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Monastery of St Anthony |
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The Monastery of St Anthony was
founded at the foot of a mountain in
356 AD southeast of Zafarana. The
monastery, named after the father of
Christian monasticism, was built two
kilometers south of the cave where
St Anthony (c. 251-356 AD) retreated
to pursue an isolated ascetic life.
Today, about 70 monks live in the
Coptic monastery that is open to
visitors from
8:00 am to 6:00 pm. A few overnight stays can be
arranged at their guesthouse in
advance. Of great interest is the
ancient church where St Anthony is
buried. You can see the recently
restored and striking wall paintings
of various periods and styles. The
monastery's holds over 1,700 ancient
handwritten manuscripts. The saint's
cave is 680 meters above sea level
and contains some interesting
writings and drawings as well as
spectacular vistas of mountains, the
Red Sea
and the valley below |
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