Church of Saint Barbara

Resting Place of Saint Barbara

Within the general area of Coptic Cairo is another famous church known to be the final resting place of the Saint Barbara. The Church of Saint Barbara is one place that should not be missed by people visiting Cairo as it will reveal additional knowledge to the colorful history the Christian Coptic Church development in Egypt.

Bringing you to different areas not only in Cairo but as well as the most interesting parts of Egypt, 123EgyptTours.com will let you discover important history within the walls of worship as you visit the Church of Saint Barbara.

History of the Saint Barbara Church

With its original structure some dating back as old as the 5th or 6th century, the Church of Saint Barbara is one of the oldest building structures in Cairo. It is located in the eastern side within the walls of the Babylon Fortress in Cairo, a stone’s throw away from the Coptic Museum.

The area had an original church dedicated to the Saints Cairo and John also known as Abu Kir and Yohanna. In the later years, the remains of the Saint Barbara was transferred and laid to rest here. Athanasius, a wealthy scribe and secretary of the governor had a separate sanctuary then built in honor the Saint. In 1072 until 1073, the Church of Saint Barbara went another complete renovation this time to allow more space to house the relics of the saint.

Because of its ancient age, the Church of Saint Barbara also lived through so much history, including some destruction and even a fire in the 12th century. Like any other ancient building, it has undergone much renovations and rebuilding most notably at the end of the 11th century. Many of the faithful has worked to always rebuild the church even in ruins. In fact some of the latest renovations were completed in the 20th century when the brought down one room in order to get a more spacious area.

Today many of the relics of the Saint Barbara can still be seen inside the church, although many items are also on display in the nearby Coptic Museum. The whole are of the Church of Saint Barbara is an entire community of the Christian Coptic Church, including several buildings, a convent and even a school.