The Martyrs of Fayoum
The relics of martyred monks discovered at Archangel Gabriel Monastery in Fayoum.
Relic
Category
Background
During some construction work at the monastery of Archangel Gabriel in Fayoum, in 1991, the relics of these martyrs were discovered. They were dressed in monks' clothing with crosses and leather girdles.
The bodies had signs of torture. Some of them were beheaded which means that they were monks who lived in the monastery at an earlier time and have been tortured to death for their Christian faith.
A body of a young child was discovered with signs of torture too. It is known in the church history that some boys used to join the monastic life at a young age, as in the story of St Shenouda the Archimandrite.
Some bodies were buried in old cascades made of palm sheets. The bodies were put in new caskets and the church celebrated them with a great ceremony. Many of these relics were distributed among different churches inside and outside Egypt to receive their blessings.
