索哈杰的红色修道院 | 阿帕普索伊修道院

• 16 / 5 / 2023

 One of the most important monasteries in Egypt, the Red Monastery is located 470 km south of Cairo, in the governorate of Sohag. This 1,400 m2 monastery was founded in the early 4th century and is dedicated to Saint Bichoy. Most people call it the "Monastery of Saint Bichoy". "We prefer to call it the Red Monastery to differentiate it from the four other monasteries built by the same saint". Built in red brick, to which it owes its name, it has superb fresco paintings adorning the apse and dome. "I attended the restoration of the dome, where we discovered motifs inspired by Roman architecture, such as the shape of the acanthus, a plant with thorns reminiscent of the holy crown of Jesus", says Abdel-Latif. 
Like the great and famous monasteries of Sohag, the founders reused many materials from damaged Pharaonic and Roman temples, in particular to decorate the portals and columns. "There are columns in pink granite, others in black granite. There are also various motifs in white limestone," adds the former head of the Islamic, Coptic and Jewish monuments sector. An old icon of Saint Bishoy adorns the monastery's main hall. It should be noted that the monastery was severely damaged by fire under the Romans and during Berber attacks. "To the north of the monastery are the industrial remains of an old town.