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The monastery’s location:
approximately 12 kilometres away from Cairo-Alexandria road.
Saint Macarius was the first ascetic to dwell in the wilderness of Scetes in around 330 A.D. He desired peace and tranquility and was the first one to establish a monastic group.
The Baramous’ rapid development was completed as a monastic group who prayed in a church and dwelt in monastic caves surrounding it. The place did not have a fence for boundaries. This was in approximately 356 A.D.
The saints of the monastery:
-The Virgin Saint Mary
-El-Baramous monastery is associated with the two Roman saints; Maximus and Domadious.
-The current monastery is considered as one of the monasteries of the Theotokos; meaning one of the twin monasteries. The Orthodox monks desired to resist the Julianist heresy in the sixth century so they founded churches carrying the name of the Theotokos, in addition to the original churches that carry the name of the monastic group.
-Also amongst the monastery’s saints are Saint Moses the Black who is one of the most wonderful examples of the life of repentance, Saint Abba Isidore (the priest of Scetes) and Saint Arsanious (the teacher of the royal children).
The monastery contains a high fence which was built after the sixth raid of the Barbarians. This was in 817 A.D. The fence is 11 meters high and two and a half meters wide. There is a palace to host guests and two lighthouses.
The monastery’s churches:
-Saint Mary’s ancient Church
-An extension with two churches
-The Church of Prince Theodore
-The Church of Saint George the Roman
-The Church of Saint John the Baptist
The current abbot of the monastery : Bishop Esizarous.
Six of the monastery’s monks were promoted to the Papal throne:
-Pope Christodoulos (66th patriarch)
-Pope John XIV (96th patriarch)
-Pope Matthew IV (102nd patriarch)
-Pope Cyril IV (112th patriarch)
-Pope John XIX (113th patriarch)
-Pope Cyril VI (116th patriarch)
