Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral

Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral
St. Mark's Cathedral
Location	Abbassia, Cairo
Country	Egypt
Denomination	Coptic Orthodox Church
History
Founder(s)	Pope Cyril VI of Alexandria
Dedication	Saint Mark
Consecrated	25 June 1968
Architecture
Architect(s)	Michel Bakhoum
Architectural type	church
Style	Coptic
Administration
Division	Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate
Clergy
Bishop(s)	HH Pope Tawadros II

St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral is a Coptic church located in the Abbassia District in Cairo, Egypt. It is the Seat of the Coptic Orthodox Pope. The cathedral was built during the time when Pope Cyril VI of Alexandria was Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church and was inaugurated by him in 1969.

The church is named after St Mark the Evangelist, an apostle of Jesus and founder of the Coptic Church. Relics of his life are kept inside. It is by far the largest Cathedral in Africa and the Middle East.

Historically the land where the Cathedral stands has been used for centuries as a cemetery for the Copts; 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.