The Abed Brothers School in Cairo: from Orthodox Unity to National Disunity (1861—1920)

The paper deals with one of the episodes in the history of Orthodox communities in 19th century Egypt, indicative from the point of view of the process of disintegration of the Orthodox confessional community in the Middle East into ethno-confessional communities. Based mainly on Russian diplomatic sources, the paper studies the rivalry between Orthodox Arabs and Greeks for a school opened in Cairo by the Abed brothers, merchants of Syrian origin; estimates the role of Russia in this struggle; examines the specific features of the socio-political and economic development of Egypt, against the background of which changes took place in Orthodox society.