Complex churches in ancient Egypt

 Complex churches in ancient Egypt

Before Egypt became an Islamic state, it was a predominantly Christian country with an ancient Christian heritage. It was a land where Jesus and his family were known to have traveled, and where the first Apostles came to spread his word, especially in the first of Alexandria.
The most ancient Christian churches of Egypt, contrary to what many may believe, travelers are not located in the Old or Coptic Cairo. What makes Old Cairo special is the fact that a number of old churches are located in the area, making visits practices tourists, since most of them come for a tour of the city.

In fact, most ancient Christian churches, only a few examples of recently discovered predate the 4th century, found in monasteries and towns throughout Egypt, although in some areas there are concentrations of not be found elsewhere. Many of these churches are built on sacred ground where it is believed that the baby Jesus and his family made stops in their journey through Egypt. Others, many of which are associated with monasteries, are more isolated, built at a time when Christianity was banned in the Roman Empire, or later, when there were violent clashes between the Christianity in Egypt and Western Christians who ruled Egypt (the Romans).
However, while most points in a text to an ancient Coptic church in Egypt to be, or, for example, Greek Orthodox, the first churches were technically either, because Christianity in Egypt prior to those divisions rather more modern. Today, Coptic Christians, who, almost by definition, are Egyptian Christians (though now, for example, the Ethiopian church was. Incorporated in the Coptic faith) are dominant, but by no means the only Christians in Egypt . There are, of course, the Greek Orthodox and the Catholics, Protestants, and various changes, among others.

 

Designing a Coptic church

Due to the travel of the Holy Family in Egypt, some Christian churches in Egypt are very rare. Some were built in caves where popular tradition believes that the baby Jesus rested. Other, less obvious and Egypt, took over ancient Pharaonic temples and other buildings where pagan inscriptions and art was often destroyed to suit their beliefs. For example, while most of us know Pharaonic monuments combine Deir el-Bahri with ancient Egyptian mortuary temples, the name of this place is that of a church, even if it is no longer used for this purpose . Others take more conventional forms, such as the Basilica, which was probably mainly used for places of worship during the 5th century. Many of them are in Upper (southern Egypt), including a large basilica in Hermopolis Magna, the Church of the Monastery Archimandrite Shenoute White, the church of Saint Bishoi the Red Monastery, and large church which belongs to Pachomian monastery Faw Qibli.

  

 Presentation of the Dendera Chruch

The oldest Egyptian basilicas based mainly on the Roman design, while maintaining very little ancient Egyptian elements. However, it should be noted that the basilica style was used in ancient Egyptian temples, such as the Great Hypostyle Hall at Karnak. An excellent representative example of the architecture of the early Coptic church is the Basilica of Dendera, it has a three-nave and sanctuary clover-shaped at the end is led by two columns that once supported an arch. The church is entered through two side at the west end leading into the narthex, which is connected to the nave by three doors down.