Mahragan El Keraza High School Curriculum

Transcription

1 High School Curriculum Table of Contents High School Curriculum... 1 Lesson Plan... 2 The Christian Dogma... 4 St. Athanasius The Apostle... 6 Purity... 9 Church History St. Mark the Apostle, the Founder of the Coptic Church The Ecumenical Councils The First Ecumenical Council, The Council of Nicaea The Second Ecumenical Council, The Council of Constantinople The Third Ecumenical Council, The Council of Ephesus Nicene Creed - The Symbol of Faith

2 Lesson Plan Overview The Mahragan study period will take place over 13 weeks. The first week is a preliminary introduction. The following 10 weeks cover the assigned lessons. The last two weeks are designated for an overall review. Each lesson meeting s time is 45 minutes. Test questions are built entirely, and only, from the study materials provided. Subject Lessons Lessons Objectives Number of Meetings that Cover the Lessons Dogma What is Dogma? By the end of the lessons, students should learn: 1. The definition of Christian Dogma 2. The three most basic dogmas of the Christian faith 3. How to be dogmatic 4. Dogma is based on truth and love 5. Coptic asceticism is not an isolation from men One Meeting Saints Stories St. Athanasius, The Apostle By the end of the lessons, students should learn: 1. The childhood life of St. Athanasius 2. The persecution of St. Athanasius 3. St. Athanasius fight against Aries heresy One Meeting Purity The life of Repentance and Purity By the end of the lesson, students should learn: 1. The definition of purity 2. The signs of purity 3. The true measure of attaining purity 4. The effects of vanities on purity 5. The fruits of the spirit One Meeting Church History The Christian Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt By the end of the lessons, students should learn: 1. The origin of the word Copts 2. The role of St. Mark in bringing Christianity to Egypt 3. The contribution of the Copts in spreading Christianity all over the world Three Meetings 2

3 Apologetics 4. The contribution of the Copts in defending the Christian faith. 5. The contribution of the school of Alexandria 6. The establishment of Monasticism in Egypt 7. The role of Patriarchs and Popes of Alexandria in Christian theology 8. The Copts believe in two natures "human" and "divine" that are united in one 9. The Copts persecution 10. The seven Coptic canonical sacraments 11. The intercession of Saints 12. The three main liturgies in the Coptic church 13. The seven major Holy feasts and seven minor Holy feasts By the end of the lessons, students should learn: The logistics of defending and proving the existence of God Two Meetings Church Councils The Ecumenical Councils By the end of the lessons, students should learn: 1. The 3 councils of the Orthodox church 2. The purpose of the councils 3. The false doctrine of the Alexandrian priest Arius 4. The false teaching of the Arian bishop of Constantinople, Macedonius 5. The false doctrine of Nestorius, Archbishop of Constantinople 6. The meaning of the word Creed 7. When the symbol of faith is recited? Two Meetings 3

4 What is Dogma? Mahragan El Keraza 2018 The Christian Dogma Excerpts from articles by Fr. Tadros Malaty and Bible Doctrine by Wayne Grudem Dogma is defined as a belief or set of beliefs that is accepted by the members of a group without being questioned or doubted. In Christianity, dogma is the body of biblical doctrines proclaimed by, and accepted by Christians. The dogma of the Christian religion is that which is preached from the pulpit, taught by Christian leaders, and believed by followers of Christ. To be orthodox, Christian dogma must align with the teaching of the Word of God The three most basic dogmas of the Christian faith, those which all Christians are taught and must believe, are what separate Christianity from all other religions. The three are the deity of Christ (John 1:1, 14), His substitutionary death and resurrection (2 Corinthians 5:21), and salvation from sin by grace through faith and deeds (Ephesians 2:8 9). There are many other Christian dogmas, including the doctrines of the Trinity; the inspiration, inerrancy, and sufficiency of Scripture; the virgin birth; the indwelling of the Holy Spirit; and others. But the three doctrines mentioned above are the core doctrines of the faith, for upon them rests the eternal destiny of every human being. To be dogmatic, that is, to have a strong set of beliefs about faith and doctrine, is often frowned upon in today s pluralistic culture. Yet believers in Christ are commanded to be dogmatic: Brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings [the dogma] we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter (2 Thessalonians 2:15). Dogmas, to the Coptic Orthodox Church, are not merely theological concepts concerning God, man, church, eternal life, heavenly creatures, demon etc., to be discussed among clergymen, scholars and laymen, but are, in essence, daily experiences each member of the church has to live. In other words, dogmas representing our faith in God through various aspects, have one message, i.e. our communion with God the Father in Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word of God, by His Holy Spirit. Thus, we conceive of our redemption, and our membership of the church, a deep understanding of the Holy Bible, an acceptance of the Kingdom of God within our souls, a communion with the heavenly creatures and the experience of eternal life. The Christian Church is not merely a school involved in researches and teaching dogmas, but an institution which worships God and serves mankind. It works for the transformation and the renewal of this world, and hopefully awaits the world to come. Truly, the Christian Church would not be the church as we know it without Christian dogmas. Dogmas interpret our whole philosophy of the church through repeated practice of our faith through the holy tradition (the holy Scriptures, worship, behavior and preaching). All these elements represent different aspects of the one inseparable church life. 4

5 Dogmas in fact are mirrors of the Holy Scripture. They explain the Holy Scriptures and attract men to enjoy its spirit. Similarly, we can say that dogmas are the way in which believers are guided to worship God in truth and in spirit. True worship reveals our dogmas in simplicity. Dogmas are what is believed, taught, confessed and practiced. Dogma correlates to asceticism and is biblical. The early Alexandrian theologians and clergymen were true ascetics, and as a result asceticism still strongly affects our theology. This is not by denying the needs of our bodies, as some scholars charge, but by insisting on the soteriological aspect: The early Coptic ascetics were involved in enjoying the redeeming deeds of the Holy Trinity, i.e. in enjoying the sanctification of the soul, mind, body, gifts etc... through communion with the Father in His Son through the Holy Spirit. It did not hate the body, its senses and capacities, nor did it deny the human free will, or despise earthly -life and all its properties. Coptic asceticism in its essence was not an isolation from men, but rather enjoying unity with God. The Dogma is based on Truth and Love. Its the interpretation of our experience of God, in the Crucified and Risen Jesus Christ. This experience throughout the ages does not alter, for Jesus Christ remains the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb. 13:18). The disciples and apostles (and bishops afterwards) did not sit around a table and agree to teach new dogmas, but rather they preached their Christian experience. As St. John says, "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you" I John 1:3. Thus all Christian dogmas resulted from Church's experience of the Crucified and Risen Christ, "Truth and "Love" at the same time. We receive these dogmas as the unchangeable truth that we must holdfast, with "love." The Coptic Orthodox Church is well known as a conservative church, especially in dogmas and doctrines. At the same time, it progresses not by embracing new doctrines or new "articles of faith," but by explaining the same faith "once given to the saints" (Jude 3) in a contemporary language. Monotheism and Trinitarian Faith, our faith in its essence is a call to enjoy the experience of the One God, Lover of mankind. The Old and the New Testaments confirm the belief in the One God, but the Old Testament deals with this matter in its passive aspect, for its aim was to keep the believers away from idols and from practicing the abominations of nations that accompanied paganism (2 Kings 21:2). The New Testament witnesses to the One God in a positive aspect, for it does not only declare the oneness of God but it also deepens our faith in God by revealing the "Trinitarian" faith. In fact, this faith does not oppose "Monotheism," but emphasizes it by revealing some mysteries of the One God and giving interpretation to these mysteries. 5

6 St. Athanasius The Apostle Excerpts from: Molloy, Michael E. Champion of Truth: The life of Saint Athanasius Early Years of St. Athanasius St. Athanasius the Great was born into a devout Christian family around the year 297 during the reign of Emperor Diocletian, and was baptized and chrismated while still an infant. In year 303, Emperor Diocletian issued an edict calling for the destruction of the churches. In year 304 Christianity was made illegal and punishable by death. From age five to fifteen, Athanasius knew clergy, friends, relatives, and playmates who had been arrested, imprisoned, tortured, exiled, and murdered. Persecution continued until Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, legalizing Christianity. During this time of peace, Alexander was chosen as Patriarch of Alexandria. Shortly after, Athanasius caught his attention when a group of children, including Athanasius, were playing at the seashore. The Christian children decided to baptize their pagan playmates. The young Athanasius, whom the children designated as bishop, performed the Baptism, precisely repeating the words he heard in church. Alexander observed all this from a window. He commanded that the children and their parents be brought to him. He conversed with and determined that the Baptism performed by Athanasius was done according to the Church order. He acknowledged it as real and sealed it with the Chrism. From that moment, the Patriarch looked after Athanasius spiritual upbringing. Athanasius received his formal education at the School of Alexandria. He not only studied theology but also studied philosophy and Greek classics. At the age of nineteen, St. Athanasius wrote two lengthy letters to his friend Macarius. The first letter was called Against the Gentiles, which was an apology for 6

7 the Christian faith and refutation of paganism. The second letter is On the Incarnation, in which Athanasius explains that Christ became a man in order to save mankind from sin and death. During his youth, Athanasius also spent time with the great Saint Antony in the desert. It is possible that his parents might have sent him into the desert for a period of time during the great persecution. Athanasius said that he had poured water over Antony s hands, showing that he was Antony s disciple. The length of time Athanasius spent with Antony is unknown, but during this time he developed a lifelong friendship with St. Antony. He not only gained much spiritual insight and wisdom from their relationship but also developed a keen fondness for all monastics, which continued throughout his lifetime. Athanasius was ordained a deacon to the church. His duties included assisting at the services and coordinating assistance to the needy. Patriarch Alexander also appointed him to be his archdeacon. Athanasius always accompanied the Patriarch, scheduled all of his appointments, and always sought to his needs. St. Athanasius and the Council of Nicea Athanasius who was a deacon at that time, attended the Council of Nicea with Pope Alexander. Athanasius not only refuted the Arians, but also composed the Nicene Creed on behalf of Pope Alexander, which is now known as the Orthodox faith. St. Athanasius the Patriarch of Alexandria Two and a half years after the Council, Pope Alexander, realizing he was nearing the end of his life, chose Athanasius to be his successor. On his deathbed, Alexander called for Athanasius, but the archdeacon was nowhere to be found. After Alexander s death, Athanasius was elected and consecrated as the 20 th Patriarch of Alexandria on June 8, 328 One of his first efforts as Patriarch was to visit the many churches in Egypt. He also visited the monasteries, including those of Pachomius. At the monastery of Pachomius, Athanasius addressed the monks, prayed in the church, and visited their cells. The First Exile After many attempts and false accusations, the Arians were able to convince Emperor Constantine to exile Athanasius by falsely claiming that Athanasius threatened to starve the city of Constantinople by stopping the grain shipments from Egypt. During this exile, Arius lied to Emperor Constantine and said that he had accepted the faith. Against the wishes of the Church, Arius was ordered to take communion the following day, but died that evening due to a hemorrhaging in his bowels, thus never receiving communion. After the death of Constantine, Athanasius was released from exile. The Arians responded by claiming that Saint Antony was Arian, but the monk came from the desert, refuted the Arians, and spent few days in the city. The Second Exile 7

8 In year 338, a council convened in Antioch between the Emperor of the East, Constantinius, and Bishop Eusebius to remove Athanasius as patriarch and replace him with Gregory of Antioch. After Gregory was installed as Patriarch, Athanasius met with Constans, the Emperor of the West and Constantinius brother, in Milan to convince him to assemble a council. The Emperor agreed and both Emperors attended the council. There, the council deposed the Arian bishops and ordered Athanasius to be returned from his exile. Athanasius remained in his second exile from April 339 to October 346. The Third Exile After the death of Emperor Constans, Emperor Constantius ordered the arrest of Athanasius. On February 8, 355 soldiers stormed the Cathedral of Saint Mary where Athanasius was praying midnight vigil with the people. Athanasius instructed the deacons to chant Psalm 135 while the people escaped. God blinded the soldiers, who could not recognize Athanasius. When the last person had left the church, the clergy and monks carried Athanasius out of the church. By 356, Athanasius had returned to the Egyptian desert and hid in the monastic cells of Upper and Lower Egypt. During his exile from 356 to 362, Athanasius wrote The History of the Arians, The Four Discourses Against the Arians, The Letter to Serapion on the Holy Spirit, and The Life of Antony, which, during his lifetime, was his most influential book. During this third exile, the Arians placed Gregory of Antioch as Patriarch over Alexandria. George persecuted the Church, but eventually persecuted the pagans who fought back. The pagans attacked, arrested, and eventually hanged George on Christmas Eve. After the death of Emperor Constantius, Julian became the new Emperor and immediately called for the return of all who had been exiled by Constantius, including Athanasius. After returning from his third exile, Athanasius held a small council called the council of the saints and the confessors among the bishops of Alexandria to determine what they should do about those who strayed to Arianism during the most recent persecution under George. The council s decision was to use mercy. Those who returned were ask to deny Arianism and were to confess the true Nicean Faith. Fourth Exile Not long after Athanasius was allowed to return under Emperor Julian, the Emperor denounced Christianity and became a pagan. From then, he became known as Julian the Apostate. He ordered that Athanasius once again be exiled. When the government began pursuing Athanasius, he traveled by boat up the Nile. The government forces followed him with orders to arrest and remove Athanasius from Egypt. As their boats drew nearer, Athanasius ordered that the steersman turn to the boat down river, towards the pursuers. As the government s boats drew nearer, the authorities hollered out whether their party had seen Athanasius on the river. Athanasius called out He is not far off. The authorities thanked them and continued up river. Athanasius moved along the monasteries until he settled in Akhmim. When Athanasius learned that Julian the Apostate had been slain, he assembled a council and wrote a letter to the successor, Emperor Jovian, 8

9 which included the Nicene Creed. After meeting with the Emperor, Athanasius was told that he may return to Alexandria. He arrived home in 364. The Fifth Exile After Athanasius had arrived in Alexandria, Emperor Jovian died and Valentinian became Emperor. He published an edict ordering the expulsion of Athanasius. Athanasius remained in the home of a virgin woman. The people were outraged, and riots continued for months. The Empire had grown fearful because of the people and decided that it was more convenient for the Church to have their Patriarch back. Athanasius was returned by imperial order in 366 after nine months of exile. Conclusion St. Athanasius returned to Alexandria during his thirty-seventh year as Patriarch. Over half of that time had been spent in exile. He spent the final seven years of his life in Alexandria. In his Paschal letter of year 367, Athanasius became the first Father of the early Church to put into writing a list of the canonical books of the Bible. In year 369, Athanasius assembled a council in Alexandria to confirm the Orthodox Faith. After living to be seventy-six, and having spent forty-five years on the Apostolic throne, St. Athanasius departed on May 15, 373 Purity 9

10 Excerpts from Pope Shenouda III - The Life of Repentance and Purity Defining Purity Purity is the positive component in the life of repentance, the fruit of the change of life. In it disappear the desire for the world, the body, and sin; the desire of the heart becomes holy in the life of righteousness and the love of God. The penitent is not influenced any more by the love of sin. One of the signs of purity is that man practices virtue without struggle, without labor, without wrestling. There is nothing within him to resist it. If you find yourself wrestling between good and evil, then you have not yet reached purity but are struggling to attain it. If you labor to reach the life of righteousness, then you are still in the virtue of struggle and have not reached purity yet. With purity, peace reigns over your heart, and the wrestling is stopped by the victory of good. With purity you find rest in God, and also your desire and happiness. Purity covers your entire life, your expressions, senses, body, heart, and thoughts. You become a dwelling for the Holy Spirit, from which the fruits of the Spirit appear. So long as the perfection of repentance is hatred of sin that is, the heart completely purified from every love for sin or conformity to it then purity of heart is one of the signs of perfect repentance. Perfect purity is purity from every sin, in all its images and types, whether by deed, or by thought, or by senses, or by feelings of the heart, or by falls of the tongue; whether in the relationship with God, or with people, or with the self. It is a comprehensive purity, not merely liberation from a certain sin which used to afflict you. Purity from Sin There is a big difference between victory and lack of fighting. If you find yourself not falling into a certain sin, this does not mean that you have been purified from it completely; your lack of falling into it means that the devil is not presently fighting you with it. Or perhaps you are not falling in it now because circumstances are not favorable. So you do not find war, no stumbling, nor will you find whatever stimulates you to sin. Your true measure of your attaining purity is that no sin among the sins has authority over you. True purity starts with complete hatred of sin, by knowledge, true insight, and sound understanding of the Holy Spirit of what is good and what is evil, to those who are full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised. (Hebrews 5:14), such that the conscience is completely sound in its judgments, not being deceived by the devil in anything, and the person s deeds are pure. We do not want by means of purity to cleanse the outside of the cup only (Matthew 23). In treating the sins of the tongue, the matter does not end with an exercise of silence, for sinful speech has its origins from within the heart. The Bible says: Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34). We should be concerned, then, with purity of heart, so that its expressions are spontaneously pure. Take lying, for example. It is not enough to merely avoid it from the outside, but we must treat the reason for it within the heart, whether it is fear, pride, or reaching a certain goal, since lying is the result of these inner sins which need purifying. Be concerned, then, with the inside. 10

11 Purity of Thoughts, assumption and Dreams Mahragan El Keraza 2018 In addition to purity from sin, there is purity of thoughts and assumptions. One of the saints said: It is not only your external deeds which show your reality, but more often your thoughts and assumptions. He gave an example of this: A person is standing in a dark place, and seen by three people. One of them thinks that he is a robber, hiding and waiting for the opportunity to steal. The second thinks that he is an evil person waiting for a woman, whereas the third person thinks that the man is standing in the dark, in a place where nobody can see him, to pray. In this way, our thoughts and assumptions will accord with the condition of the heart. Of this, the Bible says: A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil (Luke 6:45). As the saying goes, every vessel brings forth what it contains. Therefore, if your assumptions are evil, your heart has not yet been purified. The person who has a pure heart always has pure thoughts and thinks no evil. As much as he can, he perceives matters in innocence and purity. In this way nothing makes him stumble, nor does he judge any work except the obvious sin, which carries its judgment within itself. He also takes the brighter side of any matter that has two sides. Because of this he is on good terms with other people, for he never links any sin to anyone and excuses every person for his actions. You may ask if this means that the pure heart is never attacked by assumptions and evil thoughts. Yes, he is still attacked from the outside, without these thoughts coming forth from within him. On the contrary, he rejects them from the inside. He does not accept them, but dismisses them quickly. The deception to which some people are subjected is that they allow the evil thought to remain, even using the excuse of examining or attacking it, or hoping with a certain curiosity to see where it will end. The result is that the thought defiles a man and makes him lose his purity. The correct attitude is to dismiss the thought quickly, because the pure heart is disgusted with sinful thoughts and does not accept even their examination. Among the measures of purity, then, is the purity of assumptions and thoughts. Another measure of purity is the purity of dreams. There is a person whose conscience may be cautious, guarding the purity of his thoughts, but his dreams contain many sins because his subconscious, which has not yet been purified from its visions, stories, and memories, contains remnants of old sins. His memory is either still defiled by its evil storage, or there are feelings in the heart hidden deep inside him that have not yet been purified. They are the source of his sinful dreams, which stain the purity of his mind. This person needs to be purified from his past, to match his present purity. Whatever the condition, purity of dreams requires the passage of time before a person reaches a state far from evil dreams. With time and lack of repetition, the sources of these dreams will disappear from memory. The subconscious will store instead pure and sanctified matters suitable to the life of repentance and purity which he now lives, and they will be the source of perfectly pure dreams. Among the measures of purity of heart, then, is purity of thoughts, assumptions, and dreams. Purity from Vanities 11

12 There remains another level for the perfect or the mature, which is purity from vanities, that is, purity from transient or futile matters. For example, a person concerned with transient or futile matters spends much time speaking about insignificant things that are considered neither sin nor righteousness. Or, he spends time thinking about such matters or is preoccupied with them. He demonstrates by this the fact that his mind or heart can be readily occupied with these trivialities, and as a result he wastes time he could have spent with God in prayer, meditation, spiritual reading, praise, or other pursuits which suit the condition of a pure heart. Transient matters are neither good nor evil in themselves, but are trivialities that delay the positive spiritual work. These vanities are the ones which the Apostle Paul waned us, saying: We do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18). The person who does not look at things which are seen is the one who says with David the Prophet: Bas as for me, it is good to cling to God (Psalm 72:28). This perfect clinging to the Lord does not come except by purity of heart. We live in a world full of transient images. Must close our eyes so that they do not see it, if we follow the apostle s saying: We do not look at the things which are seen? No, we shall not close our eyes, but we should not be concerned with what we see and hear. That is, if our eye falls on something to see, we refrain from meeting it. This also applies to the rest of our senses. It is said that the senses are the doors of thought. What our senses gather is then considered our mind, or at least becomes one of the thoughts entering our mind. Here we are faced with a choice between two actions. Our thought about these matters pass and fade like smoke and this is one of the conditions of purity of heart or the thoughts remain in us for a shorter or longer period and work within us at levels that surpass a limit or time, according to our purity. These transient thoughts, at the least, waste time. Time is part of your life. God has not given it to you to waste, but to benefit from for the salvation of your soul, for the purification of your heart and mind, and for binding your feelings to God. So do not waste it in trivialities. The mind that is occupied with trivialities demonstrates its lack of love for God. One s heart is not tied to God in a complete and permanent unity, and there are also trivial matters which divert the mind from God, even chattering, which has no benefit. When will you be purified from all of this, so that all that remains in your heart is God alone? The perfectly pure heart is the heart that has entirely died to all vanities of the world, so as to live entirely to the Lord. Its mind becomes unoccupied with things which can be seen, because of its constant occupation with the unseen. The mind works tirelessly and thinks continuously. Its thinking differs, however, according to the matter with which it is occupied. It is one of two things, either images or unseen matters. The occupation with divine matters which are unseen is the ideal condition of purity. The Positive Side of Purity 12

13 The love of God possesses the pure heart in place of the love of the world. It does everything for the sake of its love for God, and not merely out of obedience to His orders or to execute His commandments. Even the departure from sin occurs because a much deeper love has taken its place, which makes the heart feel the insignificance of the love of sin and as well as its defilement. With the love of God, purity enters into a new positive role. The fruits of the Holy Spirit appear in the life of this repentance person, of whom the Apostle said: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, selfcontrol. Against such, there is no law (Galatians 5:22). That is, he has moved from the stage of laws and commandments to the stage of love. Your relationship with God is transformed into love, like the relationship of a friend with his friend, a son with his father, or one who loves his beloved. You find every delight in the presence of God. Your prayers will be transformed into refuges of love; no longer a duty, nor a church deed, nor one of the characteristics of the spiritual person, they will become merely an expression of the great love present in your heart toward God. The rest of your spiritual deeds will be done in the same way. Love is the first of the fruits of the Spirit. There are other fruits, and these will inevitably appear in your heart with the life of purity. You might ask, Are all the fruits of the Spirit necessary in the life of purity? Yes, because He said: Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance (Luke 3:8), and also: Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit (John 15:2). Struggle, then, with all your power to attain these fruits. Church History 13

14 An Abstract of the History of the Christian Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt Excerpts from the official site of St. Takla Church of Alexandria. St. Talk.org The word Copt is derived from the Greek word Aigyptos (Αἴγυπτος), which was, in turn, derived from "Hikaptah," one of the names for Memphis, the first capital of Ancient Egypt. The modern use of the term "Coptic" describes Egyptian Christians, as well as the last stage of the ancient Egyptian language script. The Coptic Church is based on the teachings of Saint Mark who brought Christianity to Egypt during the reign of the Roman emperor Nero in the first century, several years after the Lord's ascension. He was one of the four evangelists and the one who wrote the oldest canonical gospel. Christianity spread throughout Egypt within half a century of Saint Mark's arrival in Alexandria as is clear from the New Testament writings found in Bahnasa, in Middle Egypt, which date around the year 200 A.D., and a fragment of the Gospel of Saint John, written using the Coptic language, which was found in Upper Egypt and can be dated to the first half of the second century. The Coptic Church, which is now more than nineteen centuries old, was the subject of many prophecies in the Old Testament. Isaiah the prophet, in Chapter 19, Verse 19 says "In that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the LORD at its border." The Copts have survived as a strong religious entity who pride themselves on their contribution to the Christian world. The Coptic church regards itself as a strong defendant of Christian faith. The Nicene Creed, which is recited in all churches throughout the world, has been authored by one of its favorite sons, Saint Athanasius, the Pope of Alexandria for 46 years. Egypt was the refuge that the Holy Family sought in its flight from Judea: "When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son" [Mathew 2:12-23]. The contributions of the Coptic Church to Christendom are many. From the beginning, it played a central role in Christian theology, and especially to protect it from the Gnostics heresies. The Coptic Church produced thousands of texts, biblical and theological studies which are important resources for archeology. The Holy Bible was translated to the Coptic language in the second century. Hundreds of scribes used to write copies of the Bible and other liturgical and theological books. Now libraries, museums and universities throughout the world possess hundreds and thousands of Coptic manuscripts. The Catechetical School of Alexandria is the oldest Catechetical School in the world. It became the most important institution of religious learning in Christendom. Many prominent bishops from many areas of the world were instructed in that school under famous scholars. The scope of the school of Alexandria was not limited to theological subjects, because science, mathematics and the humanities were also taught there. Today, it has campuses in Alexandria, Cairo, New Jersey, and Los Angeles, where 14

15 priests-to-be and other qualified men and women are taught, among other subjects, Christian theology, history, Coptic language and art. Monasticism was born in Egypt and was instrumental in the formation of the Coptic Church's character of submission and humbleness. Saint Anthony, the world's first Christian monk was a Copt from Upper Egypt. Saint Pachom, who established the rules of monasticism, was a Copt. Saint Paul, the world's first anchorite is also a Copt. Other famous Coptic desert fathers include Saint Makarios, Saint Moses the Black, and Saint Mina the wondrous. By the end of the fourth century, there were hundreds of monasteries, and thousands of cells and caves scattered throughout the Egyptian hills. Under the authority of the Eastern Roman Empire of Constantinople (as opposed to the western empire of Rome), the Patriarchs and Popes of Alexandria played leading roles in Christian theology. They were invited everywhere to speak about the Christian faith. Saint Cyril, Pope of Alexandria, was the head of the Ecumenical Council which was held in Ephesus in the year 430 A.D. Politics started to intermingle with Church affairs. It all started when the Emperor Marcianus interfered with matters of faith in the Church. The response of Saint Dioscorus, the Pope of Alexandria who was later exiled, to this interference was clear: "You have nothing to do with the Church." These political motives became even more apparent in Chalcedon in 451, when the Coptic Church was unfairly accused of following the teachings of Eutyches, who believed in monophysitism. The Egyptian Church has never believed in monophysitism the way it was portrayed in the Council of Chalcedon! In that Council, monophysitism meant believing in one nature. Copts believe that the Lord is perfect in His divinity, and He is perfect in His humanity, but His divinity and His humanity were united in one nature called "the nature of the incarnate word", which was reiterated by Saint Cyril of Alexandria. Copts, thus, believe in two natures "human" and "divine" that are united in one "without mingling, without confusion, and without alteration" These two natures "did not separate for a moment or the twinkling of an eye". The Coptic Church is one of the founders of the World Council of Churches. It has remained a member of that council since 1948 A.D. The Coptic Church is a member of the All African Council of Churches (AACC) and the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC). The greatest glory of the Coptic Church is its Cross. Copts take pride in the persecution they have sustained as early as May 8, 68 A.D., when their Patron Saint Mark was slain on Easter Monday after being dragged from his feet by Roman soldiers all over Alexandria's streets and alleys. The Copts have been persecuted by almost every ruler of Egypt. Their Clergymen have been tortured and exiled. To emphasize their pride in their cross, Copts adopted a calendar, called the Calendar of the Martyrs, which begins its era on August 29, 284 A.D., in commemoration of those who died for their faith during the rule of Diocletian the Roman Emperor. This calendar is still in use all over Egypt by farmers to keep track of the various agricultural seasons and in the Coptic Church Lectionary. 15

16 The Coptic language remained the language of the land, and it was not until the second half of the 11th century that the first bi-lingual Coptic-Arabic liturgical manuscripts started to appear. The adoption of the Arabic language as the language used in Egyptians' every-day lives was so slow. Up to this day, the Coptic Language continues to be the liturgical language of the Church. The Christian face of Egypt started to change by the beginning of the second millennium A.D., when Copts, in addition to the "Gezya" tax, suffered from specific disabilities, some of which were serious and interfered with their freedom of worship. For example, there were restrictions on repairing old Coptic Churches and building new ones, on testifying in court, on public behavior, on adoption, on inheritance, on public religious activities, and on dress codes. Slowly but steadily, by the end of the 12th century, the face of Egypt changed from a predominantly Christian to a predominantly Muslim country and the Coptic community occupied an inferior position and lived in some expectation of Muslim hostility, which periodically flared into violence. It is remarkable that the well-being of Copts was more or less related to the well-being of their rulers. The position of the Copts began to improve early in the 19th century under the stability and tolerance of Muhammad Ali's dynasty. The Coptic community ceased to be regarded by the state as an administrative unit and, by 1855 A.D., the main mark of Copts' inferiority, the "Gezya" tax was lifted, and shortly thereafter Copts started to serve in the Egyptian army. Despite persecution, the Coptic Church as a religious institution has never been controlled or allowed itself to control the governments in Egypt. This long-held position of the Church concerning the separation between State and Religion stems from the words of the Lord Jesus Christ himself, when he asked his followers to submit to their rulers: "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.'' [Mathew 22:21]. Today there are millions of Copts who pray and share communion in daily masses in thousands of Coptic Churches in Egypt. This is in addition to millions of emigrant Copts who practice their faith in hundreds of churches in the United States, Canada, Australia, Britain, France, Germany, Austria, Holland, Brazil, and many other countries in Africa and Asia. Inside Egypt Copts live in every province but are the minority. Individual Copts have reached prestigious academic and professional stature all over the world. Copts observe seven Coptic canonical sacraments: Baptism, Chrismation, Eucharist, Confession, Priesthood, Matrimony, and Unction of the Sick. Baptism is performed few weeks after birth by immersing the whole body of the newborn into especially consecrated water three times. Confirmation is performed immediately after Baptism. Regular confession with a personal priest, called the father of confession, is necessary to receive the Eucharist. It is customary for a whole family to pick the same priest as a father of confession, thus, making of that priest a family counselor. Of all seven sacraments, only Matrimony cannot be performed during a fasting season. Polygamy is illegal, even if recognized by the civil law of the land. Divorce is not allowed except in the case of adultery, or other extreme circumstances, which must be reviewed by a special council of Bishops. 16

17 Divorce can be requested by either husband or wife. Civil divorce is not recognized by the Church. The Coptic Orthodox Church does not have and does not mind any civil law of the land as long as it does not interfere with the Church's sacraments. There are three main Liturgies in the Coptic Church: The Liturgy according to Saint Basil, Bishop of Caesarea; The Liturgy according to Saint Gregory of Nazianzus, Bishop of Constantinople; and The Liturgy according to Saint Cyril I, the 24th Pope of the Coptic Church. The bulk of Saint Cyril's Liturgy is from the one that Saint Mark used (in Greek) in the first century. It was memorized by the Bishops and priests of the church till it was translated into the Coptic Language by Saint Cyril. Today, these three Liturgies, with some added sections (e.g. the intercessions), are still in use; the Liturgy of Saint Basil is the one most commonly used in the Coptic Orthodox Church. The worship of Saints is expressly forbidden by the Church; however, asking for their intercessions is central in any Coptic service. Any Coptic Church is named after a Patron Saint. Among all Saints, the Virgin Saint Mary (Theotokos) occupies a special place in the heart of all Copts. Her repeated daily appearances in a small Church in Elzaytoun district of Cairo for over a month in April of 1968 was witnessed by thousands of Egyptians, both Copts and Muslims and was even broadcasted on International TV. Copts celebrate seven major Holy feasts and seven minor Holy feasts. The major feasts commemorate Annunciation, Christmas, Theophany, Palm Sunday, Easter, Ascension, and the Pentecost. Easter is usually on the second Sunday after the first full moon in Spring. The Coptic Calendar of Martyrs is full of other feasts usually commemorating the martyrdom of popular Saints (e.g. Saint Mark, Saint Mena, Saint George, Saint Barbara, Abba Teklahimanot, Archangel Michael.. etc The Copts have seasons of fasting matched by no other Christian community. Out of the 365 days of the year, Copts fast for over 210 days. During fasting, no animal products (meat, poultry, fish, milk, eggs, butter, etc.) are allowed. Moreover, no food or drink whatsoever may be taken between sunrise and sunset. These strict fasting rules are usually relaxed by priests on an individual basis to accommodate for illness or weakness. Lent, known as "the Great Fast", is largely observed by all Copts. It starts with a pre-lent fast of one week, followed by a 40-day fast commemorating Christ's fasting on the mountain, followed by the Holy week, the most sacred week (called Pascha) of the Coptic Calendar, which climaxes with the Crucifix on Good Friday and ends with the joyous Easter. Other fasting seasons of the Coptic Church include, the Advent (Fast of the Nativity), the Fast of the Apostles, the Fast of the Virgin Saint Mary, and the Fast of Nineveh. The Coptic Orthodox Church's clergy is headed by the Pope, who oversees the priests ordained in their dioceses. Both the Pope and the Bishops must be monks; they are all members of the Coptic Orthodox Holy Synod (Council), which meets regularly to oversee matters of faith and pastoral care in the Church. The Pope of the Coptic Church, although highly regarded by all Copts, does not enjoy any state of supremacy or infallibility. 17

18 Today, there are over 90 Coptic Bishops governing dioceses inside Egypt as well as dioceses outside Egypt, such as in Jerusalem, Sudan, Western Africa, France, England, and the United States. The direct pastoral responsibility of Coptic congregations in any of these dioceses falls on Priests, who must be married and must attend the Catechetical School before being ordained. Daily, in all Coptic Churches all over the world, Copts pray for the reunion of all Christian Churches. They pray for Egypt, its Nile, its crops, its president, its army, its government, and above all its people. They pray for the world's peace and for the well-being of the human race. 18

19 St. Mark the Apostle, the Founder of the Coptic Church Excerpts from the official site of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Southern United States The Coptic Church or the Church of Alexandria is called "See of St. Mark"; one of the earliest four sees: Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, and Rome. St. Mark, The Founder The Copts are proud of the apostolicity of their Church, whose founder is St. Mark; one of the Seventy Apostles (Mk 10:10), and one of the four Evangelists. He is regarded by the Coptic hierarchy as the first of their unbroken 117 patriarchs, and also the first of a stream of Egyptian martyrs. This apostolicity was not only furnished on the grounds of its foundation but rather by the persistence of the Church in observing the same faith received by the Apostle and his successors, the Holy Fathers. St. Mark's Bibliography St. Mark was an African native of Jewish parents who belonged to the Levites' tribe. His family lived in Cyrenaica until they were attacked by some barbarians, and lost their property. Consequently, they moved to Jerusalem with their child John Mark (Acts 12:12, 25; 15:37). Apparently, he was given a good education and became conversant in both Greek and Latin in addition to Hebrew. His family was highly religious and in close relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. His cousin was St. Barnabas and his father's cousin was St. Peter. His mother, Mary, played an important part in the early days of the Church in Jerusalem. Her upper room became the first Christian church in the world where the Lord Jesus Christ Himself instituted the Holy Eucharist (Mk 14:12-26). Also, this is the same place where the Lord appeared to the disciples after His resurrection and His Holy Spirit came upon them. 19

20 Young Mark was always associated with the Lord, who chose him as one of the seventy. He is mentioned in the Holy Scriptures in some events related to the Lord. For example, he was present at the wedding of Cana of Galilee, and was the man who had been carrying the jar when the two disciples went to prepare a place for the celebration of the Passover (Mk 14:13-14; Lk 22:11). St. Mark and The Lion The voice of the lion is the symbol of St. Mark for two reasons: 1. He begins his Holy Gospel by describing John the Baptist as a lion roaring in the desert (Mk 1:3). 2. His famous story with a lion, as related to us by Severus Ebn-El-Mokafa: Once a lion and lioness appeared to John Mark and his father Arostalis while they were traveling in Jordan. The father was very scared and begged his son to escape, while he awaited his fate. John Mark assured his father that Jesus Christ would save them and began to pray. The two beasts fell dead, and as a result of this miracle, the father believed in Christ. Preaching with the Apostles At first, St. Mark accompanied St. Peter on his missionary journeys inside Jerusalem and Judea. Then he accompanied St. Paul and St. Barnabas on their first missionary journey to Antioch, Cyprus, and Asia Minor, but for some reason or another he left them and returned home (Acts 13:13). On their second trip, St. Paul refused to take him along because he left them on the previous mission; for this reason, St. Barnabas was separated from St. Paul and went to Cyprus with his cousin St. Mark (Acts 15:36-41). There, he departed in the Lord and St. Mark buried him. Afterward, St. Paul needed St. Mark with him, and they both preached in Colossi (Col 4:10), Rome (Phil 24; 2 Tim 4:11) and perhaps in Venice. In Africa St. Mark's real labor lays in Africa. He left Rome to Pentapolis, where he was born. After planting the seeds of faith and performing many miracles, he traveled to Egypt, through the Oasis, the desert of Libya, Upper Egypt and then entered Alexandria from its eastern gate in 61 A.D. On his arrival, the strap of his sandal was loose. He went to a cobbler to mend it. When the cobbler - Anianos - took an awl to work on it, he accidentally pierced his hand and cried aloud "O One God." At this utterance, St. Mark rejoiced and after miraculously healing the man's wound, took courage and began to preach to the hungry ears of his convert. The spark was ignited, and Anianos took the Apostle home with him. He and his family were baptized, and many others followed. The spread of Christianity must have been quite remarkable because pagans were furious and ought St. Mark everywhere. Smelling the danger, the Apostle ordained a bishop (Anianos), three priests and seven deacons to look after the congregation if anything befell him. He left Alexandria to Berce, then to Rome, where he met St. Peter and St. Paul and remained there until their martyrdom in 64 A.D. Upon returning to Alexandria in 65 AD, St. Mark found his people firm in faith and thus decided to visit Pentapolis. There, he spent two years preaching and performing miracles, ordaining bishops and priests, and winning more converts. 20

21 Finally, he returned to Alexandria and was overjoyed to find that Christians had multiplied so much that they were able to build a considerable church in the suburban district of Baucalis. His Martyrdom In the year 68 AD, Easter fell on the same day as the Serapis feast. The furious heathen mob had gathered in the Serapis temple at Alexandria and then descended on the Christians who were celebrating the Glorious Resurrection at Baucalis. St. Mark was seized, dragged with a rope through the main streets of the city. Crowds were shouting "The ox must be led to Baucalis," a precipitous place full of rock where they fed the oxen that were used in the sacrifice to idols. At nightfall the saint was thrown into prison, where he was cheered by the vision of an angel, strengthening him saying, "Now your hour has come O Mark, the good minister, to receive your recompense. Be encouraged, for your name has been written in the Book of Life." When the angel disappeared, St. Mark thanked God for sending His angel to him. Suddenly, the Savior Himself appeared and said to him, "Peace be to you Mark, my disciple, and evangelist!" St. Mark started to shout, "O My Lord Jesus" but the vision disappeared. On the following morning probably during the triumphal procession of Serapis, he was again dragged around the city till death. His bloody flesh was torn, and they intended to cremate his remains, but the wind blew, and the rain fell in torrents and the populaces disperse. Christians stole his body and secretly buried him in a grave that they had engraved on a rock under the altar of the church. His Apostolic Acts St. Mark was a broad-minded Apostle. His ministry was quite productive and covered the large field of activities. These include: Preaching in Egypt, Pentapolis, Judea, Asia Minor, and Italy during which time he ordained bishops, priests, and deacons. Establishing the "School of Alexandria" which defended Christianity against the philosophical school of Alexandria and conceived a large number of great Fathers. Writing the Divine Liturgy of the Holy Eucharist which was modified later by St. Cyril to the Divine Liturgy known today as the Divine Liturgy of St. Cyril. 21