The Monastery of St. Bishoy in Wadi Al-Natrun reveals its treasure of the unique Encaustic paintings
Henin, E., Matta Anba Bishoy, F., Tony, R., Mesheil, A. (2023). The Monastery of St. Bishoy in Wadi Al-Natrun reveals its treasure of the unique Encaustic paintings. EKB Journal Management System, 6(1), 15-29. doi: 10.21608/ijecth.2023.346869
Emil Henin; Father Matta Anba Bishoy; Romany Tony; Abdelmaseeh Mesheil. "The Monastery of St. Bishoy in Wadi Al-Natrun reveals its treasure of the unique Encaustic paintings". EKB Journal Management System, 6, 1, 2023, 15-29. doi: 10.21608/ijecth.2023.346869
Henin, E., Matta Anba Bishoy, F., Tony, R., Mesheil, A. (2023). 'The Monastery of St. Bishoy in Wadi Al-Natrun reveals its treasure of the unique Encaustic paintings', EKB Journal Management System, 6(1), pp. 15-29. doi: 10.21608/ijecth.2023.346869
Henin, E., Matta Anba Bishoy, F., Tony, R., Mesheil, A. The Monastery of St. Bishoy in Wadi Al-Natrun reveals its treasure of the unique Encaustic paintings. EKB Journal Management System, 2023; 6(1): 15-29. doi: 10.21608/ijecth.2023.346869

The Monastery of St. Bishoy in Wadi Al-Natrun reveals its treasure of the unique Encaustic paintings

International Journal of Eco-Cultural Tourism, Hospitality Planning and Development
Volume 6, Issue 1, June 2023, Page 15-29  XML PDF (3.23 MB)
Document Type: Original Article
DOI: 10.21608/ijecth.2023.346869
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Authors
Emil Henin1; Father Matta Anba Bishoy2; Romany Tony3; Abdelmaseeh Mesheil4
1Coptic Paintings Conservation Department at the Monasteries and Churches in Haret Zuwaila Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Cairo, Egypt
2Saint Bishoy Monastery in Wadi Al-Natrun, Egypt
3Coptic Paintings Conservation Department at the Saint Mina Monastery, Cairo Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Cairo, Egypt
4Islamic and Coptic Antiquities Sector, Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Cairo, Egypt
Abstract
Although historical information is scarce, the Monastery of St. Bishoy undoubtedly 
belongs to the oldest monastic settlements in Wadi Al- Natrun. It must therefore have 
suffered from the numerous Berber raids, resulting in renovations and the 
reconstruction of churches, cells, and utility buildings and, in the ninth century, the 
building of the first walls and a tower for refuge. Apart from an extensive restoration of 
the church and buildings by Patriarch Benjamin II (d. 1339), little more is known from 
the following centuries(Gabra,2016).
This research will shed light on the latest discoveries have been made inside the 
archaeological church of the monastery between 2022 AD and 2024 AD during the 
restoration process. These include some marble columns in the nave of the church 
bearing encaustic paintings probably that represent the Saints or patriarchs of the 
Coptic church, that closely resemble the Fayum portraits that appeared as face 
coverings for some mummies from the 1st century AD onwards, replacing the masks 
that were placed on the face and chest of the deceased during the Pharaonic era so that 
the soul could recognize its owner in the afterlife. 
Keywords
Coptic paintings; Encaustic; Wadi Al-Natrun; Conservation; Egyptian Monasteries
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