Yesterday, I really saw Cairo in the daytime. All I really have to say is HAZEY and SMOGGY, and covering a dust storm such that locals are limiting some things as well. Apparently the local myth that living in Cairo is like smoking a pack a day. Needless to say my asthma is being awful – I have had the worst reaction most people have ever seen – and often feel like death. I do now have a cough syrup, antibiotics and a bronchodilator – and hopefully it will be under control soon – and maybe I will be able to speak and breathe as if I were only partly inhibited rather than in a deep husky voice that can barely raise above a whisper. It also means I seem to need a lot of sleep – which is a problem as this city never sleeps and most people don’t have dinner or go out until well after 8:30 or 9 p.m.
The first night we went to dinner at a Lebanese restaurant in Garden City, a sort of enclave of “gardens” designed by the British about a century ago We are staying in Zelmak which is on Gezira Island in the Nile, and is a ritzy part of town home to a lot of Ex-Pats.
Yesterday, after the 12-hour flight and dinner, I woke up this morning to the call to prayer at 5 am – which is haunting. Being all screwed up time wise – 5am is about 10pm our time as Cairo is seven hours ahead, I decided to just read my book (on the Kindle), and to drift into and out of sleep at will.
After a late breakfast, we headed to Coptic Cairo. We were worried that a lot of government and sections of old Islamist Cairo maybe closed, as it was fir day. Therefore we went to the Coptic section – which is built on the ruins of the Babylon Roman Fort built by Emperor Trajan in 3AD. It is really the oldest settled area of Cairo. We went through the Coptic Museum which has artifacts from all over Egypt of Coptic Culture, the Hanging Church, which is built on the foundation of the Roman Water Tower and the nave is literally suspended over a passage – it is quite spectacular inside with marble work and intricate carvings as well as icons to St. George and other Coptic saints. They even have a room that lets you peer down and see that it is suspended over a passage. The current church structure dates to the 11th century, with its pulpit being about a century newer, but it has been upgraded over time.
We also wandered through the Cathedral of St. George, which is a round church due to the shape of the Roman Gate it is built on, and is the seat of the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria. It is lit only by a central chandelier and stained glass windows and quite striking. I think I have great pictures of both to share.
We next went to see some relics of St. George where people little put on the chains they believe he was tortured in, in order to gain power from him. We also went to the oldest synagogue in Cairo – Ben Ezra that is one of the most beautiful buildings I have ever been in. Every inch was covered in Moorish patterns and designs, and they central area where the Torah Scroll was kept was white Marble with inlaid gold. We had both read about the library attached to this monarchy and some scholarship that took place there in our history classes together.
Throughout all of this we were walking in and around the Coptic city – which is old, tiny roman era streets and buildings that had obviously stood in the Coptic region for centuries. (As an aside the Coptic’s are about 10% of the population and split form the main church ins around AD 451 over the divinity of Christ. They seem very devout and touch and kiss the icons of religious figures often.)
After this we braved Cairo traffic to head to a park for lunch. Every Egyptian seemed to be out and about as it was about 85, and the first warmish day all spring. In fact this early heat wave may be worsening the smog. We had a mezzo style lunch overlooking the part and looking back on the Citadel of Saladin (started 1176) and the Mosque of Muhammad Ali – (1830-1848). Usually from there you can see them clearly; today they were all seen though haze and color and details were lacking but the architecture was still beautiful.
All said this is a fascinating are filled with very nice people who are friendly, good food, interesting sites, and an inability to breathe.
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What is the main church?!!!
There is nothing called a main church , the Coptic church belong to oriental orthodox church , Oriental Orthodoxy refers to the faith of those Eastern Christian Churches that recognize only three ecumenical councils — the First Council of Nicaea, the First Council of Constantinople and the Council of Ephesus. They rejected the dogmatic definitions of the Council of Chalcedon (451). Hence, these Oriental Orthodox Churches are also called Old Oriental Churches or Non-Chalcedonian Churches. These churches are generally not in communion with Eastern Orthodox Churches with whom they are in dialogue for a return to unity
check below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oriental_Orthodoxy
Copts are touching and kissing the Icons in the churches not for devout but for taking blessing where these Icons were painted and anointed with the Chrism Oil .
[...] three parts, each of which offered different things. The first, as I have already described, was a visit to Coptic Cairo. The second became a journey into the land of hieroglyphs and pharaohs, and the third was a visit [...]
Thank you for the clarifications. I did not mean that the Copts were kissing icons out of anything but respect – and that they themselves were devout, but it is nice to know there is a deeper meaning to it as well. I am also interested in what you are saying – I am familiar, to an extent, with the schism between Eastern Orthodox and the Roman Tradition – is there a book you recomend that focuses on the Oriental Orthodox traditions?
My name is Piter Jankovich. oOnly want to tell, that your blog is really cool
And want to ask you: is this blog your hobby?
P.S. Sorry for my bad english