Join us for a visit to Old Cairo, May 11, 2019

Language: 
English
Sent On: 
Thu, 2019-05-02
Year: 
2019
Newsletter Number: 
16

Ramadan is starting in a few days and we wish our Muslim friends a blessed Ramadan. Coptic Orthodox Easter was last Sunday which ended the Coptic Orthodox fasting period.  Father Serabamun of St. Barbara Church in Old Cairo, a long-time friend of mine, is welcoming us for a historical tour around Old Cairo, but was not able to do this before Easter.

 

Old Cairo is where one finds ancient Coptic Orthodox Churches, the synagogue of Ben Ezra and the nearby Amr Ibn al-Aas mosque.

 

We are expected to be at 9.00 am in the St. Barbara Church to participate in the last part of the Coptic mass. After the mass we will get an explanation and questions can be asked. The church will then offer us a tour through Old Cairo and a lunch (for those who are not fasting). After the lunch another session of questions and answers will follow. There are no costs involved but a donation for the local church will be appreciated of course.

 

Ninety percent of Egyptian’s Christians belong to the Coptic Orthodox Church that has an history that goes back to the 1st century AD. Old Cairo is built on the ruins of a Roman/Byzantine fortress. After Amr Ibn al-Aas took the fortress in around 640-641 CE, the location became a center of Christian churches and has remained that position until today.

 

This visit is a wonderful opportunity to learn about the evolution of religious thought; from Judaism to Christianity to Islam. The three religions share so many similarities. The focus is often about what separates the three religions but in this visit the focus is on the historical developments of these three Abrahamic religions.

 

This visit is organized in cooperation with St. John the Baptist Anglican Church in Maadi. After the sermon on May 10 an introduction into the history of these three religions will be given. The sermon starts at 10.00 am while the presentation is at 12.00 am.

 

Please sign up before Thursday May 9 if you want to join.

 

There are two ways of transport: by metro (metro stop Mar Girgis) or you can choose to go with your own car. Either way is fine but we need to know this in advance. In case of questions please contact Kees Hulsman, [email protected]

 

Cairo, May 2, 2019

Cornelis Hulsman,

Editor-in-chief Arab-West Report