Christianity and Monasticism in Alexandria and the Egyptian Deserts

Description

The legacies of the Coptic Christian presence in Alexandria and the Egyptian Deserts from the fourth century to the present day

The great city of Alexandria is undoubtedly the cradle of Egyptian Christianity, where the Catechetical School was established in the second century and became a leading center in the study of biblical exegesis and theology. According to tradition St. Mark the Evangelist brought Christianity to Alexandria in the middle of the first century and was martyred in that city, which was to become the residence of Egypt’s Coptic patriarchs for nearly eleven centuries. By the fourth century Egyptian monasticism had begun to flourish in the Egyptian deserts and countryside. The contributors to this volume, international specialists in Coptology from around the world, examine the various aspects of Coptic civilization in Alexandria and its environs and in the Egyptian deserts over the past two millennia. The contributions explore Coptic art, archaeology, architecture, language, and literature. The impact of Alexandrian theology and its cultural heritage as well as the archaeology of its university are highlighted. Christian epigraphy in the Kharga Oasis, the art and architecture of the Bagawat cemetery, and the archaeological site of Kellis (Ismant al-Kharab) with its Manichaean texts are also discussed.

Contributors Elizabeth Agaiby, Fr. Anthony, David Brakke, Jan Ciglenečki , Jean-Daniel Dubois, Bishop Epiphanius, Lois M. Farag, Frank Feder, Cäcilia Fluck, Sherin Sadek El Gendi, Mary Ghattas, Gisèle Hadji-Minaglou, Intisar Hazawi, Karel Innemée, Mary Kupelian, Grzegorz Majcherek, Bishop Martyros, Samuel Moawad, Ashraf Nageh, Adel F. Sadek, Ashraf Alexander Sadek, Ibrahim Saweros, Mark Sheridan, Fr. Bigoul al-Suriany, Hany Takla, Gertrud J.M. van Loon, Jacques van der Vliet, Youhanna Nessim Youssef, Ewa D. Zakrzewska, Nader Alfy Zekry
List of Illustrations
Contributors
Foreword
Introduction
Language and Literature
1 Synopsis of the Arabic Pseudo-Serapionic Life of Antony
Elizabeth Agaiby
2 The Arrow Prayer as a Weapon of Warfare
Fr. Anthony
3 Athanasius in Alexandria
David Brakke
4 The Patriarchs of Alexandria and the Monastery of St. Macarius: An Overview
Bishop Epiphanius
5 Alexandrian Theological Exegesis: Athanasius and Cyril of Alexandria
Lois M. Farag
6 Coptic Dialects in Egypt’s Western Desert
Frank Feder
7 Facing West to Facing East: Extracting a Christian History of Alexandria, 1810–Present
Mary Ghattas
8 The Relationship between the Cyrenaican and Egyptian Monks during the Fourth and Fifth Centuries
Intisar Hazawi
9 The Armenians in Alexandria
Mary Kupelian
10 The Monastic Relations between the Region of the Red Sea and the Region of Wadi al-Natrun
Bishop Martyros
11 The Memory of St. Mark in the Coptic Church
Samuel Moawad
12 Christianity in the Western Desert in Modern Times
Adel F. Sadek
13 The Holy Family in the Egyptian Deserts: Building the Christian Desert Spirituality
Ashraf Alexander Sadek
14 The Arabic Corpus of Pseudo-Athanasius of Alexandria
Ibrahim Saweros
15 The Scriptures in the Works of Great Figures of the Theological School of Alexandria
Mark Sheridan
16 Important Manuscripts of Dayr al-Suryan for the History of Alexandrian Patriarchs
Fr. Bigoul al-Suriany
17 The Manuscripts of the Monastery of St. Antony Preserved Abroad
Hany N. Takla
18 Places of Passage: The Christian Epigraphy of the Western Oases, with a Focus on the Kharga Oasis
Jacques van der Vliet
19 Alexandria and the Martyrs
Youhanna Nessim Youssef
20 The Alexandria Polyphony: The Voices in the Bohairic Acts of the Martyrs
Ewa D. Zakrzewska
Art, Archaeology, and Material Culture
21 Laura Wadi Naqqat in the Eastern Desert
Jan Ciglenečki
22 An Archaeological Site with Manichaeans: Ancient Kellis, Fourth Century
Jean-Daniel Dubois
23 Woodwork from the Coptic Museum Displayed in the Antiquities Museum of the Library of Alexandria
Sherin Sadek El Gendi
24 The Carl Maria Kaufmann Collection of Objects from Abu Mina in the Museum of Byzantine Art, Berlin
Cäcilia Fluck
25 Architecture at al-Bagawat Cemetery
Gisèle Hadji-Minaglou
26 The Lord’s Table, Refrigerium, Eucharist, Agapè, and Tables for Ritual Meals in al-Bagawat and in Monasteries
Karel Innemée
27 Wall Painting in Mareotis: The Church at Karm al-Ahbariya, Paying Special Attention to Scenes of a Vita
Constantini Gertrud J.M. van Loon
28 ‘University’ in Late Antique Alexandria
Grzegorz Majcherek
29 The Iconography of St. Mark in Coptic Art during the Mamluk and Ottoman Periods
Nader Alfy Zekry
Preservation
30 A New Phenomenon in the Restoration of Coptic Architecture
Ashraf Nageh

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie
• Coptic monasticism
• Coptic literature
• Coptic art
• Kharga Oasis
• Shenouda the Archimandrite
• Coptology
• Copts
• History of Christianity
• Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria
• Christianity
• Religion
• History

Informations

• Publié par: The American University in Cairo Press
• Date de parution: 06 octobre 2020
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781649030214
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 3 Mo

Extrait

Christianity and Monasticism in Alexandria and the Egyptian Deserts
Christianity and Monasticism Series
Christianity and Monasticism in the Fayoum Oasis
Christianity and Monasticism in Wadi al-Natrun
Christianity and Monasticism in Aswan and Nubia
Christianity and Monasticism in Upper Egypt, volume 1
Christianity and Monasticism in Upper Egypt, volume 2
Christianity and Monasticism in Middle Egypt
Christianity and Monasticism in Northern Egypt
Christianity and Monasticism in Alexandria and the Egyptian Deserts
Edited by
Gawdat Gabra
Hany N. Takla
Copyright 2020 by
The American University in Cairo Press
113 Sharia Kasr el Aini, Cairo, Egypt
200 Park Ave., Suite 1700 New York, NY 10166
www.aucpress.com
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Dar el Kutub No. 10920/19
ISBN 978 977 416 961 8
Dar el Kutub Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Gabra, Gawdat
Christianity and Monasticism in Alexandria and the Egyptian Deserts / edited by Gawdat Gabra, Hany N. Takla.- Cairo: The American University in Cairo Press, 2020.
p. cm.
ISBN 978 977 416 961 8
1. Coptic monasticism and religious orders-Egypt
I. Gabra, Gawdat (ed.)
II. Takla, Hany N. (jt. ed)
281.720962
1 2 3 4 5 24 23 22 21 20
Designed by Jon W. Stoy
Printed in the United States of America
Contents
List of Illustrations
Contributors
Foreword
Introduction
Language and Literature
1. Synopsis of the Arabic Pseudo-Serapionic Life of Antony
Elizabeth Agaiby
2. The Arrow Prayer as a Weapon of Warfare
Fr. Anthony
3. Athanasius in Alexandria
David Brakke
4. The Patriarchs of Alexandria and the Monastery of St. Macarius: An Overview
Bishop Epiphanius
5. Alexandrian Theological Exegesis: Athanasius and Cyril of Alexandria
Lois M. Farag
6. Coptic Dialects in Egypt s Western Desert
Frank Feder
7. Facing West to Facing East: Extracting a Christian History of Alexandria, 1805-Present
Mary Ghattas
8. The Relationship between the Cyrenaican and Egyptian Monks during the Fourth and Fifth Centuries
Intisar Hazawi
9. The Armenians in Alexandria
Mary Kupelian
10. The Monastic Relations between the Region of the Red Sea and the Region of Wadi al-Natrun
Bishop Martyros
11. The Memory of St. Mark in the Coptic Church
Samuel Moawad
12. Christianity in the Western Desert in Modern Times
Adel F. Sadek
13. The Holy Family in the Egyptian Deserts: Building the Christian Desert Spirituality
Ashraf Alexander Sadek
14. The Arabic Corpus of Pseudo-Athanasius of Alexandria
Ibrahim Saweros
15. The Scriptures in the Works of Great Figures of the Theological School of Alexandria
Mark Sheridan
16. Important Manuscripts of Dayr al-Suryan for the History of Alexandrian Patriarchs
Fr. Bigoul al-Suriany
17. The Manuscripts of the Monastery of St. Antony Preserved Abroad
Hany N. Takla
18. Places of Passage: The Christian Epigraphy of the Western Oases, with a Focus on the Kharga Oasis
Jacques van der Vliet
19. Alexandria and the Martyrs
Youhanna Nessim Youssef
20. The Alexandria Polyphony: The Voices in the Bohairic Acts of the Martyrs
Ewa D. Zakrzewska
Art, Archaeology, and Material Culture
21. Laura Wadi Naqqat in the Eastern Desert
Jan Ciglene ki
22. An Archaeological Site with Manichaeans: Ancient Kellis, Fourth Century
Jean-Daniel Dubois
23. The Carl Maria Kaufmann Collection of Objects from Abu Mina in the Museum of Byzantine Art, Berlin
C cilia Fluck
24. Architecture at al-Bagawat Cemetery
Gis le Hadji-Minaglou
25. The Lord s Table, Refrigerium , Eucharist, Agap , and Tables for Ritual Meals in al-Bagawat and in Monasteries
Karel Innem e
26. Wall Painting in Mareotis: The Church at Karm al-Ahbariya, Paying Special Attention to Scenes of a Vita Constantini
Gertrud J.M. van Loon
27. University in Late Antique Alexandria
Grzegorz Majcherek
28. The Iconography of St. Mark in Coptic Art during the Mamluk and Ottoman Periods
Nader Alfy Zekry
Preservation
29. A New Phenomenon in the Restoration of Coptic Architecture
Ashraf Nageh
Abbreviations
Bibliography
This volume is dedicated to Dr. Fawzy Estafanous, founding president of the Saint Mark Foundation for Coptic History Studies, in appreciation and acknowledgment of his great efforts in the promotion of knowledge about the Coptic legacy.
Illustrations
Figure
8.1 Location of the Pentapolis
8.2 Wadi Murgus
8.3 Map showing the division of eastern Libya into Libya Superior (the Pentapolis) and Libya Inferior (Marmarica)
12.1 Schematic map of the main desert routes across Egypt s Western Desert
12.2 Churches of St. Macarius Monastery in Wadi al-Rayan
12.3 Distribution of the churches and monasteries along the Cairo-Alexandria Road
12.4 Monasteries between Wadi al-Natrun and Marsa Matruh
13.1 The bending tree
13.2 The Holy Family entering Egypt
13.3 Jesus taming wild animals
13.4 The rock of Gebel al-Teir
13.5 Bir al-Sahaba
13.6 The arrival in Qusqam
13.7 Coptic monk in an Egyptian desert
17.1 Coptic manuscript colophon
17.2 Coptic manuscript colophon
17.3 Coptic manuscript front page
17.4 Coptic manuscript colophon
17.5 Coptic manuscript colophon
21.1 The gorge of the lower Wadi Naqqat
21.2 The tentative groundplan of Laura Wadi Naqqat
21.3 The course of upper Wadi Naqqat from the northeast
21.4 The Wadi Naqqat hermitage WN12 from the southeast
21.5 The Wadi Naqqat hermitage WN3 from the northeast
21.6 The entrance to the Wadi Naqqat hermitage WN11
23.1 Carl Maria Kaufmann
23.2a Flask with representation of St. Menas between the camels
23.2b Fragment of a flask with representation of St. Thecla
23.3a Figurine of a woman with child
23.3b Statuette of a dog
23.4a Lamp with floral and ornamental design
23.4b Top of a lamp with unusual motif
23.5 Jar
23.6 Corinthian capital
24.1 Map of al-Bagawat Cemetery, first half of fourth century
24.2 Map of al-Bagawat Cemetery, second half of fourth century
24.3 Map of al-Bagawat Cemetery, first half of fifth century
24.4 Map of al-Bagawat Cemetery, second half of fifth century
25.1 Al-Bagawat, Building 180 in its two phases of development
25.2 Altar table in the Church of the Holy Virgin, Dayr al-Suryan
25.3 Mensa/altar table
25.4 The tomb-church of Dayr Abu Fana and Building 66 at al-Bagawat
25.5 The refectory at Dayr Anba Hadra
25.6 Development of architecture connected with ritual meals
26.1 Alexandria and Mareotis
26.2 Plan of the church at Karm al-Ahbariya
26.3 The Prophet Isaiah, Karm al-Ahbariya
26.4 Constantine, Karm al-Ahbariya
26.5 The sleeping Constantine, Karm al-Ahbariya
26.6 The cross in the sky, Karm al-Ahbariya
27.1 Kom al-Dikka, auditoria lining the portico
27.2 Two groups of auditoria uncovered at the Kom al-Dikka site
27.3 Auditorium S, Kom al-Dikka
27.4 Auditorium M, Kom al-Dikka
27.5 Auditorium K, Kom al-Dikka
27.6 Auditorium W, stone pedestal, Kom al-Dikka
28.1 Icon of St. Mark the Evangelist with severed head
28.2 St. Mark receiving the Gospel from the Apostle Peter
28.3 Icon of St. Mark, painted by John the Armenian, Church of St. Menas, Fumm al-Khalig
28.4 Icon of St. Mark and his symbol, Church of St. Menas, Fumm al-Khalig
28.5 Interior of ciborium, upper floor of Church of St. Menas, Fumm al-Khalig
28.6 Miniature of St. Mark the Evangelist and St. Peter
29.1 The plaster of the renovated walls, Mar Mina Church, Fumm al-Khalig
29.2 The bricks of the arches, Mar Mina Church, Fumm al-Khalig
29.3 Renovated walls, Mar Mina Church, Fumm al-Khalig
29.4 Arches and cross vaults, Church of Qasriyat al-Rihan
29.5 Arches, Church of Qasriyat al-Rihan
29.6 Brickwork, Church of Qasriyat al-Rihan
Contributors
Elizabeth Agaiby holds a Ph.D. from Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, and from the University of G ttingen, Germany. She lectures in Coptic studies at St. Athanasius Theological College at the University of Divinity Australia. She is currently leading a project to catalogue the collection of manuscripts at the Coptic Monastery of St. Paul the Hermit at the Red Sea in Egypt.
Fr. Anthony St. Shenouda is a Coptic Orthodox monk from St. Shenouda Monastery, Australia. He completed his PhD from Macquarie University on the topic of The Arrow Prayer in the Coptic Tradition. He currently teaches on the topic of early monasticism at St. Cyril s Coptic Orthodox Theological College (Sydney College of Divinity).
Fr. Bigoul al-Suriany is a monk and hieropriest in Deir al-Surian, Wadi al-Natrun, Egypt. He is the curator of the manuscripts collection of the monastery, a researcher in Coptic studies, an MA candidate in the Institute of Coptic Studies in Cairo, and a member of the International Association for Coptic Studies.
David Brakke is Joe R. Engle Chair in the History of Christianity and professor of history at the Ohio State University. He is the author of several books and articles on early Egyptian monasticism, including Athanasius and the Politics of Asceticism (1995), and president of the International Association for Coptic Studies (2016-20).
Jan Ciglene ki is assistant professor in the Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana. He lectures on ancient and medieval philosophy, with special focus on patristics. His main research topic is Egyptian monasticism and the teachings of the Desert Fathers. In 2018 and 2019 he conducted the Endangered Hermitages: Documenting Coptic Heritage in Middle Egypt and in the Eastern Desert project under the auspices of the American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE).
Jean-Daniel Dubois is Directeur d tudes m rit for Gnostic and Manichaean Studies at the cole Pratique des Hautes tudes, Paris-Sciences-Lettres University. He is also a me