Nubian Early Christianity Quiz

Early Christianity in Nubia

• Nubian kingdoms were divided by religious beliefs, with the southern kingdoms following Monophysite Christianity, and the middle kingdom of Makouria adhering to Chalcedonian Christianity.
• The kingdoms of Nobatia and Makouria united under a single king in the 6th century.
• Despite some evidence of a Melkite episcopal see, the church in the united kingdom became Monophysite.

Discovering Nubian Christianity

• Due to sand cover and limited excavation efforts, most of Nubian treasures and ruins remained undiscovered until the mid-20th century.
• The construction of the Aswan Dam led to increased research and discovery of Christian Nubia in the latter half of the 20th century.
• Nubian churches featured murals depicting the Virgin Mary and saints with white skin, while kings, queens, bishops, and nobles were depicted with dark skin, showcasing a unique blend of Byzantine and African influences.

Evidence of Byzantine Influence

• Nubian art, architecture, and royal administration displayed strong Byzantine influences.
• Nubian royal titles mirrored Byzantine imperial titles, with examples being the eparch (governor) and the domestikos (a court official).
• Nubian upper classes spoke Greek, Coptic, and their native Nubian language, indicating multilingualism in the region.

Church Influence and Jurisdiction

• The Nubian church was initially under the influence or jurisdiction of Constantinople, but by the 8th century, it was under the influence of Alexandria, Egypt.
• The Arab conquest of Egypt in 641 placed the Church of Alexandria under Islamic control.
• Nubia's Christian kingdom became relatively isolated from major Christian centers, developing an independent identity.

Monasticism and Liturgy

• Nubia had numerous monasteries, some of large scale, along with its own distinctive liturgy, potentially a variation of the Constantinopolitan liturgy rather than the Coptic liturgy of Alexandria.

Evidence of Late Christian Survivals

• A 1964 discovery of a bishop's remains at the church of Q'asr Ibrim, with ordination documents dated 1372-1380, provides evidence of a functioning Christian church in Nubia near the end of the Middle Ages.
• The discovery of the bishop's remains, named Timotheos, suggests a Christian church existing for almost 800 years in the region, displaying a unique African expression of Christianity within the Catholic tradition.
• Rumors of Christian villages persisting in remote areas are reported as late as the mid-18th century, indicating potential remnants of Nubian Christianity.
• The Nubian story is a vital yet forgotten facet of early church history.

Nubia's Precedence

• Ethiopia, converted to Christianity around two centuries before the Nubian kingdom, stands as the oldest Christian community in black Africa.