St. Simon the Tanner Cathedral

Mokattam is also famous as a historical site for the Christians of Cairo. During the tenth century, an order was given that the Christians would have to move outside Cairo, past Mokattam Mountain. For three days before the date by which they were supposed to have moved, Christians throughout Egypt prayed and fasted. On the day on which they were to move, an earthquake struck and the mountain was literally moved. The Christians recalled the verse from the Bible that states "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you." (Matthew 17:20) The Christians were allowed to stay in Cairo, and to this day most of the inhabitants of Mokattam are Christians.

An outdoor cathedral was later built in this spot to commemorate the moving of the mountain. It is called St. Simon the Tanner Cathedral after the man who led the initiative to move Mokattam Mountain.