Father Yaqub Suleiman, a priest of the Hanging Church, recently shared insights into the historical significance of this ancient landmark in exclusive statements to Youm7. He explained that since the Arab rule, which was based in Al-Fustat, the patriarchs would come from Alexandria to reside in the Hanging Church unofficially to be close to the civil authority. The patriarchs moved to the Hanging Church officially from the time of Pope 66 until Pope John VIII, the 80th patriarch (1300-1320). The Hanging Church remained a papal headquarters for nearly seven centuries, partly unofficially and partly officially.
The Hanging Church, also known as "Qasr al-Rihan," is one of the oldest papal headquarters in the history of the Church. It is located in the Old Cairo district. It housed the largest number of popes, with about 16 patriarchs having sat in the church. The papal headquarters then moved to Harat Zuweila, then to Al-Azbakeya, and is currently in Al-Abbassiya.
The church dates back to the 3rd or 4th century AD, with significant construction occurring in the late 4th century and early 5th century AD. The place turned into a church in the 4th century, coinciding with the Copts' increased interest in building churches after Emperor Constantine declared Christianity the official religion of the state.
The Hanging Church is built on the ruins of two bastions in the Roman fortress known as the Babylon Fortress, which was the headquarters of the Roman garrison in this region. The fortress was built about 150 years before Christ. The Babylon Fortress consists of two columns in the shape of the letter U, and the annexes were placed above the palm trees on these buildings. The church was built on these structures, hence it was called the Hanging Church. There is a depth of 13 meters under the church to the floor of the fortress, and the name "Hanging Church" came from this depth.
The church follows the basilica style, which is characterized by the presence of three altars and is in the shape of Noah's Ark. Noah's Ark was a means of salvation for Noah and his sons from the evils and the flood in the world. The Copts named these churches after saints, including the Virgin Mary, angels, apostles, and martyrs. To distinguish some churches from others, especially those dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the Copts gave them additional descriptors. Some of these descriptors include "the Helper" (for the sailors of Rome), "the Damascene" (in Old Cairo), and "the Iron" (for the sailors of Zewailah).
Inside the Hanging Church, there is an icon of the Virgin Mary in the first sanctuary. The icon of the Virgin Mary is inscribed with the date of its creation in 1092 of the Martyrs. Among the manuscripts of the Hanging Church is the Book of the Pascha, in Coptic and Arabic, dated 1054 of the Martyrs, corresponding to 1338 AD. There is also a silver box for preserving the Holy Gospel, which is inscribed as a waqf (endowment) for the Church of the Virgin Mary at Qasr al-Rihan and is dated 1140 of the Martyrs, corresponding to 1424 AD.
The Hanging Church has undergone multiple renovations, with the last renovation occurring in 1494. It has blessings for hundreds of years and has existed throughout these ages. The church is part of a group of churches within the area of the Babylon Fortress. Except for short periods, some popes would resort to the Church of St. Mercurius (Abu Sifin) in Old Cairo and use it as an alternative resting place.
Sources: Youm7 (Entertainment), Al-Masry Al-Youm
This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq