From Monastery to Desert

Wadi Natrun: The area is one of the three early Christian monastic centers, known to Christianity as the wilderness of Scetes, located in the desert of the northwestern Nile Delta. It's on the way to Alexandria. St. Pishoy: I visited the Monastery of Saint Pishoy (founded in the 4th century BC by Saint Pishoy and named after him). It is the most famous Coptic Orthodox monastery. Pishoy was famous for his love, wisdom, simplicity and kindness, as well as for his extremely ascetic life. He was also known to love seclusion and quietness. Pishoy's asceticism was so harsh that he tied his hair and hands with a rope to the ceiling of his cell in order to avoid falling asleep during his night prayers. I'm standing by the memorial that contains the relics of St. Pishoy and his best friend, St. Paul.

Seeing Jesus: Copts believe that Pishoy saw Jesus a number of times. Once, an old monk asked him to help him climb a mountain, so Pishoy carried him on his shoulders and climbed, only to discover that the old monk was Jesus himself. The latter told him that, due to the enormity of his love, his body would be incorruptible. Copts also believe that Pishoy washed the feet of Jesus, who visited him as a poor stranger. Saint Pishoy moreover saw Jesus, when one day one of the monks in his monastery heard that Jesus was coming, so they all went to go see him. But, there was only an old man, who asked the monks to help him on his way. The monks ignored him. However, when Saint Pishoy saw the old man he helped him back to his room. He washed the old man's feet (proper custom in those days). The old man then appeared to him as Jesus. Monks used to wash the feet of visitors to the monastery prior to the onset of tourism.

Late Pope's Burial Place: The monastery is the burial place (see picture) of the late Pope Shenouda III, who died in March 2012. The Coptic Church is in the process of choosing a new one. Pope Shenouda had arguments with former President Anwar Sadat over the Camp David Accords and in his view the president's inadequate response to growing Islamism. After a series of protests that led president Sadat to depose Pope Shenouda, he was exiled to the Nitrian desert. Shenouda spent his exile at St. Pishoy's Monastery. He returned three years after Sadat's assassination, following an amnesty by Sadat's successor Hosni Mubarak.

Siwa Oasis: The Siwa oasis is located in a deep depression that extends below sea level. Isolated Area: It is one of Egypt's most isolated settlements and became part of the country only when annexed by Muhammad Ali in 1810; but his rule was weak and saw several uprisings. Siwa was inaccessible by car, until an asphalt road (the "black carpet") was built in the early 1980s connecting it to Marsa Matruh. The 180-mi. road winds through desert oblivion and suddenly gives way to a noticeable domain of green. It is a landscape where the desert converges with fresh water springs salt lakes, and plentiful vegetation. All that's true. Yet, at this time of the year, the daytimes are still hot; and accommodations are mainly budget hotels or one exotic ecolodge outside of town, which hasn't lowered its prices.

Ancient Fortress and Village: The town has only recently come into the modern age. Donkey carts are a popular mode of transportation. Houses have existed solely within the last fifty to sixty years. Otherwise, one of the places where most residents lived for protection was within Shali Ghadi ("Shali" being the name of the town, and "Ghadi" meaning remote), a fort on a large promontory overlooking the present town. This ancient fortress was built on natural rock and made of salt, mud-brick, and palm logs. Although now mostly abandoned and worn away, it remains a prominent feature, towering five stories above the modern town. Founded in the thirteenth century, the citadel of Shali protected the inhabitants from attack for many years. Still, its walls built of kershef—salt bricks covered with clay and plaster—were no competition for the violent rains of 1926. Three days of downpour left nothing but a mass of ruins. Siwans moved away to new quarters primarily built of concrete, clustered around its old town.

Famous Oracle: The oasis of Siwa was internationally famous long before Alexander the Great visited it in 331 BC, for it was the site of one of the biggest temples of Amun, the most powerful Egyptian god of the time. Its oracle was so renowned that the illustrious Macedonian conqueror crossed the Egyptian desert to consult it. According to legend, the priests confirmed his divine nature—a verdict that was convenient, as he had just been crowned pharaoh. The abandoned citadel of Aghurmi, which sits on a limestone plateau overlooking a sea of palm groves, predates Shali as the center of Siwa. In ancient times, the famous Temple of the Oracle of Amun lay within Aghurmi, which is the Berber word for village. Oracles were very revered in the ancient world. For their ability to see into the future, they were consulted regularly prior to important decisions.

Gasoline Problems: It takes 10 hours to drive from Siwa to Cairo and vice versa. We stopped a couple of times looking for fuel on the return. Finally, we found a station where a tanker truck had just arrived to make a delivery; and we had to wait for it to be transferred to the underground reservoir. Picture shows vehicles, which included tractors, transport trucks, and automobiles waiting in line for their turn, when the supply would finally become available. At one rest stop, I saw a group of Middle Eastern travelers get off their touring bus. All of the women were covered, wearing the abaya and hijab; but about half of them had their outfits in unadulterated white instead of the usual unyielding black. Quite a contrast. Women in Siwa: I don't have any pictures of Siwan women, because the oasis is a very conservative society. Women don't go out without accompaniment; and they usually prefer that their husbands even do the shopping. They are covered head to toe in black, without openings even for the eyes. Children as well as women don't want their picture taken. Circumstances can be especially hard for divorced or widowed women, as no man except one particularly set on marrying her may see her face. Before marriage, local people have seen a young woman's face, since she may become engaged as young as 5 years old. Siwan Culture: Descendents of the Berbers, or Imazighen, North Africa’s original inhabitants, Siwans share more with cultures to its west than with Egypt. Siwan is the easternmost reach of Berber culture, and the oasis features rites, traditions, dress, tools, and a language distinct from the other oases of Egypt’s Western Desert. WWI/II Buffs: Siwa was the site of some fighting during World War I and World War II. The British Army's Long Range Desert Group was based here; but Rommel's Afrika Korps also took possession three times.

What a Coptic monk looks like. Coptic monks wear a distinctive black hat with white Coptic crosses and with a prominent seam that divides the cap in two.

One of the areas in the 4th century church. In a Coptic Church, readings or the liturgy cannot be recited from the same lectern during a single day. Coptic worship is in the Coptic language.

An icon painted on the 4th century church's wall showing St. Pishoy carrying Christ.

The defensive tower of the monastery (built in the style of Roman forts) was constructed to defend against Berber attacks. One enters it at the second floor level by a wooden drawbridge (seen here with railing) that rests on the roof of the gatehouse.

On the first floor of the defensive tower (keep) can be seen this ancient oven–probably especially important for baking communion bread.

The second floor comprised the living quarters of the monks during periods of siege. There is also a long corridor and east of this are rooms which have cupolas supported by brick arches. These have now been transformed into a church dedicated to the Holy Virgin. It has a transverse nave and a triple sanctuary.

Fresco of the three patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) enthroned in paradise in the Church of the Holy Virgin.

Modern chapel at St. Pishoy's Monastery. Have vials of olive oil for anointing from olive trees grown on monastery's farm.

Looking down on Siwa Oasis. Quite a relief after long desert drive. Desert gets sandier as you approach oasis, which is nice change from gravelly and stony types earlier. Only very few areas have any type of vegetation.

Gabal al-Mawta (Mountain of the Dead). As its name suggests, this limestone hill is home to over 700 Roman and four 26th Dynasty tombs (some open to the public) carved into the rock face.

Only a few paved roads in Siwa. Donkey and cart a common means of transportation. When stepping out of hotel in morning could often hear donkey braying.

Siwan women wore colorful embroidered garments and decorative jewelry during wedding festivities. With the arrival of the outside world, tradition has been changing, even to the wearing of a white dress on the bride's wedding day. Photo taken at Siwa Museum.

Built in 13th century AD atop a limestone hill overlooking today's oasis, the old city walls of Shali housed a thriving village with streets and a well large enough to sustain its 700 inhabitants.

The abandoned citadel of Aghurmi, sitting on a limestone plateau overlooking a sea of palm groves, predates Shali as the center of Siwa. It was home to the famous Temple of the Oracle of Amun. During Roman period the temple fell into decline and many inhabitants moved behind its walls for security. They lived there until 13th century, when most of Aghurmi’s inhabitants relocated behind the walls of Old Shali. Photo of me outside the chamber of the Oracle.

Simple mosque inside ruins of Aghurmi citadel. In 708 AD, the Siwans resisted an Islamic army and probably did not convert until the 12th century.

From citadel housing Temple of Oracle of Amun.

Cleopatra's Bath, also known as Spring of Juba. Really an antique natural spring, one of many in the area. Mentioned by Herodotus.

In Siwa Oasis, there are two temples dedicated to Amun. The most famous of these is the Temple of the Oracle, while the second is now known as Umm Ubayda. The 2nd temple was at one time joined to the Temple of the Oracle by a causeway and formed an integral part of the rituals related to the Oracle and the god. Today, only one wall of the temple remains.

View from Fatnas Island in salt-water Birket Siwa (Lake Siwa), accessible across a narrow causeway. Picture doesn't do justice to peace and serenity felt away from dusty roads and desert heat.

Poor picture of water bird. However, aside from water in Nile River, first lake and migratory water birds (or many birds at all) I've seen in almost two months.

Sunset at Fatnas Island.