Sts. Anthony Monastery The first monastery in the world to be founded, named after Saint Anthony, who is considered by Egyptian Copts to be the first monk in the world and the father of all monks.

The monastery is located at the foot of the Galala mountain. The Monastery of Saint Anthony is a large walled complex with churches, chapels, a bakery, a garden and a spring dedicated to Saint Anthony, the father of monasticism. St Paul's Monastery One of the world's oldest monasteries of the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Monastery of Saint Paul, dating back to the beginning of the 5th century AD, is located in the depths of the Red Sea Mountains in the eastern desert of Egypt. The monastery was built by the followers of St Paul in the Anba Paula cave where he lived. The monastery has four ancient churches and a library with 764 manuscripts, the oldest dating back to the 14th century. Like his friend and colleague Saint Anthony, St Paul was born into a wealthy family, but lost his parents when he was young. Fearing persecution in Alexandria, he fled to the eastern desert, where he lived in a cave. When St Anthony heard that there was another pious man living in the same region, he set out in search of St Paul, and later they became friends.