Monastery information | |
---|---|
Other names | Deir Mar Mina |
Established | Sixth century |
Dedicated to | Saint Menas |
Diocese | Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Old Cairo, Manial and Fum Al-Khalig |
Site | |
Location | Fum al-Khalig, Cairo |
Country | Egypt |
Coordinates | 30°00′23″N 31°13′54″E / 30.00639°N 31.23167°ECoordinates: 30°00′23″N 31°13′54″E / 30.00639°N 31.23167°E |
Public access | Yes |
The Coptic Orthodox Church of Saint Menas (Egyptian Arabic: كنيسة مارمينا kenīset Mar-Mīna ) is a Coptic Orthodox church near Coptic Cairo and is one of the oldest Coptic churches in Egypt, dating back to the sixth century.
St. Mena's church is on the north end of Coptic Cairo, located in a region known as Fum al-Khalig (fomm el-ḵalīg), north of the Roman aqueduct and the famed Babylon Fortress, at a Christian cemetery in the north end of Old Cairo.
Fum al Khalig is technically north of Old Cairo, however, it is still under the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Old Cairo, Manial and Fum Al-Khalig.
Fum al Khalig is also known as Al-Hamra (el-ḥamra; literally: "the red one" in Egyptian Arabic). The Coptic Orthodox Diocese encompasses El-Hamra as well as Coptic Cairo. St. Menas Church is still very near to the ancient Churches of Old Cairo, and is likely the first Coptic Orthodox Church in Cairo aside from several Churches that were all in the Old Cairo area at the time. Not only is it evidence of the past existence of Coptic Orthodox Christianity in Cairo outside of the Old City (being close to the northern tip of the district), but it is also one of few surviving pieces and large remnants of Coptic architecture that remains to this day.
St. Mena's Church is, along with the UNESCO World Heritage site of Abu Mena, one of the best recognized architectural elements that are named after St. Mena. Having been established in the 6th century, it is also one of the oldest churches in Egypt. In the eighth century, it is said that the church of Sain was destroyed during the reign of caliph Hisham Ibn Abdel Malik Ibn Marwan, and rebuilt soon afterwards.