 View of the monastery of St. Damiana | ||
| Deir el-Qiddīsa Damyāna دير القديسة دميانة | ||
| Governorate | Daqahlīya | |
|---|---|---|
| height | 5 m | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
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Deir el-Qiddisa Damyana (Arabic:دير القديسة دميانة, Dair al-Qiddīsa Damyāna, „Monastery of St. Damiana"), also Deir es-Sitt Damyāna (Arabic:دير الست دميانة, Deir as-Sitt Damyāna, „Monastery of the Lady Damiana"), More rarely Deir ez-Zaʿfarāna (Arabic:دير الزعفرانة), Is a nunnery in egyptianGovernorateed-Daqahlīya. It is located west of the village of Balqās Chāmis (Arabic:بلقاس خامس). St. Damiana (also Dimiana), whose grave is here, is named after St. Virgin is the most venerated saint in the Coptic Church and has about the meaning of St. Catherine of Alexandria in the Catholic Church. The Mulid (festival of saints) from 15. – 20. May is one of the largest Christian festivals in Egypt.
background
Lore
There is little evidence of the history of the monastery.
A saint and founding story of a bishop Johannes Ni'matallah of el-Burullus is from the 6th – 13th centuries. Century handed down.[1] Bishop Johannes based his tradition on a codex of a Christodoulus found here. At the time of the bishop there was already a monastery at the grave of St. Damiana.
Abū el-Makārim (Late 12th, early 13th century) does not name the monastery, from the Arab historian el-Maqrīzī (1364–1442) can be found in his history el-Chiṭaṭ in the monastery directory (No. 65) a short description: “Deir Gamyāna (Arabic:دير جميانة) Is after St. Georg and is located near Deir el-ʿAskar (دير العسكر), About three hours away. The local festival follows closely that of Deir el-Maghṭis (دير المغطس). Nobody lives here anymore. "[2] This means that in el-Maqrīzī's time the monastery was hardly of any significance.
In the 17th century the monastery began to revitalize. A first modern description comes from the Dominican Father Johann Michael Wansleben (1635–1679), who stayed here for three days in 1672. In his day there was only one church, but it was very attractive, and he gave a description of the apparitions at the chapel window and the feast that was held here.[3] In May 1714 the monastery was visited by the Jesuit priest Claude Sicard (1677-1726).[4] S.H. Leeder, who stayed here in 1914, spoke of miracles for childless women.[5]
St. Damiana and the 40 virgins
While St. Damiana in the Coptic Church named after St. The Virgin is the most venerated saint, she is unknown in the Western churches. There are about two dozen churches in Egypt today dedicated to St. Damiana are dedicated.
Damiana was the only daughter of the Christian Mark, the governor of the province of el-Burullus in the Nile Delta. The beautiful Damiana was brought up in the Christian faith, wanted to keep the virtue of virginity, dedicate her life to Jesus Christ and turned down her father's proposal to marry her to a nobleman. According to her wishes, he built her a palace in ez-Zaʿfarāna, about 20 kilometers from today's monastery, into which another forty like-minded virgins later moved.
At the time of the Roman emperor Diocletian (around 240-312) he urged all nobles to renounce Christianity and instead worship idols. Those who refused were executed. Markus initially swore, but was confronted by his daughter about his behavior, who threatened him that she no longer wanted to be his daughter. Mark returned to Diocletian and reaffirmed his Christian faith, whereupon he was beheaded. After Diocletian learned of the Damiana's influence, he sent a statue of himself to the Damiana's palace and asked her and her 40 virgins to worship this statue. They denied the request and were tortured. But the Lord healed their wounds. Since the torture did nothing, St. Damiana and her virgins executed. 400 witnesses who died after the death of St. Damiana who were converted also suffered martyrdom.
After the emperor came to power Constantine (around 280–337) he sent his mother Helena (248 / 250-330) for St. Finding the cross to Palestine. Following the local Egyptian tradition, she also had various pilgrimage churches built in Upper Egypt.[6] Helena found the relics of the virgins untouched and incorrupt. She coasted the relics of St. Damiana and thus received the blessing of the martyr. Helena had Damiana buried on a throne in a crypt and had a dome built over it, that of the Patriarch Alexander I. (Term of office 312–328) is said to have been consecrated on the 12th of Bashons.[7]
There is something magical about the number forty, both in Christianity and in Islam. They can be found e.g. among the 40 Roman martyrs of Sebaste in Asia Minor in 320, but also among the 40 Muslim martyrs who fell during the Arab conquest in the 7th century. So these 40 female martyrs also stand for all witnesses of faith.
The cult of St. Damiana in Egypt very quickly. In the second half of the 18th century, icons for the saint were created for the first time, showing her with a crown, palm branch and cross scepter in the circle of 40 virgins. There is a special feature e.g. in the Church of St. Georg to el-Minyā and in the Cathedral of St. Markus in Alexandria, where she with the knife-armored torture wheel, the attribute of St. Catherine of Alexandriais shown. The Egyptians see their Damiana as the counterpart to St. Catherine in the Catholic Church.
History of the monastery
According to the tradition of John, Bishop of el-Burullus, the grave for St. Damiana and her 40 virgins through St. Helana, mother of the Emperor Constantine, laid out and built a church. This church was consecrated by Father John, the 29th Patriarch of Alexandria (term 496–505), on the 12th of Bashons. This church was destroyed by a flood, and so was the grave of St. Damiana was under water for 70 years. The prayer of Christians caused the water to withdraw. St. John appeared in a dream to the father John II, the 30th Patriarch. Damiana and asked him to build a new church. The ruins of this building are still preserved today.
Since the 17th century, the monastery was under the Metropolitan of Jerusalem and was owned by the monks of Anthony Monastery supervised. In the second half of the 19th century, Yūhannis, Metropolitan of el-Burullus, had a new church for St. Build Damiana, which is now called the "old church". In 1932 another church was built for St. Damiana erected.
The monastery has been part of the diocese since 1970 Dumyāṭ (Damiette). In 1973 it was approved by the Pope Schenuda III. (* 1923) converted into a nunnery for seven nuns and handed over to its new destination on May 7, 1975.
getting there
It is difficult to get to the monastery by public transport. From Cairo you can get there by car or taxi el-Manṣūra and circumnavigates the city to the west. About 1.5 kilometers after crossing the arm of the Nile you will reach one 1 Intersection(31 ° 3 '32 "N.31 ° 20 ′ 51 ″ E), where you continue straight ahead. Later one reaches in the east of Balqās Qism Auwal (Arabic:بلقاس قسم أول) The 2 Beginning(31 ° 12 '23 "N.31 ° 23 ′ 33 ″ E) the new highway to ʿIzbat Gamaṣa (Arabic:عزبة جمصة) Or Raʾs el-Barr. You join 3 31 ° 17 ′ 5 ″ N.31 ° 24 ′ 9 ″ E to the village 1 Balqās Chāmis(31 ° 17 ′ 38 ″ N.31 ° 23 '52 "E), Arabic:بلقاس, From and drives to 4 31 ° 17 ′ 45 ″ N.31 ° 23 '48 "E west until you reach the canal. You drive a little south until you come to the canal 5 31 ° 17 ′ 39 ″ N.31 ° 23 '42 "E can cross towards the monastery.
mobility
The monastery can easily be explored on foot.
Tourist Attractions
There are four churches in the monastery, three of which are St. Damiana, the fourth of St. Consecrated virgin. There is a large monastery garden to the west of the monastery complex.
In the southwest of the inner courtyard, west of the grave of St. Damiana the 1 oldest church building(31 ° 17 ′ 40 ″ N.31 ° 23 ′ 20 ″ E)which is around 1,400 years old. His remains were buried in the rubble for a long time, but they were uncovered again around 2008. The church was built of bricks and obviously had domes.
In the second half of the 19th century, in the area of the inner courtyard east of the grave of St. Damiana one 2 second church for the saint(31 ° 17 ′ 40 ″ N.31 ° 23 ′ 21 ″ E) laid out by Father Yūhannis, the entrance of which is in the north wall and which is now called the “old church”. She has only one Heikal (Holy of Holies) for St. Damiana, which is separated from the community room by a wooden screen. This screen wall bears the date 1845. In the north and south there are prayer rooms for the men and women. In the prayer room for the men there are icons of St. Damiana, St. George and St. Virgin. Renovations have taken place in this church in recent years.
To the west of the "old church" is that 3 Grave of St. Damiana and her 40 virgins(31 ° 17 ′ 41 ″ N.31 ° 23 ′ 21 ″ E). Three steps lead to the simple grave, on which there is a large wooden cross. On the wall is the depiction of the saint in the presence of the 40 virgins.
There is one in the outer courtyard 4 third church for St. Damiana(31 ° 17 ′ 40 ″ N.31 ° 23 '23 "E). It was started in 1932 by Anbā Būtrūs, the bishop of el-Manṣūra, and completed by Anbā Timutāūs. This three-aisled church is 40 meters long and 20 meters wide and has its entrance on the north side. This church also has only one Heikal, which is separated from the church interior by a stone screen wall. The upper end of this screen wall is a painting of the Last Supper, under which there are the images of the twelve apostles. On the sides of the entrance to the Holy of Holies are the icons of St. Virgin and of Jesus. Other icons depict scenes from the life of Christ and Egyptian saints. The bishop's throne stands in front of the heikal. In the back of the church there is a gallery. The colored glass windows show depictions of saints and scenes from the life of Christ.
The fourth churchthat St. Jungfrau, is also located in the inner courtyard on the first floor of the south wing. The construction date 1879 can be seen on the wooden screen wall.
At the south end of the inner courtyard is that Administration building, on the north side are the cells of the nuns. In the entrance area of the administration building there is an exhibition of the gifts given to the monastery in cupboards.
activities
The Mulid, the festival of saints, from the 27th of Baramuda (May 5th) to the 12th of Bashons (May 20th) is one of the largest Christian festivals in Egypt.
May 20th (12th Bashons) is celebrated as the consecration day, January 21st (13th tuba) commemorates the martyrdom of St. Damiana.
kitchen
Drinks and snacks are sold in the monastery.
accommodation
The monastery includes buildings for the accommodation of pilgrims. During the pilgrimage, a large tent camp is set up behind the monastery.
literature
- : Christian Egypt, ancient and modern. Cairo: American University at Cairo Press, 1977 (2nd edition), ISBN 978-977-201-496-5 , Pp. 246-250.
- : The Egyptian virgin triumvirate: Damiana, Katharina, Hypatia. In:Kemet, ISSN0943-5972, Vol.8,2 (1999), Pp. 42-47.
- : Dēr (Sitt) Damyāna. In:Christian Coptic Egypt in Arab times; Vol. 2: D - F. Wiesbaden: Reichert, 1984, Supplements to the Tübingen Atlas of the Middle East: Series B, Geisteswissenschaften; 41.2, ISBN 978-3-88226-209-4 , Pp. 699-701.
Web links
- Coptic Synaxarium (Martyrologium) for 12. Bashons and 13. Tuba (Coptic Orthodox Church Network)
Individual evidence
- ↑See, among others, Sidawi, E.: Moeurs et traditions de l’Egypte moderne: Sitti Dimiana, sa légende, son mouled, in: Bulletin de la Société Sultanieh de Géographie, Volume 8 (1917), pp. 79-99. Two bishops of this name are known, one lived in the 6th and the other in the 13th century.
- ↑: The churches and monasteries of Egypt and some neighboring countries attributed to Abû Sâliḥ, the Armenian. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1895, P. 320. Various reprints, e.g. B. Piscataway: Gorgias Press, 2001, ISBN 978-0-9715986-7-6 . The other two monasteries are listed in the same directory under nos. 63 and 64. Both monasteries are believed to have been in the vicinity, but their location is unknown and there is no further evidence from other sources. The el-Maghṭis monastery was destroyed in 1438. See also Timm, loc. cit., Pp. 680, 731 f.
- ↑: Nouvélle Relation En forme de Iournal, D’Vn Voyage Fait En Egypte: En 1672. & 1673. Paris: Estienne Michallet, 1677, Pp. 156-170. — : The present state of Egypt: or, A new relation of a late voyage into the kingdom, performed in the years 1672 and 1673. London: John Starkey, 1678, Pp. 94-102. — : Histoire de l’Eglise d’Alexandrie. Paris: Clousier, 1677, P. 160, No. 11.
- ↑Sicard, Claude: Lettres édifiantes et curieuses, Paris, 1830, Volume VIII, pp. 61-65.
- ↑: Modern sons of the pharaohs: a study of the manners and customs of the copts in Egypt. London, New York: Hodder and Stoughton, 1918, Pp. 141–145, especially p. 144. Leeder cites a contribution by Farid Kamel.
- ↑ The Georgskirche go to Helena Mīt Damsīs, the Church of St. Virgin on the Gebel et-Teir, the Church of St. Johannes in Deir Abū Ḥinnis, the Church of St. Schenute in Sōhāg, the Church of St. Bidaba in Nagʿ Ḥammādī and that of St. Mercury returned to Higāza.
- ↑The incident is not recorded in his biography.
