Monastery of Saint Macarius the Great

The Monastery of Saint Macarius The Great also known as Dayr Aba Maqār is a Coptic Orthodox monastery located in Wadi El Natrun, Beheira Governorate, about 92 km north-west of Cairo, and off the highway between Cairo and Alexandria.

The monastery is attributed to Saint Macarius the Great, a disciple of Saint Anthony the Great, the founder of Christian monasticism. Macarius retreated to the Wadi El-Natrun desert and is believed to have established his hermitage there in the last third of the 4th century AD. The monastery was once overseen by Pope Shenouda III, following the resignation of Bishop Michael of Assiut, who had served as its abbot for 65 years. After Pope Shenouda’s death in March 2012, the monks requested the reinstatement of Bishop Michael as abbot. He returned to lead the monastery in April 2012 but resigned permanently shortly after. On March 10, 2013, Anba Epiphanius was appointed abbot, a position he held until his assassination on July 29, 2018.