# Church of Saint Reweis, Cairo

Source: https://coptic-lore-forge.lovable.app/wiki/church-of-saint-reweis-cairo — Coptic Orthodox Wiki (updated 2026-10-02)

The Church of Saint Reweis, or Anba Ruways, stands in Cairo’s Abbassiyyah district and contains the saint’s burial place, associated with the former monastery of Dayr al-Khandaq.[^1]

## Location and historical setting

The Church of Saint Reweis, called the Church of Anba Ruways, is a small church in the Abbassiyyah district of Cairo, on the grounds of the monastery formerly known as Dayr al-Khandaq.[^1] Dayr al-Khandaq was founded around 970 on land north of Cairo and included a cemetery; this date refers to the monastery rather than explicitly to the surviving church.[^2]

## Dedication and burials

The sources give different accounts of the church’s earlier dedication: the entry on Anba Ruways identifies it as formerly the Church of Saint Mercurius (Abu Sayfayn), while the entry on Dayr al-Khandaq cites al-Maqrizi’s statement that the Church of Mar Jirjis became the Church of Anba Ruways.[^1][^3]

The Anba Ruways entry records that the saint was buried with four patriarchs in the church’s crypt.[^1] The Dayr al-Khandaq entry states that his tomb survives and identifies the patriarchal burials as Matthew I and his three successors.[^3] Separately, the entry on Gabriel VI records that he died on 15 December 1475 and was buried in this church, describing him, on the authority of O. Meinardus, as one of four patriarchs buried there.[^4]

## Later history and surrounding buildings

An Arabic manuscript written for Anba Ruways in 1740 is cited as evidence that the religious establishment still existed at that time.[^5]

A cemetery subsequently developed around the church but was later transferred to the Red Mountain (al-Jabal al-Ahmar) region, leaving the small church behind.[^6] The surrounding land reverted to the patriarchate and became the site of buildings housing the Institute of Coptic Studies and its library, episcopal and patriarchal offices, the Clerical College, the patriarchal residence, and the new Cathedral of Saint Mark.[^6]

## Sources
[^1]: The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 1, Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 330)
[^2]: The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 3, Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 359)
[^3]: The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 3, Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 359)
[^4]: The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 4, Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 316)
[^5]: The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 3, Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 359)
[^6]: The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 1, Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 330)