Facts about The Monastery of El Suryan | Cairo Attractions

Name: Cairo Top Tours
Address: Egypt - Giza - Al-Ahram St.5th Hassan Said St. from Ahram St Giza P.O. Box 6, Egypt, EG
Telephone: +201022772955
Price range: 40$

Latest Articles

Aswan Governerate in Egypt

One of Egypt's southern governorates is Aswan Governorate. The city of Aswan serves as its capital. At a latitude of 22 north of the equator (also known as the Tropic of Cancer), it is bounded to the north by the Qena Governorate, to the east by the Red Sea Governorate, to the west by the New Valley Governorate, and to the south by the Republic of Sudan.
Luxor Governorate Egypt

The capital of the Arab Republic of Egypt is Luxor City, which was once known as "Thebes City" because it served as Egypt's capital during the Pharaonic era. It is situated in the South Upper Egypt region, approximately 670 kilometers from the capital Cairo from the south. It is bordered on the north by Qena Governorate, on the south by Aswan Governorate, on the east by Red Sea Governorate, and on the west by New Valley Governorate.
History of kafr El Sheikh Governorate

Kafr El Sheikh Governorate is an Egyptian governorate, located in the northernmost part of Egypt in the Nile Delta, with Kafr El Sheikh as its capital. It had a population of 3,172,753 in 2015 and an area of 3,748 km². Its entire area is located north of the delta and overlooks the Mediterranean Sea. The main economic activity of the residents of the governorate is agriculture and fishing, especially the southern lands of the governorate and the lands overlooking the Nile River - Rosetta Branch.
Egypt's New Administrative Capital

The New Administrative Capital is located between the Cairo-Suez and Cairo-Ain Sokhna roads, 60 km from Cairo and the same distance from Ain Sokhna and Suez. The New Administrative Capital is located on the border of Badr City, in the area between the Cairo-Suez and Cairo-Ain Sokhna roads, just after New Cairo, Mostakbal City and Madinaty.
Al Gharbia Governorate

Gharbia Governorate is one of the governorates full of archaeological sites, whether they are places or facilities (mosques, churches), as the governorate is a destination for visitors to these places throughout the year, whether they are Egyptians from the different governorates.
Hamata Islands (Qulaan Archipelago) in Marsa Alam

The Hamata area, south of Marsa Alam in the Red Sea, is one of the most important parts of the Wadi El Gemal Reserve, whether in the desert or the sea. It was named after the sorrel plant, which was distorted to Hamata.

Facts about The Monastery of El Suryan | Cairo Attractions

05 16, 2023

The Monastery of the Syrian in Wadi El Natrun

The Monastery of the Virgin Mary the Syrian is considered one of the oldest monasteries in the history of the church, dating back to approximately the fifth century AD, as various sources indicate. The old fortress is located to the right of the entrance to the monastery, although it has been restored. However, it is known that the one who built these fortresses in the monasteries was King Zeno (474 AD - 491 AD) in honor of his daughter, the nun Hilaria, who became a monk in the desert of Scetis and became famous throughout the world. There is a manuscript in the London Library of the Monastery of Mar Jacob of Serugh, whose copy dates back to 603 AD in the Monastery of the Virgin Mary the Syrian.

Butler mentions that the barriers of the Church of the Virgin Mary of Syriac date back to before the year 700 AD, and in this respect they are similar to the Church of Anba Bishoy and the Church of the Virgin Mary of Baramous. These churches are the oldest remains of the desert up to the present time.

It was one of the monasteries known as Theotokos (Monasteries of the Mother of God) and was part of the system of dual monasteries that appeared in the fifth century after the refutation of the Nestorian heresy, which caused the Council of Ephesus to be held in 341 AD. After that, monasteries called Theotokos (qeotokoc Mother of God) were built, so the Monastery of the Virgin Mother of God was called Our Lady of Anba Bishoy, and it is still known today as the Monastery of the Virgin Mary of the Syriacs, next to the Monastery of Saint Anba Bishoy in the Eastern Desert.

The Syrian Monastery became independent in its administration since the eighth century AD. It has been called the Syrian since the fourth century in the desert of Shehit, which is famous throughout the world, so that people used to come to it from different countries of the world to visit it and receive blessings from the ascetics who reached high spiritual levels or to worship, just as Saint Arsenius, the teacher of the sons of kings, and Saints Maximus and Domatius, the sons of the Roman king, came and lived in the desert, and their place is still in the Monastery of the Virgin of Baramous in the desert.

The remains of the ancient monasteries are still about 3 km southeast of the monastery, including the Monastery of Anba Youhannes Kama, the Monastery of Abanoub, the Monastery of the Ethiopians, the Monastery of the Armenians, and the Monastery of Anba Youhannes al-Qasir. Since it was worshiped by different races from Rome, Ethiopia, Syria, Palestine and others, the Coptic monks hosted the Virgin Mary and Syriac monks in their monastery for a period of time. Hundreds of years ago, it became inhabited again by Coptic monks throughout the previous times and it still is until now. Because it had Syriac monks for a period of time, it became known as the Monastery of the Syriac Virgin and is still known as the Monastery of the Syriac Virgin to this day, also to distinguish it from the Monastery of the Virgin Mary in Baramous in the desert.

Share On Social Media:

Egypt Tours FAQ

Read top Egypt tours FAQs

Monastery of the Syrians (Deir El-Suryanis in Egyptian). This monastery owes its name to the Syrian monks who lived there in the 8th century. The Church of the Virgin Mary, with its superb wall paintings, is located here. Monastery of Saint Bishoi (Deir Anba Bishoi in Egyptian). This monastery is named after the patron saint Bishoi, who lived here in solitude. It comprises five churches, the main one being that of Saint Bishoi, where his body is laid to rest. It also has two charming chapels. It lies 1,640 feet north-west of Deir Anba Beshoy. Which United Nations agency built it? It was jointly built by Saint Beshoy during the sixth century, although some date it later. Why was it built? It was built to be dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Explanation: it is a difficult cave where Saint Beshoy is said to have prayed with his hair tied in series to the roof to prevent him from sleeping. The religious residence was not inherited by Syrian monks for some time, giving it its fashionable name "Al-Suryan" which means (the Syrians). This name is a shortening of the monastery's long name: "Monastery of the Holy Virgin Daughter of the Syrians".

;