The Miracle of Muqattam Moving a Mountain to Build a Church in Fatimid Egypt
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chapter 15 The Miracle of Muqattam Moving a Mountain to Build a Church in Fatimid Egypt Jennifer Pruitt Beginning in the 1970s, a series of massive cave central of the monuments considered here, the churches were carved into the limestone cliffs of the complex of St Mercurius, lay in ruins. The story of Muqattam Mountain in Cairo (Figures 15.1 and 15.2). its reconstruction is recorded in detail by Michael These churches marked the site of the tenth century, of Tinnis and Abu al-Makarim. Both authors Fatimid-era ‘Miracle of Muqattam.’ The story of the attribute the rebuilding of this complex to the miracle has different versions, but, as described in miraculous movement of the Muqattam Mountain the Coptic tradition, a Fatimid caliph of Egypt by Egyptian Christians. However, they provide dif- became enraged by a Christian Biblical passage stat- ferent dates for the event, with Michael of Tinnis ing that mountains could be moved by faith alone suggesting it occurred under the caliph Al-Muʿizz (Matthew 17:20). In response, he demanded that a (r. 932–75), and Abu al-Makarim stating it occurred Coptic patriarch visibly demonstrate this claim of under the caliph al-ʿAziz (r. 955–96).3 the Christian faith by making the Muqattam Today, the modern mega-churches of Mountain rise from the ground through prayer. After Muqattam accommodate tens of thousands of arrangements were made, an amazed Muslim ruler visitors, catering especially to the Christian gar- witnessed the mountain rise from the ground no less bage collectors of the neighboring Muqattam than three times before his own eyes.1 As a result of slums.4 These cave churches offer a fascinating witnessing this miracle, the Fatimid ruler allowed view into the modern Coptic faith and the medieval Christian population of Cairo to restore two dilapidated churches in Cairo, the complex of St Mercurius (Abu Sayfayn) and the Hanging Church Victorious: Islamic Art and Architecture in Fatimid North (Al-Muʿallaqah). Africa and Egypt (New Haven and London: Yale University At the time of the early tenth-century tale, Press in association with The Institute of Ismaili Studies, Egypt had been under Muslim rule for approxi- 2007), Ayman Fuʾād Sayyid, La capitale de l’Égypte jusqu’à mately 300 years. In 969, the Shiʿi Fatimid dynasty l’époque Fatimide: al-Qāhira et al-Fusṭāṭ. Essai de réconsti- tution topographique (Berlin: F. Steiner, 1998), K.A.C. conquered Egypt from their base in Tunisia, mak- Creswell, The Muslim Architecture of Egypt (Oxford: ing Cairo their capital city.2 At this time, the most Clarendon Press, 1952). 3 According to Michael of Tinnis, this miracle occurred dur- ing the tenure of the sixty-second patriarch, Anba 1 This paper analyzes two versions of this tale. The first Abraham. However, this patriarch reigned prior to the occurs in History of the Patriarchs of the Egyptian Church, caliphate of Al-Muʿizz, adding another layer to the ques- Known as the History of the Holy Church, by Sawīrus tion of dating. Maryann M. Shenoda, “Displacing Dhimmī, al-Muqaffaʾ, vol. ii, part ii, Khael iii=Shenouti ii (a.d. 880– Maintaining Hope: Unthinkable Coptic Representations 1066) (Cairo: Société d’Archéologie Copte, 1948). The sec- of Fatimid Egypt,” International Journal of Middle Eastern ond is in The Churches and Monasteries of Egypt and Some Studies 39 (2007). Neighbouring Countries, Attributed to Abū Ṣālih the 4 For a consideration of the modern churches and the Armenian, ed. B.T.A. Evetts (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1895). Christian garbage collecting community (zabaleen), see 2 For particularly useful surveys of Islamic monuments Keith Sutton and Wael Fahmi, “Cairo’s Zabaleen Garbage under the Fatimids, see Jonathan Bloom, Arts of the City Recyclers: Multi-nationals’ Takeover and State Relocation © koninklijke brill nv, leiden, ���5 | doi ��.����/�������������_��� 278 pruitt Christians, Muslims, and Jews at the Fatimid court in tenth-century Egypt. We learn, for example, about how each group had the capacity to vie for power from the Fatimid caliph. While the histori- cal details embodied in this legendary tale are dif- ficult to unravel, it nevertheless suggests that, although the Fatimid period may have been a rel- atively peaceful time for the Christian minority, obstacles to church construction and restoration were still extremely significant. Ultimately, this tale suggests that even in this time of tolerance, the Coptic community had to ‘move mountains’ to gain the necessary permissions to restore their churches.6 1 Historical Context In the tenth century, Egypt was controlled by the Ismaili Shiʿi dynasty, the Fatimids, who claimed themselves caliphs, in competition with the Sunni Abbasids in Baghdad and the Figure 15.1 The Church of St Mary and St Samaan, main Umayyads in Cordoba. Scholars often distin- entrance, Muqattam Mountain, Cairo. In the tympanum, the Miracle of Muqattam is guish the Fatimid era by the tolerance it exhib- depicted in mosaic. ited toward the multi-confessional populations © Jennifer Pruitt of Egypt, expressed in part by the inclusion of Christians and Jews in high-ranking posts of the the continuing significance of the Fatimid-era bureaucracy. As in all medieval Muslim societ- miracle to modern Copts. A consideration of the ies, Christians and Jews were considered ‘people tenth-century foundational tale to which they are of the book’ (ahl al-kitab) and as such were linked contributes to a more nuanced view of the treated as a protected population (dhimmi). The richly textured nature of Muslim–Christian life dhimmis were allowed to practice their religion and interfaith relations in early Fatimid Egypt.5 in return for loyalty to the state and an extra tax Modern scholars often dismiss medieval Egyptian (jizya). However, under the inclusiveness of the Christian claims from sources such as The History Fatimid dynasty, these communities rose to par- of the Patriarchs of the Egyptian Church, which ticular prominence. In general, with the notable weaves together hagiography, miracles, and his- exception of the reign of al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah torical events. Yet a closer analysis of tales like the (r. 996–1021), under Fatimid rule, dhimmis were Miracle of Muqattam can help illustrate the com- granted the freedom to practice their faith plex alliances and power struggles between openly. By contrast, during the later Mamluk periods of Egyptian history, Christians and Jews Plans,” Habitat International 30 no. 4 (2006); Anba Mattaos, The Biography of Saint Samaan the Shoemaker “The 6 Research for this article was begun in my doctoral disserta- Tanner” (Cairo: The Church of St Samaan the Tanner in tion, Jennifer Pruitt, “Fatimid Architectural Patronage and Mokattam, 1998); “Cave Church,” cavechurch.com. Changing Sectarian Identities (969–1021)” (Harvard University, 5 The Fatimid rule of Egypt lasted from 969–1171. 2009)..