Egyptian Schedule – Day 4

October 23, 2023

Provided we survive day 3, day 4’s schedule was left empty by the tour organizers. To revive people, I think. We leave for Luxor at 18.30, though, so I think there will be time for one final expedition to the Coptic Cairo.

1. Coptic Cairo

In case you’re not familiar, the district is a predominantly Christian area and features some incredible monuments (mostly churches, to be fair) and includes the so-called Babylon Fortress, an Ancient Roman stronghold built with the arrival of emperor Augustus. The Hanging Church lies next to it, named for its location above one of the gatehouses and officially dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and it’s believed to be the oldest church in all of Egypt.

Another interesting feature is the Church dedicated to St. Philopater Mercurius, the double-sworded, a building which hosted the seat for the Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria between 1300 and 1500. Its saint, Mercurius, was a Roman soldier of Scythian descent, born in Cappadocia, who served as a soldier under Emperor Decius. Having befriended the Emperor, it is said he tried to intercede against the persecution of Christians, but to no avail. Having refused to pray with the Emperor, he was beheaded aged 25.

Of course the district couldn’t miss a church dedicated to St. Mena, possibly the Coptic saint who was set on fire and burned unharmed for three days.

2. Luxor

Luxor is around 650 km down the Nile from Cairo, and it includes the site of the Ancient Thebes. I’ll sleep directly on board the ship, as the next day we depart for the river cruise. Hopefully, no one will get murdered.

books and literature

The Bicentennial Man (and other stories)

If not for the single story where they cure depression by blasting jazz against brainwaves (not how depression works, I’m afraid), one of the best collections I’ve read so far. It has the sequel of “Marooned off Vesta”, one of Asimov’s the best stories of

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books and literature

Rebecca Ferrier’s The Salt Bind

Rebecca Ferrier’s The Salt Bind is a historical fantasy novel, set on the storm-lashed Cornish coast and steeped in folklore, sea magic, and women’s lives on the edge of the sea. It follows Kensa — daughter of a smuggler and with a regularly-complicated relationship with

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art and fashion

Andrea Pazienza — They Don’t Always Die

At the beginning of this month, I was in Rome with some friends: we had heard that Danny Elfman himself was going to be on stage at the Auditorium, performing some pieces from his soundtracks, and we’re hardcore fans (I have mixed feelings about the

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Egyptian Schedule – Day 4

1. Coptic Cairo