Coptic Egypt calls for restoration of collapsed monasteries

The Coalition of Coptic Egypt (CCE) has requested the Ministry of Antiquities to bear all costs and expenses of restoration rainwater-stricken archeological monasteries of Wadi al-Natrun, CCE coordinator Youssef Boutros told Youm7 Sunday.

The Deir Al Suryan’s Holy Virgin Church at Wadi al Natroun 
[Credit: Cairo Post]

Boutros said that the Ministry has refused to bear the restoration costs, however the Ministry’s Islamic and Coptic Antiquities sector chairperson Mohamed Abdel Latif said Sunday the Ministry was not officially notified to refuse or accept the coalition’s request.

Two days ago, coalition members visited Wadi al-Natrun of Beheira governorate to examine the Deir Al Suryan monastery for restoration, one the three monasteries there, Boutros continued.

The Ministry of Antiquities said it would assign a committee to examine all monasteries (The Deir Al Suryan, The Monastery of St. Macarius and the Monastery of St. Pishoy), after the Deir Al Suryan’s Holy Virgin Church at Wadi al Natroun Monastery partially collapsed due to the heavy rainfall hit Beheira last week, Coptic Orthodox Church spokesperson Paul Halim announced Thursday.

Last week, Mediterranean cities of Egypt, particularly Alexandria and Beheira were stricken by heavy showers; 25 people were killed in Beheira in rainwater-related accidents, while other buildings drowned.

Heavy thunderstorms are expected to hit Egypt’s northern cities along the Mediterranean and in Delta, EMA spokesperson Wahid Seoudy said Saturday.

Source: The Cairo Post [November 16, 2015]