Holy Icons and Relics in Christian Cairo

“Behold, the Lord rides on a swift cloud, and will come into Egypt.”

– Isaiah 19:1

On a Biblical tour of the Holy Land, one might visit Jerusalem, Nazareth, and the Sea of Galilee. One might also be interested in visiting the land where the Holy Family, including Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, lived after they fled Bethlehem for the protection of the newborn Jesus. That particular land, Egypt, has been a civilizational state for millennia, and it is where Joseph and Mary escaped with the Baby Jesus from the murderous intent of Herod, according to the Gospel of Matthew.

According to the gospel, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.” Mary and Joseph did as they were commanded and remained in Egypt until Herod died and the angel instructed them to return. 

Where the Holy Family stayed

Under the Saints Sergius and Bacchus Church in Old Cairo near the Roman fortress of Babylon is a cavern which indeed is very special. During their time in Old Cairo, the Holy Family rested in this very cavern for three months. Like many other holy sites, a church was built on top of it. The Saints Sergius and Bacchus Church dates back to the late fourth to early fifth century AD.

Within the cavern is the stone on which Jesus slept as a child. It is similar to the one in Nazareth. One can also see the original flooring on which Jesus walked. This is protected by a glass covering. The particular church was built at the site during the Apostolic age. The cavern is indeed a special place for pilgrims and those who have studied Christian theology and history.

Holy icons and relics

Near the aforementioned church in Cairo is also The Hanging Church, one of Egypt’s oldest churches, believed to have been built in 690 AD. This church has over a hundred icons. Among these are the icons of St. Mark the Evangelist (15th c. AD), St. Mercurius (18th c. AD), St. Theodore The Stratelates (18th c. AD), and St. Victor (18th c. AD). The Nativity Icon from the 18th century AD is also among these.

Various other icons and relics housed at The Hanging Church, including the Virgin Mary with Jesus as an infant, the Crowned Virgin Mary with the Child, also known as the Coptic Mona Lisa, and St. Theodora and Her Five Children, are dated to the 17th to 18th centuries. An 18th-century AD icon of St. George, a patron saint not only of England but also of Aragon, Catalonia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Greece, Lithuania, Portugal, and Russia, can likewise be found there.

The church contains a wealth of other icons and relics, as well. Furthermore, not far from The Hanging Church is St. Barbara’s. Thirteenth-century documents at the Church of St. Barbara, which houses some of the rarest icons, reveal many of its relics were previously housed at The Hanging Church.

St. George’s Church and Nunnery

Nearby, the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George was built by Athanasius during the reign of Ibn Marwan, a leader of Egypt. The particular religious institution was mentioned in the History of the Patriarchs of the Coptic Church and Al-Maqrizi.

One of the largest Coptic religious festivals is held at this Greek Orthodox church annually on April 23rd. These are the words spoken by Jesus to St. George before his martyrdom as per the manuscript of St. George kept in St. George’s Convent in Old Cairo: 

“I swear by myself, my beloved George, that as there was no one borne of woman greater than John the Baptist, also no martyr resembles you. You will have no counterpart among them. I made your name spread in my kingdom and gave it grace and made it a port of safety for all mankind. Whoever, in distress, calls on your name, either man or woman, I will quickly answer and give them their heart’s request.”

The Church of Saint George in Old Cairo is said to be built over the prison where St. George the Great Martyr is believed to have been imprisoned and tortured for a period of approximately two and a half months. Many related instruments can still be found in the nearby monastery.

In the vicinity of this church in Old Cairo is St. George’s Shrine, and located at the entrance of the ancient church is a well. Popular belief has it that healing miracles take place there through the blessing of its water by both Christians and non-Christians alike. The water tap in the corridor of the shrine allows for the availability of water to the public. According to tradition, it is the well from which the Holy Family drank during their journey to Egypt.

In 2003, a part of St. George’s relics was placed in the shrine. These were made available for visitors during prayer. Legend has it that if worshippers ask for Jesus’ intercession and for answers from him, these would be granted to those making the request. The shrine houses the very chains with which St. George was bound up when he was tortured and beheaded for his Christian beliefs.

It is not the chains of St. Peter but of Saint George that are believed to possess miraculous powers to cure those possessed by demons and paralytics. In this shrine are also housed icons and relics of Saint Philomena, a virgin, martyr, and wonderworker, who was the daughter of a prince of one of the Greek states.

Christian Cairo

Christian Cairo is indeed very special for Christian pilgrims and travelers with a deep interest in Christian theology and history. Heavy police presence in the area shows that inter-communal relations are still not substantially harmonious.

It is, nonetheless, observable in Egypt that steps for the welfare of the Christian community have been taken and that relations between Christians and Muslims could become more harmonious.