The Church About the Church
This is the only official web site for Saint Mary Church Zeitoun
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About the Church


church

On 1924; some of Zeitoun Copts though to build a church as there was not utterly any church in this big suburb. Accordingly they recurred the deceased; Mr. Khalil Ibrahim [he was a rich man] and they requested him to donate and contribute by a piece of terrain with a view to build the church. Mr. Khalil promised them to satisfy their request.

The Copts started to collect the donations and benefactions and during this time, Mr. Khalil is died. consequently; they went to Mr. Khalil Ibrahim`s son, Mr. Twafik, in order to give him all the collected money which was 450 EGP. But Mr. Tawfik apologized about the acceptance to receive such money claiming to return all the collected money to their moneyed and saying: "my father was planning to build the church at his own expense. Then I will be adhered to my father's parole and take the responsibility to fulfill it instead of him".
The Apparition Church
Hence, Mr. Twafik agreed with an Italian engineer named "Lymophly" in order to make a design for the Saint Mary church in Zeitoun akin to Aya Sophia in Constantinople.

The church was built in 1925.It has been inaugurated by Bishop Athanasios; bishop of Bany Sweif and the first priest who served in it was the deceased Hegomen Father Daniel Messeha

Regarding the surface area of the church, its is 250 m². It has five cupolas: the central one is the biggest. It is 17 meter high and has windows that are opened on the nave and on its top, there is a big cross. But the other four cupolas are less big with 12 meter high and have apertures but not related to the church as their floor is the overhead and the ceiling of the church.
Inside the church, there are several icons for Saint Mary, the Angels and the Saints.

New icons have been painted subsequent to the apparition of Saint Mary such as a picture for Saint Mary in the principal cupola of the church as well as some of the icons which have been gifted to the church by the Emperor "Haile Sellassie" upon his visit to the church.

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The Apparition Church (inner view)
The church was designed to surround maximum of twenty families but since the apparition of Saint Mary in it, its public reaches millions.
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One of the blessings of Saint Mary`s apparition  in the church; the terrain that was a garage for the public transportation and was just in front of the church became the place where was built a big Cathedral which is considered now as the second big Cathedral in the Middle East pertaining to  its area.
stone
The foundation –stone of the church was put by the sanctity of the Pope Shenouda III on Thursday march 25, 1976.
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In the church, a hospital, a dwelling for the expatriates & the elderly persons and additional outhouses for the complementary services have been established.