Coptic Cathedral
Encyclopedia
St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral is located in the Abbassia District in Cairo
, Egypt
. It is the current seat
of the Coptic Orthodox Pope
. It was built during the time when Pope Cyril VI of Alexandria
was Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church
and inaugurated by Pope Cyril in 1968.
s; this land had the historic Anba Rouis' Church.
The land had been given to the Coptic Orthodox Church in 969 by Gawhar
. This land was given as a replacement for the land that was taken from the church to be included in building the Palace of Ma'ad al-Muizz Li-Deenillah
as part of the planning of the new capital of Egypt, Cairo
.
During the twelfth century the area contained ten Coptic churches, but during the rule of Qalawun
on 18 February 1280 the churches were destroyed by the persecutors of the Copts. Two churches were subsequently built in the area under the rule of his son.
In 1943 the governerate of Cairo attempted to expropriate the area for public use. This was opposed by the General Congregation Council
led by its secretary at the time Mr. Habib Elmasry; their campaign proved successful as the Coptic Church maintained control of the land under the condition that a non-profit building be built on it in the following fifteen years. This condition spurred the building of the cathedral.
, the famous Coptic civil engineer Michel Bakhoum
contributed in its structural design.
, returned part of St. Mark's relic
s, which were taken from Egypt in the year 828 to Venice, Italy. These relics were taken to the newly constructed Cathedral, where they were placed in a specially built shrine
brightly decorated with Copt
ic icons. They still remain there today.
The Coptic Cathedral of St. Mark is by far the largest Cathedral
in Africa
and the Middle East
.
Gamal Abdel Nasser
, Ethiopian
Emperor
Haile Selassie, among other foreign clergy members from other churches. It is the seat of the current Coptic Pope, His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and the See of St. Mark
.
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. It is the current seat
Seat of the Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria
The Seat of the Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria is historically based in Alexandria, Egypt. It is commonly known as the Holy See of St. Mark, as the Coptic Pope is the successor of St. Mark....
of the Coptic Orthodox Pope
Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church
The Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria is the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, which has about 16 million members worldwide, including about 12 million in Egypt...
. It was built during the time when Pope Cyril VI of Alexandria
Pope Cyril VI of Alexandria
Father Mina became Pope of Alexandria on 10 May 1959 . In accordance with the old Coptic church tradition, Pope Cyril VI was the only monk in the 20th century to be chosen for papacy without having being a bishop /Metropolitan first...
was Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church
Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church
The Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria is the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, which has about 16 million members worldwide, including about 12 million in Egypt...
and inaugurated by Pope Cyril in 1968.
History of the land
Historically the land where the Cathedral stands has been used for centuries as a cemetery for the CoptCopt
The Copts are the native Egyptian Christians , a major ethnoreligious group in Egypt....
s; this land had the historic Anba Rouis' Church.
The land had been given to the Coptic Orthodox Church in 969 by Gawhar
Jawhar as-Siqilli
Gawhar al-Siqilli also called al-Rumi main transliteration: Gawhar as-Siqilli al-Rumi was the most important military leader in the Fatimid history...
. This land was given as a replacement for the land that was taken from the church to be included in building the Palace of Ma'ad al-Muizz Li-Deenillah
Ma'ad al-Muizz Li-Deenillah
Ma‘ādh Abū Tamīm al-Mu‘izz li Dīn Allāh , also known as al-Moezz, was the fourth Fatimid Caliph and 14th Ismaili imam, and reigned from 953 to 975. It was during his caliphate that the center of power of the Fatimid dynasty was moved from Ifriqiya to the newly conquered Egypt...
as part of the planning of the new capital of Egypt, Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
.
During the twelfth century the area contained ten Coptic churches, but during the rule of Qalawun
Qalawun
Saif ad-Dīn Qalawun aṣ-Ṣāliḥī was the seventh Mamluk sultan of Egypt...
on 18 February 1280 the churches were destroyed by the persecutors of the Copts. Two churches were subsequently built in the area under the rule of his son.
In 1943 the governerate of Cairo attempted to expropriate the area for public use. This was opposed by the General Congregation Council
General Congregation Council
General Congregation Council is part of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria and represents the laity of the Church, it is also known as the Coptic Orthodox Lay Council...
led by its secretary at the time Mr. Habib Elmasry; their campaign proved successful as the Coptic Church maintained control of the land under the condition that a non-profit building be built on it in the following fifteen years. This condition spurred the building of the cathedral.
Architecture
The cathedral is considered a unique example of architectural evolution which includes seven churches of which some have a great historic value such as Anba Rouis' Church. The Cathedral represents the rapid development of Coptic architectureCoptic architecture
Coptic architecture is the architecture of the Copts, who form the majority of Christians in Egypt.Coptic churches range from great cathedrals like Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral to the smallest churches in rural villages. Many ancient monasteries like Monastery of Saint Anthony, the oldest...
, the famous Coptic civil engineer Michel Bakhoum
Michel Bakhoum
Michel Bakhoum was an Egyptian consulting civil engineer, university professor, and a researcher in concrete structures.-Education and early years:...
contributed in its structural design.
Relics of Saint Mark
Before the completion of the Cathedral, the Roman Catholic pontiff of the time, Pope Paul VIPope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
, returned part of St. Mark's relic
Relic
In religion, a relic is a part of the body of a saint or a venerated person, or else another type of ancient religious object, carefully preserved for purposes of veneration or as a tangible memorial...
s, which were taken from Egypt in the year 828 to Venice, Italy. These relics were taken to the newly constructed Cathedral, where they were placed in a specially built shrine
Shrine
A shrine is a holy or sacred place, which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon or similar figure of awe and respect, at which they are venerated or worshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated....
brightly decorated with Copt
Copt
The Copts are the native Egyptian Christians , a major ethnoreligious group in Egypt....
ic icons. They still remain there today.
The Coptic Cathedral of St. Mark is by far the largest Cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
.
Inauguration Ceremony
The inauguration of the new Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral took place on June 25, 1968 in a ceremony attended by Egyptian PresidentPresident of Egypt
The President of the Arab Republic of Egypt is the head of state of Egypt.Under the Constitution of Egypt, the president is also the supreme commander of the armed forces and head of the executive branch of the Egyptian government....
Gamal Abdel Nasser
Gamal Abdel Nasser
Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein was the second President of Egypt from 1956 until his death. A colonel in the Egyptian army, Nasser led the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 along with Muhammad Naguib, the first president, which overthrew the monarchy of Egypt and Sudan, and heralded a new period of...
, Ethiopian
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
Emperor
Emperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...
Haile Selassie, among other foreign clergy members from other churches. It is the seat of the current Coptic Pope, His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and the See of St. Mark
Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church
The Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria is the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, which has about 16 million members worldwide, including about 12 million in Egypt...
.