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One of Cairo's oldest churches, deep in the Coptic quarter — traditionally said to stand over a crypt where the Holy Family sheltered during their journey through Egypt.إحدى أقدم كنائس القاهرة، في عمق الحيّ القبطي — يُقال تقليديًّا إنها تقوم فوق سردابٍ آوى العائلة المقدّسة في رحلتها عبر مصر.
Deep in the heart of Coptic Cairo lies one of the city's oldest and most revered churches: Abu Serga, the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus. A classic early basilica, it is treasured above all for a powerful tradition — that the Holy Family, fleeing into Egypt, sheltered in the crypt beneath it. This belief has made Abu Serga a major place of pilgrimage for centuries, a deeply sacred stop on the journey said to have been taken by Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus.
في عمق قلب القاهرة القبطية تقع إحدى أقدم كنائس المدينة وأكثرها تبجيلًا: أبو سرجة، كنيسة القدّيسين سرجيوس وباخوس. وهي كنيسةٌ بازيليكية مبكّرة كلاسيكية، تُعتزّ قبل كل شيء بتقليدٍ مؤثّر — أنّ العائلة المقدّسة، في فرارها إلى مصر، احتمت في السرداب تحتها. وقد جعل هذا الاعتقاد أبو سرجة موضعَ حجٍّ كبيرًا لقرون، محطّةً مقدّسة عميقة على الرحلة التي يُقال إنّ مريم ويوسف والطفل يسوع سلكوها.
An Ancient Church · كنيسةٌ قديمة
One of Cairo’s oldest.من أقدم كنائس القاهرة.
The church is dedicated to Saints Sergius and Bacchus, two early Christian soldier-martyrs, and is known affectionately as Abu Serga. One of the oldest churches in Cairo, with origins reaching back to the early centuries of Egyptian Christianity, it follows the classic basilica plan: a central nave flanked by rows of columns, leading to the sanctuary. For generations of Coptic Christians, it has been among the most important and beloved churches in Old Cairo.
The Holy Family’s Refuge · ملجأ العائلة المقدّسة
A stop on a famous journey.محطّةٌ في رحلةٍ شهيرة.
Abu Serga is most famous for the crypt beneath its sanctuary. According to a long and cherished tradition, this is one of the places where the Holy Family — Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus — sheltered during their flight into Egypt to escape King Herod. This makes the church a key site on the Holy Family Trail, the route of pilgrimage tracing their journey through Egypt, and a place of deep devotion for Christian pilgrims from around the world.
In Coptic Cairo Today · في القاهرة القبطية اليوم
Sacred history underfoot.تاريخٌ مقدّس تحت الأقدام.
Today Abu Serga remains a cherished, active church and pilgrimage site, set among the other treasures of the Coptic quarter — the Hanging Church, the Ben Ezra Synagogue, and the Coptic Museum — all within the ancient Fortress of Babylon. The ancient crypt, lying low near the water table, can sometimes flood. Visited with respect and modest dress, this humble, deeply historic church is one of the most moving sites in Old Cairo.
Quick Facts · حقائق سريعة
Sources include standard histories of Coptic Cairo. The Holy Family tradition is religious in nature.