TOURING EGYPT: The Hanging Church
Dear Foodie Fam,
We got to Coptic Cairo through subway. The Cairo subway was 100% different than Japan and more similar to New York's. The main differences were that it was a little dirtier, a little older and it had more people in it (yes, that's possible). They were also mainly men.
Coptic Cairo was cool to experience. As a Christian, it felt surreal to witness Egypt’s pride in having sheltered Jesus during his flight from King Herod (Matthew 2).
My husband navigated us to the Hanging Church (Saint Virgin Mary's Coptic Orthodox Church or Al-Moallaqa). It’s namesake was given because it's suspended over a passage belonging to the Babylon Fortress. It may be the first Christian church ever built in the Basilican style. Additionally, from the 7th-13th c., it served as the residence of the Coptic Patriarch.
The courtyard is stunning and has lots of colorful mosaics which tell the narrative of the Holy family finding safe haven in Egypt.
You ascend a steep flight of stairs to an entry way and smaller courtyard. This is not the church yet. There are no pictures allowed inside the church but the entryway was carved and painted with a tremendous amount of reverence and worth a long look.
The church was constructed with palm trees and stone. It's roof is said to be modeled after Noah's ark yet when you enter, you find quite a small space. No matter the size, it's mind-blowing how the dusty walls manifest a throng of 110 enchanting icons. There's breathtakingly old, revered glass-housed objects with each step and gold-lined paintings catching your eye at each turn.
After taking in the relics and sitting for a while, you can also check out a small cut out window in the floor to see just how the church "hangs".
I've never been in a church like this in any country, before.