3/24/2021 0:00:01
Monastery of the Martyrs of Akhmim
Written by: Bavli Hani
A writer and researcher in Coptic antiquities and a member of the Guardians of Civilization team for archaeological awareness in the Fayoum branch.
Monastery location:
Sohag Governorate, Jabal Akhmim
Discovery of the martyrs and construction of the monastery:
In the year 400 AD, on the evening of the first day of the month of Blessing, Saint Dioscorus and the martyrs had a vision of the faithful man Peter, the man they had left to guard their cell. They said to him, “Do not be sad, because Allah, who knows the secrets of hearts, has left you and did not want you to present yourself as a martyr, but gave you this wilderness so that you may have children in it.” Many people and you will be the father of many monks very soon. Now get up and take out the stone so that we can determine for you the place that you will build on the bodies of your martyred sisters and it will become full of monks. Then they took him out in the vision at night to a large hill and determined that place for it in its length and breadth and asked it to be for the people of the city to collect the bodies of the martyrs. And when they finished talking, they disappeared from him, and Peter, the man of Allah, woke up from his sleep and immediately realized in himself that the saints had summoned him to carry their bodies. So he got up early and went to the camp and found their bodies lying on top of each other. They all went up to the hill that the saints knew. Peter in the vision found the marks placed there as they had specified them, so they cleaned those. The spot and they dug cemeteries there for the bodies of the martyrs Dioscorus, Escalapius, and the twenty-two monks, and buried them in a separate place. Then they went to the church of Abu Sotir and found the bodies of the martyrs lying one on top of the other. They shrouded them and buried them under the wall of the church of Abu Sotir al-Qibli.
Dedication of the Church of the Martyrs:
After burying the martyrs, a pledge of allegiance was held in the name of the martyrs
Martyrs of Al-Khamim:
Akhmim was one of the countries where Christianity spread, and most of its residents were Al-Nasarah. This is what made this region rich in monasteries, as there are currently eight monasteries in it. Emperor Diocletian issued orders in the year 284 AD to persecute Al-Nasarah. In the year 304 AD, the governor Arianus was more cruel than Diocletian and continued to torture Al-Nasarah.
Monastery Church:
It has five structures
Temple of the Archangel Michael
Temple of Saints Dioscorus and Escalapius
Temple of the Virgin Maryam
Margis structure
The temple of Saint Mark and Bishop Anthony
The temples are based on the old system, which Queen Helena built according to the system of the Monastery of the Martyrs in Basna. They have two entrance gates and a window to monitor those entering the church from enemies. The temple’s veil is topped with an archaeological image, and the other structures are like the usual structures.
The church consists of two choirs, not three as is usual in churches
The first choir contains the relics of Saint Dioscorus and Escalapius, and the head of a martyr that still remains as it is placed inside a glass compartment where her face and hair can be seen.
The nave of the church consists of two choirs with a large opening in the middle and is covered with domes
Around the monastery there are ancient cemeteries from which, much earlier, the famous Coptic textiles were excavated. They fill a number of museums around the world.
Monastery features:
There is a mud brick wall on all four sides. The monastery is now witnessing great development. A wall was built for it over a large area, and inside it is a farm.
A special shrine was also created in the monastery for the rest of the martyrs
Currently 8,140 martyrs are buried in the monastery