Religious, Spiritual sights in Sohag
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White Monastery
Currently the best reason to stop at Sohag is to visit two early Coptic monasteries, which trumpet the victory of Christianity over Egypt’s pagan gods. The White Monastery, on rocky ground above the old Nile flood level, 12km northwest of Sohag, was founded by St Shenouda around AD 400 and dedicated to his mentor, St Bigol. White limestone from Pharaonic temples was reused, and ancient gods and hieroglyphs still look out from some of the blocks. It once supported a huge community of monks and boasted the largest library in Egypt, but today the manuscripts are scattered around the world and the monastery is home to 23 monks. The fortress walls still stand though they fai…
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Red Monastery
The Red Monastery, 4km southeast of Deir al-Abyad, is hidden at the rear of a village. Founded by Besa, a disciple of Shenouda who, according to legend, was a thief who converted to Christianity, it was dedicated to St Bishoi. The older of the monastery’s two chapels, St Bishoi and St Bigol’s, dates from the 4th century AD and contains some rare frescoes.
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