0 THE MONASTERY OF DAIR EL –SURYAN

THE ANME AND ORIGIN OF THE MONASTERY:

THIS IS ONE OF THE FOUR MONASTERIES STILL FUNCTIONING IN WADI AL-NATRUN (THE ANCIENT DESERT OF SCETIS) SOUTHWEST OF THE NILE DELTA.

IT IS CALLED “THE DAIR EL- SURYAN “MEANS” THE MONASTERY OF THE SYRIANS”ORIGINALLY THE MONASTERY WAS ONE OF A COPTIC MONASTERIES BUT AROUND (710 AD) THE DAIR BOUGHT FROM THE COPTS CONVERTED INTO A SYRIAN MONASTERY BY A MAN OF TEKRIT (EAST SYRIAN ) ORIGIN WHO HAD RISEN TO HOGH POSITION IN THE GOVERNMENT OF EGYPT .

IN (1636 – 1637 AD) THE MONKS WERE GRADUALLY BECOMING MORE COPTIC THAN SYRIAN. AFTER THAT THE DAIR EL – SURYAN CAN BE CONSIDERED A COPTIC MONASTERY ALTHOUGH A CHURCH IN THE COMPOUND WAS STILL SAID TO BE FOR SYRIAN USE IN (1657 AD) AND LORD ROBERT CURZON VISITING THE MONASTERY IN (1837 AD) FOUND A GROUP OF ETHIOPIAN MONKS LIVING IN A PART OF THE ENCLOSURE

THE SITE OF THE MONASTERY:

THE MONASTERY OF DAIR EL –SURYAN IS SITUATED CA. 100 METERS TO THE WEST OF THE MONASTERY OF ANBA BISHOI AND IS THE SMALLEST AMONG THE STILL INHABITED MONASTERIES OF WADI AL- NATRUN.

The principal church “al-adhra”:

The al-adhra church is the most important church of wadi el-natrun and in its plan, almost completely preserved. It is situated to the north-west of the keep. The main entrance is on the north side by a porch. It is square in shape and it has a pointed dome. The church is a basilica. It consists of nave and two aisles with western return aisles (narthex), choir, and sanctuaries.

The choir is separated from the nave and aisles by a thick and massive wall in the middle of the nave floor lies a basin for the Maundy Thursday rite of foot –washing.

In the semi- dome above the western end of the nave is a remarkable wall painting of the annunciation which shows the Blessed Virgin Mary with Archangel Gabriel, Isaac, Moses, Ezekiel and Daniel.     

One should notice the virgin is seated in high chair, clad in a blue –green robe over which falls a blue mantle. Her left arm is raised, the forefinger touching her chin, indicating perplexity. Gabriel is shown         

As a youthful winged figure, carries in his left hand a staff, his right is half extended and touch’s gently    

Her shoulder. Under the feet of the two figures o the virgin and Gabriel is a beautiful design representing the burning bush. Early Christianity saw in the burning bush as image of the virginity of the theotokos. Its         

Date probably from the second half of the ninth century.

The church of sitt maryam (the lady Mary):

      The church of sitt maryam seems not to have been constructed before the eleventh century. Moreover

The sanctuary(the haikals) dates only from the fourteenth or fifteenth century.