Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 29.djvu/160

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
130
THE ANCIENT CHRISTIAN CHURCHES OF MUSR EL

The extreme incivility and grasping cupidity, and on one occasion the violence of the priests of this most interesting Church, rendered its exploration a matter of some difficulty. As a rule these Coptic Churches are never found open except at an early hour on Sunday morning, or on a few great Feast-days, the Copts vieing with ultra-Protestants in their fondness for locked Churches.

Church of Kedesch Berbarra.—A large and curious Church of early date. The shrine of S. Berbarra is gaudily painted in bright colours, and contains within a brass screen the relics of the Saint done up in a kind of blue bolster. The nave is supported on ten pillars, on which rest wooden beams as in the Moallaka. These are elegantly painted, and above them are pointed arches. Over these again are the ancient women's galleries,[1] with four more pillars upon either side arranged severally into two bays. The aisle and gallery above is carried round the west end, two pillars in each case separating them from the nave. The lofty pulpit is of white marble enriched with fine ancient mosaics, and stands upon ten marble columns. The under part of the marble pulpit floor is adorned with a sculptured cross. This church abounds with splendid carly carving in wood inlaid with ivory.[2] There is also a curious triple standing candelabra of iron, a large brass standing candlestick, and a brass corona, the latter disused and lying amidst the rubbish in a side chapel. Here, too, I observed a curious marble pedestal, supported on four rude feet, and perhaps designed as a candlestick. The paintings over the screen before the Iconastasis are unusually good, and this screen itself has incorporated in it two fine ancient columns. In this church are several curious side chapels, and many other objects of unusual interest.

Mari Girgis.—The interesting church of Mari Girgis having recently been destroyed by fire has been entirely rebuilt. Fortunately a plan of the old church was taken by the Honourable Sir Arthur Gordon, K.C.B.

Hard by is an interesting specimen of an ancient Christian

  1. ↑ The women at the present day occupy the more western compartments of the nave and aisles, the men those nearer the Iconnatania.
  2. ↑ The superb pulpit from a Cairene Mosque bought in the Meymar Collection, and now in the South Kensington Museum, will convey an idea of the style of the carvings.
This article is issued from Wikisource. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.