The Monastery of Saint Pishoy (also spelled Bishoy, Pshoi, or Bishoi) in

Wadi El Natrun Wadi El Natrun (Arabic: "Valley of Natron"; Coptic: , "measure of the hearts") is a depression in northern Egypt that is located below sea level and below the Nile River level. The valley contains several alkaline lakes, natron-rich salt ...

, Beheira Governorate, Egypt, is the most famous

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer whic ...

of the

Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria The Coptic Orthodox Church ( cop, Ϯⲉⲕ̀ⲕⲗⲏⲥⲓⲁ ⲛ̀ⲣⲉⲙⲛ̀ⲭⲏⲙⲓ ⲛ̀ⲟⲣⲑⲟⲇⲟⲝⲟⲥ, translit=Ti.eklyseya en.remenkimi en.orthodoxos, lit=the Egyptian Orthodox Church; ar, الكنيسة القبطي� ...

named after Pishoy. It is the easternmost of the four current monasteries of Wadi el Natrun.

Foundation and ancient history

Pishoy founded this monastery in the fourth century. On December 13, 841 (4 Koiak, 557 AM), Pope Joseph I of Alexandria fulfilled Pishoy's wishes and moved his body as well as that of

Paul of Tammah Paul of Tammah (Coptic: ) (died October 17, 415 AD) was an Egyptian saint who lived in the fourth and fifth centuries AD. He is venerated as a saint in the Oriental Orthodox Churches. Life Paul of Tammah lived as a hermit in the mountain of An ...

to this monastery, both of which were originally interred at the Monastery of Pishoy in Deir el-Bersha. Today, the two bodies lie in the main church of the monastery.

Modern history

Today, the Monastery of Saint Pishoy contains the relics of Pishoy, Paul of Tammah, and relics of other saints. Eyewitnesses recount that the body of Pishoy remains

incorrupt Incorruptibility is a Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox belief that divine intervention allows some human bodies (specifically saints and beati) to completely or partially avoid the normal process of decomposition after death as a sign of thei ...

Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria Pope Shenouda III (; cop, Ⲡⲁⲡⲁ Ⲁⲃⲃⲁ Ϣⲉⲛⲟⲩϯ ⲅ̅ '; ar, بابا الإسكندرية شنودة الثالث '; 3 August 1923 – 17 March 2012) was the 117th Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See ...

is also interred there. The monastery has five churches, the main one being named after Pishoy. The other churches are named after Mary, Abaskhiron the Soldier,

Saint George Saint George ( Greek: Γεώργιος (Geórgios), Latin: Georgius, Arabic: القديس جرجس; died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was a Christian who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to tradition he was a soldie ...

, and the archangel Michael. The monastery is surrounded by a keep, which was built in the fifth century to protect the monastery against the attacks by

Berbers , image = File:Berber_flag.svg , caption = The Berber ethnic flag , population = 36 million , region1 = Morocco , pop1 = 14 million to 18 million , region2 = Algeria , pop2 ...

. An initial castle was built early in the twentieth century, but was later replaced by a four-storied castle built by Pope Shenouda III. In addition, the monastery contains a well known as ''the Well of the Martyrs''. Coptic tradition says the Berbers washed their swords in this well after having killed the

Forty-Nine Martyrs of Scetis The Forty-Nine Martyrs of Scetis were Christian monasticism, Christian monks of the monasteries of Scetis in Roman Egypt who were massacred by Berbers during a raid in 444. Two laymen were martyred along with them. Their relics lie in the Monastery ...

and subsequently threw their bodies in the well before

Christians Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρ� ...

retrieved the bodies and buried them in the nearby Monastery of Saint Macarius the Great. Under Shenouda III,

Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria The Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church ( cop, Ⲡⲁⲡⲁ, translit=Papa; ar, البابا, translit=al-Bābā), also known as the Bishop of Alexandria, is the leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church, with ancient Christian roots in Egypt. Th ...

from 1971 to 2012, new land around the monastery was purchased and developed. Poultry, cattle breeding and dairy facilities were developed. Ancient buildings and churches were restored, and cells for monks, retreat houses, a papal residence, annexes for a reception area, an auditorium, conference rooms, fences and gates were built. Shenouda III was buried here after his death in March 2012.

Popes from the Monastery of St. Pishoy

# Pope Gabriel VIII (1525–1570) # Pope Macarius III (1942–1945) #

Pope Tawadros II Pope Tawadros II or Theodore II ( cop, Ⲡⲁⲡⲁ Ⲁⲃⲃⲁ Ⲑⲉⲟ́ⲇⲱⲣⲟⲥ ⲡⲓⲙⲁϩ ⲃ̅', translit=Papa Abba Theódōros II ; ar, البابا تواضروس الثاني, translit=al-Bābā Tawāḍurūs al-Th ānī, ...

(2012–present)

Abbot

Aghapius, Bishop and Abbot of the Monastery of Saint Pishoy.

Other monasteries named after Saint Pishoy

* The Monastery of Saint Pishoy at Deir El Barsha, near Mallawi * The Monastery of Saint Pishoy at Armant, east of

Armant Armant ( ar, أرْمَنْت; egy, jwn.w-n-mnṯ.w or ''jwn.w-šmꜥ.w''; Bohairic: ; Sahidic: ), also known as Hermonthis ( grc, Ἕρμωνθις), is a town located about south of Thebes. It was an important Middle Kingdom town, which was ...

Other monasteries of Wadi el Natrun ("Scete")

* Monastery of Saint Macarius the Great * Syrian Monastery, Egypt * Paromeos Monastery

Gallery

References

External links

Official Website of the Monastery of Saint Pishoy (in Arabic)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pishoy, Monastery in Scetes Christian monasteries in Egypt Coptic Orthodox monasteries in Egypt Oriental Orthodox congregations established in the 4th century Christian monasteries established in the 4th century Buildings and structures in Beheira Governorate