A new church on a martyr's tomb By Samir Naoum Thanks to a major restoration project, the ancient church of Abu-Qastur which stands at the centre of the village of Bardnauha just south of Beni Mazar, has been brought back to life. Moreover, a new paved road has been built leading to the walled complex as well as a new church. As a result, an important and long-neglected historical site is beginning to rouse the interest of visitors once again. The site indeed has much to fascinate both professional and amateur historians.
Human settlement dates back probably as far as pharaonic times.
The local saint died a martyr's death under the reign of Diocletian. The ancient church has been excavated and the evidence points to an early foundation date. The new church, too, is a building of note. The latter is an impressive edifice designed by Kamel Awad, dean of Cairo University's Faculty of Fine Arts. Its paintings are by the well-known Czechoslovakian artist Jarohilbert.