THE

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THE HISTORY OF THE COPTIC CHURCH 2
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• The Coptic Church Before the Council of Chalcedon
• The Copts under the Roman Persecution
• Roman State and the Egyptian Christians
• The Roman emperors concentrated on the Christians
  in Egypt because
• The success of the Church of Alexandria and its
  School in attracting even philosophers to the new
  faith.
• Alexandria represented a vital center that
  provided the Roman Capital with products. For
  this reason the Emperors were afraid of any
  revolution in Egypt.
• 3. The courage of the Egyptians and their
  sincere desire to attain the crowns of martyrdom.

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The Copts and Martyrdom The Copts insisted on
starting their calendar by at the beginning of
the reign of Diocletian, in 248 AD, calling it
Anno Martyri, for during his reign the church
gained numerous martyrs. About the 11th of
September of every year we celebrate the
commencement of a new Coptic year, calling it
Feast of El-Nayrouz, in which we celebrate the
Feast of Martyrs as a spiritual preparation for
starting a new year. The Church of Alexandria
has show the world its unique understanding of
the concept of martyrdom.
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• The Church does not consider martyrdom as death
  or something terrible, but rather a new birth
  which is an entry to paradise.
• Martyrdom, in fact is a daily practice which
  every believer should experience, even if there
  is no persecution, even if he lives in a
  monastery or as a hermit or pilgrim.
• Martyrdom is the continuous participation in
  Jesus crucifixion.
• St. Clement of Alexandria gives the name
  martyr to the true Christian who has achieved
  ordinary union with God.
• Martyrdom is a supreme conflict with satan.
• 3. Martyrdom is looked upon as the way of
  transfiguration of the Crucified and Risen Christ
  in the life of each of us. For Christ Himself
  suffers in His martyrs.

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The Copts the Roman Persecutions The
Historians call our church The Church of
Martyrs, not only because of the numerous
martyrs in our Church, but because of the ardent
desire that her members had shown for
martyrdom. The waves of persecution in Egypt
began from the first century when the Apostle St.
Mark was martyred by the enraged pagan populace,
while the ruler was silent . Historical sources
were silent regarding the persecution that
occurred in Egypt until the consecration of the
twelfth Patriarch, Demetrius (68 118
A.D) Diocletian believed that the head of the
serpent was in Egypt and that if he could crush
it, he could more easily annihilate Christianity
in the whole empire. In all about 800 000
Christians were put to the sword in Egypt.
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Examples of Martyrs Through the waves of
persecution, many spiritual leaders devoted
themselves to strengthen the martyrs and
confessors. They visited the prisons and kept
their company during their trials, or even o the
place of their execution. Some virtuous men not
only dept the martyrs company but dared to take
their holy bodies or relics, and wrote the
biography of their trial and martyrdom as
eye-witnesses which are called Acts of
Martyrs. A few examples of these martyrs
are St. Theodore the virgin St. Refka St.
Catherine St. Arianus, the Ruler of Antoinie The
Thebaean Legion
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The Coptic Church and the Monastic Movement An
Evangelic Asceticism The Coptic church is known
by her ascetic attitudes, not only because it was
their the monastic movements started, but because
these attitudes represent characteristics of her
life of worship. These attitudes have an
evangelic base. 1-For what is a man profited, if
he shall gain the whole world and lose his own
soul? (Mathew 1626) 2-Sell all that you have
and distribute to the poor . . . And come, follow
Me (Luke 1822) a- First is must / b- Second
is a choice 3-But I discipline my body and bring
it into subjection, lest when I have preached to
others, I myself should become disqualified

(1Cor 9 27)
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The Ascetic Life and the World to Come The
ancient Egyptians believed in the so-called
resurrection When the Egyptians were converted
to Christianity their longing for the world to
come increased. The Concept of the Coptic
Asceticism Asceticism, in the Coptic Church, is
not a goal in itself that believers desire to
attain, but it is a practical response to divine
love. Our Lord gave Himself on our behalf and we
in turn long to give ourselves a loving-sacrifice
for Gods sake. We abstain from temporary
pleasures as a sign of our internal desire to
enjoy the divine delight through the new life in
Jesus Christ.
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Asceticism and Church Life 1- The effects of the
ascetic life on the Coptic Church is very clear
in her worship they hymns are lengthy but very
sweet and soul-comforting, the fasts are long and
many. 2- Her martyrs are innumerable 3-The
spiritual ascetic thought had its own effect on
the Alexandrian theology, because it has a
soteriological attitude (The theological
doctrine of salvation as effected by Jesus)
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Asceticism and Church Life 4- The ascetic
life prepared the way to the monastic movement in
all its forms monarchism, coenobitic and
communal systems . The Egyptian understanding
of the monarchism is not isolation from men but
as unity with God.
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The Monastic Movement In Egypt, all monastic
forms started in the fourth century to re-attract
the heart of the Church to the inner life, after
the country had accepted Christianity and the
Emperor had opened his for to bishops and
priests. In the Apostolic age, many believers
practiced asceticism, to enjoy the perfect life
as it came in the Gospel.
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The Monastic Movement The eschatological
attitude of the church flamed the believers
longing for the Bridegrooms advent. On this
base some believers preferred to live in
virginity and devote all their time to worship,
as a spiritual preparation for the heavenly
wedding feast. Some felt the need for a
spiritual atmosphere. Women lived together in a
house to assist one another spiritually. Men
preferred to leave the cities to live in simple
huts in villages. These were called devotees.
Others escaped to the deserts thirsting for the
angelic life
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The three forms of Monasticism 1- The
Monarchist System was established by St. Anthony
the Great. 2- The Coenobitic System was establish
by St. Pachomius because he was aware that the
anchoric order was not fit for all those who
desired the monastic life. 3- The Communal
system was established by St. Macari the great
and St. Amoun. (Groups) Women Monastic movement
started side by side with that of the men.
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Next Week Some Examples Of Monastic
Leaders Egyptians Monasticism And The Christian
World