The Monastery of St. Bishoy in Wadi Al-Natrun reveals its treasure of the unique Encaustic paintings

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Coptic Paintings Conservation Department at the Monasteries and Churches in Haret Zuwaila Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Cairo, Egypt

2 Saint Bishoy Monastery in Wadi Al-Natrun, Egypt

3 Coptic Paintings Conservation Department at the Saint Mina Monastery, Cairo Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Cairo, Egypt

4 Islamic and Coptic Antiquities Sector, Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

Although historical information is scarce, the Monastery of St. Bishoy undoubtedly 
belongs to the oldest monastic settlements in Wadi Al- Natrun. It must therefore have 
suffered from the numerous Berber raids, resulting in renovations and the 
reconstruction of churches, cells, and utility buildings and, in the ninth century, the 
building of the first walls and a tower for refuge. Apart from an extensive restoration of 
the church and buildings by Patriarch Benjamin II (d. 1339), little more is known from 
the following centuries(Gabra,2016).
This research will shed light on the latest discoveries have been made inside the 
archaeological church of the monastery between 2022 AD and 2024 AD during the 
restoration process. These include some marble columns in the nave of the church 
bearing encaustic paintings probably that represent the Saints or patriarchs of the 
Coptic church, that closely resemble the Fayum portraits that appeared as face 
coverings for some mummies from the 1st century AD onwards, replacing the masks 
that were placed on the face and chest of the deceased during the Pharaonic era so that 
the soul could recognize its owner in the afterlife. 

Keywords

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics