The Monastery of Saint Macarius The Great also known as Dayr Al-ʾanbā Maqār () is a Coptic Orthodox monastery located in Wadi El Natrun, Beheira Governorate, about north-west of Cairo, and off the highway between Cairo and Alexandria.
The monastery is attributed to Saint Macarius the Great, a disciple of Saint Anthony the Great, the founder of Christian monasticism.This Is My Church, Part VII. Coptic Catholic Church of Alexandria. Archived April 7, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2020-04-07. Accessed on 2020-04-07. Macarius retreated to the Wadi El-Natrun desert and is believed to have established his hermitage there in the last third of the 4th century AD.Pope Shenouda III's visit to St. Anba Makar Monastery. The official website of St. Anba Makar Monastery. Archived March 04, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. The monastery was once overseen by Pope Shenouda III,Pope Shenouda III's visit to St. Anba Makar Monastery. The official website of St. Anba Makar Monastery. Archived March 04, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. following the resignation of Bishop Michael of Assiut, who had served as its abbot for 65 years. After Pope Shenouda’s death in March 2012, the monks requested the reinstatement of Bishop Michael as abbot.The journalist patriarch and the crisis at Abu Makkar monastery. Civil Dialogue Foundation. Archived August 03, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. He returned to lead the monastery in April 2012 but resigned permanently shortly after.Resignation of Bishop Mikhail of Assiut. Al-Youm Al-Sabea, March 22, 2009. Archived June 25, 2009 at the Wayback Machine. On March 10, 2013, Anba Epiphanius was appointed abbot, a position he held until his assassination on July 29, 2018.The meeting ended with his return as abbot. Egypt, April 28, 2012. Arrival date: December 31, 2012. March 05, 2016 at the Wayback Machine.Monks of Abu Makkar Monastery and Anba Mikhail congratulate Pope Tawadros II. Al-Youm Al-Sabea, November 6, 2012. Access date: December 31, 2012. Archived April 7, 2020 at the Wayback Machine.
The monastery spans an area of approximately 11.34 square kilometers, including its farmlands and associated buildings.Pope Tawadros ordains Epiphanius as bishop of Anba Makar Monastery. Al-Youm Al-Sabea, March 4, 2013. Archived April 7, 2020 at the Wayback Machine.A bu Makar monks choose Epiphanius as abbot. Ordination March 10. Sada al-Balad, March 4, 2013. Archived September 25, 2015 at the Wayback Machine.The death of Bishop Epiphanos, abbot of Abu Makkar monastery and disciple of St. Matthew the Poor. The Seventh Day, July 29, 2019. Arrival date: August 3, 2018. Archived September 2, 2019 at the Wayback Machine.Preliminary investigations into the murder of the abbot of Anba Makar monastery: Perpetrator used a "sharp instrument". Al-Masry Al-Youm, August 1, 2018. Access date: August 3, 2018. Archived August 03, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. It houses seven churches—three within the main complex and four atop the fortress. Additionally, the monastery includes monk cells (known as kelia), a communal dining hall attached to a kitchen, a small museum, a hospital, a power station, a printing press, and a library containing rare manuscripts. There are also accommodations for non-monk staff working within the monastery.Fatwa No.: 114384. Hadith rank: Allah has forbidden the bodies of the prophets on earth. Fatwa Center, IslamWeb. [https://web.archive.org/web/20130318211753/http://www.islamweb.net/fatwa/index.php?page=showfatwa Archived March 18, 2013 at the Wayback Machine.
The monastery is renowned for the purported presence of the relics of John the Baptist and the prophet Elisha within the main Church of Saint Macarius.Attempts to build an imaginary wall between mosque and church in Syria Zedel. Archived September 9, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. These relics were reportedly discovered during unofficial restoration and expansion works in 1976, overseen by Father Matta El-Meskeen. The find was officially announced in November 1978, sparking controversy, particularly among Muslims, who believe that prophets' bodies do not decay.Ujam: The shrine of God's prophet Elisha (AS). Qatif Cultural Network, September 15, 2009. Archived August 23, 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Moreover, existing Islamic shrines already attributed to these prophets further complicated the matter. Additional controversy arose following a separate discovery in Bulgaria in 2010, where relics claimed to belong to John the Baptist were unearthed beneath an ancient church.
The monastery also contains relics of other saints and patriarchs, adding to its religious and historical importance.Archaeological season in 2010. Radio Bulgaria, January 16, 2011. Archived April 7, 2020 at the Wayback Machine.
Etymology The monastery is attributed to Saint Macarius the Great, also known as Abu Makar or Macarius.St. Macarius Monastery in Wadi al-Natrun, Beheira Governorate. Aegean Room. Archived April 29, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. He is one of three saints who share this name, the others being Macarius of Alexandria, founder of the Kellia settlement, and Macarius, Bishop of Edkau.The three shrines of the saints. Anba Takla Himanot Abyssinian Church, Alexandria. Archived July 04, 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Saint Macarius the Great is the founder of this monastery and the pioneer of monasticism in the Wadi El-Natrun region.Raouf Habib, The Monastic Order in Egypt, Library of Love, Cairo, 1977, p: 65.Samuel Tawadros al-Syrian, Egyptian Monasteries, ــــــــــــ, first edition, 1968, p: 198.
Born around the year 300 AD (approximately 1,724 years ago), Macarius the Great was the first to establish monastic communities in the Scetis Desert, now known as Wadi El-Natrun. He died around 397 AD (approximately 1,627 years ago).Bishop Makar the Great, 300-397. Coptic Catholic Church of Alexandria, dated June 15, 2011. Archived April 7, 2020 at the Wayback Machine.
The name Macarius has ancient Egyptian roots, derived from the Demotic term Makhro, meaning "true of voice," signifying honesty and integrity. In Coptic, the name is pronounced Makari, later refined to Makareh with the addition of a final H to reflect a more developed articulation. This evolved into Maqarah or Makar in Arabic, which remains the commonly used form, faithfully reflecting its Coptic origin.Evelyn White, History of the Monasteries of Nitria and Ischia c: 1, translated by: Paula Barmoussi, Cairo, first edition, 1997, p: 231.
In Greek, the name was adapted with the addition of Waw (letter), becoming Makarios.Matthew the Poor, Biography of St. Anba Maqar, Monastery of St. Anba Maqar, Wadi al-Natrun, fourth edition, 2005, p: 18.
History
Ancient history The exact date of the foundation of the Monastery of Saint Macarius, or even the beginning of the monastic settlement in the area, cannot be determined with precision.Nevin Abdel Gawad, The Monasteries of Wadi al-Natroun: An Archaeological and Tourism Study, Egyptian General Book Organization, Cairo, 2007, p: 58. However, its emergence as an early monastic community in the Wadi El-Natrun desert can be traced to the latter third of the 4th century AD, specifically following the death of Saints Maximus and Domitius in 384 AD (approximately 1,640 years ago) by Saint Macarius of Egypt, who was the spiritual father to more than 4,000 monks of different nationalities. The monastery has been continuously inhabited by monks since its 4th-century founding. Several Christian saints and fathers of the early Church were monks at the Monastery of Saint Macarius, including Saint Macarius of Alexandria, Saint John the Dwarf, Saint Paphnutius the Ascetic, Saint Isidore, Saint Arsenius, Saint Moses the Black, Saint Poemen, Saint Serapion among others.
The monastic community began with a single cell belonging to Saint Macarius the Great himself.St. Anba Makar the Great. Archived June 25, 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Monastery of St. Anba Makar the Great in the wilderness of Shehit. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2017-06-25. Accessed on 2018-02-01. This cell, initially a cave roofed with Djerid and papyrus, was located west of the current monastery near the site of the present Monastery of Baramus. Over time, disciples and followers gathered around him, constructing their own cells at some distance from Macarius's original cell.Matthew the Poor, Coptic Monasticism in the Age of St. Anba Maqar, Monastery of St. Anba Maqar, Wadi al-Natrun, second edition, 1984, p: 391-392.
As the number of aspiring monks increased, Macarius left the growing community to settle in what is now the site of the Monastery of Saint Macarius, leading to the establishment of the Monastery of Baramus as well.Matthew Miskin, op. cit: 394-395.
With the influx of new disciples, a church was built for communal prayers. Adjacent to the church were essential facilities, including a water well, a bakery, and a kitchen for cooking. Over time, the monastery expanded to include storage rooms, a guesthouse, and a refectory for the monks to share the Agape Meal or "Meal of Love."Matthew the Poor, The Forty-Nine Martyrs of the Shehit Wilderness, St. Anba Maqar Monastery, Wadi al-Natroun, second edition, 2008, p: 5-9.
In the 5th century AD, the monastic community of Scetis (Wadi El-Natrun) faced repeated raids by Berber tribes. The first attack occurred in 407 AD
(approximately 1,617 years ago), followed by a second raid in 434 AD (approximately 1,590 years ago). These invasions brought widespread looting, destruction, and loss of life, prompting the monastic communities to construct defensive towers. These towers served as fortifications where monks could seek refuge during attacks. They were equipped with essential supplies, such as food stores, a water well, and a small church for prayer., July 30, 2011. November 23, 2011 at the Wayback Machine.
The Monastery of Saint Macarius built its first defensive structure, known as the "Bayamon Fortress," shortly before the third Berber raid in 444 AD. The fortress was located near the monastery and was designed to protect both the monks and the monastery's valuable possessions, including manuscripts and other artifacts.Matthew Miskin, op. cit: 395.
During this raid, 49 elders sought refuge in the Bayamon Fortress but were killed by the Berbers near its walls. Their remains were initially buried in a nearby cave but were later transferred in the 7th century to a church within the monastery dedicated to their memory. This event underscored the need
for fortified structures, shaping the development of monastic architecture in the region.Matthew Miskin, op. cit: 399 - 406.
At the end of the 5th century AD, Emperor Zeno of the Eastern Roman Empire provided financial support for the monasteries of Wadi El-Natrun. This was in honor of his daughter Hilaria, who had secretly fled the imperial palace and later became a nun in the desert region. Zeno’s patronage facilitated renovations and expansions in the monasteries, including the construction of fortified towers, churches, and various monastic buildings with marble columns. He also ordered the reconstruction of the Church of Saint Macarius.
In the early 6th century, Pope Theodosius I consecrated a new church in the monastery dedicated to the Mary, mother of Jesus(Theotokos), marking the first such dedication in Wadi El-Natrun according to Coptic Orthodox tradition. This church, known as the Southern Church, later served as the burial site for the remains of the 49 Elders of Scetis, who had been martyred during earlier Berber raids.
However, by the late 6th century, the monastery suffered extensive damage during the fourth Berber raid around 570 AD (approximately 1,454 years ago). Many monastic settlements were destroyed, leading to a decline in the number of monks. The monastery remained in ruins until it was restored after the Islamic conquest of Egypt in 641 AD.