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The church of Saint Pope Cyril the VI

The church of Saint Pope Cyril the VI

This church is located in the north western part of the ancient monastery. It was established in the year 2014, covering an area of about 500 meters. It was built in the shape of a cross.

The late Fr. Faltaous El Souriany, a monk & a priest was one of the disciples of the late Pope Cyril VI.  In fact, Pope Cyril VI was his father of confession at one point, as well as his spiritual guide.

The church contains an altar named after Pope Cyril VI and an icon stand (Italian art) of the apostles, martyrs and saints. It is made of fine wood with 3 doors separating the altar from the congregation site.

  • The main altar was named after Pope Cyril VI:

It contains 3 concaves (Pantokrator) decorated, with an alabaster frame upon which are engraved wonderful crosses and magnificent artistic Coptic shapes. Within the frame there is a big icon of Jesus Christ the Pantokrator, where the Lord Jesus Christ sits in His glory on the throne, surrounded by the four incorporeal creatures (Rev. 4:8). At the bottom of the icon there are the 24 priests sitting before God.  Each one of them is holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints (Rev. 5:8), and seven golden lampstands (Rev. 1:12).  The sea of glass is also depicted (Rev. 15:2)

  • The altar:

It is made of Italian alabaster with four facets. The front facet depicts the last supper. The rear facet presents the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. The northern one has a portrait of the resurrection of the Lord Christ. As for the southern side the painting representing Pentecost is elegantly portrayed.

The surface of the altar is one meter in height and it is based on four pillars made of embroidered alabaster. On top of each pillar there is a crown on which is engraved the four incorporeal creatures.

The congregation site consists of 2 sections, and the floor is covered with alabaster organized in a magnificent geometrical design.

The first section of the church:This section contains two wooden doors made of fine wood, serving as the entrance from the northern to the southern sides and it is decorated with elegant engravings. This section of the church contains the relics of Fr. Faltaous El Souriany, the monk who departed to paradise in the Lord Jesus Christ on 17/03/2010.

The shrine of Fr. Faltaous Al El Souriany, the monk:It contains 4 walls made of Italian alabaster. The eastern wall holds a picture of Fr. Faltaous El Souriany revealing his facial features clearly and magnificently. The western wall holds some decorative engravings with a summary of the life of Fr. Faltaous El Souriany. The southern & northern sides of the shrine boast some paintings of the cross, following Coptic art surrounded by a vine and 2 angels on both sides, and each angel holds a trumpet. They are engraved in a magnificent way.

The 2nd section of the church:  This section contains a western door made of fine wood covered with many magnificent carvings.

  • The church walls:

The walls of the church are covered with fine wood containing many decorative designs and frames of icons of angels, martyrs, saints and great monastic fathers.

  • The glass windows:

The church contains 3 doors; on top of each is an arch of glass containing pictures relating the life of our Lord Jesus Christ – from the Nativity to His ascension. It follows the Italian art and was accomplished in a magnificent way.

The church contains ten glass windows decorated with wonderful designs of crosses and grapes. On top of each window there is a glass drawing of the prophets of the Old Testament, namely Noah and the flood, Fr. Abraham (offering his son Isaac as a sacrifice, Jacob’s ladder, Joseph’s brothers selling him to Ishmaelites, Moses and the two tablets of the ten commandments, David killing Goliath with his sword, Elisha and the fiery chariot, Salomon attempting to divide a child into half, the whale tossing Jonah onto the shore, and Daniel in the den with the lions.

  • The ceiling of the church:
  1. The church is distinguished for its main central dome that is surrounded by 4 smaller domes forming the sign of the cross, covering the whole area of the church.
  2. There are four smaller domes located around the wings of the cross. The ceiling is decorated with beautiful designs resembling crosses, grapes, heads of grain and the bread and cup resembling the sacrament of Eucharist.
  3. The main dome contains an iconic wall painting resembling our Lord Jesus Christ with His arms wide open in a beautiful magnificent way.
  4. The dome also contains 2 angels holding a written message that reads, “Behold, I am coming soon! My sword is with Me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.” (Rev. 22:12)
  5. The dome is held up upon 4 triangles containing iconic wall paintings for the 4 evangelists namely, Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.
  • The church yard:

The church is surrounded by a yard covered with granite alabaster with beautiful geometrical designs. It is decorated by ten cultivated plant – basins designed following the shape of the cross, where one can see palm trees and beautiful floral arrangements. The church is surrounded by a fence built of fine stones and rocks decorated with arches and pillars containing paintings of the cross. The exterior fence holds many lanterns that shed beauty on the place.

May the blessings and intercessions of our beloved father, Pope Cyril VI and the late Fr. Faltaous El Souriany be with us all, amen.