Frescoes of Jesus, the Virgin Mary, the Apostles, Evangelists, Prophets
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SACRED SIGHTS Frescoes of Jesus, the Virgin Mary, the Apostles, evangelists, prophets, and angels adorn the walls of the church of the Red Monastery, built in the late fifth century A.D. as part of the flowering of Coptic culture in Egypt. PEDRO COSTA GOMES COPTIC CHRISTIANITY IN ANCIENT EGYPT Christianity’s origins in the ancient world are found in many places, but perhaps the most surprising are in Egypt, where the new faith took root and flourished shortly after the death of Jesus. JOSÉ PÉREZ-ACCINO SAFETY IN EGYPT In this detail of a 13th-century Coptic manuscript, the Flight into Egypt (top right) is depicted. This episode is of particular importance to Copts, who revere the places in Egypt where they believe the Holy Family wandered. AKG/ALBUM gypt, land of the pyramids, is the set- who wanted to kill the child.The family stays in ting for many of the best known tales Egypt until the danger has passed. fromtheOldTestament.ThroughMo- In addition to its important place in Scripture, ses, God punishes the Egyptian pha- Egypt was a fertile garden in the early flowering E A.D. raoh for holding the Hebrew people in of Christianity.From the first century ,as the bondage.Betrayed by his brothers,young Joseph faith took root and began to grow,Egypt became suffers in slavery in Egypt before rising to be- an important religious center, as theologians come vizier, second in power only to Pharaoh. and scholars flocked there.Egyptian Christian- When turning to the New Testament, ity developed its own distinctive flavor,shaped many people think of the lands of Israel by the words, culture, and history of ancient and Palestine, the places where Jesus was Egypt. This branch of Christianity would be- born and preached. Egypt, however, also come the Coptic Orthodox Church,and its fol- provides a key location in his story: a safe lowers would be known as Coptic Christians, haven for the Holy Family. In the Gospel or, more simply, as Copts. of Matthew, Mary, Joseph, and the infant The name Copt has had a long journey. It Jesus flee from Jerusalem and King Herod, comes from the European pronunciation of the EGYPT’S circa a.d. 68 303 St. Mark, founder of Emperor Diocletian HOLY the Egyptian church, is orders the persecution of martyred in Alexandria, Christians. Large numbers HISTORY according to Coptic and of Egyptian Christians die in wider Christian tradition. the Coptic “age of martyrs.” A COPTIC CHILD’S TUNIC (DATE UNKNOWN). NATIONAL MUSEUM, RAVENNA, ITALY BRIDGEMAN/ACI 42 MARCH/APRIL 2019 PAGAN PAST Egypt’s Christians were reminded of the splendor of their ancient religions, like the hypostyle hall of the Temple of Hathor, at Dandara. A Coptic basilica was built nearby in the fifth century. ANDREY POPOV/GETTY IMAGES circa 356 380 451 642 The Desert Father St. Although Nicene Following the Council of Alexandria is conquered by Anthony the Great dies. Christianity has become Chalcedon, the Copts split an Arab army. Christians are His monastic model the state religion of the with much of the Christian initially tolerated by their new is adopted across the empire, church leaders world in a bitter dispute about Muslim masters, but Egypt Christian world. clash over doctrine. the divine nature of Christ. steadily Islamizes. MIRACLE IN EGYPT In Alexandria Mark (left, at right) heals a cobbler, Anianus (seated), who converts and later succeeds Mark as head of the Egyptian church. Painting by G. Mansueti, 16th century. Gallerie dell’Accademia, Venice, Italy AKG/ALBUM Arabic wordword qibt, which derives from the Greek Early Beginnings nan mem for Egyypt,Aigyptos. This in turn is derived Christianity’s early traces can be found in the from Hwt-kka-ptah, a temple in Memphis dedi- Flight into Egypt. Several sites in the country are cated to Ptaah. The Coptic language also arose associated with the Holy Family’s wanderings, from a blendd of cultures, of Egyptian words writ- including the Al Muharraq monastery in the teninGreekk script. Several dialects evolved over Nile Valley in central Egypt. The monks believe the centuries, and many important Christian the monastery’s Church of the Virgin is built texts have beenb discovered written in Coptic. where the family sheltered for a little more than Before Christianityh became established, the six months during their time in Egypt. Another exe istinggreliggion of Egypt had roots reaching back sacred site is in El Matariya, a suburb of Cairo, millennia.AfterA the golden age of Ramses II and near the ancient city of Heliopolis. Tradition his sus ccessors ended, Egypt underwent inva- says that a sycamore tree, which became famous sions byLibbyans, Nubians, Assyrians, Persians, as the Virgin Mary’s tree, shaded the family dur- Greeks, and Romans. Even so, Egypt’s old reli- ing their journey. gion proved remarkably durable, partially due to According to Coptic tradition, the Christian its ability too absorb other influences. church in Egypt was founded in Alexandria by Withfewwexceptions, invaders either adopted, St. Mark in the mid-first century A.D. Author or adapted,thet venerable faith. The Nubians de- of the second gospel in the New Testament, clared their loyalty to the Egyptian god Amun. Mark became Alexandria’s first bishop and be- In their admmiration for Egyptian gods, the Ptol- gan spreading the teachings of Jesus. Historical emaic dynaasty (established by Alexander the sources support this claim. The Greek historian Great’s geneeral Ptolemy in 305 B.C.) created hy- Eusebius, writing around 310, wrote in his Eccle- brid Greco--Egyptian gods such as Serapis. siastical History: “They say that this Mark was the first to have set out to Egypt to proclaim the STAT TUEU TTEE OF THE GRECO-EGYPTIAN GOD SERAPIS. SECOND CENTURY B.C., Gospel, which he had written, and the first to BROBR NZE INLAIDWWITHH SILVER. LOUVRE MUSEUM, PARIS AKG/ALBUB M establish churches in Alexandria.” BETWEEN EGYPT AND GREECE. The final stage in the development of the ancient Egyptian language, Coptic emerged in the second century A.D., adopting letters from the Greek alphabet as well as retaining seven characters from the demotic, a simplified form of hieroglyphics. Pictured is a 10th-century Coptic codex containing an inscription about the archangel Raphael. Louvre Museum, Paris. SCALA, FLORENCE I THE MONASTERY OF ST. MACARIUS WAS FOUNDED IN A.D. 360 SOON AFTER THE DEATH OF ST. ANTHONY THE GREAT, FATHER OF THE CHRISTIAN MONASTIC TRADITION. Christianity. Acts 18:24-25 mentions a “Jew PEDRO COSTA GOMES named Apollos, a native of Alexandria ... well- versed in the scriptures ... [who] spoke with burn- ing enthusiasm and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus,” offering an insight into the growing Christian presence in the city. Like Jerusalem, Antioch, and Rome, Alex- andria was a leading center of early Christian thought. The School of Alexandria was the first Christian institution of higher learning, founded in the mid-second century A.D. Early leaders in- cluded St. Clement of Alexandria, who was born a pagan in A.D. 150, converted to Christianity, and became a leading spiritual thinker, teacher, and author. One of Clement’s pupils was Origen, whose A.D. 248 tract Against Celsus refuted pagan attacks on Christian doctrine and proved a crucial text in defending the new faith far beyond Egypt. Another noted Alexandrian thinker was Val- entinus, whose interpretation of Christianity required believers to embrace divine knowl- edge—in Greek, gnosis. Gnosticism, as it came to be known, penetrated early Christian com- munities in Egypt, where its gospels, including the mysterious Gospel of Judas, seem to have been widely circulated. In a period when paganism and Christianity coexisted, there was cross-pollination between Other histories compiled about Mark recall his the two. The ancient Egyptian symbol for life, teachings as well as miracles credited to him. On the ankh—a cross surmounted by a handle— arrival in Alexandria, Mark is said to have mi- influenced the development of the cross known raculously healed the hand of a cobbler, Anianus. as the crux ansata, used extensively in Coptic Copts believe that Mark’s teachings attracted symbolism. Even so, Christianity advanced in controversy and eventually led to his martyr- the fourth century. In the early 300s Oxyrhyn- dom around A.D. 68. The observance of Easter chus had 12 pagan temples and two churches; a fell at the same time as a festival for the Greco- century later, the situation was reversed. Egyptian god Serapis. Mark refused to worship Egypt was also the site of another important the pagan god, and an enraged mob tied a rope development in Christianity: monasticism, a around his neck and dragged him through the practice born in the deserts of Egypt. Imitating streets to his death. Jesus’ wanderings in the wilderness, holy her- mits underwent extreme privations to deepen A Growing Faith their faith. The most famous of the Desert Fa- Historians have long been fascinated by how thers was St. Anthony the Great. His visions, quickly Christianity gained such a strong foothold in which the devil appeared to him in the guise in Egypt. One clue to its rapid spread may lie in of a pious believer or a beautiful woman, had a Alexandria itself. In the very early Christian pe- profound effect on Christian notions of Satan. riod, this city was a vibrant center of learning and philosophy. Throughout the third century, leading Periods of Persecution scholars of the world flocked there. Alexandria Between the first and fourth centuries, the Ro- was also home to a large Jewish population, who man Empire unleashed a series of persecutions might have been receptive to the teachings of against Christians.