The Holly family Story

The Manuscript of patriarch theophilus also relates how he had noted that the chuch was a small and simple one, though very famous, and wanted to build a great cathedral becoming the sacredness of the place. He voiced this wish in his prayers. but the holy virgin in his vision , told him that the will of her son has the chuch should be kept as it was to bear testimony to all generations of Christ S humility , and this also the patriarch carried out and the chuch remained unchanged . it is also worthy to be mentioned that the chuch is older that monastery, for while Al-Muharraq monastery was built in the 4 th . Cent, the church dates back to the 1 st century , and it was the existence of the church which urged anba pachominus 294-405 a.d .to choose the spot for a monastery surrounding the historic church it is the first church to be established in upper Egypt . Adjoing the monastery is an ancient castle dating back to the 5 th . Century, and it was built by the emperor xenon who visited Egypt in 291 A.D. where his daughter, Illaria , had Become a nun in a nearly convent as a citadel against raiding bands of Bedouins .

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