Egypt: Deir Abu Magar, also called Deir Anba Makaryus in the Wadi al-Natrun

The Monastery of St Macarius !Deir Abu Magar" by #i$$y Dunn

It is said that the Christian, St. Magar (Maker), who lived as a hermit monk in a cave for over forty years, received a divine revelation in the form of a dream to build a church. When he died in !" #.$, he was buried in his beloved cave, but his monks remained and the cell where he was buried became the venter of the monastery. %is relics were ke&t as treasures and still remain. 'he monastery became a memorial to him so that &eo&le might not forget his story, devotion and &iety. # team from (eiden )niversity in the *etherlands has been e+cavating this site since ,!!-, and it seems they may end u& &roviding an analysis of how a loose grou& of hermits might have evolved into a monastic society. $eir #bu Magar, also called $eir #nba Makaryus was &robably the first monastery in the Wadi al.*atrun.. In the /th century, the 0y1antine rulers mandated that the Co&tic 2atriarchs no longer reside in #le+andria and so $eir #bu Magar ac3uired a new im&ortance as the seat of the Co&tic church. It remained an im&ortant monastery throughout the ages. Seemingly, the monastery began as an o&en, informal structure more like a village. 'here was a church and a kee& (tower). Most of the &resent monastery was rebuilt by 2atriarch Shanudah (4-!.4,) after it was attacked and mostly destroyed for the third time by 0erbers in 4//. 0y the end of that century, the tower5s outer walls were reinforced, and most of the settlement was surrounded by an outer defensive wall, giving it the real a&&earance of a monastery. 'his wall may have encouraged hermit monks to live within, resulting in a true monastery. Description

'he 3asr of this monastery is a three story building accessed by a drawbridge at its first story level. 'here are mills, storeroom sand a well on the ground floor. 'he Cha&el of the 6irgin (#l #dra) with three haykals (sanctuaries) of about , th century origin is on the first floor. 'hree churches, consisting of the Church of the #ngle Michael to the *orth, the Church of St. #nthony, 2aul and 2achomius, and the southernmost Churhc of the 'ravelers (#l Sawwah) occu&y the second story. Much of the Church of St. Macarius was destroyed in ,! ", but there remains two haykals dating to 4 ". St. Macarius and St. 7ohn the Short, among a few other saints are buried there. 'here is a small church of St. Ishkhirun of 8illin with three haykals and two alters which is used for storage, and also a Church of the 9orty.*ine Martyers which is used during fasts and the 9east of *ativity. #nd in the Church of #nba Mager, to the back of its kee& are icons of the three St. Macarii, which is the oldest icon in the monastery.

The icon of the Three St Macarii is the oldest in the Monastery

%elics of the Three Macari

'he monastery is said to be the richest in the Wadi #l *atrun. 'here is a coffin in the church of #bu Magar, which contains the relics of si+teen &atriarchs of the Co&tic church. 'here is also the relics of the forty nine martyers killed by the 0erbers and buried in the church of the :lders. ;elics also include those of the three Macarii who are St. Macarius the <reat (#bu Magar or Ma3arah, St. Macarius the #le+andrian and the Martyr St. Macarius the 0isho& of :dfu (Idfu). =ther releics include those of St. IIaria, the daughter of 8ing >enun, who disguised herself as a man in order to be a monk in the monastery. #nd finally there are the relics of St. 7ohn the (ittle (St. 7ohn Colobos or #nba ?oanis the Short). #ncient icons within the monastery de&ict the following@ #nba Ma3ar the <reat, the :gy&tian carrying the cross (as a symbol of his &erseverance, honesty and self mortification). #nba Ma3ar the #le+andrian carrying a ladder (as a symbol of his 1eal to ac3uire virtues ste& by ste&). #nba *a3ar the bisho& of :dfu carrying a small lamb between his arms (as he is a 2riest and martyr brought to slaughter, he is &ainted with white clothes). Saint ?ehnis the Short was the s&iritual son of #nba Ma3ar. %e was of the second generation, and his monastery was ,- kms south west of the monastery of #nba Ma3ar. %is relics were transferred to the monastery of #nba Ma3ar when his monastery was ruined.

It was the usual habit after a &atriarch had been elected and consecrated to the See of St. Mark in #le+andria, that he would be ordained and sanctified in this monastery. Many &atriarchs were ordained in this monastery, and many of them were buried here. 'he Monastery of St. Macarius ($air #bu Ma3ar) is the southernmost of the monastery grou& of the Wadi al.*atrun. it can be seen west from theCairo.#le+andria desert highway at about ,A! 8m. to #le+andria or 4/ to Cairo.