Saint Catherine's Church, Heliopolis, 1950

In 1950, the Syrian Catholic community mandated Naoum Shebib to design and build Saint Catherine's church. It is located on Midan Triomphe in Heliopolis, a suburb of Cairo.

Description

The architectural purity is well rendered by the structure composed of several thin reinforced concrete vaults that can be seen both from the inside and from the outside.

The arch forming the body of the church is consolidated by three narrower and taller arches that dominate the entire structure.

Inside the church, gentle and simple curves convey a warm atmosphere, propitious to meditation. The arches are supported by thin delicate columns at the periphery and by a discrete external wall. In the upper section of the wall, a fine glass border brings lightness to the arches.

A modern style stained-glass cross adorns the main façade. Six large stained-glass windows alongside the three central arches add brightness to the interior. Everything is simple and bare, yet modern, elaborate and original.

Construction

It is remarkable that while designing and building this complex multiple-arch structure, Naoum Shebib managed to achieve such an integrated and harmonious result.