ST.  ANTONY  KLOSTERET  -  SIDE 4/4  

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St. Antony Monastery

Christ within a mandorla. See larger photo

From the nave of the church you can enter what is called the "chapel of the four living creatures", and this is where the oldest wall painting was found during a restoration some few years ago. In the main altar section here you find Christ within a mandorla (oval enclosing a scene) with a codex in one hand and the right hand holds the ring finger and thumb together in a blessing. Four angels support the mandorla while Christ's feet's rests on a symbolic earth. On this symbolic earth it's written in Coptic "Heaven is my throne and earth is my footstool" (Isaiah 66:1).

Virgin Mary and the Jesus child. See larger photo

On the east wall in the old church there is a wall painting of Virgin Mary. Here she sits on her throne with the child Jesus in her lap.

Four holy monks. See larger photo

Four holy monks are shown here on the western wall; St. Pachomius, St. Barsum (from Syria), St. Arsenius and St. Sisoes. It was St. Pachomius (292-346 A.D.) who around year 320 A.D. established the monasticism in Upper Egypt (close to Akhmim).

One of the many symbols on the church wall See larger photo

It's many symbols in the old church, worth a study in itself. Here just enjoy this beautiful wall painting.

Two angels above you. See larger photo

Above, when you enter the portal to the "chapel of the four living creatures" you will see two angels watching over the entrance.

One of the dooms from the old church See larger photo

Since this is the oldest monastery in Christianity, there is a lot of diversity in the building mass. Here one of the dooms of the oldest church can be seen.

Bridge between buildings See larger photo

There is two keeps in the monastery, this entered at the first floor by a wooden bridge from the closest building. Before the bridge went from the roof of this building, but the building was later built higher. It's said that the tower might be the same mentioned by the Coptic historian Abu al-Makarim in year 1200.

Departing with the monks at the monastery See larger photo

Time has come to take farewell with the hundred and twenty monks at St. Antony monastery. We are leaving, but one doesn't leave the first monastery in the world without a very special feeling of having experienced something truly unique. It's not only "another" historical monument, it's a living monastery - as alive today as it was when it first turned hermits into monks.

Temptation in the desert? See larger photo

A seemingly endless desert surrounds the monastery as we leave behind us the last two-armed streetlight - on top of the streetlight a small white painted cross...


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