Ibrahim El-Gohary - Building Churches

Building Churches

Ibrahim El-Gohary was known for his love for building new churches and monasteries, and for repairing those that had been destroyed by Muslims.

Due to his influential position in the government and his great favour to the Muslim rulers, he was able to issue fatwas that permitted the Copts to rebuild the destroyed churches and monasteries. This was of particular importance because the Copts were not allowed to build new churches or to repair old ones unless they got official government approval, which was rarely granted.

One of these churches that he built is the Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Azbakeya in Cairo, that his brother completed and congregated by Pope Mark VIII in 1800.

Ibrahim El-Gohary also donated many endowment of good land and money for the reconstruction, that amounted to 238 endowments as documented in the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate.

In 1794 Ibrahim El-Gohary renovated Saint Mary Church (Haret Elroum) which was the Seat of the Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria at the time.

Ibrahim El-Gohary remained in his position until a coup d'etat by Hasan Qubtan forced him, along with Murad Bey and Ibrahim Bey to flee to Upper Egypt. Qubtan persecuted the Copts, forbing them to ride horses with saddlesor to use Muslims as servants. Hasan Qubtan also confiscated all of El-Gohary's belongings and endowments. On 7 August 1791, Murad Bey, Ibrahim Bey and Ibrahim El-Gohary returned to Cairo and El-Gohary assumed his former position.