Jill Kamil

A pleasant little guidebook, with a little politically correct Coptic history thrown in. The politically correct part is necessary since the publisher is the American University in Cairo Press and if there was the slightest hint that Copts have been treated poorly by the Islamic government it would have been suppressed. (There is one mention of a persecution, by the 11th century caliph al-Hakim; that gets a pass since al-Hakim is usually considered a heretic by Sunnis). For example, the book mentions Pope Shenouda III – but not that he was under house arrest at the time of publication. Nor is there much in the way of theological discussion – how Coptic Orthodox is different from Greek Orthodox, etc.


The guidebook part includes the historical Coptic churches left in Old Cairo, the Coptic museum, and the monasteries in the Wadi Natrun. It does not mention any newer Coptic churches, which again is probably a concession to the Egyptian government; these are all security areas. Slim (thus easy to carry around) with good maps and building plans. Don’t pay list price, though.
… (more)