A visit to Babylon

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As in, the real thing: the Coptic City in Cairo is built on the ruins of the ancient Babylon Fortress.

However, before getting there I went to Mass at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Gezira, Cairo, merely to prove that, no matter how good my intentions, I can be late to Mass no matter what continent.

As I mentioned yesterday, this particular Mass was in Arabic. Thank God that 'Alleluia' and 'Amen' are universal (see, I made it before the Gospel). There also seemed to be a lack of attention to germs, or rather the G.I.R.M., because not only did we exchange the sign of peace (permitted under the GIRM only when you are not sitting next to the Chancellor for Civil Affairs in the Archdiocese), but the entire congregation cited the doxology AND communion was administered to all receiving congregants by means of intinction, with the presiding priest using the special, donut-shaped paten that is attached to the top of the chalice and then administering under both kinds directly on the tongue.

I wondered briefly what my co-Chancellor would make of that practive in these disease ridden days...until, that is, I made it across town to the Coptic Mass, where communicants receive via a communal spoon which is never cleaned or wiped, with each communicant wiping his or her mouth both before and after on the same end of cloth held by the priest. As we debate liturgical alterations due to swine flu, it might be worthwhile reflecting that this particular community, with this particular practice, has been in existence since Biblical times (okay, the practice came about slightly later). Something to think about though...I wonder if the Coptic patriarchs are furiously debating having people bring their own spoons?

I lit my obligatory candles before the icon of Saint George at the church of the same name (the Diocese of Fargo, the Archdiocese, my family and friends, my friend Peter's cousin who was in a car accident which killed her husband and child, safety for all travelers...), and then headed back to my hotel via Metro. Along the way I encountered my first decidedly negative experience in Egypt, when a gang of about twenty pre-teen and teenage boys invaded the women's carriage on the train. Thankfully I was rescued by some older women in chador, who smuggled me onto the seat between them and then spit at the boys, who responded by singing, dancing, and (and I am not kidding about this) thumping their chests.

Like I said, it was like visiting Babylon.

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Photos

The top of the Episcopal Cathedral in Cairo
(and they wonder why they have problems...)

For Andy- the food shot
Date ravioli in vanilla sauce.

Comments

[Andy Eisenzimmer]

Do You Get the Recipe?
Just as I was being convinced to put Cairo at the top of places to avoid (you DID get your shots before you left?), you had to throw in the date ravioli. My only question is, entree or dessert?

[jenniferroyal]

Dessert
The entree item was lamb and apricot ravioli.