Look down before you climb the stairs: there are Roman stones beneath the church. Al-Muallaqa, ‘the Suspended’, was built on top of the southern gate of the fortress of Babylon, so its nave hangs over the old passageway. Travellers also called it ‘the Staircase Church’, after its 29 steps.

1What the records say

Nobody knows when it was founded. The first reliable mention dates from the 9th century, and the patriarch Abraham rebuilt it almost entirely around 975-978. In 1047 the seat of the Coptic pope moved to Cairo, and for generations this church hosted patriarchal elections and great ceremonies. It holds around 110 icons, most of them from the 18th century.

2The mountain that moved

Coptic tradition ties this church to one of its best-loved stories. The Fatimid caliph al-Muizz, egged on by an adviser, challenged the Christians with a line from the Gospel: if faith can move mountains, let them move Mount Muqattam. If they failed, their religion would stand exposed.

According to the story, the patriarch Abraham fasted and prayed for three days in al-Muallaqa. The Virgin appeared to him and pointed him to a humble one-eyed tanner, Simon, whose prayer made the mountain shake and shift.

Historians point out that the dates do not fit well: al-Muizz died in 975, the same year Abraham became patriarch. Even so, the Coptic Church keeps the memory alive: the patriarch's three days of fasting were added to its Christmas fast.

3What to look for

  • The twin bell towers of the facade, crowned with crosses.
  • The staircase that climbs over the height of the Roman gate.
  • The stones of the fortress, visible at the foot of the building.

Documented

The church stands on the southern gate of the Roman fortress of Babylon, is mentioned from the 9th century onwards and was the patriarchal seat from 1047.

Oral tradition

The miraculous moving of Mount Muqattam through the prayer of Simon the Tanner is a story from Coptic tradition, not confirmed by independent sources.

Sources and credits

Alfred J. Butler, ‘The Ancient Coptic Churches of Egypt’ (1884); Gawdat Gabra and Tim Vivian, ‘Coptic Monuments of Egypt Through Time’ (2012); ‘History of the Patriarchs of the Coptic Church of Alexandria’ (life of Abraham ibn Zura).

Photos:

  • White facade of the Hanging Church with its twin bell towers and crosses: Sphotography13, CC BY-SA 4.0.

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