Eng. Sherif Morgan / Engineering Research Journal 151 (September 2016) A1-A13 A1 The various typologies of Historic Coptic Orthodox Church design Sherif Raouf Amin Morgan 1. INTRODUCTION The Coptic Orthodox Church is a Church that formulated its style and elements in Egypt, affected by its geography, climate, and above all the surrounding civilizations it emerged within. Finding out its way within a paganism society, being Ancient Egyptian locally or the Roman Empire as a ruler of the country, the Coptic Church and people were severely prosecuted. Accordingly, rarely can researchers find information regarding the early buildings of the first three centuries. However, some churches that were first built in the fourth and fifth century 1 after Christianity was formally accepted as a legal religion by the Roman Empire in 313AD 2 and declared the State religion in 381AD 3 are still existing and are subject for research. Although documentation is poor, yet some research has been made regarding the different typologies of the Coptic Orthodox Church design. Finally, the paper aims to review the different literature that classifies the historic Coptic Orthodox Church design. 2. TYPOLOGIES OF HISTORICAL COPTIC ORTHODOX CHURCH DESIGN Typology, a well-known word used to classify things in general, and architectural specifically in this paper, which have similar characteristics. Although it is mostly widely spread between Christians that the Church form follows a Cruciform, Circular or an Ark shape4, yet it is not the real situation within Coptic Orthodox Church designs. Those are mostly symbols that are sometimes used for spiritual meanings and metaphysical significances. Moreover, those shapes are scarcely used by Coptic Architecture. Butler, a well-known historian that wrote 1 Gabra, et al (2007) p.22 2 Watterson, (1988) p.34 3 Gregorius (Bishop), (1982) p.58 4 Malaty (Father), (2004) pp. 57-62
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Eng. Sherif Morgan / Engineering Research Journal 151 (September 2016) A1-A13
A1
The various typologies of
Historic Coptic Orthodox Church design Sherif Raouf Amin Morgan
1. INTRODUCTION
The Coptic Orthodox Church is a Church that formulated its style and
elements in Egypt, affected by its geography, climate, and above all the surrounding
civilizations it emerged within. Finding out its way within a paganism society, being
Ancient Egyptian locally or the Roman Empire as a ruler of the country, the Coptic
Church and people were severely prosecuted. Accordingly, rarely can researchers
find information regarding the early buildings of the first three centuries. However,
some churches that were first built in the fourth and fifth century1 after Christianity
was formally accepted as a legal religion by the Roman Empire in 313AD2and
declared the State religion in 381AD3 are still existing and are subject for research.
Although documentation is poor, yet some research has been made regarding the
different typologies of the Coptic Orthodox Church design. Finally, the paper aims
to review the different literature that classifies the historic Coptic Orthodox Church
design.
2. TYPOLOGIES OF HISTORICAL COPTIC ORTHODOX
CHURCH DESIGN
Typology, a well-known word used to classify things in general, and
architectural specifically in this paper, which have similar characteristics. Although
it is mostly widely spread between Christians that the Church form follows a
Cruciform, Circular or an Ark shape4, yet it is not the real situation within Coptic
Orthodox Church designs. Those are mostly symbols that are sometimes used for
spiritual meanings and metaphysical significances. Moreover, those shapes are
scarcely used by Coptic Architecture. Butler, a well-known historian that wrote
1 Gabra, et al (2007) p.22 2 Watterson, (1988) p.34 3 Gregorius (Bishop), (1982) p.58 4 Malaty (Father), (2004) pp. 57-62
Eng. Sherif Morgan / Engineering Research Journal 151 (September 2016) A1-A13
A2
about the Coptic Churches in 1884, which is one of the oldest documented writings
on the Coptic Church architecture confirms by saying,
“The Coptic builders seem to have had no liking for or no knowledge
of the cruciform groundplan…. The result is that in the majority of
cases the architecture of the Coptic churches is of a mixed type, half-
basilican and half-Byzantine: while in other cases there is a type
entirely non-basilican yet not entirely Byzantine. But there is no case, as far as I know, of an architecture unleavened by either of these two
elements, however variously they enter into combination with each
other and with other elements.”1 Butler first confirms that there are no cruciform church forms in the Coptic
Orthodox Churches. Moreover, he classifies the churches into two typologies, the
first is a mixed half-basilican and half-byzantine, and the second is non-basilican but
yet not Byzantine. He further mentions some examples regarding the Non-basilican
and refers to Anba Antonious monastery (Saint Anthony) referred to in the figure-1
as letters (A) and (B) having two churches with twelve domed roof, three on the
sanctuary area and nine covering the rest of the church. However, he mentions Saint
Barbara Church as a Byzantine example, referred to in figure-1 as letters (C) and
(D). A barrel vault covers the Naïve and main alter. However, the rest of the aisles
and galleries are covered with a flat horizontal roof.
Figure 1 Comparison between Non-basilican Church design (A) Ariel view2 and (B) Google earth image of Saint Anthony Church Monastery in the red sea and the Basilican plan (C) Ariel view3 and (D) Google earth image of Saint Barbara
Church in Old Cairo.
1 Butler, (1884) pp. 6-7 2 Gabra, et al (2007) p.219 3 Sheehan, (2010) p.60
Eng. Sherif Morgan / Engineering Research Journal 151 (September 2016) A1-A13
A3
Bishop Samuel and architect Badie Habib did another form of classification
to the Coptic Orthodox Church designs. The element of which the classification was
focusing on was the Church Dome and its shape and location within the roof of the
church. The following is the output of their classification.
Figure 1 The Coptic Orthodox Church typologies through the classification of the
Dome distribution on the roof.1
The previous classification relates the domes locations above churches with
relevance to date of construction of the church itself, starting from the fifth until the
nineteenth century. The fifth and sixth century dome covers either the main altar or
choir space. The seventh and eighth century dome covers both the altar and choir.
Eleventh and twelfth century twin domes cover the nave and choir, and a smaller
dome covers the altar. Fourteenth and fifteenth century churches have multiple
domes covering the nave and vaults covering the northern and southern aisles.
Sixteenth and seventeenth century churches had a row of altars at the sanctuary areas,
making the church increase in its width. Churches are covered with domes of equal
sizes and heights. Eighteenth and nineteenth century churches are back to three altars
and the whole church is covered with twelve domes, three above the sanctuary area,
and nine covering the rest of the church nave and aisles.