Monastery of Saint Macarius the Great

Monastery of Saint Macarius the Great
دير الأنبا مقار
The church tower at St Macarius' Monastery
Monastery of Saint Macarius the Great is located in Egypt
Monastery of Saint Macarius the Great
Location within Egypt
Monastery information
Other namesDeir Abu Makar
Established360
Dedicated toSaint Macarius the Great
DioceseCoptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria
People
Founder(s)Saint Macarius the Great
Important associated figuresSaint Arsenius
Saint Isidore
Saint Cyril of Alexandria
Saint John the Dwarf
Saint Macarius of Alexandria
Saint Macarius the Bishop
Saint Moses the Black
Saint Paphnutius
Saint Poemen
Saint Serapion
Site
LocationWadi El Natrun
Country Egypt
Coordinates30°17′29″N 30°28′34″E / 30.29139°N 30.47611°E / 30.29139; 30.47611
Public accessYes
See also: Wadi El Natrun

The Monastery of Saint Macarius The Great also known as Dayr Aba Maqār (Arabic: دير الأنبا مقار) is a Coptic Orthodox monastery located in Wadi El Natrun, Beheira Governorate, about 92 km (57 mi) north-west of Cairo, and off the highway between Cairo and Alexandria.[1]

The monastery is attributed to Saint Macarius the Great, a disciple of Saint Anthony the Great, the founder of Christian monasticism.[2] Macarius retreated to the Wadi El-Natrun desert and is believed to have established his hermitage there in the last third of the 4th century AD.[3] The monastery was once overseen by Pope Shenouda III,[4] following the resignation of Bishop Michael of Assiut, who had served as its abbot for 65 years. After Pope Shenouda’s death in March 2012, the monks requested the reinstatement of Bishop Michael as abbot.[5] He returned to lead the monastery in April 2012 but resigned permanently shortly after.[6] On March 10, 2013, Anba Epiphanius was appointed abbot, a position he held until his assassination on July 29, 2018.[7][8]

The monastery spans an area of approximately 11.34 square kilometers, including its farmlands and associated buildings.[9][10][11][12] It houses seven churches—three within the main complex and four atop the fortress. Additionally, the monastery includes monk cells (known as kelia), a communal dining hall attached to a kitchen, a small museum, a hospital, an power station, a printing press, and a library containing rare manuscripts. There are also accommodations for non-monk staff working within the monastery.[13]

The monastery is renowned for the purported presence of the relics of John the Baptist and the prophet Elisha within the main Church of Saint Macarius. [14]These relics were reportedly discovered during unofficial restoration and expansion works in 1976, overseen by Father Matta El-Meskeen. The find was officially announced in November 1978, sparking controversy, particularly among Muslims, who believe that prophets' bodies do not decay.[15] Moreover, existing Islamic shrines already attributed to these prophets further complicated the matter. Additional controversy arose following a separate discovery in Bulgaria in 2010, where relics claimed to belong to John the Baptist were unearthed beneath an ancient church.

The monastery also contains relics of other saints and patriarchs, adding to its religious and historical importance.[16]

  1. ^ "The Monastery of St. Macarius at Scetis (Wadi Natrun)". stmacariusmonastery.org. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
  2. ^ This Is My Church, Part VII. Coptic Catholic Church of Alexandria. Archived April 7, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2020-04-07. Accessed on 2020-04-07.
  3. ^ Pope Shenouda III's visit to St. Anba Makar Monastery. The official website of St. Anba Makar Monastery. Archived March 04, 2016 at the Wayback Machine.
  4. ^ Pope Shenouda III's visit to St. Anba Makar Monastery. The official website of St. Anba Makar Monastery. Archived March 04, 2016 at the Wayback Machine.
  5. ^ The journalist patriarch and the crisis at Abu Makkar monastery. Civil Dialogue Foundation. Archived August 03, 2018 at the Wayback Machine.
  6. ^ Resignation of Bishop Mikhail of Assiut. Al-Youm Al-Sabea, March 22, 2009. Archived June 25, 2009 at the Wayback Machine.
  7. ^ The meeting ended with his return as abbot. Egypt, April 28, 2012. Arrival date: December 31, 2012. Archived March 05, 2016 at the Wayback Machine.
  8. ^ Monks of Abu Makkar Monastery and Anba Mikhail congratulate Pope Tawadros II. Al-Youm Al-Sabea, November 6, 2012. Access date: December 31, 2012. Archived April 7, 2020 at the Wayback Machine.
  9. ^ Pope Tawadros ordains Epiphanius as bishop of Anba Makar Monastery. Al-Youm Al-Sabea, March 4, 2013. Archived April 7, 2020 at the Wayback Machine.
  10. ^ Abu Makar monks choose Epiphanius as abbot. Ordination March 10. Sada al-Balad, March 4, 2013. Archived September 25, 2015 at the Wayback Machine.
  11. ^ The death of Bishop Epiphanos, abbot of Abu Makkar monastery and disciple of St. Matthew the Poor. The Seventh Day, July 29, 2019. Arrival date: August 3, 2018. Archived September 2, 2019 at the Wayback Machine.
  12. ^ Preliminary investigations into the murder of the abbot of Anba Makar monastery: Perpetrator used a "sharp instrument". Al-Masry Al-Youm, August 1, 2018. Access date: August 3, 2018. Archived August 03, 2018 at the Wayback Machine.
  13. ^ Fatwa No.: 114384. Hadith rank: Allah has forbidden the bodies of the prophets on earth. Fatwa Center, IslamWeb. Archived March 18, 2013 at the Wayback Machine.
  14. ^ Attempts to build an imaginary wall between mosque and church in Syria Zedel. Archived September 9, 2019 at the Wayback Machine.
  15. ^ Ujam: The shrine of God's prophet Elisha (AS). Qatif Cultural Network, September 15, 2009. Archived August 23, 2017 at the Wayback Machine.
  16. ^ Archaeological season in 2010. Radio Bulgaria, January 16, 2011. Archived April 7, 2020 at the Wayback Machine.