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This is the most magical religious space I have ever seen. Buried below a ruined monastery, right on the edge of the Nubian desert, is the medieval tomb of Georgios, the Nubian archbishop of Dongola (modern Old Dongola in Sudan). Blessed with an extraordinarily long life of 82 years, Georgios served as archbishop for 50 (!) years and, until his death in 1113, was undoubtedly one of the most powerful men in the Christian kingdom of Makuria. Known as patron of arts and founder of churches, he had plenty of time to reflect upon his life’s deeds. His sins, or humility must have been considerable as, fearing for his soul, he built a mausoleum for himself – a unique commemorative compound adorned with a decorated portal, a chapel with an altar and a pulpit from which sermons were delivered to worshippers praying for his soul. The walls of the crypt, where his body was to be positioned were inscribed with countless prayers, names of nearly 100 angels, magical symbols and spells protecting his soul. Georgios was an educated man, so writings protecting his soul were written in many languages: Greek, Sahidic Coptic and, of course, Old Nubian. What good this secret knowledge, power and faith did? Georgios tomb survived the collapse of Christian Makuria. Its vault stood firm when nearly all other churches, cathedrals and sanctuaries of Dongola crumbled. Georgios’ body, wrapped in garments of pure gold threads lay undisturbed for centuries, when graves of Makurian monarchs and nobles were lost to age and loot by marauding Islamic armies from Egypt. Maybe then, his prayers and spells for the dead were not entirely in vain.

Tomb of archbishop Georgios was discovered and excavated fairly recently by Polish archaeologists. Georgios’ body was reburied in another, safe location. For those interested, here is a list of prayers and magical symbols discerned on these walls: West Wall: an invocation of the Holy Trinity in a particular Iconic Order with the Father in the middle, the Son on His right, the Holy Ghost on His left; a colophon which explicitly calls the inscription a phylakterion; magical signs; a Trinitarian formula; a series of numerical cryptograms; a list of divine names and a magical circle (Mt. 1:1-2 and 28:20). North wall: a long inscription in Greek containing a prayer of Mary of a type known from Coptic sources, ending with a description of a magical ritual; the seal of Solomon and a list of 96 angelic names arranged in 24 columns of four items each, a liturgical prayer, a Sator-Square, Mk 1:1-2 and 16:20. East Wall: Lk. 1:1-2 and 24;53 prayer of Mary before her death from Ps – Cyril of Jerusalem in Beatam Mariam Virginem and a list of apostles. South Wall Jh. 1:1-3 and 21:25, the dormition and assumption of the Virgin from Ps. Evodius of Rome in Dormitione Beate Mariae Virginis and another Sator-Square.

I am not sure, if anyone still uses this site but if you are here, thank you for reading!

Description

This is the most magical religious space I have ever seen. Buried below a ruined monastery, right on the edge of the Nubian desert, is the medieval tomb of Georgios, the Nubian archbishop of Dongola (modern Old Dongola in Sudan). Blessed with an extraordinarily long life of 82 years, Georgios served as archbishop for 50 (!) years and, until his death in 1113, was undoubtedly one of the most powerful men in the Christian kingdom of Makuria. Known as patron of arts and founder of churches, he had plenty of time to reflect upon his life’s deeds. His sins, or humility must have been considerable as, fearing for his soul, he built a mausoleum for himself – a unique commemorative compound adorned with a decorated portal, a chapel with an altar and a pulpit from which sermons were delivered to worshippers praying for his soul. The walls of the crypt, where his body was to be positioned were inscribed with countless prayers, names of nearly 100 angels, magical symbols and spells protecting his soul. Georgios was an educated man, so writings protecting his soul were written in many languages: Greek, Sahidic Coptic and, of course, Old Nubian. What good this secret knowledge, power and faith did? Georgios tomb survived the collapse of Christian Makuria. Its vault stood firm when nearly all other churches, cathedrals and sanctuaries of Dongola crumbled. Georgios’ body, wrapped in garments of pure gold threads lay undisturbed for centuries, when graves of Makurian monarchs and nobles were lost to age and loot by marauding Islamic armies from Egypt. Maybe then, his prayers and spells for the dead were not entirely in vain.

Tomb of archbishop Georgios was discovered and excavated fairly recently by Polish archaeologists. Georgios’ body was reburied in another, safe location. For those interested, here is a list of prayers and magical symbols discerned on these walls: West Wall: an invocation of the Holy Trinity in a particular Iconic Order with the Father in the middle, the Son on His right, the Holy Ghost on His left; a colophon which explicitly calls the inscription a phylakterion; magical signs; a Trinitarian formula; a series of numerical cryptograms; a list of divine names and a magical circle (Mt. 1:1-2 and 28:20). North wall: a long inscription in Greek containing a prayer of Mary of a type known from Coptic sources, ending with a description of a magical ritual; the seal of Solomon and a list of 96 angelic names arranged in 24 columns of four items each, a liturgical prayer, a Sator-Square, Mk 1:1-2 and 16:20. East Wall: Lk. 1:1-2 and 24;53 prayer of Mary before her death from Ps – Cyril of Jerusalem in Beatam Mariam Virginem and a list of apostles. South Wall Jh. 1:1-3 and 21:25, the dormition and assumption of the Virgin from Ps. Evodius of Rome in Dormitione Beate Mariae Virginis and another Sator-Square.

I am not sure, if anyone still uses this site but if you are here, thank you for reading!