16 - 22 August 2001
Issue No.547
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 16 - 22 August 2001 Issue No.547 |
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Centuries of pilgrimage
The annual mulid (feast day) commemorating the visit of the Holy Family to the village of Al-Garnus is celebrated towards the end of August. Samir Naoum visited the site in anticipation of the occasion to discover that the Church of the Holy Virgin is under restoration
Deir Al-Garnus takes its name from the nearby village, some 18 kilometres west of Maghagha. Since I found myself in Minia with a free afternoon, I decided to hop on a train and make my way there. I had heard that some interesting objects had been found in the ancient church of the Holy Virgin, amongst them altar vessels and a book about the visit the Holy Family paid to the site during their flight into Egypt. I was curious to see these relics.
Above: An icon of Christ at the Church of the Holy Virgin Below: Roman capitals
I expected to find the ruins of an ancient church, but what I found, instead, was a modern 19th-century, 12-domed building in the final stages of restoration. The impressive structure has been upgraded and repainted inside and out, adorned with neo-Coptic icons -- including one on the central dome of Jesus Christ with outstretched arms -- and with woodwork repaired and polished.
I was warmly welcomed by the church father, who proudly showed me around. As we entered the church I was surprised to find many capitals and shafts from columns of ancient temples lying about, or stacked in corners against the walls of the courtyard. Was this once a temple which had been converted into a church, I wondered, or was the church built of stones usurped from other buildings?
The priest could not enlighten me: he told me merely that the church was very old, was said to date back to the fourth century -- to the reign of the Christian-hating Emperor Diocletian, of all people -- and that it had been built on the site where the Holy Family rested, and over the famous and sacred well which had supplied them with water. He showed me the well, which was at the western end of the south aisle of the church. When the old church was rebuilt in the 19th century, the idea was put forward that the well was an ancient Nilometer, which would suggest that there might originally have been a temple on the site of the church.
And I was surprised and delighted to find that, as in ancient temples which offered services to the community, there was a sign in Arabic over a blue doorway saying "Comprehensive Care Centre." According to the priest, this church, like many others, offers medical, educational and technical training to the surrounding community.
I felt spiritually rewarded by my visit, and came away pleased that I had taken the time to visit Deir Al-Garnus. The forthcoming mulid, I was sure, would be a wonderful occasion.
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