دير وكنيسة سمات مار فرنسيس الأسيزي St. Jacob Church

It was built by the late Simaan Yaacoub Karam in 1872, after he donated the entire plot of land for the construction of the new Orthodox cemetery of al-Mina. This is confirmed by a manuscript signed by the Karam family, indicating their intention to dedicate the land as the new cemetery for the Greek Orthodox community in al-Mina. The burial chamber located directly beneath the church was designated for the Karam family. The year of construction is recorded on a marble plaque fixed at the church entrance, honoring Simaan Karam and his brothers George and Wahba Karam, who were attributed to the Karam lineage. The architecture of the church shows that it was designed specifically as a cemetery church for the Orthodox community, as it consists of a single nave and was intended for funeral rites, memorial services, and prayers for the repose of the departed. In 1927, the Orthodox Charitable Society carried out renovations on the church. Source: “The Orthodox: People and Stone” – Edited and documented by Dr. Jean Abdallah Touma.