We all know the story of how the Holy Family fled persecution and went to Egypt as the angel had told them to, but few of us know the place in Egypt that gave them shelter. This place, halfway between Cairo and Alexandra, is called Wadi al Natrun, and the Coptic Christians have had monasteries there since the fourth century.

The Coptic monasteries are incredible, offering a strong sense of a fortress, comprising a complex area of churches, chapels and living areas. Yet they only attract around 20,000 tourists a year. The four monasteries are surrounded by high defensive walls and a castle, or a keep, because for many centuries they were continuously attacked by Berbers.  The setting and landscape are just out of this world as these enormous enclaves appear out of nowhere in the desert.

Churches and chapels.

I had the opportunity to stay there for some days to give advice on behalf of the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM), as one of the three UNESCO advisers on world heritage to the Ministry of Antiquities of Egypt who will be nominating the monasteries for World Heritage status by UNESCO.

The Coptic monks have looked after the monasteries for many centuries. They have maintained the Coptic culture and language. All religious functions are still held in the Coptic language and many Egyptian faithful still participate. All new monks must learn the language first. They take care of their important archives and all the relics and works of art with great care. The monks live on the work they do and on the contributions of many Egyptian Coptics who go on pilgrimage there. They promote various traditional crafts but also have large agriculture grounds given to them by the late president Anwar al Sadat.

Twenty-one churches and chapels in the monasteries have historic value.  They vary in size. The bigger ones are divided in three sections, as is the Coptic tradition. They look very much like Orthodox churches, and are among the oldest existing Christian churches. Ten per cent of Egypt’s massive population is Coptic. The current president of Egypt is doing his best to protect them and make sure they live an integrated, normal life. 

Twenty one churches and chapels in the monasteries have historic value

When one leaves the hectic city of Cairo, home to a population of 25 million, to go to the desert, one experiences a real sense of calmness. It is a place where one can really feel the spirituality of the monasteries. Three of them are fairly close to each other but one is a bit further away. They all have guest houses for pilgrims. Not all monks sleep on the floor as they used to do but everything is still very basic and simple.

The atmosphere within the churches, where one has to enter barefoot, is deeply religious.

Wall paintings in one of the churches.

They have their own feasts for their own saints but they also venerate very much our own religious figures. Besides the Virgin Mary, one finds, among others, many chapels dedicated to St George, the Archangel Michael and St John the Baptist. 

Each of the four monasteries has a four-storey castle, or keep, that was designed to be the last defensive post if attacked. Each can be entered through a small wooden drawbridge on the first floor. The drawbridge would have been pulled back in the case of an attack: the mechanism to do so still exists. As the castles were meant to be a stronghold holding for as long as possible, they all have their own chapels, a mill (with all the equipment still there), wells and all that was necessary for survival. The castles have secret passageways and areas.

The monks and the people who work within the monasteries are very friendly and would make anyone feel at home. They very much wish that more Christians become aware of the history that is represented here – one covering many centuries with links to other Christians. They are very proud that even the Vatican had confirmed the important position that they represent in the history of the Christian faith. They are aware of the Coptic community in Malta as they keep close links with communities outside Egypt.

Egypt in the past two years has regained its former level of tourism. Cairo airport is very welcoming, and getting a visa online is fast and efficient. Prices at hotels and restaurants are still very low.

We all know about the incredible heritage of the pyramids and other areas. The monasteries of Wadi al Natrum are little known but deserve a two- or three-day visit either as pilgrims or simply as tourists.

Ray Bondin is an expert on world heritage. He can be contacted on raymond. bondin@gmail.com. It is advisable that the monks are contacted before visiting. This can also be done through a tourist agency. Otherwise visitors may not be allowed inside the monasteries.