ABU MINA, a pilgrimage center in the Libyan desert where the
tomb of Saint MENAS THE MIRACLE MAKER was venerated from the
fourth century on. It was about 28 miles (46 km) southwest of
Alexandria, near Lake Mareotis. The settlement consisted of a
civil area and an ecclesiastical area, which included Menas'
tomb, a market and accommodations for pilgrims, and a great
tripartite complex—the Martyr Church, the Great Basilica, and
the baptistery. There were also the North Basilica and, nearby,
the East Church in a group of hermits' dwellings. These
structures, now in ruins, are described below. The ancient name
of the site has not come down to us. Despite its considerable
area, which is partially surrounded by a fortification wall that
was once quite high, it was not a municipality in the legal
sense. No bishop was ever in residence there. According to
legends and literary sources, which go back only to the seventh
century and attribute too early a date to everything that took
place, the body of Menas, the martyr w