Monastery of Saint Matthew the Potter
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 | |
  Location within Egypt | |
| Monastery information | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Saint Matthew the Poor |
| Established | 704-29 |
| Dedicated to | Saint Matthew the Potter |
| Diocese | Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria |
| People | |
| Founder(s) | Saint Matthew the Potter |
| Site | |
| Location | Naq 'al-Zinaiqa, Luxor |
| Country |  Egypt |
| Coordinates | 25°22′12″N 32°28′50″E / 25.37°N 32.480556°E |
| Public access | Yes |
The Monastery of Saint Matthew the Potter, also known as the Monastery of Saint Matthew the Poor, is a Coptic Orthodox monastery in Upper Egypt. It was founded by a Coptic monk of the same name. It is located in Luxor Governorate near the town of Naq 'al-Zinaiqa, about seven kilometers northwest of the village of Asfun al-Matana near Esna. The monastery is built at the edge of the desert.
The monastery was founded some time after the 8th century when St. Matthew the Potter retired into the desert here. Sources indicate that the original monastery was destroyed in the 10th century, but rebuilt in the 11th century. This is when the oldest of the current structures dates from.[1]
It was uninhabited for a period of time, but in 1975, Coptic Orthodox monks reestablished a presence there. Excavations done by French archeologists between the Monastery of Saint Matthew the Poor and the Monastery of the Martyrs have revealed much about the history of Coptic monasticism in this region.
In the present day the monastery complex is still actively inhabited; the monks have built new chapels inside and outside the original complex.
