Tag: Egypt

In the center of Cairo there is an area guarded by troops, which is called "Old Cairo" (Misr el Kadima) and it is Egypt's Christian bastion. There are many historical Christian churches in this area, the oldest of which is the Saints Sergius and Bacchus church. There is a cave in the basement of this church, which is called the Family Crypt.

Constantine Cavafy was born in Alexandria in 1863 and his parents were of Constantinople descent. He was a cosmopolitan, since his family roots were spreading from Constantinople to Alexandria and from Trapezounta to London. He lived as an authentic Greek and as a world's civilian at the same time.

A vast city of rare beauty and great social problems. At the bazaars, you get overwhelmed with colours and smells, while streets are overflowing with countless people and traffic chaos prevails. An awe-inspiring capital with enormous size and historical monuments of global value. A society of pious people, living a level-headed and dignified life.

Wherever one may stand in the Egyptian Desert, there is always this overwhelming feeling that every movement leads to the Nile River. Coaches carrying barrels and laundry, caravans exhausted by the heat and fatigue, children half-asleep riding on elderly horses; everyone is heading towards the blue artery of water flowing through the burning sand.

The Patriarchate of Alexandria has the whole Orthodox Christian population of Africa under its spiritual jurisdiction and is the second Orthodox patriarchate, according to the canonical order (after the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople). Its missionary work is in the depths of Africa is prominent, where theological guidance and charity work is continuously expanding and is increasingly embraced by the unfortunate continent.

Every night people gather on the banks of the Nile for a walk. The place is especially crowded under the bridge, which is in front of the Hilton hotel and the archaeological museum. On the shores of the river there are many boats decorated with colorful lights, used as floating discotheques. Their owners call to the passers-by with loudspeakers, enticing them to take a musical boat ride. The boatmen’s voices mix with the Arabic music, creating an atmosphere of total cheerful chaos.

During the period of the Greek community's bloom in Alexandria many schools for the expatriated were built so that the educational needs of thousands of Greek children could be covered. Education was previously not limited in elementary schools and high schools, but it was extended in a higher level. Salvagios School of Commerce used to be in the building where the elementary school is being housed, which was a donation of Constantine Salvagos, the banker, and many recherché accountants who were never left without a job graduated from this school. In addition, the famous Zervoudakios Urban School, a donation of the banker George Zervoudakis, used to be in the building where the high school is now being housed.

The blooming Greek community of Cairo, at the beginnings of the 19th century, was followed by the construction of many Greek schools, which were scattered all around the city and were attended by thousands of students. But the social rearrangements that took place during the 50's, when Egypt nationalized foreign companies, led to the beginning of the Greek community's decline and the decrease in the number of Greek students.

When Alexander the Great crossed the area of Alexandria in 332 B.C., he kneeled on the vast beach and carved on the sand the amphitheatrical shape of the future town, which would later become the capital of Egypt and would be named after him.