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The monastery
of St. Theodore for nuns in Harret- El-Rum, is one of the five monasteries
for nuns in cairo.
If dates
back to the 13th. century according to historians and what is mentioned
in old manuscripts.
By the
end of the seventeenth century the area of Harret-El-Rum, together with
the monastery and the nearby churches like El-Adra-El Mughitha church,
began to be in spot light due to the movement of the Papal residence from
Harret-Zouwaila to Harret-El-Rum. In about year 1675 A.D.
During
the eighteenth century the area became the center of a great ecclesiastical
activity due to the presence of the popes and the frequent visits of bishops,
priests, monks and the coptic notables. Also the presence of El-Qalaa in
the nearby (El-Qalaa was the bureaucratic center of government at the time)
help in marking the coptic notables and bureaucrats to reside in Harret-El-Rum,
and of course this added to the activity and importance of the area.
For these
reasons the monastery grew and became active and was mentioned in history
more frequent than in previous times.
The tradition
handed to us through pervious nuns says that the residence of the Popes
was in the place of the present church of the monastery dedicated to St.
Theodore.
By the
approach of the nineteenth century the importance of Harret-El-Rum began
to diminish and accordingly the importance of the monastery and the near
by church of El-Adra El-Mughitha.
Firstly
due to the movement of the papal residence from Harret-El-Rum to Harret-El-Azbakia
in 1799 A.D. Secondly due to the movement of the government from El-Qalaa
to the palace of Abbdin in the reign of Khedive Ismail which consecutively
led to the transition of coptic notables, and bureaucrats to other quarters
like El-Azbakia, Harret-El-Saqaeen and Faggala.
In spite
of these factors (up till the mid of the twentieth century) a number of
copts stayed in Harrt-El-Rum due to the presence of the commercial
districts like El-Ghuria , and El-Azhar in the vicinity when Copts began
to move to more high- class districts.
Now the
monastery is witnessing a monastic and constructional growth due to the
prayers and guidance of his Holiness Pope Shenouda the Third. On march,
31, 1991 The Pope ordained 7 nuns and joined nuns and novices to the monastery.
In anther visit to the monastery in September 11, 1990 he inaugurated
the new building for nuns by raising prayers of blessing of new buildings.
We ask
God to bless the growth of churches and monasteries by the prayers and
blessings of his Holiness Pope Shenouda the Third who through his efforts
and guidance and good example monasticism saw a great boom in Egypt and
outside Egypt.
