Thursday, June 16, 2022

Egypt -- Jim & Donna's Excellent Adventures, Pt.8

 

  We had a police escort to the Old City, Cairo, which is not due to immediate danger, as one might imagine, as much as to forestall "incidents" of opportunity that would hurt tourism.  An attack of any sort, whether organized and deadly or, more likely, random and nuisance, is bad for business -- so we had picked up the police escort, complete with flashing lights and various sirens, and went racing through Cairo's narrow, crowded streets. It made eating the take-away difficult. Most of us ate some and gave what remained (a whole "wrap," not a half eaten purchase) to the driver and security guard.
     

 

    We left our van near the police checkpoint at the entrance to the Old City and made our way down several narrow passageways heading for the Cavern Church, Abu Serga, named in honor of two early Christian martyrs. Although it has been rebuilt several times in its long history, the church is very old. It is located next to Ben Ezra Synagogue, the oldest synagogue in Egpyt, which we surely would have visited had it not been closed for renovations. 

    Tradition holds that Ben Ezra marks the spot where Pharaoh's daughter found Moses in the reeds. Tradition also holds that the Cavern Church, Abu Serga, marks the site where the Holy Family stayed for a time during their flight to Egypt recorded in the Gospels.

     In this passageway we passed this ancient wooden door. As I am a collector of unusual door images, especially ancient wood doors, I lingered as long as I could for this nun to shut the convent door, but her conversation continued so I took this picture and raced to catch up with our group.

 

    The little cross near the top of the church sign is a form of the cross that we found tattooed on the inside wrist or on the fleshy part of the hand between thumb and forefinger on many believers. The first explanation I heard for these tattoos was that Christians had their babies tattooed soon after birth so that they would not be stolen and raised in another tradition. I have not found confirmation for this explanation, but it has a strong appeal even if it is tradition more than fact. 


    As an interesting aside, I learned that the Babylon noted in 1 Peter 5:13 ("She who is in Babylon . . sends you her greetings . . .") is likely this area since it was called Babylon centuries ago during a period of Persian occupation.

    From this area but also in the Old City we visited the Hanging Church, so named not for the form of execution but for the fact that the church was built over old Roman ruins, the Babylon Fortress. The nave is suspended over a passage of that fortress.


    Even when you are working hard to pay attention, to see and to hear as much as possible, there are too many instructive, fascinating, and gorgeous things to take in -- including this little girl who was sitting mid-way up the 29 steps to the Hanging Church. I asked her parents' permission before I took her picture, by the way, just in case anyone wonders. In my travel experience, two things are nearly always true: children are always a delight to photograph and parents are always pleased that you take interest in their child.

    I'm not as sure about the can of Coke, but she did not seem inclined to set it down.

    Access to the Old City was closing, so we had to hurry back out through this checkpoint, where the soldiers sat with their automatics, chatting and watching while our van approached to pick us up.

    We were told that we would not be going to an evening service despite earlier plans to do so. We were driven back to the hotel instead to make ourselves ready for travel to Asyut in the morning -- our heads jammed full of the sights and wonders of Old Cairo.





[Photos below are from in and around the "Hanging Church"]


    Above is an example of fine geometric design and stonework inlaid wall around a large inner courtyard.


    To the left is a carved wood window "screening" found in another courtyard area.



    This tall stonework pulpit is supported by stone pillars representing the apostles. The pillars are all unique just as the apostles were all individuals. Judas and "Doubting" Thomas are represented by the dark stone pillars toward the back. If you count the pillars you will realize there are actually 14, not 12, so as to account for Jesus himself and for Judas' replacement.


    Below is a side entrance to the Hanging Church with decorative carving, stonework, and inscriptions.


 

 

 

 

 

 


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