MECMiddle East
Churches
CHURCH BUILDING

Saint Barbara Church

Old Cairo · Coptic Orthodox

A brief history

Saint Barbara’s belongs to Old Cairo’s historic churches around Babylon Fortress. Its history includes an earlier dedication to Saints Cyrus and John and repeated rebuilding. A chapel associated with those two saints remains beside the sanctuary, preserving the older dedication.

Saints & traditions

A six-volume manuscript of Coptic hymns, copied for this church between 1728/29 and 1733/34, survives in the Coptic Museum’s collection.

Sources & directions