Fodor's Expert Review Church of St. Sergius

What's known in Arabic as Abu Serga is considered Cairo's oldest church, originally constructed in the 5th century. Though it was destroyed and rebuilt several times, including during a major restoration venture in the Fatimid era, it is, nevertheless, a model of early Coptic church design. Dedicated to two Roman officers, Sergius and Bacchus, both martyred in Syria in 303, the church sits above a cave where the Holy Family was said to have stayed the night during their flight from King Herod. Hence, it was once a major pilgrimage destination for 19th-century European travelers. A special ceremony is still held here every June to commemorate the event.

The entrance leads to the side of the narthex, at the end of which is a baptistry. At the ceiling of the nave, 24 marble pillars that were taken from an earlier site and possibly date from the Ptolemaic era (304–30 BC), support a series of arched timbers. Most of the church furnishings are modern replicas of older pieces. The originals are in the Coptic Museum—pieces from a rosewood pulpit and the sanctuary canopy are among the museum's prized possessions. To the left of the sanctuary is the crypt in which the Holy Family is believed to have hidden.