Saint Simon Church is located in the heart of Mokattam Mountain, southeast of Cairo. It is also known as the Cave Church because it is carved into the rock of Mokattam Mountain. It is the largest church in Egypt and the Middle East, with a capacity of 20,000 people.
The history of this church:
This church is located in a city known as the city of the Zabbaleen because this city has the largest number of garbage collectors and recyclers in Cairo.
Those people came to Cairo as immigrants from Upper Egypt in the 40s due to poverty and difficult conditions there. At first, they worked in agriculture and raising goats, chickens, and pigs. But they found that the collecting and sorting of garbage to sell valuable things makes a greater profit.
Because of the prosperity of their work in the garbage, they reach different parts of Cairo to expand their work and earn more money. But in 1969 AD, all the garbage workers were collected and transferred to this city under the mountainside of Mount Mokattam.
In 1975 AD, the residents of the city of Zabbaleen established their church in the city. But in 1976, a huge fire occurred near the church , so they built their new church in the heart of Mokattam Mountain.
Saint Simon Church or the Cave Church:
Saint Simon Church is one of Egypt’s hidden treasures and distinguished by its amphitheater-shaped design.
This church is considered a landmark as it houses paintings and legends carved on the walls of the rock of the mountain, as well carved statues of the Virgin Mary.
There are many churches in the caves adjacent to this church. They were all linked together to create a huge Christian complex in the middle of the Mokattam Mountain.
Who is Saint Simon?
Saint Simon was a saint who lived at the end of the tenth century AD during the period of the Fatimid Caliph Al-Mu’izz Li-Din Allah. He worked as a tanner. He was associated with the legend of moving the Mokattam Mountain.
you can visit Saint Simon Church with Day Tour to the Cave Church