Vol.I - The Coptic Orthodox Church

CH. vii.] Desert Monasteries. 299
of the church is consequently a groined vaulting
except over the haikal, which has its own dome,
while a second dome is placed over part of the choir
in front of the haikal. The haikal here, as in most
of the desert churches, has a pointed arch, which
corresponds to the English chancel-arch, but is due
of course to Byzantine influence. The church con-
tains nothing of interest except a latish picture of
St. Macarius, who is wrongly represented with a
jewelled epigonation.
The church of Abu Makar is much larger and
finer. Like Al Shiukh, it must be styled Byzantine
in character, and cannot boast of any nave or of any
very clear plan. It has three sanctuaries, a continuous
choir partially walled off from the rest of the
church westward, and a western end very irregular
in shape. The chief interest here lies in the central
no less than
haikal, which is very remarkable, being
25 ft. broad from south to north and 20 ft. long. It
is covered in with a splendid dome of fine brickwork,
which recalls the best period of Arab art. The small
windows in the dome contain remains of fine stuccowork,
set with tiny panes of coloured glass : and
though much of the plaster has fallen, enough
remains to show that the whole inner surface of
the dome was once adorned with fresco paintings.
The ancient doors of the haikal are finely carved
with arabesques in low relief: over the screen rises
a lofty chancel-arch, the soffit of which is cased
with wood, whereon are painted nine medallions en-
closing sacred scenes. The haikal here and without
exception in all the churches of the Natrun valley
is square-ended, a curious reversal of the rule
among the Cairene churches, in which the apse is