Church of St. Simon

Welcome to one of the most extraordinary religious sites in the world: the Monastery of Saint Simon the Tanner, commonly known as the Cave Church. Located on the Mokattam Mountain in southeastern Cairo, this site is a testament…

To reach the Cave Church, one must first navigate the labyrinthine streets of Manshiyat Naser. This is a sensory experience unlike any other in Cairo. …

The monastery is named after Saint Simon the Tanner, also known as the Shoemaker. According to Coptic tradition, in the 10th century, the Fatimid Caliph challenged the Coptic Pope Abraham to prove his faith by moving the Mokattam…

We now enter the main sanctuary, the Great Amphitheater. This is the largest of the seven churches and chapels in the complex. …

Adjacent to the main amphitheater is a smaller, more intimate space: St. Mary’s Church. …

One cannot visit the Cave Church without acknowledging the work of Mario, the Polish sculptor who arrived in the 1990s and began carving the stories of the Bible into the mountain's walls. His work has transformed the cave from a…

As we conclude our tour of the Cave Church, we must return our thoughts to the Zabbaleen community. This church is a physical manifestation of their resilience. …

As you leave the cool embrace of the Cave Church and begin the journey back through the busy streets of Manshiyat Naser, take a moment to reflect on the sheer scale of what you have witnessed. We have seen the largest church in…