Wadi El-Natron Monasteries

Wadi El-Natron Monasteries

Wadi ElNatron which is in the eastern desert near the delta, is one of the prime attractions for the Christian religious tourist that comes to Egypt

Christianity reached Wadi El-natron with St. Macarius the Great who retreated there in C.330.Then the area became a sanctuary for Christians who were fleeing the systematic Roman persecution in the 4th century and there they started to develop a monastic order

The area was once flourished by tens of monasteries of which only four survived the time. This was to protect monks against the Berbers and Bedouins

Join us in this awesome coptic tour during 7 hours

Visit: البحيره, Al Mahmmoudeya, El Beheira Governorate, Egypt

Our guide will take you from your hotel in El-Behera to start your Coptic tour to Wadi Natron , you will start your tour by visiting the The Monastery of El Suryan
It was built by St. Beshoy in the sixth century. It was built to be dedicated to Virgin Mary. It has an interesting cave where St. Beshoy is said to have prayed with his hair tied with a chain to the roof to prevent him from sleeping. The monastery was acquired by Syrian monks at some time, this is why it gained its modern name “Al-Suryan” which means (the Syrians). The name is shortened from the monastery’s long name: “Monastery of Saint Mary the Virgin the Lady of the Syrians.” The monastery was destroyed by Berbers in 817 AD. Afterwards in 850, it was rebuilt by the two monks, Matthew and Abraham. After having traveled to Baghdad to ask the caliph al-Muqtadir bi’llah to grant tax exemption to the monasteries
The monastery consists of the enclosure wall, the tower, The Church of the Holy Virgin, the Church of St. Honnos and Marutha, the Church of St. John the Little, The Refectory, a rich library with hundreds of manuscripts and a museum

Our next step will be in El-Baramous monastery is the northernmost monastery in Wadi al-Natron. Wadi al-Natrun is the most important monastic center in Egypt
The Arabic name “Baramous” is derived from the Coptic word “Pa-Romeos”, “that of the Romans”. Maximus and Domitius, Roman saints and children of the Roman emperor Valentinian, lived and died in a cell in Scetis in the days of Saint Macarius. Saint Macarius ordered the building of a church in their memory, which was named the “Cell of the Romans” and became the center of the monastic settlement there
The current monastery was founded on a site near the Old Baramous Monastery where the oldest monastic community of Wadi al-Natrun once stood. It is dedicated to the Virgin of Baramous and was probably founded in the late sixth century
The monastery has the oldest church still in existence in Wadi al-Natrun, the Church of the Holy Virgin Mary. This church was built at the end of the sixth/the beginning of the seventh century. To the north of the Church lies the keep, also called al-Qasr. It is the oldest keep, or fortress, in Wadi al-Natrun and probably dates from the ninth century
Our next step will be the Saint Bishoy Monastery
It is a Coptic Orthodox monastery , It is the largest monastery in Wadi Natrun . It is located half a kilometer to the southeast of the Monastery of the Virgin Mary( Syrian), and away from the Monastery of St. Makarios “Abu Makar” west about twenty kilometers.
Saint Bishoy was a pupil of St. Macarius, a hermit leader in the valley. It was probably built until the end of the fourth century AD, and was rebuilt around 840 AD and includes five churches, the largest “Church of St. Bishoy”; the largest churches of Wadi Natroun, next to the building of hospitality and a wide garden and library and archaeological table and well Martyrs Monks live.

Then we will move to visit the Monastery of Saint Makarios (Abu Makar):
It is located in the southeast of the monastery of St. Bishoy and the monastery of the Syrian , Its area is about two acres. This monastery is attributed to St. Macarius the Great, it is the richest monasteries of Wadi Natron, with its sacredness to the monks. There is a sarcophagus containing the remains of sixteen patriarchal fathers .
There are also the bodies of the 49 elderly martyrs killed by the Berbers buried in the Church of the Elders, as well as the marble sarcophagus carrying the remains of St. Eilary the daughter of King Zenon, who disguised as men and was intimidated in this monastery and buried in the floor of his old mansion built by her father above the place where her coffin is, The Patriarchs were gathering there when they were performing the Holy Chronicle
It was one of the customs followed when the Patriarch was elected to the throne to go directly to the monastery of Anba Makar, where the process of ordination and sanctification of the said monastery must be completed, and this is an indication of the prestigious status that the monastery has occupied during different historical times throughout the Egyptian countries and even in all the countries.
Then you will have your lunch at a local restaurant
At the end of the trip you will be transferred to your hotel in El-Behera

Duration: 7 hours