White Monastery

White Monastery

Location within Egypt
Monastery information
Other names	Deir el-Abyad
Established	442
Dedicated to	Saint Shenouda the Archimandrite
Diocese	Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria
People
Founder(s)	Saint Pigol
Site
Location	Sohag, Sohag Governorate
Country	Egypt
Coordinates	26°32′05″N 31°38′44″E / 26.534761°N 31.645694°E / 26.534761; 31.645694Coordinates: 26°32′05″N 31°38′44″E / 26.534761°N 31.645694°E / 26.534761; 31.645694
Public access	Yes

The Coptic White Monastery is a Coptic Orthodox monastery named after Saint Shenouda the Archimandrite. It is located near the Upper Egyptian city of Sohag, and about four kilometers south-east of the Red Monastery. The name of the monastery is derived from the color of the white limestone of its outside walls. The White Monastery is architecturally similar to the Red Monastery.

The monastery was founded by Saint Pigol, the maternal uncle of Saint Shenouda (Schenute) the Archimandrite in 442 AD. However, it only became renowned after Shenouda succeeded his uncle as abbot for the monastery. From 30 monks, the population of the White Monastery increased to 2,200 monks and 1,800 nuns by the time of Shenouda's death in 466 AD. The monastery also increased in size during this time to 12,800 acres (51.8 km²), an area about 3,000 times its original size. Such area included cells, kitchens, and storehouses, the ruins of which can still be seen to the north, west, and south sides of the church complex.

Following the death of Shenouda, the monastic community of the White Monastery continued strong throughout the 5th century under the leadership of Saint Wissa and later Saint Zenobius. However, the monastery began to slowly decline following the Arab invasion of Egypt in 641 AD. The state of decline can be attributed in part to the heavy taxes that the monasteries in Egypt had to endure. Such taxes put a great number of monasteries out of existence.

In the middle of the 8th century, the Arab governor Al-Kasim Ibn Ubaid Allah forced his way into the monastery church with his female concubine on horseback. This resulted in the concubine falling to the ground and eventually to her death along with the horse she was riding.

The monastery served as a host for Armenian monks in the 11th and the 12th centuries. This is indicated in the inscriptions found on the paintings of the central apse of the church, which date between 1076 and 1124. Among these Armenian monks was the Armenian Vizier Bahram, who became a monk after having been banished from his office during the Caliphate of the Fatimid Al-Hafiz (1131-1149 AD). In 1168, the monastery was attacked by the Muslim commander Shirkuh.