SSCN Voumes 1-10, 1994-2004

St. Shenouda Coptic Newsletter

modern setting, including domes, arches, apses, and decorative column capitals. Because of the time constraint the hospitality of the monastery had to be in a take-out form! Visit to Abu. Mina Archeological site, in Maryut near Alexandria, February 4, 2002: This was the last site the group visited before heading back to Cairo. It was located very close to the Mar Mina Monastery walls. Unlike the other two excavations that were visited previously, this site was significantly larger. Our guide was Dr. Grossmann who probably considers the site as his second home due to the many excavation seasons that he spent there. He led the group through the ruins of housing buildings for the visitors, the baptistery, the main cathedral, and the outside of the crypt of St. Mina. Throughout the site, once called the 'Marble City', one can see high ground water level, unwelcome vegetation, recent conservation of some of the walls and floors, and a ground littered with marble columns and their separated bases and capitals. There was even a fresh, dated (one day old) graffiti by a youthful visitor, which reminds one of Dr. Innemée's earlier quote in his paper, "Fools come rushing where angels fear to tread". This shrine city thrived from the 4 th to the 9 th century when it was left in ruins and eventually had its plaster material removed and reused in building of new mosques in neighboring Alexandria. Resolutions and Suggestions: On Sunday evening, February, 3, 2002, the participants and others in attendance met to discuss resolutions and suggestions. This session was headed jointly by Dr. Estafanous and Dr. Gabra. Three resolutions were approved: Letter to Dr. Gaballah concerning the encroachment of farmers on the archeological sites in the area, a letter of thanks to H.H. Pope Shenouda for his hosting the Symposium in his residence complex, and a letter of commendation to the staff for the tremendous efforts they

expended before and during the Symposium. Suggestions included the formation of a Wadi al- Natrun Consortium to coordinate the scholarly activities for the site, which will be engaged in getting recognition by the Egyptian authorities for the excavated and/or surveyed sites, and by the UNESCO to register the whole site as a World Heritage Site. A preliminary list of people from among the attendees was selected with Dr. Gabra being their coordinator. Another major suggestion, raised by Fr. Samir, was the preservation and diffusion of the manuscripts of the area either by Microform or electronically. The idea was very appealing to our Society, but unfortunately no official action was taking in its regards. Hopefully the Consortium can bring up this important subject in its future discussions, especially that one of its members is Mr. Nabih Kamel, the Patriarchal Library Curator. Organizers: There is not enough words that can describe the colossal efforts made by the committee that St. Mark Foundation has formed in Egy t to coordinate this Symposium. Working at times under very difficult circumstances, they made the event nearly flawless and send all the participants and attendees back to their countries with nothing but cherished memories and profound thanks. Mrs. Hoda Garas was the leading figure in the group, assisted by Mr. Fahim Wassef, Mrs. Nevine Ramzy, Mrs. Siham Estafanous and others as well as Fr. Bishoy Anba Bishoy, the Monastery laison. Proceedings: The papers presented at the Symposium will be published in the Second Volume of Coptica, in 2003. Presenters were given the invitation and the schedule for submitting their work.

St. Shenouda Coptic Newsletter

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