- Red Monastery
The Red Monastery is a
Coptic Orthodox monastery named after an Egyptian saint called Pishay (who is not to be confused with the famousSaint Pishoy ). It is located near the Upper Egyptian city ofSouhag , and about four Km north west of theWhite Monastery . The name of the monastery is derived from the color of the construction material of its outside walls, consisting of red (burnt) brick. These walls are considerably thicker at the base than at the top, and just like the walls ofAncient Egyptian temples, they are surmounted by cavetto moldings. The Red Monastery is architecturally similar to theWhite Monastery .Foundation and Ancient History
The history of the foundation of the Red Monastery is not known, and it is thought to have been built at the fourth century AD. by an Egyptian saint called Pishay (who is not to be confused with the known
Saint Pishoy ). This saint was a contemporary ofSaint Pigol , the founder of theWhite Monastery .The monastery is mentioned in the writings of the fifteenth century Egyptian historian
Al-Maqrizi . In1798 , the monastery was ransacked and burned down by theMamluks .Modern History
Currently, the monastery is occupied by only a few monks, but the church still serves the Coptic communities of the surrounding villages, as well as the pilgrims who visit during the big feasts of the Coptic liturgical year.
Today the Red Monastery is also very significant for art historians. It may include the only standing ensemble of architecture, sculpture, and paint (areas fully covered with paint) left from the late antique period in the entire Mediterranean. Some of the paint is certainly post-fifth century, but a lot of it may well be early.
A plan is being developed for the restoration of the Red Monastery by the
University of Roma Tre and the South Valley University inEgypt .ee also
*
Coptic monasticism
*Coptic architecture References
* [http://egypt.cla.umn.edu/red.html The Red Monastery] , Univ. of Minnesota
* [http://egypt.cla.umn.edu/rednewdoor.html Red Monastery: Modern Doorway] , Univ. of Minnesota
*Hazel Hayer, [http://travelvideo.tv/news/more.php?id=2099_0_1_0_M Restoration for historic monastery gets underway in Egypt] , travelvideo.tv
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
