Restoring the monuments of our past

2010-03-03 | Published 07:47

When the Egyptian government considered the importance of restoring monuments of their past, they seized the opportunity to undergo major renovations and repairs to a one of a kind historical place of worship. After eight years of challenging and arduous work, the restoration of the world’s oldest Christian monastery has been completed.

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The Monastery of Saint Anthony is a Coptic Orthodox monastery located in an oasis in the Eastern Desert of Egypt, hidden deep in the Red Sea Mountains. It is believed to be 1,600 years old, which makes it the world’s oldest monastery. Egypt’s chief archaeologist Zahi Hawass, understood the value and significance of restoring the monuments and the impact and magnitude of such a project, so he took it upon himself to lead this incredible undertaking. The Egyptian government sponsored this project with over $14 million dollars of funding and support. And now, after eight years of demanding work it is once again standing proud and strong on it’s original grounds.

This monastery has tremendous meaning for Coptic Christian pilgrims, and restoring this historical monument also demonstrates the respect that the Egyptian Muslims have for their Christian citizens.

“The announcement we are making today shows the world how we are keen to restore the monuments of our past, whether Coptic, Jewish or Muslim,” stated Mr Hawass.

Vendela Fredriksson

+46 (0) 8 587 066 00

vendela
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