Deir Al Ahbash (or the monastery of the Ethiopians) is one of the oldest monasteries in Wadi Al Natroun. It is located in the south-west of the Armenian monastery and south-east of the monastery of St. Abanoub or Nubia. To its west, lies the monastery of Yhans (Kama) Al-Qusair.
The monastery, which is about 3,300 square meters, has been called several names, such as Deir al-Ahbash or Deir al-Habash, or the Monastery of Elijah the Prophet or the monastery of St. Elias. The monastery is mentioned in the book of the work of the Holy Chrism at the time of Pope Benjamin II, Patriarch No. 82 (1327-1339).
It was also mentioned in the same book that Pope Gabriel IV, Patriarch (86) (1370-1378), having completed the work of the Holy Chrism, he visited St. Maccarius monastery and then they visited the monastery of Abi Yahans, where he was received by monks of the monastery and the Ethiopian and Armenian monks.
This proves that the monastery was full of monks and was a beacon of monasticism, but not for a long time as it was targeted like the rest of Wadi al-Natroun monasteries.
A number of natural and human factors contributed to the destruction of Deir al-Ahbash in 1440. The Arab historian of al-Maqrizi (764-845) described the ruins of this monastery in his book.
