of ​​Coptic Cairo. It is close to the Mosque of Amr ibn al-Aas, the Ben Ezra Jewish Synagogue, the Church of St. Mina next to the Babylon Fortress, the Church of the Martyr Mercurius (Abu Sefein), and many other churches.

Why was it named so?

It was named the Hanging Church because it was built on two of the ancient towers of the Roman fortress (Babylon Fortress), which was built by Emperor Trajan in the second century AD. The Hanging Church is considered the oldest church still standing in Egypt.

The Date

The church was built on the ruins of a place where it is said that the Holy Family (the Virgin Mary, the Christ Child, and Saint Joseph the Carpenter) took refuge during the three years they spent in Egypt fleeing from Herod, the ruler of Palestine, who had ordered the killing of the children for fear of the prophecy of its return. Some see it as a place of seclusion where one of the female travelers lived in one of the rocky catacombs carved into the place.

The Architecture

The church's facade is located on the western side of Mari Girgis Street. It is two stories high and has a fountain. It was built in the famous basilica style, consisting of 3 aisles, a front hall, and a sanctuary divided into 3 parts. It is rectangular in shape and relatively small, with dimensions of about 23.5 meters long, 18.5 meters wide, and 9.5 meters high. It consists of a main nave and two small aisles, with eight columns between them on each side. Between the nave and the northern aisle is a row of three columns with large pointed arches. The columns separating the aisles are made of marble, except for one made of black basalt. It is noted that it has a number of Corinthian-style column capitals. On the eastern side of the church are three sanctuaries: the middle one is named after the ancient Virgin Mary, the right one after Saint John the Baptist, and the left one after Saint George.

In front of these structures there are

The screens are wooden, the most important of which is the central screen made of ebony inlaid with transparent family wood and engraved with geometric shapes and beautiful crosses. Above it are icons depicting Christ on a throne, with the Virgin Mary, the Angel Gabriel, and Saint Paul to his right. Above the altar inside this structure is a wooden canopy supported by four columns, and behind it is a platform for the priests to sit in the right wing of the church. Parts of a national Egyptian painting were hung on one of the walls, recording events and scenes from the modern history of the church related to the Copts in Egypt, perhaps the most important of which is the apparition of the Virgin Mary in her church in the Zeitoun district following the defeat of the 1967 war.

The historical significance of the Hanging Church

The Hanging Church is the most famous Coptic Christian church in Cairo and perhaps the first church built in the basilica style. Its roots go back to the early Christian centuries and it has become one of the most prominent Coptic Christian places in Egypt. It is not just a place of worship, but a witness to the history of Christianity in Egypt and the development of Coptic architecture and art over many centuries.

The Basilica Style

It is one of the important buildings in the lives of the inhabitants of Roman cities. The Romans adopted many aspects of civilization from the Greeks, especially in the field of arts in general and architecture in particular. The Romans adopted basilicas from the Greeks, as the first basilica was built in Rome during the Republican era. The meaning of the word basilica is a term that was used by the Greeks to mean the king's hall, throne, or royal hall. It is through what the ancient writers described that we believe it dates back to the Mamluk era in ancient Egypt.

The religious significance

The Hanging Church is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and contains shrines to her and to Saints John the Baptist and George. The church was the site of many important ceremonies for the Coptic Orthodox Church in Cairo, including the election and burial of the first patriarchs (occurring between the 11th and 14th centuries, while the last patriarch's burial took place only between the 11th and 12th centuries), the consecration of the Holy Olive Tree, and the judgment of heretical trials. The selection of the date of Easter each year was another important procedure. These ceremonies were held in the Hanging Church because the patriarchal seat was moved from Alexandria to Cairo in the 11th century.

The Coptic Pope's Chair

Historically, the seat of the Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria was Alexandria. However, with the transfer of governing powers from Alexandria to Cairo following the Islamic conquest of Egypt during the reign of Pope Christodoulos, Cairo became the permanent and official seat of the Coptic Pope in the Hanging Church in 1047.

Internal strife broke out between the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus and the Hanging Church because

of this patriarch's desire to be consecrated in the Hanging Church, a ceremony traditionally held at the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus.

The Icons and Decoration

The Hanging Church contains 110 icons, the oldest of which dates back to the 8th century, but most of them date back to the 18th century. Palm of Al-Barati Bey gifted some of them at the beginning of 1898 when he was supervising the church.

The Iconographic Screen

The iconographic screen in the center of the sanctuary is made of ebony inlaid with ivory and surmounted by icons of the Virgin Mary and the Twelve Apostles.

The Altar: Screen and Symbols

The screen of the main altar is made of ebony inlaid with ivory, divided into panels displaying various Coptic cross designs dating back to around the 12th or 13th century. Above the altar screen is a long row of seven large icons. At the center is Christ seated on the throne. On one side are icons of the Virgin Mary, the Archangel Gabriel, and Saint Peter. On the other side are icons of Saint John the Baptist, the Archangel Michael, and Saint Paul.

The Church Renovation

The church was renovated several times during the Islamic era

During the reign of Harun al-Rashid,

when Patriarch Anba Marcos requested permission from his father to renovate the church

During the reign of Al-Aziz Billah al-Fatimi

who allowed Patriarch Ephrem the Syrian to renovate all the churches of Egypt and repair what had been destroyed

During the reign of Al-Zahir li-I'zaz Din Allah

it was the seat of many patriarchs since the eleventh century. Patriarch Christodoulos was the first to make the Hanging Church the seat of the Pope of Alexandria. Several patriarchs were buried there in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, and their pictures and icons still exist in the church, illuminated by candles. Trials concerning professions and elegance, as well as debates with heretics, were held there. It is considered an important pilgrimage site for Copts due to its historical antiquity, its connection to the Holy Family, and its location among churches and monasteries of revered saints, making it easy to visit.