[Centre for Egyptological Studies of the RAS]

Projects

Fine Conservation of Al-Mo'allaqa Church

The Church of Virgin Mary — is one of the oldest and the most beautiful Christian churches in Cairo. It is named by its Arabic name “Al-Mo'allqa” that mean «hanging church». This name originates from the fact that this sanctuary was build above the northern gate of the Roman fortress of Babylon. According to legend Al-Mo'allqa was founded in the III ACE. The earliest object coming from this church — a wooden carved panel with representation of the Entry to Jerusalem, now kept in the Coptic Museum — is dated to the V–VI centuries. However in chronicles Al-Mo'allaqa was first mentioned at the time of the Pope Joseph (831–849); the communication was connected with the destruction of the upper part of church. In the X century the sanctuary was reconstructed, in XI–XIV cc. it became the residence of Coptic Popes. Here the most important synods discussing questions of the faith and consecration of anointing oil were held. Al-Mo'allqa underwent numerous demolitions and reconstruction; and in the XIX century it got its final appearance, being turned into a large church with four sanctuaries.

The interior of Al-Mo'allaqa is unique: it includes mural paintings of the XI–XIII ACE, altar screens of the XIII–XIX ACE, marble pulpit of the XI–XVIII ACE, the rich collection of icons of the XVIII ACE and many other elements.

Regrettably for several centuries of existence many parts of the church felt into decay. Conservation works, conducted in the XIX and XX centuries, contributed, to a certain extent, to the further destruction and disfiguration of the monuments' appearance. The icons, however, are in better condition: they were a part of the international conservation project and thus were given a proper conservation treatment. But despite engineering works (taking off subsoil waters, stabilization of foundation and walls, etc.) carried out by the Supreme Council of Antiquities of A.R. Egypt (SCA) in 2001–2003, general condition of the church's interior required urgent conservation.

V. Sarabianov at work

In September 2003 the SCA examined the methods of several conservation schools (Italian, French, Polish and Russian) and made a decision to invite Russian specialists for fine conservation of Al-Mo'allqa.

The staff of the first stage of the project was: A. Gormatiouk (head of conservation works), V. Sarabianov, K. Muraviov, T. Zolotinskaya (conservation of mural paintings), S. Semenov (conservation of marble), A. Melnichenko, V. Zanozin, A. Smirnov and H. Tolmacheva (conservation of tempera and wood).

Long effect of aggressive factors (earthquakes, high level of subsoil waters, leaking of roof, candle soot, etc.) as well as a thick layer of synthetic glue mixed with soot and dust covering all objects — have significantly complicated conservation works. However at the very beginning of the works a special program of conservation treatment was elaborated. The standard methods were adjusted to the monuments in question; many techniques were applied in Egypt for the first time.

Composition «Nativity», XIII c.. Before and after conservation

The first months of work (February–April 2004) resulted with conservation of five fragments of mural paintings of XI–XIII ACE («Virgin Mary with the Child and Two Angels», «Twenty-Four Priests», «Nativity» — in the Tecle Hamanud Chapel; «St. Bishops» and «Meeting in the Temple» — in the Baptistery). The works were also conducted in the Chapel of John the Baptist, where the painted ciborium of XIII–XVII ACE and marble decoration of the apse (Florentine mosaics, XIX century) were restored. Besides, conservation treatment was rendered to the two large wooden altar screens inlayed with ebony and dating to XIII–XIX cc.

Christ Pantocrator, the Image Located inside the Ciborium. XIII c.
Before and after conservation

H. Tolmacheva, S. Ivanov