World's oldest monastery in Egypt opens doors for pilgrims
AL-ZAAFARANA. February 5. KAZINFORM The world's oldest monastery of Saint Antony near Egypt's coast town of Al-Zaafarana has opened its doors for pilgrims after almost five years of renovation, the head of the country's Supreme Council of Antiquities has said; Kazinform refers to RIA Novosti.
The monastery, located some 200 km (124 miles) from the city of Hurghada, was founded in 356 AD immediately after the saint's death, and is now the world's oldest Christian monastery. Some 2 km (1.24 miles) away from the monastery, there is St. Anthony's cave, where he lived as a hermit.
"The second and final stage of the restoration of this monastery... is concluded," Zahi Hawass said, adding both Christians and Muslims were involved in the restoration work.
"It does not matter for us what antiquities to restore - Muslim, Christian or Jewdish," he said, adding all of them are part of Egypt's national heritage.
Saint Antony, also known as Anthony the Great and Father of All Monks, was the first known ascetic going into the wilderness. He was born in 250 AD to a Christian family in Egypt. After the deaths of his parents, he sold his property, distributed money among the poor and became a hermit; Kazinform cites RIA Novosti.
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