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Short History of the Church of Makuria (Mid-6Th–Early 12Th Century)

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Short History of the Church of Makuria (Mid-6Th–Early 12Th Century) Short history of the Church of Makuria (mid-6th–early 12th century) Abstract: The article outlines the history of the Makurian church from the conversion of the kingdom to Christianity until the death of the archbishop Georgios in AD 1113, focusing particularly on the relations of the Makurian Church with the Church of Alexan- dria, and emphasizing its independence from Byzantine and Coptic influence from the second half of the 8th century until the time of Georgios. Keywords: Makuria, Church, Archbishop Aaron, Archbishop Geor- gios, Bishop of Pachoras Paulos, King Ioannes I, King Zacharias I, King Merkurios, King Ioannes II, King Chael, King Georgios I, Metropolitan bishop of Pachoras Ioannes I, Church of Archangel Raphael in Dongola [SWN.B.V] Two decisions taken in the first half of the 6th century were crucial to the formation of Africa’s most important late antique and early medieval kingdom, the Kingdom of Makuria. First, the power center was transferred from the region of Napata to the territory of Dongola and second, relations were established with Byzantium, Makuria ac- knowledging conversion to Christianity as a prerequisite condition for admission to the Byzantine civilizational sphere. This coincided with Justinian’s aspirations to spread Christianity beyond the borders of the Empire by political means. The one-sided report of Nubia’s Chris- tianization left by John of Ephesus cannot be considered as a just base for the present considerations. Archaeologi- cal sources, broadly understood, are much more reliable in this respect. The huge citadel fortifications of Don- gola and the rock tombs on the southern fringes of the necropolis in el-Ghaddar, as well as the building MC on Kom E, a civil structure in their vicinity, constitute at Włodzimierz Godlewski present the fullest body of evidence for the first stage in the emergence of Makuria as a Christian kingdom with Polish Centre of Mediterranean its power center in Dongola (Godlewski 2013b). Archaeology, University of Warsaw Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean 27/1 PAM 27/1 (2018) Godlewski 2018: 599–616 DOI: 10.5604/01.3001.0013.2444 StudieS Short history of the Church of Makuria (mid-6th–early 12th century) The anonymous king, who is the most fullest picture of these missionary ef- likely person to have been buried in one forts at this stage of the research is given of the tombs (RT.1) in el-Ghaddar north by the Monastery Church on Kom H, of Dongola, seems to have been a high- which remained an inspiration for the ly cultured man with broad horizons, kingdom’s religious architecture for the clearly no stranger to the late antique next millennium (Godlewski 2018b) [Fig. world. It is more than likely that he and 1]. The monastery included two buildings: his kind came from the elite of the fallen NW.B.I, which probably sheltered the Meroitic kingdom with roots deep in an- first monks and candidates for monks, cient Roman civilization. Missionaries and NW.B.II, which was where the lo- arriving most probably from Anatolia cal community held its gatherings, and established a monastery in the desert near finally the Central Building just north of the Citadel (the so-called Kom H). Not the Monastery Church, the walls of which only did they convert the royal court to bear the earliest wall paintings found to Christianity, but they also laid the foun- date in the monastery complex. It cannot dations for the Church of Makuria. The be excluded that those primarily respon- Fig. 1. Monastery on Kom H, aerial view from the northeast; center left, ruins of the Monastery Church, bottom right the Central Building (roofed), center right, the roofed Northwest Building; the Nile can be seen on the horizon, beyond the town, and at top left, the Mosque (PCMA UW Dongola Project/photo S. Lenarczyk) 600 Włodzimierz Godlewski StudieS sible for the conversion of the kingdom two perspectives are of a local nature: on to Christianity were buried in the crypts one hand, there is the ruler’s expectation of Building B.X and their worship ceased to legitimize his power based on the new only after the complete destruction of the religion and, on the other hand, the civili- CC.II church (Godlewski 2013b: 39–41 zational impact of Makuria’s adherence to and 75). the Christian world through the opening Makuria’s Church was formed as of the kingdom and Makurian society en a Chalcedonian institution and it must large to an economy-driven relation with have been the Chalcedonian Church of Byzantine Egypt. The Constantinopoli- Alexandria that played a decisive role in tan Creed on the walls of chambers in the administrative development of the the monastery, including the Monastery Church of Makuria. The conversion of Church, is of a much later date, being at- Makuria should be considered from three tributed to the times of the Kingdom of perspectives. The external perspective Dotawo, but it may be assumed that this takes into view the role of Byzantium in tradition in the Monastery was rooted spreading Chalcedonian Christianity in in the 6th century, that is, in the period an effort to curb the regional expansion of early Christianity in Makuria (Łajtar of the Monophysite Church. The other 2018). King ioannes and the ChurCh of MaKuria: turn of the 6th Century The end of the 6th century saw the emer- in Alexandria. Considering that three gence of Great Makuria following the separate bishoprics were formed in this incorporation of Nobadia after the year territory and taking into account the 580, as well as the establishment of a ter- number of temples changed into churches ritorially developed church administra- to prevent further pagan worship, one tion. In a centralized state with a civil is entitled to view pagan belief as still authority fostering the development of strong in Nobadia. It is also possible that urban centers, the Church established the impact of the Monophysite Thebaid three bishoprics in the territory of Noba- on the territory between the cataracts dia. Cities located between the First and had to be countered and reduced. Second Cataract, in the territory incor- An important issue to consider is porated into the Kingdom of Makuria, why only two bishoprics, compared to were naturally better developed. The Nobadia’s three, were formed in the re- most developed of these was Kurte, of maining, proportionately huge territory which little is know, then Phrim and of the kingdom. One was in Zae and the Pachoras, the latter having the largest other in Dongola. In the present state citadel after Dongola. In keeping with of the research, there is nothing to inti- Byzantine practice, these centers became mate the existence already at this date seats of bishops, ordained presumably of the other bishoprics later mentioned PAM 27/1 (2018) 601 StudieS Short history of the Church of Makuria (mid-6th–early 12th century) in Coptic from the times of Ioannes II one in Pachoras built by Bishop Aetios (see below). to believe the List of Bishops from the Altogether, in the earliest period, the Cathedral, and the last one in Dongola, existence of five bishoprics is document- the so-called Cathedral EC.I [Fig. 2]. No ed by the three surviving cathedrals: the such architectural evidence comes from one in Phrim founded by Bishop Agathos Kurte and Zae, but the existence of these (according to a foundation inscription) bishoprics in the early period is attested (Łajtar and van der Vliet 2010: 15–20), the in documents of a later date. Fig. 2. The known cathedral churches from Dongola and Pachoras (6/7th–13th centuries): left, from top, Dongola EC.I, Dongola RC.I, Dongola, RC.II; right, from top, Cathedral of Aetios, Cathe- dral of Paulos, Cathedral of Petros (Digitizing E. Czyżewska-Zalewska) 602 Włodzimierz Godlewski StudieS The first bishops must have been had the last say in the case of the bish- outsiders as it is unlikely that the lo- ops’ nominations, but most certainly cal community had grown sufficiently they could not have proceeded without in numbers and stature, even assuming the favor, if not the will, of the king. that the monastery in Dongola had al- The cathedrals in Makuria were con- ready been functioning for more than structed, presumably, by local craftsmen a dozen years. One would think that with essential support from outside the the Bishop of Alexandria would have kingdom. the ChurCh of MaKuria in the reign of King ZaCharias i: the years 653–about 670 Zacharias took the throne right after featured such floors. The Church was evi- the successful defense of the citadel in dently a buoyant and socially important Dongola against raiding Arabs from organization in this age. the north, during a period of turbulent The arrival in Dongola of Bishop Jo- change, the Arab aggression and evident seph from Syene had a political under- weakness of the Byzantine Empire. The pinning regardless of whether he was act- departure of the Chalcedonian patriarch ing as an envoy for the Arab governor of Alexandria Cyrus and the diligence of Egypt (646–656) cAbdullâh Ibn Sâd of Benjamin, Pope and Patriarch of Ibn Abî Sarh or as a missionary for the Alexandria (623–662), in taking over the Pope Benjamin. He clearly represented property of the Chalcedonian Church Egyptian interests, although his exact ob- in Egypt, including the actual churches, jectives are obscure. He had surely been must have reflected importantly on the charged with the task of subordinating situation. the Makurian Church. His funerary stela The consequences of the events in is an important document (Jakobielski Dongola—the city had been damaged and van der Vliet 2011).
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