The Monastery of the Virgin Mary Baramus, Wadi El Natrun
The Monastery of the Virgin Mary Baramus, Wadi El Natrun
This monastic complex is situated at the northwestern end of Wadi al-Natroun, away from al-Malahat and spans a land area of roughly two acres and four carats. The word “Baramos” in the first place seems to be heretofore Greek in nature, and in the latter Coptic language it is rendered to mean ‘a Roman vassal’.
The monastery is known as the Monastery of the Rom after the two princes, Maximus and Domadius. In addition, these two princes, who were sons of the Roman king Landius, travelled from Syria to Bishop Makarios the Great of Asqit in the desert to take monastic orders. However, they passed away while Makarios the Great was still living and as such, their remains were laid to rest at the place.
A few of the historians, such as Taqi al-Din al-Maqrizi, referred to it as the Black Monastery of Abba Moses, given that this Anba Moses was the prior of that monastery and he was buried in that particular place. Among the latter, there are four churches, the first being the seemingly very old Church of the Virgin, and it appears most convents have a church dedicated to the Virgin, showcasing the strong conviction people have that the Blessed Mother graced these locations during Her visit to Egypt, and this church is large measuring 1200 square meters and has its inner part covered by a brick vaulted roof.
The central part of the church is designed with two rows of marble columns, and in the center of the church is placed the “Lagan” where every year on the Maundy Thursday an empty bowl is filled with water which is used by the priest to wash the legs of few of the congregants in relation to the act professed by Jesus Christ when he washed his disciples legs.
The described vestry is quadrate and is crafted from rock, and within this temple stands a prehistoric pillar entitled the “Column of Arsanius” due to the carvings found on it from the oeuvre of that saint. The Church of Martyr Margerges who is found within the Church of Virgin from the northwest takes an area of twenty-five square meters.
The Church of Prince Tadros which is again found inside the Church of Virgin but to the north instead, has an area of 25 square meters and also houses the remains of Bishop Moussa al-Aswad while the Church of the Angel Michael which is the church where Angel Michael’s feast is observed, takes place within the day where prayers are offered and held until the next day with no breaks in-between.
