Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 29.djvu/163

ATEEKAII, OR OLD CAIRO, AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD. 133 reliquary of the usual bolster funn, and a fair painting of the Blessed Virgin and Child. Upstairs, on either side of the nave, and partly opening into it, are two chapels, re- spectively of Mari Girgis and the Meiek Michaeel. In the latter the wooden covering of the Sacred Elements, wJiich is placed over the central altar-groove, is decorated on all its lour sides with paintings of unusual merit, that of the Lord's ^Supper in particular being executed w^ith considerable care and spirit. V. Dayr Abou Eer wa Ilanna, sometimes called Dayr Teodri'is. Churches of these names are both enclosed within the same ancient wall, of which the oldest part is of dark red brick, and the more modern of the same red brick intermixed with pieces of roughly-faced limestone. This convent is reputed to be of great antiquity. Each establishment is entered by an extremely low door, opening from a common courtj'ard. Abou Eer wa Hanna? This church, though a compara- tively humble structure, contains a great number of valu- able and curious articles. The central chapel, dedicated to Abou Eer and Abou Hanna, has its niche adorned Avith the often-repeated figure of our Lord in Glory, upon a gold ground and surrounded by saints. In the left-hand chapel, that of Sitt Miriam (our Lady Mary), are two ancient silver censers of elegant design, three or four sets of brazen cymbals, and a brass corona, not now in use. I was also shown here the vessels for the celebration of the Lord's Supper. They consist of a plain massive chalice of silver, a plain silver paten, and a silver spoon, inscribed with an Arabic inscription. In the paten are two small hoops of silver, joined in the middle crosswise, and used to place under the square napkin-covering over the Consecrated Bread. In the right hand chapel, that of Mari Girgis, are several brass candle- Bticks, a silver censer, partly gilt, two silver hand-crosses, and two silver hand-ornaments, resembling fans with circular tops, on each of which a cherub is represented in relief. Here, likewise, is preserved a superb silver-gilt gospel-case ' A Coptic inscription on an ancient doubtedly called Abou Kcf at the present piece of embroidery from this church, time, and so it waa written down for me now in my possession speaks of this by a Copt, church as that of Abou k'lr, but it is ua-