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The Various Typologies of Historic Coptic Orthodox Church Design Sherif Raouf Amin Morgan

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The Various Typologies of Historic Coptic Orthodox Church Design Sherif Raouf Amin Morgan Eng. Sherif Morgan / Engineering Research Journal 151 (September 2016) A1-A13 The various typologies of Historic Coptic Orthodox Church design Sherif Raouf Amin Morgan 1. INTRODUCTION The Coptic Orthodox Church is a Church that formulated its style and elements in Egypt, affected by its geography, climate, and above all the surrounding civilizations it emerged within. Finding out its way within a paganism society, being Ancient Egyptian locally or the Roman Empire as a ruler of the country, the Coptic Church and people were severely prosecuted. Accordingly, rarely can researchers find information regarding the early buildings of the first three centuries. However, some churches that were first built in the fourth and fifth century1 after Christianity was formally accepted as a legal religion by the Roman Empire in 313AD2and declared the State religion in 381AD3 are still existing and are subject for research. Although documentation is poor, yet some research has been made regarding the different typologies of the Coptic Orthodox Church design. Finally, the paper aims to review the different literature that classifies the historic Coptic Orthodox Church design. 2. TYPOLOGIES OF HISTORICAL COPTIC ORTHODOX CHURCH DESIGN Typology, a well-known word used to classify things in general, and architectural specifically in this paper, which have similar characteristics. Although it is mostly widely spread between Christians that the Church form follows a Cruciform, Circular or an Ark shape4, yet it is not the real situation within Coptic Orthodox Church designs. Those are mostly symbols that are sometimes used for spiritual meanings and metaphysical significances. Moreover, those shapes are scarcely used by Coptic Architecture. Butler, a well-known historian that wrote 1 Gabra, et al (2007) p.22 2 Watterson, (1988) p.34 3 Gregorius (Bishop), (1982) p.58 4 Malaty (Father), (2004) pp. 57-62 A1 Eng. Sherif Morgan / Engineering Research Journal 151 (September 2016) A1-A13 about the Coptic Churches in 1884, which is one of the oldest documented writings on the Coptic Church architecture confirms by saying, “The Coptic builders seem to have had no liking for or no knowledge of the cruciform groundplan…. The result is that in the majority of cases the architecture of the Coptic churches is of a mixed type, half- basilican and half-Byzantine: while in other cases there is a type entirely non-basilican yet not entirely Byzantine. But there is no case, as far as I know, of an architecture unleavened by either of these two elements, however variously they enter into combination with each other and with other elements.”1 Butler first confirms that there are no cruciform church forms in the Coptic Orthodox Churches. Moreover, he classifies the churches into two typologies, the first is a mixed half-basilican and half-byzantine, and the second is non-basilican but yet not Byzantine. He further mentions some examples regarding the Non-basilican and refers to Anba Antonious monastery (Saint Anthony) referred to in the figure-1 as letters (A) and (B) having two churches with twelve domed roof, three on the sanctuary area and nine covering the rest of the church. However, he mentions Saint Barbara Church as a Byzantine example, referred to in figure-1 as letters (C) and (D). A barrel vault covers the Naïve and main alter. However, the rest of the aisles and galleries are covered with a flat horizontal roof. Figure 1 Comparison between Non-basilican Church design (A) Ariel view2 and (B) Google earth image of Saint Anthony Church Monastery in the red sea and the Basilican plan (C) Ariel view3 and (D) Google earth image of Saint Barbara Church in Old Cairo. 1 Butler, (1884) pp. 6-7 2 Gabra, et al (2007) p.219 3 Sheehan, (2010) p.60 A2 Eng. Sherif Morgan / Engineering Research Journal 151 (September 2016) A1-A13 Bishop Samuel and architect Badie Habib did another form of classification to the Coptic Orthodox Church designs. The element of which the classification was focusing on was the Church Dome and its shape and location within the roof of the church. The following is the output of their classification. Figure 1 The Coptic Orthodox Church typologies through the classification of the Dome distribution on the roof.1 The previous classification relates the domes locations above churches with relevance to date of construction of the church itself, starting from the fifth until the nineteenth century. The fifth and sixth century dome covers either the main altar or choir space. The seventh and eighth century dome covers both the altar and choir. Eleventh and twelfth century twin domes cover the nave and choir, and a smaller dome covers the altar. Fourteenth and fifteenth century churches have multiple domes covering the nave and vaults covering the northern and southern aisles. Sixteenth and seventeenth century churches had a row of altars at the sanctuary areas, making the church increase in its width. Churches are covered with domes of equal sizes and heights. Eighteenth and nineteenth century churches are back to three altars and the whole church is covered with twelve domes, three above the sanctuary area, and nine covering the rest of the church nave and aisles. 1صموئيل ) اﻷنبا (, بديع حبيب جورجي, القبة القبطية A3 Eng. Sherif Morgan / Engineering Research Journal 151 (September 2016) A1-A13 In 2002, Capuani came out with a new typological classification. He splits the Churches of Egypt into two geographical zones. The first is the Mediterranean coast and Delta, where the church style is mostly affected by the Byzantine architecture. The second is the Nile Valley, where local cultural impact on the Church designs in his point of view is recognized.1 He further analyzes church designs chronologically as Bishop Samuel and Badie Habib did, but focused on plan design itself and not ceiling design. The following table illustrates the different typologies Capuani mentioned, their periods, shape, typology and examples. PERIOD SHAPE TYPOLOGY EXAMPLES Al-Hawariya Sanctuary of 5th to 6th Basilica with transept St.Menas Century Hermopolis Madinat Madi 4th and 6th Basilica with nave Antinoopolis Century and four aisles Pbow Armant Kellia 5th to 7th Churches of Old Church with nave Century Cairo and two aisles Kom Namrud Madinat Habu Monastery of Apa 5th to 7th Bane Century Triconch Church White monastery Red monstery Deir Abu Matta 1 Capuani, et al, (2002) pp.41-44 A4 Eng. Sherif Morgan / Engineering Research Journal 151 (September 2016) A1-A13 PERIOD SHAPE TYPOLOGY EXAMPLES Sanctuary of St.Menas (east 6th Century Church with a basilica) central plan Sanctuary of St.Menas (martyrion) Monasteries of sketis 7th to 12th Church with a Monastery of Century khurus (Choir) Archangel Gabriel Al-Naqlun Monastery of St. Victor Naqada 10th to 12th Church with naves Monastery of the Century roofed with cupolas Potter Monastery of the Martyrs Table 1 Capuani’s classification of Coptic Church design typologies1 From the previous table, one can conclude that most historical churches follow a rectangular shape, and differences are internal and in the ceiling. The influence of the rectangular shape is purely from the Ancient Egyptian and Jewish temples. The Basilican influence is dominant in the architectural plan design, however the Churches of the Mediterranean such as in St. Menas show a Byzantine effect that is clear in the central dome of the East Church or the huge scale of the main Church. 1 Capuani, et al, (2002) pp.41-44 A5 Eng. Sherif Morgan / Engineering Research Journal 151 (September 2016) A1-A13 Nicolas in 2004 updated the church classification into a more detailed one and discussed the sanctuary design, and at some times mentioned the Dome roofing system and locations. The following table illustrates the period, church shape sample, remarks and other examples of the same period and typology. PERIOD SHAPE REMARKS EXAMPLE Building is inside a The Basilica of Al rectangular shape Ashmounein 1st to 4th Sanctuary with St.Marina Church Century Triconch/Triapsal Shams Al-Din, Oasis Nave is surrounded by three aisles Building is inside a Virgin Mary rectangular shape Hanging Church 4th and 5th External Narthex St.Sergius and Century (western or southern) St.Bacchus Church Triple Apse St.Barbara Church Nave is surrounded (Old Cairo Region) by three aisles Building is inside a Church of Anba rectangular shape Shenouda External Narthex monastery (western and southern White monastery 5th and 6th or on top of them) Red monastery Century Sanctuary with Church inside Triconch/Triapsal Hatour temple Nave is surrounded by three aisles A6 Eng. Sherif Morgan / Engineering Research Journal 151 (September 2016) A1-A13 PERIOD SHAPE REMARKS EXAMPLE Church of Abu Appearance of the Fana monastery area of Chorus of Abu Mina North 6th and 7th Deacons church, Mariut Century Churches around Luxor temple Church in Habo Central Altar with city, west Luxor 7th and 8th semi circle apse St.Mina Church Century Rectangular side complex in Mariut chambers Virgin Mary church Chorus of deacons in Syrian separated from nave monastery by walls and doors th th 8 and 9 Anba Bishoy Three sanctuaries Century church in Anba with the central one Bishoy monastery bigger in size N.B. existing church dates back to the 14th century Appearance of twin Anba Hedra domes covering the church, Aswan nave Virgin Mary church 11th , 12th Three rectangular in Al-Azab and Al- and 13th sanctuaries Hamam monastery Century in Fayoum A7 Eng. Sherif Morgan / Engineering Research Journal 151 (September 2016) A1-A13 PERIOD SHAPE REMARKS EXAMPLE Appearance of more Anba Bedaba than three altars monastery in Shallow nave of two Nagga Hammady 14th and 15th rows St.Demiana and Century Church orientation is Anba Moisys in the north south monastery direction Appearance of a new type in Akhmim Virgin Mary with three semi monastery in 16th ,17th circular apses with a Akhmim and 18th service corridor.
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