The Monastery of St. Jeremiah (Deir Apa Jeremiah) is an ancient Christian monastery located in Saqqara, Egypt. Here are some details about it:
- Location: The monastery is situated in the southern part of the Saqqara necropolis, approximately 500 meters from the Step Pyramid of Djoser.
- Discovery: Archaeologist James E. Quibell excavated the site between 1906 and 1910, unearthing a vast church, a funerary building, a refectory, monastic cells, and other structures. Many decorative items, including columns, capitals, and friezes, were removed to the Coptic Christian Museum in Cairo.
- Origins: While the precise origins of the monastery remain unclear, it likely developed as an anchorite settlement in the desert near fertile land. Literary references mention Jeremiah, the abbot of this monastery, and another abbot named Enoch.
- Coptic Era: The monastery was in use until the eighth century AD. Unfortunately, invading Arabs ransacked it in 950, leaving little of the original structure.