The Story of the Copts PDF - Iris Habib el Masri

 THE STORY OF THE COPTS THE TRUE STORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN EGYPT by Iris Habib el Masri BOOK 1 FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH BY SAINT MARK TO THE ARAB CONQUEST 2 Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Ki...

 THE STORY OF THE COPTS THE TRUE STORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN EGYPT by Iris Habib el Masri BOOK 1 FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH BY SAINT MARK TO THE ARAB CONQUEST 2 Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ King of Kings and Lord of lords 3 H.H. Pope Shenouda III, 117th Pope of Alexandria and the See of St. Mark 4  St. Anthony, Coptic Orthodox Monastery of Southern California, U.S.A., introduces "The Story of the Copts" by IRIS HABIB EL MASRI to all Christians and non-Christians; to old and young; men and women;... to everyone, with or without an interest in studying religion; and to the public in general. Also, the Copts in Egypt and all over the world. May God grant that the reader gain a true knowledge of the Copts and of the history of Christianity of Egypt. ST. ANMNY MONASTERY P.O. BOX 369 MMERRY SPRINGS, CA 923$5 5  ACKNOWLEDGEMENT It is with deep gratitude that I offer my thanks to our Heavenly Father whose aid and guidance have been my lodestar throughout the years. My thankful homage to the Spirit of my Father Pishoi Kamil whose encouragement by prayer, words and continued endeavour added to my zeal and fervour, and strengthened me to persevere on the path towards fulfilment. My thanks are extended also to all my family circle and friends, with special appreciation to the budding artist Habib Amin el Masri, my nephew, for giving me some of his paintings to adorn this volume. As for my sister Eva el Masri Sidhom, I consider he my co-writer; she and her husband Youssef did their best in editing and typing this work. Side by side, with all those who encouraged me on this plane, are all those beloved ones who have gone on ahead and whose invisible help has been my sustenance as I pressed forward towards my goals. Iris Habib El Masri 6  INTRODUCTION A. History is Life Not long ago, Providence so willed that I sit at table with a number of foreigners. During the conversation, my host 1 asked: "Since when did you adopt Eutychianism?" I answered: "We ever adopted it, nor ever will. We are Orthodox and have been so since Christianity began until now." My host resumed: "But I read somewhere that you have deviated from Orthodoxy." I rejoined: "We never deviated, nor ever will, by the Grace of God. But it happened, that when we went to Chalcedon.... " Here, one of the guests interposed: "When did you go to Chalcedon?" I answered: "We went in A.D. 451." At which all those present roared with laughter, then my host said gently: "To hear you speak thus, one would imagine that you went this year, or at most last year, and that you were among those who went." It was my turn to laugh as I answered: "Such are we Copts 2 -when one of us has attended, we have all attended. And there is no difference between the delegates attending in 451 or in any other year, because our history is one whole indivisible unit. Nay, it is life itself, and not some ephemeral pictures on a screen. The proof of this fact is that the three first ecumenical councils, the only ones acknowledged by the Coptic Church, have decreed laws by which we still abide. Also, we still suffer from the baleful consequences of Chalcedon. History is, therefore, indivisible, though it appears to us in diverse pictures; it is like unto matter which is never destroyed though its forms change." Here, I found it compatible to quote the comment Dr. 7 Cyrus Gordon, the eminent contemporary American scholar, made once on our behavior at Chalcedon. It was: "When the Egyptians went to Chalcedon, they were proud of their Pharaonic heritage, and rightly so; they were proud of their Alexandrian Fathers, and rightly so; they frankly told the whole world what they believed, and, when the world refused to listen, they walked out, and rightly so." And, since history is life, it is consequently the story of the people, wherever they are. For this very reason, it recounts the struggle of the nations for freedom and dignity; their aspirations towards liberty, and their heroic achievements. This yearning after the ideal should be the pivot of our study of history. Moreover, to gain a full appreciation of the history of the Coptic Church, it is essential to know the prominent features of its adherents. The Copts have a very strong leaning towards the mystic and the spiritual. Sir Flinders Petrie depicts this leaning very aptly in the following words: "... a difference in the conception of a period before the existence of time would seem purely academic and indifferent to a Western mind.... To the Egyptian mind, however, this difference was in the essence of things. The distinction of eternity before time which the West could hardly grasp or feel to be of any importance has been fastened by the two Egyptian 3 presbyters upon all later Christianity." Reflecting on the profound impact of the Coptic Church on the Church Universal, this same Egyptologist remarks: "If, now, we try our historical imagination by supposing that there never had been any of the refinements of the Trinitarian controversy; that no monastery had ever sterilized the best of the race; and that 8 the Madonna and Child were alike unknown to devotion and to art, we may gain some sense of what changes Egypt wrought in Christianity, and how utterly foreign to 4 the Judaic origin was its influence.” B. T7ie Light that never Fades In the dawn of Creation, when Adam and Eve succumbed to the temptation of the serpent, the justice of God banished them into the earth. But His love necessitated that He redeem them. Thus was the promise 5 of the Redeemer made by God to man. This Divine Promise, being given to the father of the human race, was carried within its collective subconscious. Hence, we hear of the Messianic hopes among different groups of peoples, at different ages, and in sundry climes. The literatures, the wise sayings, the sacred writings, all reflect 6 the hope of the Advent of the Redeemer. Among the Hebrews, it attained its crescendo, while among other nations, it was sounded with varying strength, according to the temper and spiritual susceptibility of each group. In Egypt, the people were given countless gods and godesses to revert to for different needs, yet the priests and sages expressed their faith in the one God, and spoke of the coming Redeemer. They conceived of a triad of gods, and they worshipped the Mother Isis suckling the Child Horus. They, therefore, glimpsed the Light of Christianity beforehand, and many of their writings run 7 parallel with those of the Hebrew prophets. According to the measure given them, they were on the lookout for the Light. And when the Light did come to them, their hearts were filled with gladness. Their spiritual unfoldment 9 across the ages led to their acceptance of the New Faith, which was compatible with their sense of mysticism. This concord was doubtless due to their share in the legacy bequeathed by God to man. Because they kept their Inward Light burnished, they could easily perceive the True Light when it shone upon them: "The True Light which lighteth every man coming into the world. Little wonder then, that the Prophet declared, "Out of Egypt 9 have I called my son." Thus it was prophesied, and thus did it come to pass. No trumpet heralded the entry of the Christ Child into the Nile Valley. He came quietly and gently, as comes the dawn, to take refuge in Egypt when 10 Herod wanted to kill Him. Tradition says that as His foot trod on Egyptian soil, the idols in all the temples fell 11 down before the eyes of their bewildered worshippers. The import of this legacy lies not only in its veracity, but rather in the qualities of the national temperament which it uncovers-a temperament which could be imbued with such an interpretation. In due season, the Word was sown in Egypt, and 12 brought forth fruit: thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold. Before beginning the story, however, one remark is necessary. James H. Breasted, the eminent American Egyptologist and one of the greatest historians of all times, said that what seems fabulous in other countries is natural in Egypt. Also, during the less complex and less sophisticated ages, man was in closer contact with God, and a sort of fellow-feeling bound them. With these two facts in mind, it is easier to comprehend the Copts and their history. 10  NOTES 1. Eutyches denied the humanity of the Christ, pretending that His body was ethereal and not of flesh and blood like ours. This is a heresy, indeed, denying the very Incarnation. It shall be dealt with in its sequence of time. 2. The word "Copt" means literally, Egyptian. It is an echo of the ancient Egyptian name "Hakuptah," and the Greek nwne "Aegyptus," both used for Egypt. And since the Arab Conquest in 641 A.D., Copt was narrowed down to designate the Christian Egyptian. 3. In his book Egypt and Israel, London, 1911, pp. 135-6. The two presbyters he mentions are Athanasius the Apostolic, and most formidable champion of Orthodoxy, and Arius who denied the divinity of the Christ. 4. Ibid, pp. 137-8 and 140-1. 5. Genesis III. 6. James H. Breasted: The Dawn of Conscience, New York, 1934. Chapter XI. 7. Breasted: ibid, pp. 364-383. Amelineau, in his essay "Les 1dees sur Dieu dans I'Ancienne Egypte" pp. 18-31 says: "On trouve dans les livres sacres de I'Egypte, le peche originel, la promesse d'un Dieu Sauveur, la restauration future de l'humanite..." i.e., we find, in the sacred books of Egypt, the original sin, the promise of a Saviour God, and the future restoration of humanity. 11 8. John 1:9. 9. Matt. II:15 and Hosea XI:1. 10. Matt. II: 13-14. 11. Isaiah XIX:1. 12. Mark IV:8. 12 THE BEHOLDER OF GOD MARK THE EVANGELIST SAINT AND MARTYR 13  I. ST. MARK 1. His childhood. 2. His personality. 3. Alexandria in the First Christian Century. 4. St. Mark's arrival in Egypt. 5. Propagation of the Faith. 6. Mark's departure from Egypt. 7. His return, and his writing of the Gospel. 8. His martyrdom in 68 AD. l. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His Glory…." In Egypt, we beheld His Glory since the year 61 AD1, when St. Mark came to proclaim the Gospel in obedience to the Holy Spirit. To Christians all the world over, St. Mark is the writer of one of the Gospels, but to us in Egypt, he is the bearer of Good News, the Founder of the Church, and the first Patriarch of Alexandria. St. Mark was born in Cyrene, of parents who were righteous, God-fearing and wealthy. While yet in his early childhood, nomad tribes invaded the region of his home town. They robbed and pillaged the whole place, carrying away with them all they could of herd and valuables. Mark's parents suffered the loss of most of their possessions, and so migrated to Jerusalem, where Mark was brought up. Little did they realise that this move brought them to where the Christ lived and taught, and that through contact with Him, their son was destined to become a Bearer of the Light. 2. St. Mark was one of the seventy chosen by our Lord2 and is the man designated by the Christ as the one at whose 14 house the Passover was eaten3. This same house was the meeting place of the Apostles after the Crucifixion of Christ.4 An upper room was the spot where the Holy Spirit descended on those gathered at Pentecost5 and it is recognised as the first Christian Church6. When the Apostles met in Jerusalem about 52 A.D. - thus convoking the first council-Mark was present. The point to be settled at their meeting was whether the Gentiles were to be accepted into the Church without having to be circumcised. The apostle James presided at this meeting, and his verdict was that they should be accepted freely.7 After the meeting, each Apostle resumed his work of evangelisation. At this time, Paul and Barnabas differed on account of Mark, who had separated from them before at Pamphilia. Barnabas then, took Mark with him and departed to Cyprus, while Paul went with Silas, going through Syria and Cilicia.8 After St. Mark worked for some time with Barnabas in Cyprus, he was guided by the Holy Spirit to go and preach the Word in Pentapolis, his birthplace, and from there he came to Egypt.9 3. At the time of his arrival in Alexandria, it was considered the most outstanding centre of culture and learning in the world. Its famous school and great scholars were sought by all who thirsted for knowledge. There, Greek philosophers, Hebrew rabbis, Persian and Indian seers, together with Egyptian hierophants pondered life's mysteries. The Museum and Library were not only imposing buildings, they contained the rarest and best of human achievements in the mental, spiritual and artistic fields. At the same time, Alexandria was noted for its notorious living: its revellers and bravados, its wrestlers and charioteers were always parading the main streets-streets that were colonnaded and very wide, some up to two 15 hundred feet.10 To this wondrous city came Mark the Apostle of Christ. 4. On the day of his arrival, he walked from street to street, utterly taken by all the splendour and beauty, and all the waywardness he beheld. He walked all day, heedless of hunger and fatigue. Towards evening, the strap of his sandal was torn, and he turned to the first cobbler's shop. As the cobbler was working, the awl pierced his hand, and he lifted it up, exclaiming: "Oh, One God!" Immediately the Apostle took some clay, spat on it and applied it to the wound, thus healing it. And taking his clue from the cobbler's exclamation, he started talking to him about God the Father and of His Son Jesus the Christ. The cobbler's heart was opened, and he took the Evangelist to his home to abide with him. That day, the Seed of the Good News was sown, and like unto the mustard's, it grew in time into a mighty tree. Anianus, the cobbler, and all his household were baptised- becoming the first fruits of the Church founded by St. Mark.11 5. Soon, many Alexandrians adopted the New Faith, and as their numbers grew, the authorities became alarmed, for the converts not only increased in number, but their conversion changed them so completely that they seemed as new people, and their newness was very attractive, and the means of winning more people to the Faith, so truthful, so honest, and so contented did they become. Any pagan, behaving in the same upright manner, would be asked: did you meet a Christian today? Implying that even the encounter with a Christian was incentive enough for a man to change his mode of life. 16 6. As the number of people joining the Faith continued to increase, the authorities sought to lay hands on the Apostle. When the brethren heard of it, they pleaded with St. Mark to leave Egypt for some time. Thereupon, he gathered the believers together, and ordained Anianus Bishop for them, and ordained with him twelve priests and seven deacons.12 To these, he entrusted the direction of the Church. Leaving, Alexandria, St. Mark went first to visit his Church in Pentapolis. From there, he went to Rome, in answer to St. Paul's invitation. Paul had already heard of Mark's ministry in the years which followed his contention with Barnabas over him, and he realised, with the spreading of the Church in Egypt, that Mark was intended by the Holy Spirit for work in the Nile Valley.13 Hearing that Mark had left Egypt to keep away till the anger of the authorities against him abated, Paul sent for him to join him in Rome, and Mark hastened in response to his call.14 Later on, Paul testified to Mark's usefulness in serving the Word.15 7. During the Apostle's absence, Anianus and his helpers continued his work. On his return, Mark found that they had already built a church near the seashore. On the other side of the Church, they had built houses for the poor and the strangers. The whole Christian community, at this early age, lived a communal life, sharing everything together: praying, fasting, and preaching the Word. The number of the Faithful kept growing, and the fold of the Good Shepherd increased every day. So as soon as St. Mark returned, they sought him, and eagerly asked him to write down for them the teachings of the New Way. Thus, in answer to their quest, and by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Gospel according to St. Mark was written.16 17 8. The Apostle's zeal seemed to increase as his work flourished. This infuriated the nobles of the city all the more, and they decided that, this time, he would not escape them. It so happened in 68 A.D. that Easter fell on the same day as the feast of Serapis.17 The crowds who gathered in the temple were, therefore, incited against the Apostle. Hardly was the festival over, than they went out, and headed straight for the Church. They seized St. Mark, tied a rope round him, and dragged him from street to street, and over the rocks on the seashore. In the evening, bruised and bleeding, he was thrown into a dark prison. As he lay there, scarcely conscious, an unwanted splendour brightened his darkness, and behold, the Christ appeared to him, apparelled in Celestial Light. He said unto him: "Be strong O my Evangelist, for tomorrow you shall receive the Crown of Martyrdom”. The next morning, the pagans came again. This time they tied the rope round his neck, and dragged him in the same manner, as on the preceding day. In a few hours, his head was torn from his body. Thus he attained three crowns: the crown of Discipleship, the crown of Evangelism, and the crown of Martyrdom.18 The mob, however, was not satisfied with this horrible ending; they wanted to burn the body. But, scarcely had they prepared the pyre, than Nature revolted in the shape of a storm, rain, thunder and lightning soon dispersed the frenzied mob. When the tempest subsided the Believers came and took the Saint's body and head, put each in a cask alone and buried them in his Cathedral.19 Years later, after the Council of Chalcedon (451 A.D.), the body was removed to a Church pertaining to the Emperor's partisans, while the head remained in its place. Then, in the ninth century, some 18 Venetian merchants stole the Evangelist's body, and carried it to their home town, Venice, whose Patron Saint was Saint Mark. The body remained in St. Mark's Cathedral of Venice20 until the 24th of June, 1968, when his relics were given by Pope Paul VI to Abba Kyrillos VI, Pope of the Coptic Church. Now, they rest in a reliquary built especially for the occasion under the altar of a new grand Cathedral bearing the name of the blessed Evangelist on a spot known as Abba Roweiss ground, in Abbasseya, Cairo. Special festive prayers were held then, as the Coptic Church was celebrating the nineteenth centenary of St. Mark's martyrdom. 19  I. NOTES 1. This is the date recorded in the Coptic Annals; other historians say that it was about the year 55 A.D. 2. Luke X:1; Didascalia Book V section 57; "De Recta in Deum Fide" by Origin; the Book of Theotokeyas (or hymns of praise to the Blessed Virgin) pp. 175-7, and the section of hymns of praise to St. Mark; Epiphanius, Book 51 on heresy section 5; Chapiat: "Le Saint de Chaque Jour" p. 213; P. d'Orleans: "Les Saints d'Egypte" vol. 1 pp. 494-5 and vol. II p. 511. 3. Matt. XXVI: lB; Mark SIV: l3-15; Luke XXII: 10-12; "Tuhfat’l Geel fee Tafseer’l Ingeel" by Mgr. Youssef ed-Debs (Maronite Bishop) p. 318 where he quotes Cardinal Baronius saying: “The words `such a man' at whose house the Passover was to be eaten, point to Marcus. Our Lord thus designated him, that Judas may not warn the chief priests, and they lay hands on Him before the Mystery of the Last Supper be instituted. As for the house of Marcus, it was the meeting place of the Christ and His disciples.” 4. Mark 16:14; Luke 24:33; John 20:I9. 5. Acts 1:13 and 2:1. 6. Acts 12:l2. 7. Acts 15:l-30. 20 8. Acts 15:36-41. 9. Arabic Ms. by the monk Shenouda El Baramusi vol. I pp. 11-19; Coptic Synaxarium, vol. I, p.127 and vol. II, pp. 103-107; History of the Patriarchs of Alexandria by Severus (Bishop of Ashmunein in the tenth century) in his section on St. Mark; Eusebius book II, sections 15 and 16; "Akhbar’l Qiddeesseen" by Maximus Mazloum, vol. II, p. 552; and "Les Saints d'Egypte" by P. d'Orleans, vol. I, p. 500. 10. Ency. Brit., XIVth ed., vol. I, pp. 577-580. 11. Coptic Synaxarium under 30th of Parmouti (8th of May) - a synaxarium contains a resume of biographies of saints arranged for daily readings; each biography being written to be read on the day of the saint's commemoration. 12. Severus, Bishop of Ashmunein: op. cit., chap. on St. Mark. 13. That Isaiah's prophecy may be fulfilled which says "In that day shall there be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt" (19:19). 14. Col. 4: l0. 15. 2 Tim. 4:11, and Philemon 1:24. 16. Eusebius: Book 5 section 8; St. John Chrysostom's "Works" translated into French by Father Bareille, vol. XIII p.163; St. Mark's Biography written under April 25, in the book "Vies de Saints Illusrees" by the 21  Benedictine Father Monfaucon, where he says: "Marc, cedant aux desirs des fideles, prit la plume, et sous l'inspiration de l'Esprit-Saint gerivait les pages immortelles de son Evangile." This same author says in his Diar Italic. - chap. IV p.50 - that he saw the original Greek copy of St. Mark's Gospel at Venice, and observed that it was written on Egyptian paper (ie., papyrus). Irenaeus Bishop of Lyons, and disciple of Polycarpus (one of the disciples of John the beloved Apostle) affirms that Mark's Gospel was written after the martyrdom of both Peter and Paul the Apostles - cf. de Vanse "Explanation of the Bible," vol. XX p.428, pub. in Paris 1829. 17. A Graeco-Egyptian deity, an amalgam of two names: Ceres-Apis. 18. "Copto-Arabic Book of the Holy Psalmodia of the Year", arranged by the Fathers of the Orthodox Church, pub. in 1624 AM (1908 AD) Cairo, pp. 355- 6. 19. The Cathedral of St. Mark in Alexandria stands on the same ancient site. Across the ages, it was rebuilt several times. The present building is very new, having been rededicated on Ascension Day, May 14th 1953. 20. Selim Soleiman: "Mokhtasar Tankh’l Omma’l Qibtiya" (Cairo 1914), p. 283. 22  II. THE CHAIR OF ALEXANDRIA 9. The Apostolic Succession. 10. Traditional Rites. 11. Vigilant Shepherding. 12. Divine Providence. 9. Being the founder of the Church in Egypt, St. Mark is considered its first Pope, and those who sat on his chair after him are his successors. They have continued in unbroken line since his martyrdom until the present day. The resent Pope, Shenouda III, was consecrated on November 12th 1971, the hundred and seventeenth Patriarch of the See of Alexandria. The very first successor to St. Mark was Anianus who was the first convert and who had been ordained by the Apostle him self. The successors to St. Mark were the first to be entitled "Pope," which means "Father of fathers". This is clearly evident from the old manuscripts. The most convincing evidence is given to us by the Holy Liturgy legate by St. Mark himself and written down by Abba Kyrillos I.1 Today the official title of the head of the Coptic Church is "Pope and Patriarch of the great city of Alexandria, all of Egypt, the Middle East, Ethiopia, Nubia and the Pentapolis”. 10. For a few centuries, the first duty incumbent on each successor to the Evangelist after his consecration, was to perform three liturgies: one in the Church of the Evangelists, the second in the Church of the Archangel Mikhail, and the last in the Church of St. Mark (all in Alexandria). When he ended the third liturgy, the Alexandrian Prelate carried on his arms the cask containing the Apostolic head of the Beholder- of-God (as St. Mark is still entitled), and marched at the 23 head of a procession round the church, then stood before the sanctuary, and publicly stated that he would endeavour, to the best of his ability, to follow in the Apostle's footsteps.2 This ritual was not performed by Anianus, as he had been consecrated by St. Mark himself. He, therefore, assumed the leadership after the Apostle's martyrdom immediately, becoming as mentioned, second Pope of Alexandria. 11. Anianus, and the nine prelates who succeeded him, had a similar record. It is stated that all of them were wise and good, meek and simple, and that they taught the people with diligence and singleness of heart. Because of the peaceful times they enjoyed, they succeeded in greatly increasing the number of the faithful. Theirs was a time when the Seed took root, and, without interference, grew in dimension, branched out, and, in time, gave shelter and security to mankind. 12. Rev. John Neale, in his "History of the Holy Eastern 3 Church says: "It pleased God that the Church which was afterwards, to be exposed to such fierce persecutions from the pagan power, and to struggle for its very existence under two forms of heresy (namely Arianism and Nestorianism) should, in its infancy, be in great measure protected from the storms which fell upon its sister Churches. Time was thus given for its establishment and consolidation. The true Faith took deep root in the hearts of the people of Alexandria, and, in due season gave forth fruit to perfection. During the first two centuries, Egypt enjoyed unusual quiet, and tittle is known of its ecclesiastical history beyond the names of its Patriarchs”. 24  II. NOTES 1. "Prayer of the Fathers" from the Holy Liturgy of St. Mark known as "The Kyrillian," Eusebius: Hist. Eccles. VII, 4 and 7; R. Payne: "The Holy Fire" p.59; A. J. Butler: "The Ancient Coptic Churches of Egypt," vol. II p. 302 where he says: "The name `pope' or `baba' has given rise to much controversy, but may probably be derived from Coptic ‘ ΠiαΠα’ (Pi-apa) or ‘ΠIαββα’ (Pi-abba)” 2. Copto-Arabic Ms. no. 253 Lit., Coptic Museum Library, dated 1080 AM (1364 A.D.) folio 66r; "Book of Consecrations"-section on Patriarchs, copied from Coptic Mss. and pub. in Rome in 1761 A.D. 3. Vol. I, p.12. 25  III. THE SCHOOL OF ALEXANDRIA 13. Ptolemies encourage learning. 14. Mission of the School. 15. Hellenising aim behind learning. 16. School inaugurated by St. Mark. 17. Athenagorus. 18. Pantaenus. 19. Translation of Gospel into Coptic. 20. Clement of Alexandria. 21. Distinguishing traits of Clement's era. 13. While the Fathers of the Church were busy establishing the Faith, they were aided in their sublime task by the Teachers of the School of Alexandria and its eminent Deans. Alexandria, by then, could boast of a long history behind it. During this long history, it had attained unprecedented heights in civilisation. Its pre-Christian school had been founded by Ptolemy Soter in 323 B.C. When Ptolemy Philadelphus sat on the throne in 288 B.C., he not only encouraged the Greek philosophers, but extended his patronage to other nationalities. For it was during his reign that the translation of the Old Testament was accomplished. To his zeal for concentrating on Greek culture, the world owes the Septuagint - so called because seventy rabbis worked on it. They had been invited to come and settle in Alexandria where they diligently worked on this translation. 14. The School of Alexandria comprised the world- famous Library and Museum Judging the School by its prevalent trend of thought, modern scholars consider it as two schools, the one superseding the other: first a predominantly scientific and literary school, then a 26 philosophic and theological one. This latter transformation started even before Christianity. For the world to which the leaders of thought spoke had already begun to demand a doctrine of salvation to satisfy the needs of the human soul.1 15. The persistent zeal of the Ptolemies for Greek culture and the gathering together of seers, sages and philosophers, made Alexandria the foremost centre of learning. The Ptolemies thought that by so doing they could Hellenise Egyptian thought-the goal which Alexander the Great had aspired to after his conquest of the Mediterranean world. A casual student might think that they had succeeded, but any study in depth would show that, in Egypt, they failed completely. The Egyptians were too deeply rooted in the traditions of their own glorious past of culture and learning to change easily. They were willing to absorb and perfect other cultures but never at the expense of their own nationality, or the pride of their Egyptian heritage. This rightful pride in their brilliant past was far stronger than their love for Greek learning. Hence, a crisis was inevitable. Throughout the second century B.C., the Egyptians were in continuous revolt, and the country was a prey to fire and bloodshed. Little is known of these internal, local conflicts except that they were marked by severe pressures and even atrocities. In this sad venture however, the Egyptians, though, vanquished, were, nevertheless, not quite the losers. If they were not up to the task of overthrowing the yoke of Greece, they remained constantly faithful to their own heritage and never lost their national or cultural identity. Realising that the spirit of Egypt was rebellious against them, the foreign rulers tried to soothe it by offering what they thought was the remedy: the attraction and appeal of a humane culture. But this humane culture was only 27 possible in big cities, where schools flourished and where commercial and social intercourse was inevitable and constant. In the rural areas, however, which contained the bulk of the population, the heart of Egypt remained untouched.2 Nationalistic pride lay dormant in the subconscious, and only needed the necessary leader. to rouse it; such arousal finally took shape and was realised in the fifth century A.D. under the stubborn zeal of Abba Shenouda the Archimandrite. Meanwhile, the Egyptian city dwellers enjoyed the retirement of Hellenistic culture, and a goodly number of them became steeped in Greek learning. They taught and wrote in Greek, so much so that they were mistaken for Greeks, and even up to the present, this misconception still prevails regarding some of the famous Egyptian personalities of those times. Hellenism was, by no means, the only influential culture of the earliest Christian centuries, although it was the most marked. The impact of Hebraic teachings also was deeply felt and absorbed. The Jewish community of Alexandria was the most illustrious, and second only to that of Jerusalem, besides being the best organised community in the world. Apart from the great rabbis, there were great Hebrew philosophers, such as Philo, who is invariably called Philo of Alexandria. 16. Into this city of inter-racial culture, wherein Greek philosophies, Hebraic teachings and Oriental doctrines were equally familiar, Christianity was, in due time, introduced. Once the Egyptians were converted to Christianity, they felt the urgent need for a school in order to preserve and help spread the teachings of the New Faith. They realised that if they were to convince and win men deeply learned in all that was highest and best, they had to be just as 28 learned and more erudite. To help them attain this erudition, St. Mark had opened for them the Catechetical School.3 Now, during the first two centuries, catechetical schools were opened throughout the different countries into which Christianity was introduced. These schools, however, exercised a very limited influence; they offered only an elementary catechism to pagans and new converts alike. But, in Alexandria, the matter was altogether different. Its school soon became the centre of an intense intellectual life. The teachers who taught therein were scholars well versed in Hellenistic literature and philosophy as well as in the holy books bequeathed to the Church by the Synagogue. The students who thronged its halls were not only the catechumens and the neophytes, but were also learned men; dialecticians, rhetoricians, and jurists, before whom it was necessary to present Christianity in the form of knowledge, research and wisdom. Naturally, the bulk of the believers were mainly simple folk, but the scholars of Alexandria were assigned a role of greater significance than anywhere else in the world. They are the ones whose story can still be read through the works of such master-lights as Clement and Origen. As the seeker reads their works, he finds himself transported into a different world: a world of deep thinkers, reared in the schools of ancient wisdom.4 Little wonder, then that the School of Alexandria became the Lighthouse of Christianity, and throughout its life of five centuries, it maintained the same reputation of erudition and scholarliness. l7. The first Dean of the School was Athenagoras, an outstanding philosopher. He had studied Christianity so that he might be able to refute it all the better, but the deeper he delved into it, the more did it quench the thirst within his soul. His conversion was so whole-hearted that he wrote an 29 "Apology", which he addressed to the Emperors Marcus, Aurelius and Commodius. Among the students of Athenagoras were Pantaenus and Clement, both of whom succeeded him as Deans of the School, but outshone him as leaders of thought.5 Athenagorus was succeeded by Justus who had been appointed by St. Mark himself and who, in due season, became the sixth successor to the Evangelist. On his accession to the Chair of Alexandria, Justus appointed Eumanius Dean, and he, too, became an Alexandrian Pope in turn. The tradition was repeated in the case of Marianus who took his office as fourth dean of the School of Alexandria, then had the honour of becoming the eighth head of the Church. 18. Towards the end of the second century, when Christianity in Egypt had already had a long and substantial history behind it, Pantaenus was selected Dean of the school of Alexandria. He had been a Stoic before his conversion to Christianity, and was deeply learned in the different philosophies. His zeal and his learning had won for him the appreciation of Abba Demetrius (12th Pope of Alexandria) who singled him out for a missionary journey to India. He responded to this honour by readily accepting it, and entrusted the School to his illustrious pupil Clement. Arriving in Southern India, Pantaenus found to his joy that the Gospel had already been preached to its people by St. Thomas the Doubter and that they had a copy of the Gospel of St. Matthew, written by the hand of the Evangelist himself. After spending some time there, the length of which is not definitely known, he returned to his home town Alexandria, bringing with him a copy of St. Matthew's Gospel.6 On his way back, he passed by the land of Sheba 30 (in the north of Yemen).7 Then, once more, he assumed the deanship of the School. 19. Meanwhile, the leaders of the Church felt the need of having the Gospel written in the native tongue of the land but in a script that would be within the grasp of the common man, and that he could comprehend and learn. Such was not the case of the hieroglyphic pictograph nor of the demotic script. According to tradition, Pantaenus and Clement cooperated to produce this new and easy script, to replace the ancient hieroglyphs. The fruit of their labour was the Coptic language: namely, the pharaonic speech written in the Greek alphabets with the addition of seven letters for sounds which did not exist in Greek, but existed in the Egyptian. About this transformation in the Egyptian writing, Sir Alfred J. Butler wrote in his book, "The Ancient Coptic Churches of Egypt”.8 'The romance of language could go no further than to join the speech of Pharaoh and the writing of Homer in the service book of a Christian Egyptian". Pantaenus and Clement resorted to the Greek script for two reasons. first, Greek was the language of the cultured elite throughout the known world then, and hence was the language in which the Gospel was first preached to the Egyptians; second, it was actually familiar to many Egyptians. Through this new method of writing, the Gospel was preached and taught to the masses, and they adopted Christianity, with fervour. Their hearts and minds opened up to It for It embodied some of their already accepted beliefs, such as immortality, resurrection and the soul's judgment. Inscriptions in certain of the ancient Egyptian tombs, such as those written on the tomb of Petosiris, for example, ring with a note very reminiscent of certain Biblical passages.9 Having given the Egyptians this invaluable gift of a simplified method of reading and writing, Pantaenus and 31 Clement crowned their works with yet one grand service: they translated the Bible, both the Old and New Testaments, into Coptic. Thus, they were the first scholars to translate the Scriptures, in their entirety, into their own native tongue. This work was the response of vigilant souls to the desires of their people. 20. When Pantaenus went unto his reward, his office was given to Clement, his illustrious disciple and collaborator. Clement was a born teacher and philosopher, and, to him, Christianity was the summit of all philosophy. From this standpoint his position is both profound and interesting, for he was an ardent admirer of all the noble efforts of thought which preceded Christianity. He was the first person to muster the evidence for Christianity from all the Greek cultural sources and all the speculations of the Christian heretics. He deeply meditated. on the questions raised by the poets, philosophers, and heretic writers. To him, Christianity was the means of raising the people to the highest levels of spiritual living. Greek philosophy attained only fragments of the Truth, whereas Truth, as revealed in Christ, was perfect and absolute. All the stages of. the world's history were, therefore, the means of preparing humanity for this full revelation of God. To exemplify this belief, Clement captivated his listeners by reciting to them quotations from poets, philosophers, and orators; they were entranced as one familiar passage after the other fell on their ears. Then, before their elated souls, he expounded the Holy Scriptures. He delighted in guiding them, step by. step, from the teachings they knew to the teachings they did not know, leading them in a triumphant procession to the conclusion that Christian Wisdom was more complete, more lofty and more magnificent than all the wisdom of antiquity.10 32  Clement built his belief on the thesis that Christ was the Source that enlightened the hearts and minds of wise men. all through the ages. Therefore, heathen philosophers were to be viewed with kindliness. When Christ came into the world. He did so to free men from sin, lead them to a new kind of wisdom, and finally elevate them to the sublime position of God's children. Ultimately, in this life and beyond, the whole human race will attain the perfection designed for it by the Creator. Clement possessed all the characteristics of the talented master: a flashing intellect, a fiery enthusiasm, and an ever youthful soul. He believed that teaching was a divine mission, and gave himself wholeheartedly to it. He went as far as opening his School to all who came, regardless of age and sex. And the people from all walks of life crowded to hear him: the rich and learned aristocrats; the women of high rank, powdered and perfumed; young "ne'er-do-wells", coming from sheer curiosity, philosophers and rhetoricians. A medley of a crowd, if ever there was one. A cynic, looking at such a crowd, might well have declared that it was void of all good. But Clement could discern the Divine Spark within each one of them – that spark for whose sake the Word incarnated. How well did Clement know that most people, under the semblance of indifference and sophistication, hid their inward longing after truth. He could glimpse behind the painted faces, troubled souls; and he could hear, amid the incessant babble, the unavowed questions. The epithets he preferred to use for designating Christ were: "Teacher" and "Pedagogue". Clement took on himself to be teacher and pedagogue after the likeness of his Lord, educating all those who came to him: exhorting the pagans and convincing them of the baseness of their beliefs, and the shame of their immoral habits. And to an age which 33 despised chastity, and a public which had lost the sense of respect, he declared the grandeur of the Christian marriage, and the noble duties incumbent on both husband and wife. He frankly spoke of chastity and the sanctity of marriage without risking as much as a passing smile of disdain – for so effective were his teachings that he lifted his listeners to the heights he proclaimed, and taught with indefatigable patience and a radiant smile. Yet for all his radiance, he never compromised. He knew and recommended the practice of heroic virtues, and his teachings had the authority of unshakeable Faith. Thus he succeeded in turning the rich Alexandrians to Christians; and what was more, in transforming them into martyrs... for the happy years during which he tirelessly laboured came to a most tragic end: Emperor Septimus Severus declared persecutions on the Christians in the year 194 A.D.11 Clement used writing as a means of education, yet unfortunately very little of his original writings remain, although they permeated the thoughts of all his contemporaries, and left a deep impression on successive ages. It is interesting to note that he was the first person to start the use of the word "Ikthoos", (meaning fish in Greek) as a symbol for Christianity. Each of the five letters forming the word was an initial of Christ's name and mission in Greek: i = Iessus; k = Kristos; th = theos (or God); oo = ooios (or son); and s = soter (or saviour).l2 21. Clement was a remarkable representative of a remarkable age; an age in which men could still believe in a loving Father in spite of all the persecutions of Emperors, the raillery of philosophers, and the rancour of the pagan crowds. It was an age in which the teachers of the Church could effect a reconciliation between Christianity and the wisdom of antiquity, and demonstrate how all the older 34 philosophies were but stepping-stones, leading up to Christ.13 Clement persevered in teaching and writing until the persecution of Septimus Serverus put an end to all his activities. As the fury gained momentum, his friends persuaded him to leave his homeland and settle in Asia Minor. He died, however, shortly after, even while his compatriots were still in the throes of the persecutors. The School of Alexandria was virtually closed. Fire and sword held sway, sweeping all else before them, and the powers of darkness seemed for the moment victorious. But the martyrs who faced the fire and the sword, faced them with the firm faith that the Power of Light would doubtlessly overcome the power of darkness. As for Clement, he died in peace, away from his beloved Alexandria, and from the School he loved and served so well. 35  III. NOTES l. Ency. Brit., l4th ed., vol. I, pp. 581-2. 2. “De l'Egypte Grecque a l'Egypte Copte" by Pierre Jouguet, pub. in “Le Bulletin de l'Association des Amis des Eglises et de l'Art Copte," vol. I (1935) pp. 1-26 where he says: “... un peuple qui a toujours, certes, attire les etrangers, mais qui, tres fier de ses propres traditions millenaires pour leur montrer une sympathie profonde, ne fera que res-sentir avec aigrcur le contraste, deja aperpu par Herodote, qui l'oppose aux Hellenes”. 3. Eusebius: Book V, section 10. 4. l'Abbe Bardy· "Clement d'A1exandrie" (2nd ed., Paris 1926) pp. 6-7; R. Payne: "The Holy Fire" (N.Y, 1957) p. 22, where he says: "The battle was fought, not in Smyrna nor in any of the seven churches of Asia, but in the theological schools of Alexandria, the most civilised city of the time, where Jews and Christians met on equal footing. Origen and Clement of Alexandria were the protagonists in the drama. They wrestled with angels, delved into the mysterious origins of Christianity, consulted the oldest texts, hurled anathemas on pagans. When they completed their work, they had laid the foundations of the Faith and built 'up its doctrinal structure, almost to the height which it reaches today. 5. Some writers consider Pantaenus-as they do other Egyptian leaders – Greek. The error of such 36  consideration is amply demonstrated in “The Evidence of the Oriental Church” pub. in Rome 1702 by the followers of the Greek School, who say that the Oriental Fathers were recognised as Greek, because they wrote in Greek. 6. Eusebius: Book V, section 10. 7. Mar Ignatius Ephrem, Patriarch of Antioch: "Ad- Dorar an-Nafifissa fi Mokhtasar Tarikh'l Kanissa" p. 212. 8. In his book "The Ancient Coptic Churches of Egypt" vol. II p. 247. 9. Pierre Jouquet: op. cit., pp. 23-24. 10. Claude Mondesert: "Clement d'Alexandrie”(Lyons 1944), pp. 34,37-38. 11. Abbe Bardy: op. cit., pp. 11-19. l2. A.J. Butler, op. cit., vol. II; p. 92, 13. Claude Mondesert, op. cit., p. 266. 37  IV. A. DEMETRIUS, THE VINEDRESSER 22. How he was selected Pope. 23. His attainment. 24. The Epact devised by Demetrius. 25. Its ratification by two councils. 26. Persecutions by Septimus Severus. 27. Growth of Church after persecutions. 28. Origen's precocious emergence. 29. Faithful unto the End. 22. In the year of Grace l99, the tide of Coptic history was taking a turn: the peace that had been enjoyed by the Church up till then was about to be broken. Abba Demetrius, heretofore a simple vinedresser, was chosen to sit on the Chair of St. Mark. The choice came about when his predecessor, Abba Yulianus, had seen a vision, wherein he was told by an Angel that his departure from this world was imminent, and that he was to choose as his successor the man who came to him on the following day with a bunch of grapes. On the morrow Demetrius, the vinedresser, appeared carrying a bunch of grapes, the first fruit of the season, as a gift to his Pope. Abba Yulianus immediately retained him and related his vision to those around him. On that very same day he died and was gathered unto his forebears. The people, true to the counsel of Yulianus, declared Demetrius as his successor. Thus he became the 12th successor of St. Mark the Apostle. 23. Demetrius had been a man of little learning. When he was chosen Pope, the first goal he set for himself was to seek learning assiduously and diligently, and to make himself worthy of serving his people. It is said of him that he used to sit at the feet of his teachers saying, “Let men seek 38 knowledge with true humility and an ardent desire to learn, forgetful of rank or position”. As time went on, Demetrius became one of the most learned of prelates-a bright and shining star in the firmament of the Coptic Church which was destined to be ill with shining stars. 24. One of the many significant original achievements of Abba Demetrius was the method he devised for calculating the date of Easter so that it would always follow the Jewish Passover, just like the Rest Easter Sunday, according to the historical biblical events. This method is known as the "Epact," and to this day it is followed by all Eastern Orthodox Churches in determining their Easter date many years in advance. It involved making a correlation between the lunar Jewish year and the solar Egyptian year. This was necessary because the lunar year is shorter than the solar year by eleven days, and a fixed date in it can fall in any season as the years go by, and would deviate Easter from the Passover. 25. When Abba Demetrius made the Epact computation, he convoked the holy Council, and explained it to its members. They approved it and decided to abide by it. Many years later, in 325 A.D., when the first ecumenical Council of Nicea met, this computation was submitted to it, and again approved unanimously. It continued to be followed by all Christian Churches until l582 A.D., when the calendar was changed by Pope Gregory XIII of Rome. Since then the Western Churches departed from it, and now they observe Easter on the first Sunday after the full moon following the Vernal equinox, regardless of the Jewish Passover. The Eastern Churches, however, still adhere to this old computation. Hence the divergence between the 39 Eastern and Western Churches on the date of Easter celebration. 26. The first few years after Abba Demetrius had taken the helm of the Church were peaceful years. Then the severe persecutions of Emperor Severus broke out, and many a staunch believer was martyred. Among them was St. Leonidas, father of one of the most famous figures of the early Christian Church, Origen. During the persecutions, a Roman prefect marched with his troops into the Church of St. Mark and robbed it of all its holy vessels. Then he seized Abba Demetrius, and sent him into exile to a town called Wissim,l where he remained until the persecutions ceased. On his return to his See, Abba Demetrius learned that Clement, Dean of the School of Alexandria, had gone to his rest. The School was thus in dire need of a new Dean to give it a strong impetus. The Christians of the city who had been enduring the trials and tribulations of those hard times, all witnessed the great heroism, ardent Christian zeal, and brilliance which characterised the young Origen. Upon hearing of this, Abba Demetrius immediately appointed him Dean of the School. He was then exceedingly young, only eighteen years old. Nevertheless, he got the appointment because of what had been said of him. 27. Origen proved that his Christian ardour and his passionate interest in the School more than made up for his youth. Through his efforts it flourished again, and a period of constructive work followed. The Faithful increased in number continually; Abba Demetrius found it necessary to consecrate several new bishops, to shepherd the people and keep the lamp of their newly acquired faith burnished bright. 40 28. About the year 228 A.D. Abba Demetrius, discerning how brilliant Origen had become, sent him on an evangelistic mission to Achaia, to teach and preach about the Living Word of God. When he terminated his mission and was returning home, he passed through Palestine; there Alexander, Bishop of Jerusalem-one of his former fellow- students, and Theostite, Bishop of Caesarea, detained him and ordained him bishop without asking permission of Abba Demetrius. This angered the Pope, and he convoked a council wherein, despite Origen's towering personality, he excommunicated him. He based this on two reasons: the first, he considered the ordination of any Egyptian priest the prerogative of the head of the Church of Egypt; and, in the second place, and more importantly, Origen had committed a sin against his own body, having made himself a eunuch, and thus had lost the right to priestly ordination, for only men without blemish could be ordained.2 29. Abba Demetrius lived to be one hundred and five years old. Yet he ceased not to teach and to preach to the very end of his life. Like unto John the beloved Apostle, he used to be seated on a chair and carried to the Church, where he would speak words of comfort to his people. Then, having governed the Church for thirty-two years and seven months, during which he traded diligently with the talents entrusted to him by his Lord, he was gathered unto his forebears, shortly before the terrible persecutions of Maximin fell heavily on the faithful. 41  B. ORIGEN 30. The enigma of ecclesiastical history. 31. A precocious child. 32. His father's martyrdom. 33. His deanship and valour. 34. Expansion of curriculum. 35. Error into which he fell. 36. His type of thinking. 37. Bishops and princes among his disciples. 38. Persecution of Caracalla. 39. Origen in Palestine and Arabia. 40. "The Spirit Vivifieth". 41. Two underlying principles. 42. Origen excommunicated. 43. Dissension. 44. Reconciliation. 45. Persecutions of Decius. 46. Origen resumes his work when the Persecutions end, and dies in Tyre. 47. His influence on subsequent generations. 30. Origen is the enigma of ecclesiastical history. He was a genius in every sense of the word: a prolific writer, a great teacher, an ardent doer. His admirers and devoted followers were innumerable, and yet he did not escape having strong adversaries who tried to malign him. His name stirred the most enthusiastic devotion and the most passionate antagonism. Such a singular destiny could only heighten the attraction of this singularly interesting fixture of Ancient Christianity. When we consider the life of Origen, we find that he was not only a great man from his childhood, as his most outspoken adversary declares,3 but he was also a man of 42 Providence. Of all the early Church fathers, he alone was born of Christian parents, and had the signal grace of being the son of a martyr. This he became steeped in the Christian principles from his tenderest years, and this rendered him capable of penetrating Christianity's most intimate mysteries. 31 From his early childhood he used to follow his father Leonidas, asking him incessant questions about Life, the Universe, and God. His young mind seemed to be possessed of an insatiable desire for knowledge-always seeking, always inquiring, always probing. It is related that his father, with loving and tender pride and apprehension over his son's dynamic intelligence, used to steal into the child's bedroom at night, and, while he slept, kneel beside his bed and pray. Then he would quietly kiss his son's chest over the heart, which he considered to be a very special shrine of the Holy Spirit.4 And so it was, as time proved. Origen attended not only the Catechetical School, but was also a disciple of Ammonius Saccas, an Alexandrian, and the founder of Neoplatonism, who, about the year 193 A.D., founded a school, of his own philosophy in Alexandria, his birthplace. 32. When the persecutions of Septimus Severus broke out, Origen was still an adolescent, and the eldest of seven brothers. Leonidas, his father, was amongst the first to be seized by the Roman Prefect and thrown into prison. Young Origen would fain have followed, for a live faith and an ardent love burned within him, and he longed to receive the Crown of Martyrdom, but his mother barred his way. Providence guarded him for greater works, greater achievements, and finally greater suffering, which he endured towards the end of his life. Meanwhile, Origen sent a letter to his father in 43 prison, full of comfort and cheer, ending with these most touching and admirable words: "Take heed, my beloved father, and change not your resolution because of us".5 When Leonidas was martyred, his possessions were confiscated, a customary practice with the Romans. Origin, his mother and his brothers were left penniless. Again Providence intervened. A rich and remarkable woman, whose name is unknown, took them under her wing, and enabled Origen and his six brothers to continue their studies.6 33. At the age of eighteen, the martyr's son attained manhood. His precocious mind was already ripe, and his heart overflowed with tenderness. Young as he was, Abba Demetrius appointed him Dean of the School of Alexandria. He transformed it into a veritable School of Martyrs. Those of his disciples who sealed their faith with their blood were countless. The young teacher visited them in their prison, accompanied them to the tribunal of their persecutors, and followed them to the very spot of their martyrdom, then under the very eyes of their executioners, gave them the Kiss of Peace, remaining by their sides until they commended their spirits into the Hands of the Father.7 The enemies of the Faith were so stupefied at such courage that they did nothing to him. Yet one day they dared lay hands on him and carried him into the temple of Serapis. There they shaved his head for him after the fashion of the pagan priests, then, putting some palm branches in his arms ordered him to distribute them among those present. The young Christian hero took the palm branches and with a firm loud voice declared: "Come, receive these palms, not as the palms of a temple consecrated to the service of idols, but as the palms of Jesus the Christ”.8 He escaped death by a miracle, God preserving him for other works and other combats. 44 34. As soon as the persecutions ceased, Origen hastened to reorganise the work at the School. Its students were to study grammar, dialectic, rhetoric, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and music. These were to be an introduction to the study of philosophy. All trends of philosophy were to be equally studied: Origen's maxim was clear: "prove all things, hold fast that which is good". His students were to prove all the philosophies and all the sciences, then hold fast that which was good in any and all of them. Having searched and proved, they were then to come to the highest study of all: the Holy Scriptures. For all other studies were but stepping stones leading up to this supreme goal.9 And not only were all subjects to be studied, but all those who came to study were accepted: men and women, old and young. Origen could not refuse any seeker after knowledge. The pagan world, up to the time of Origen, and in spite of the efforts of Clement, was still under the impression that Christianity was for the lowly and the illiterate. It was startled to find this young School becoming the very sanctuary of sciences, divine and human, all in one sweep. It could not fully express all its admiration and its respect for Origen, the young teacher whose words had the charm of magic; whose persuasive eloquence penetrated the hearts, and whose genuine tenderness won the souls. And though he was a young philosopher, yet he was different from all other philosophers. True, they could speak in beautiful words on sublime principles but their teaching ended with their words. As for Origen, he was not satisfied with teaching about temperance, justice and love; he believed that without good works all teaching was sterile, and he offered, in his person; the living example of all the virtues which he preached, thus inspiring his students to follow in his footsteps.10 His very life was the magnet which attracted 45 countless people to come and study under his guidance, and to live according to his maxim and his example. 35. But for all his knowledge, Origen committed a grave error. In his zeal, he misinterpreted our Lord's saying concerning those who make themselves eunuchs for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven – and carried it out literally on himself.11 For this error, he paid dearly later on in his life. 36. Origen was the first Christian thinker who attempted to push the effort of intelligence to its extremity in his zealous investigation of the mysteries. By his persistent efforts to probe into the secrets of the Cosmos, he succeeded in reaching out beyond the frontiers of the Church, and in winning the intellectual aristocracy of the pagans to his Lord.l2 37. As he grew older, his reputation widened and his influence became more sweeping and more beneficial. The most outstanding Bishops of all Christian churches sought the advantage of his teaching; Alexander of Jerusalem and Theostite of Caesarea (of Palestine) desired to be his disciples for life; Firmillion, Bishop of Caesarea (in Cappadocia), together with all his province, invited Origen to come to them, endeavouring to detain him in their midst as long as possible. The Councils of Achaia and Arabia appealed to him as the invincible defender of the Faith, and the inveterate winner of the heretics to Orthodoxy. Berylle, Bishop of Bostra, recognised his own error13 when he spoke with Origen, and having been won, he vowed eternal friendship with him, and wrote to him incessantly, expressing to him his deepest esteem. And not only did the Churchmen revert to him, but the princes of the world desired to have their share also. Mamea, mother of Emperor Alexander 46 Severu, invited him to Antioch, and overwhelmed him with honours.14 Emperor Philip, the Arab, and his wife, Severa, reckoned it an honour to write to him and receive his answers; while the pagan philosophers felt honoured to become his disciples, and the servants of the God Whom he preached in word and in deed.l5 38. In time, Emperor Severus was succeeded by Emperor Caracalla. This latter had such deep admiration for Alexander the Great that he decided to spare the city of Alexandria for his sake. This respite was not too long, however, for when he came to visit their city, the Alexandrians showed him little respect. This aroused his anger, so he changed his mind and decided to take revenge. He did so in an abominable manner. One day, he assembled the youths of the city, under pretence of a solemn festival, and at a given signal, part of his troops fell upon them, while another part started a massacre in the streets and houses. This lasted for many days. The number of the dead was never known. “Nor did it matter” observed Caracalla, in writing to the Roman Senate, "how many had actually suffered, since all deserved it”. 39. While Caracalla was yet mercilessly persecuting the Alexandrians, Origen was invited to Caesarea, in Palestine, by Bishop Theostite. The Egyptians, in fear for his life, urged him to accept this invitation, so providentially extended to him. Thereupon, he did accept to go, and when he arrived there the Christians gave him a very warm welcome, and entreated him to stay and teach them. He responded willingly and stayed among them for some time, teaching and interpreting the Scriptures.l6 From Caesarea he went to Arabia to confute the heresy that the soul dies with the body. Having succeeded, he was recalled by Abba 47 Demetrius to Alexandria, to resume his work of education. Origen hastened to obey. Once back in Alexandria, he not only recommenced his teaching, but set to writing his books. His prolific productivity is still an object of amazement. Epiphanius, Bishop of Salamin, in Cyprus, says that Origen wrote six thousand books, while Jerome says that however fond a person may be of reading, he can never read all of Origen's books, because they are so numerous. The most outstanding of his accomplishments is his Octapla, a feat of great scholarliness. It is the Old Testament, written for comparative study, in eight parallel columns, as follows: the Hebrew in Hebrew characters, the Hebrew in Greek characters, the version of Aquila, that of Symmachus, that of the seventy, or Septuagint, that of Theodotian, then two other versions discovered by Origen himself, and called the Vth and VIth, because their authors were unknown. This work, a monument of biblical erudition would alone have marked its author with a seal of greatness. Yet to Origen, it was only preliminary to other and greater works. To realise his thoughts in tangible form, seven tachygraphers (old-time stenographers) noted down what he dictated, then gave it over to as many copyists to transcribe it. When these finished their work, an equal number of girls, well-trained in calligraphy, wrote it out in its final form.l7 All these workers were amply provided for by Ambrose, a rich Alexandrian who had been converted by Origen and was one of his great admirers. 40. Like Clement; Origen interpreted the Scriptures in the Spiritual sense; he contended that the proper duty of the exegetic is to extract from the shell of words the pearl of great beauty, and to present it to others in a way by which they may perceive its lustrous loveliness. For this reason, he 48 opposed both Jews and Gnostics, as the two parties interpreted the Scriptures in a literal sense. And he invited them all to pass from the carnal sense to the sense of the Spirit; from the visible to the invisible; from the Law to the Gospel, declaring that "the lamp is certainly useful until the sun shines". And like Clement, Origen also opposed the heretic Gnostics by emphasising the Orthodox Gnosticism. In this way he conformed to the mode of defence followed by the Alexandrian Fathers. 41. In all his writings he aimed at clarifying his two main themes: a loving, beneficent Creator, and free creatures. All his teachings revolved around these two main Christian principles. Human beings, being free and mutable, are liable to fall, and actually did fall, then bore the consequences of their fall. History discloses how God, while respecting Man's liberty of choice and never resorting to constraint, endeavoured to restore him through countless eons-to his pristine uprightness, the final example of which was manifested in Christ. The time will come when the total of humanity will be restored, and then it will be submitted to the Son, who will bring its submission to the Father. But no human being will conform to this Divine Plan except of his own free will. Hence, Origen counselled: "Behave like the sculptor of a statue; he carves, he scrapes, he polishes until he produces something beautiful. Like unto the sculptor, do not cease from shaping your own self until the Divine Radiance lows within you".18 42. After twenty-eight years of relentless service, the unfortunate incident which angered Abba Demetrius took place. Origen had been asked to go on to Achaia to teach 49 and had passed through Palestine on his way back. Both Alexander Bishop of Jerusalem, and Theostite, Bishop of Caesarea, considering it amiss that the teacher of Bishops and the Oracle of the Church should remain in the ranks of the laity, had jointly ordained him bishop. This angered Abba Demetrius greatly, and so he convoked a council and excommunicated Origen. Why did Abba Demetrius take such a drastic step against a man of Origen's calibre is still inexplicable. Was not this the indefatigable torch-bearer, and. giant of the Church whom he had called at the age of eighteen to become Dean of the school, and had since relied so continuously upon? Did the two reasons that the Alexandrian Pope gave for the excommunication-namely, the indiscretion Origen had committed against his own body, and his acceptance to be ordained by bishops other than his own- really justify his action? So far history has given us no clue to affirm this. When Origen arrived at the precincts of Alexandria and heard of his excommunication, his emotions were so deeply stirred that, he returned immediately to Palestine and settled there, without even attempting to meet his Pope and discuss the matter with him. This voluntary exile seemed to have been one more occasion for the manifestation of the work of Divine Grace. For upon his return, Origen opened a school there, which became the means of spreading the Word of God and converting many more people to Christianity among whom were Gregory, the Wonder- Worker, and his brother Athenodorus.l9 43. While doing so much good, Origen persisted in criticising Abba Demetrus publicly, and this made' the road for the Pope to pardon him difficult. His conscience, however, was not quite at ease, as the following incident proved. One day when he had got up to preach in the church 50 at Jerusalem, he had chosen for his subject: "But unto the wicked God saith what hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldst take my covenant in thy mouth”.20 Having read the verse, and realising that the people had concluded that he was directing it at Abba Demetrius, he suddenly broke into bitter tears. The whole congregation wept with him. But this manifestation of his inner unrest had come too late. Abba Demetrius died very soon after, and Origen had no chance to ask his forgiveness.21 44. The two immediate successors of Abba Demetrius to the Chair of St. Mark were Heraclas and Dionysius, both of whom had been students of the illustrious Origen. Each of them, in turn, pardoned him and sent to him a plea to come back to Alexandria and resume his work as Dean of the School. But Origen refused the pleas of both. He said that he thought it more propitious to carry on his mission in Caesarea, in the School which he had founded there. Apostleship continued to be his unique object in life, and. so the twenty three years of his voluntary exile were the most fruitful of his earthly existence. He journeyed through the towns of Palestine, through Phoenicia, then into Greece, from whence he went as far as Arabia, always to teach and preach the Christian Faith and win new converts from among the pagans and the heretics.22 45. Origen had barely finished his great and immortal apology for Christianity: "Treatise against Celsum" than the Emperor Philip the Arab died and was succeeded by Decius. The new Emperor unleashed another persecution against the Christians, a persecution marked by the most deliberate cruelty. Hitherto executioners cut short the lives of believers and when the tormented reached the end of their endurance, 51 and one more stroke would have mercifully put an end to their pains, they were to be left for another day or two. The respite would be long enough to give them fresh powers of endurance, and the tortures would then be resumed. This calculated infliction of brutal torments was intended to weaken the resistance of the faithful and induce them to renounce their faith. To intimidate the faithful more surely, their prominent leaders and Bishops were attacked first. According to this plan, Origen was seized, in spite of his sixty- five years, and thrown into prison. An iron collar was put round his neck, shackles round his feet and chains bound his hands. Other tortures were inflicted upon him, and he was threatened to be burned – the tormentors always stopping before the limits of death. The Romans hoped that by means of such horrible tortures they would succeed in overcoming him, and that his fall would certainly drag in its wake many others. But he who, when only a lad, had counselled his father to endure all suffering for, the sake of the Christ was not the man to betray the cause he had served for more than forty years.23 Throughout his life he had eagerly sought martyrdom, and now Providence had afforded him this supreme test, to prove to the world the integrity of his personality, and he did prove it. He withstood all pain without once giving in. This glorious episode, which marked his life towards its end, added greater lustre to his name; he stands sealed with the triple marks of; genius, of sanctity, and of martyrdom.24 46. These cruel torments of the Christians lasted throughout the reign of Decius and ceased only with his death. Origen was still alive, though completely worn out. When he regained some strength, he resumed the work so dear to him, the work of teaching and preaching, 52 strengthening weakened souls and winning new ones to the Faith. But the torments of a prolonged martyrdom and the activities of a life so laborious and so agitated at last sapped his energies. The town of Tyre, in Phoenicia, was his last stage on this earth. There he died and was buried in one of the churches. When the news of his passing away reached Alexandria, Abba Dionysius wrote a most touching eulogy about him, paying homage to the teacher he loved so well. The Church of Tyre realised the value of the treasure it guarded; William of Tyre and other authoritative writers testify that the tomb of the great "Athlete of God" could still be visited up to the 13th century. It faced the altar of the church named after the Holy Sepulchre; over it was a marble slab, decorated with gold and precious stones, bearing the words: "Here lies the Great Origen".25 47. Origen was discussed at length even while he yet lived, and has never ceased to be a subject of great interest to many church historians. Friends and adversaries alike have confessed that he has had an immense influence in the building of the Church Universal, not only while he was alive on this earth, but long after he left it. The third and fourth centuries abounded with his disciples. Foremost among them were: Eusebius of Caesarea, the father of ecclesiastical history; Didymus, the blind Seer of Alexandria who continued his work of exegesis and mysticism; Gregory, the Wonder-Worker, the recipient of his intellectual legacy and its faithful transmitter to the Cappadocians; Basil the Great, and his spiritual brother Gregory of Nazianza, who compiled selections from his writings along with those of the most prominent Fathers entitling it "Philocalia," which is still extant; Gregory of Nyssus, who imbibed his theology and his mysticism; Evagrius of Pontus, one of the greatest of speculative spirituals who spread his doctrines.26 Through 53 Evagrius those doctrines reached Cassian, who, in turn, passed them on to the monks of the Occident, and in that same Occident, Rufinus of Aquelia made known the works of Origen. Jerome, in his introduction to the translation of Didymus' book "On the Holy Spirit," says that "All the philosophy of Ambrosius of Milan, and of the great St. Augustine was founded on the philosophy of Origen, Alexandria's glorious teacher". Besides these master-lights of East and West, thousands of lesser lights were guided by Origen across the centuries. But up to the present day, none has succeeded in interpreting to the fullest the thoughts of this wonderful personality. For all who have sought to study him, have fallen into the mistake of wanting to restrict to one particular aspect a person whose versatility cannot be confined within narrow limitations. Origen was a teacher, an interpreter of God to man, a Christian militant, a philosopher, and a great spiritual. In a word, he was a unique genius. In all the domains of thought, Origen marks a decisive point: he is the founder of Biblical Science, by his researches and commentaries on both the Old and the New Testaments; he is the first to constitute a great Theological Synthesis, and the first to attempt an explanation of Christian Mystery, and finally, he is the first who described the Path by which the Soul can ascend to God.27 54  IV. NOTES The Epact Abba Demetrius computed that every nineteen solar years equalled nineteen lunar years plus two hundred and nine days (l9 x 11). Hence the Epact is a cycle of nineteen Solar-Lunar years in which a leap year would be composed of thirteen months. In its broad lines, the Epact can be summed up as follows: In the first solar year there would be 11 extra days. In the second year there would be 22 extra days. In the third year there would be 33 extra days. The third lunar year would, therefore, be a leap year; containing thirteen months plus three days. These would be added to the succeeding year. In the fourth solar year there would be 3 plus 11, or 14 extra days. In the fifth year there would be 25 extra days. Therefore the fifth lunar year would be a leap year by borrowing five days from the succeeding year. The sixth solar year would have 11 minus 5, or 6 extra days. The seventh year would have 6 plus 11, or 17 extra days. The eighth year would have 28 extra days. Therefore, the eighth lunar year would be a leap year by borrowing two days from the succeeding year. In the ninth solar year there would be 11 minus two, or 9 extra days. In the tenth year there would be 9 plus 11, or 20 extra days. 55  In the eleventh year there would be 31 extra days. Therefore the eleventh lunar year would be a leap year with one day left over to be added to the succeeding year. In the twelfth solar year there would be 12 extra days. In the thirteenth year there would be 23 extra days. In the fourteenth year there would be 34 extra days. Therefore the fourteenth lunar year would be a leap year with four days left over to be added to the succeeding year. In the fifteenth solar year there would be 4 plus 11, or 15 extra days. In the sixteenth year there would be 26 extra days. Therefore the sixteenth lunar year would be a leap year by borrowing four days from the succeeding year. In the seventeenth solar year there would be 11 minus 4, or 7 extra days. In the eighteenth year there would be 18 extra days. In the nineteenth year there would be 29 extra days. Therefore the last lunar year is leap year, the 13th month comprising 29 days only. This cycle, repeated continuously, would keep the lunar solar years correlated, and make it possible to fix Easter’s date infinitum. It would always follow the Passover but never fall earlier than the first week of April and never be later than the first week of May. Thus it would be confined, as it should, to the range of spring and harvest. 56  NOTES 1. A town of great importance up to the VIIIth century, now reduced to the status of a village. It is eleven kilometres south of Cairo. 2. Jerome: "Famous Men" section 62; Selim Soleiman: op. cit. 3. Jerome: ad Pammachium, Ep. 84, n.4. 4. Eusebius B. VI SI. 5. Ibid B VIS2. 6. J. Danielou: “Origene: Le Genie du Christianisme" p. 23. 7. Ibid p. 27; Eusebius B VI ss 3, 4, 45; R. Payne: op. cit., p. 44. 8. Epiphanus: Haeres, 64,1. 9. Danielou, op. cit., pp. 30-33. 10. Discourses of St Gregory Thaumaturgus, Nos. 9 and 11, Eusebius B VI 3. 11. Matt. XIX: l2; Eus. B VIS8. 12. Payne, op. cit. pp 43 and 65. 13. The error being that the soul dies with the body. 57 14. Eusebius B VI ss. 3, 21, 23, 27, 30, 32-33; Jerome "Famous Men” section VI. 15. Euscbius B VI s 36; Jerome op. cit. section VI. 16. Grande Encyclopedie, under the word "Origene"; Alfonsius Maria Liguori "Contre l’Heresie" p. 42. 17. Payne, op. cit., p. 59; Eusebius B XXIII s l; J. Danielou, op, cit. p. 36. 18. Danielou, op. cit., pp. 49,149, l90, 204; Payne, op. cit., pp. 51, 55, 62. 19. Eusebius BVI ss 23, 26, 27, 30; Jerome, op, cit., ss. 54, 65. 20. Ps. 50:16-17. 21. Manassa’l Qommos; Tarikul Kanissati’l Qibteya p. 41. 22. Mgr. K. Macaire: "Reconstitution de la Synthese Scientifique d’Origene", vol. I, p.12. 23. E. dc Faye: "Esquisse de la Pensee d'Origene" (P 1925) PP·154-7. 24. Cf. "Origene" by Freppel, vol. II, pp. 414-415. 25. Cf. Vincenzu, Tome IV, pp. 421-422; also, op. cit., Mgr. Kyrillos, Macaire vol. I, pp.13-14. 58 26. Archimandrite V. Guettee: "Histoire de l'Eglise" vol. II, pp. 236-7. 27. Danielou, op. cit., pp. 7-8. 59  V. A SERENE SPIRIT 48. Heraclas: Philosopher and Orator. 49. Spread of Christianity. 50. Patriarchal letter to Origen. 51. Another flare-up of persecutions. 52. Death of Abba Heraclas. 48. Heraclas was a well-known teacher in the church during the time of Abba Demetrius. Born in Alexandria of pagan parents, he became a Christian later on, when they themselves were converted to the new religion. When he was old enough, they sent him to the Catechetical School, where he studied under Origen. His zeal for study brought him to the notice of Abba Demetrius, who ordained him deacon, then priest, then, in time, Dean to the School, as successor to Origen. Heraclas had grown to be not only a scholar, well- versed in philosophy and theology, but also an outstanding orator, and a convincing, eloquent preacher. His powerful logic, together with his quiet and engaging manner, were responsible for winning many converts to the Christian faith. Because of these qualities, clergy and people in spiritual accord elected him to be their Pope in 232 A.D. when Abba Demetrius went to his reward.l 49. Heraclas spent the first few years after his election in, teaching and consolidating the Church whose affairs were entrusted to his hands. He made a pastoral tour throughout the whole of his See. This direct contact between the Successor of St. Mark and his people, knit their hearts closer together in Christian love. His solicitude for them made them feel he was like a real father unto them and they responded to him like affectionate children.2 60  During his tour, Abba Heraclas ordained twenty bishops over new bishoprics that he created. The reason he did this was that, in spite of the intense persecutions, the number of Christians had been constantly growing, and he saw that these new bishops were needed to look after their welfare. 50. To reinforce his work of edification, Abba Heraclas convoked his council, and discussed with them the subject of annulling the excommunication of Origen. Unanimously they rescinded the verdict against him, and sent him a letter asking him to return and resume his deanship at the School of Alexandria. Origen, however, respectfully declined the offer of the Council, and so the Alexandrian Pope appointed St. Dionysius Dean of the School, and committed to him the work of "judging between the believers".3 51. Soon, however, the constructive work of the School was interrupted again as persecutions broke out once more. Emperor Maximin, having discovered a plot against his life, used it as a pretext for persecuting the Christians. His hand was heaviest on the clergy. Abba Heraclas was saved, though the Emperor was keen to get him. His people earnestly pleaded with him to go into hiding and much against his will he accepted, though he was sorely distressed as he contemplated their travail. 52. Shortly after the cessation of the persecutions, Abba Heraclas returned to his city, and the noted Julius Africanus came to Alexandria,4 attracted ,by the fame of his learning and spiritual serenity. He attended the teachings of this aged Pope, who, in spite of his years and his sore trials, resumed his work of edification. Tradition asserts that Julius was baptised on his return from this visit. 61  Upon his return, Abba Heraclas acted like the Shepherd who goes about seeking the lost sheep. Through the efforts he exerted, he succeeded in bringing back to the faith many of those whose human frailty had led them to deny their Lord. Once they declared their repentance, he accepted them again into the Community of the Church without re-baptising them. For, like all the Alexandrian Fathers, before and after him, he declared that Baptism was one unto eternity.5 62  V. NOTES l. A common expression used in Ecclesiastical Books to denote death. 2. This whole hearted love caused Eutychius (who lived in the 10th century) to presume that Abba Heraclas was the first Bishop of Alexandria to be called “Papa”. But according to the Coptic records, Anianos was the first to be thus called. Also Margrizi, in his book, on page 22 says: "The Patriarch of Alexandria was called "the Papa" from the time of Anianos". A few lines further he adds: "...they reserved the word "Papa" for designating the Patriarch of Alexandria, and it means `father of fathers.' This title was later on used for designating the bishop of Rome". Cf. also Magani 'L Adab compiled by L. Sheekho S. J pp. 302-3; and note 1 of chap. II. 3. "The Book of the Saints of the Ethiopic Church," a translation of the Ethiopian Synaxarium. by Wallis- Budge, vol. II, pp. 337-8. 4. A Libyan who lived about 178-240 AD He is a noted traveller and historian. He wrote the history of the world from the Creation until 221 AD, and adopted the method of reckoning known as the Alexandrian Era. Cf. Ency. Brft. XIV ed. vol. I p. 335; also "Mokhtassar Tarikh’l Kanissa" by Mar Ignatlus l Ephram I Barsoum, pp. 220-2. 5. R. P. Cheneau d'Orleans: Les Saints d'Egypte, vol. II, pp. 197-8. 63 VI. DIONYSIUS, A MAN OF UNIVERSAL LEARNING 53. His conversion to Christianity. 54. His elevation to the Papacy. 55. His zeal for study. 56. His letter to Origen. 57. His concern for the School. 58. Persecutions of Decius. 59. Paternal solicitude despite exile. 60. Letter to imprisoned Origen. 61. St. Paul: First Hermit. 62. Renewal, of persecutions. 63. Pastoral tour. 64. A council convened at Arsinoe. 65. Letter to Fabius of Antioch. 66. Persecutions of Valerianus. 67. God's Grace shines in the exile. 68. Death of Valerianus and end of exile. 69. Paschal letter of Abba Dionysius. 70. Refuting Paul of Samosata. 71. Prestige of the Alexandrian Pope. 53. One of the persons who lived in the city of Alexandria during this period was a young Sabeanl physician called Dionysius, who had gained a high repute for his love of learning. One day he encountered an old woman offering some of St. Paul's Epistles for sale. Being a constant seeker of knowledge, he bought them in order to find out what they were about. On reading them, something within him was touched and responded to the teachings they contained. He sought out the old woman again and eagerly asked her if she had any more such books to sell. Seeing that "Divine Grace had touched his heart" the old woman told him that if he went to 64 see a priest, he would be given all the books on the subject freely. Acting on her advice he directed his footsteps to the nearest priest and openly expressed to him his desire to learn more about the “New Way”. The priest gave him more books and spoke to him about Christ, the Saviour. Soon after, Dionysius became a Christian, and joined the Alexandrian School, where he studied under the guidance of Origen, whose courage and virtues he assimilated. Abba Heraclas, the would-be Pope, was at the time also a disciple of Origen and thus he got to know Dionysius; both of them proudly wore the philosophers' gown, and both delved deep into the Scriptures. As a result of their common. interest, a strong bond of fellowship and understanding developed between the two and cemented their hearts together in mutual love and respect. 54. Meanwhile, Dionysius was ordained first deacon, then priest, then teacher at the Alexandrian School, where he was appointed by Abba Heraclas, who had become Dean of the School. When the latter was chosen to sit on the Chair of St. Mark and Origen refused to return to Alexandria, Dionysius was appointed in his place as Dean. What more natural than that, at the death of Abba Heraclas" Dionysius would be chosen to succeed him as Pope? It was a propitious choice for he had already become known as a man of universal learning... verily a befitting title to one of the great Fathers of the early Christian Church whose words and deeds made the Chair of Alexandria a beacon to all the sister Churches around it. 55. Dionysius was well versed in philosophy and theology and even the heretic writings. Of this subject, he wrote to Philemon, one of his friends: "I was at considerable pains in reading the books and acquainting myself with the 65 traditions of the heretics. Thus, for the moment, I polluted my soul, with their most vile devices. But this gave me the advantage of confuting them in my own mind, and of abominating them much more than I had previously done. There was a certain brother who wanted to hinder me from this practice, telling me that my mind would be injured and contaminated with the same pollution of wickedness. I thought that he might be right and would have listened to him had I not seen a vision; in which the Lord confirmed me in my way by telling me: “Study everything that shall come into your hands, for you are capable of examining and proving all things, and remember that it is this habit of reading, which from the beginning was the occasion even of your believing.” I received this vision as consistent with the Apostolic exhortation to them that have powerful minds, ‘Be ye wise bankers’.2 56. Like his predecessor, Abba Dionysius had great esteem for his illustrious teacher Origen, and so he also, wrote to him asking him to return to Alexandria and resume his work as Dean of the School. But again this gracious offer was refused. "For", said Origen, "I have started a new School in Caesarea (of Palestine), which needs my whole attention, while the School of my beloved Alexandria is already well established." 57. When Origen declined the offer, the Pope entrusted the Catechetical School to the philosopher-theologian Theognostus, who carried the tradition of scholarly teaching throughout his life. Then, when Theognostus departed from this life, Abba Dionysius appointed Pierius, who was equally noted for his oratory, his learning and his scholarliness. Fortunately for the Church, Pierius lived to a ripe old age serving the School under five successors of St. Mark. 66 During all his years he taught diligently and preached brilliantly, upholding the faith during the incessant persecutions through which he survived. He maintained the Origenist traditions so faithfully that he was surnamed "the new Origen" by Abba Petros, the l7th Patriarch, in appreciation of his accomplishments.3 Owing to his persistent efforts and those of his contemporaries, the erudite teachers of the Church of Alexandria continued to be the most luminous point in the Church Universal, during the third century A.D.4 58. Shortly after Abba Dionysius took the reins of the Church, the Alexandrian populace was roused to a frenzy against the Christians by a man who was both poet and soothsayer. This started a local persecution, which, though confined to the city, was nonetheless fierce. No street or lane could be passed in safety. Bands of wild pagans paraded all public places, compelling Christians either to blaspheme, or be tortured and killed, and have their houses burned. As a result of this local persecution, a general persecution followed, instigated by Emperor Decius. It was equally intense in its cruelty. In a vicious desire to exterminate the Christians, Decius poured his venom on their leaders: the more prominent a person, the surer was he to become the target for torment. Abba Dionysius himself was arrested and taken out of Alexandria to the town of Taposiris, in the vicinity of Lake Mareotis. Fortunately for the Church, his secretary, succeeded in escaping, and in so doing was instrumental in saving the Pope. For as he was fleeing, he met one of the faithful, who asked him where he was going, and heard from him of the Pope's arrest and where he had been taken. This person was on his way to a wedding, so he hurriedly went and informed the guests assembled of the news. Thereupon all of them firmly 67 resolved to go together and try to deliver their Pope from the hands of the relentless Romans. Rising, in one accord, they went to the house where they were told he had been detained and boldly assailed it, shouting and causing an uproar. Amidst the tumult and the confusion that followed, some of them went straight in and carried Abba Dionysius away. Taking him to the house where the wedding was to be held they entreated him to go to safety, telling him that his Church and his people were in need of his valuable life. Accordingly, he chose two companions from among them and together they retired into the desert. There he remained until the fury of the Emperor was spent. 59. While in seclusion, Abba Dionysius remained secretly in touch with his own Church as well as sister Churches. His friends brought him news of the strife, and carried back with them his comforting messages to his sorely afflicted people. He learned through his trustworthy messengers that, to add to the physical tortures, the Emperor had given strict orders to dismiss all Christians from government of ices, regardless of their rank, their intelligence or their efficiency. Writing about the persecutions to Fabius, Bishop of Antioch, he told him sadly about those who are apostatised through terror, but added: "Many are those also who remained stalwart witnesses to the glory of the Son of God to the very end, and thus became pillars in the House of our God; and the strong foundation on which the Egyptian Church will ever stand".5 The intent of this letter was to strengthen the hearts of the bishop and his people and to fortify them against what similar torture might befall them. 60. From his desert abode, Abba Dionysius also addressed an exhortation on "Martyrdom" to Origen, who was then imprisoned in Tyre, where he was being tortured, in 68 spite of his old age. A fragment of this address still exists wherein it is set forth that: "God to Whom Alone all wisdom belongs, appoints the measure and term of our afflictions; that though His ways are above our thoughts, yet, with Job we shall finally acknowledge them to have been just, that by trial only can we obtain an insight into the devices of Satan; that it was from want of such experience that Eve fell; that the endurance of trial is the one way by which we become good soldiers of the Christ; that in His Agony we are to look for our best consolation in our own; and that we are to deal with our enemies in all gentleness and meekness even as He did with Judas".6 Here, the fragment abruptly ends. 61. While Abba Dionysius was so engaged in encouraging the people to face the fierce tempest of persecution raging about them, a solitary figure detached himself and turned his face toward the desert, trudging on and on toward the fastnesses of its inner depth in search of peace through payer and fasting in its vast solitude. It was St. Paul, who became the first Egyptian hermit. When he first set out into the desert, no one knew about his intentions, not even the man who sat on the Chair of St. Mark. At the outset of the persecutions of the Emperor Decius, he was a young man of twenty, very wealthy and well-educated in both the Coptic and the Greek literatures. He was of a gentle spirit and a strong lover of God. He had an only sister who was married. Her husband, coveting his wealth, went to the authorities and denounced his wife's beloved brother as a Christian. Hearing of it, Paul's sister went weeping to him, and entreated him to go into hiding. Thereupon, he fled into the desert. His idea at first was to hide temporarily, but the life of solitude both attracted him and appealed to him, and what had been his necessity became his free choice. He journeyed on, further and further, into that vast 69 ocean of desert solitude, until he came to a cave beyond which were a fount of clear water and some palm trees. There he made his abode, from the time of his arrival, at the age of twenty, and there did he abide till he died, ninety years later, at the age of a hundred and ten. All these long years he spent in utter solitariness, unknown and unheard of by man, but in complete communion with God. Then, in the fullness of time, it pleased God to disclose the secret of this sacred life of his servant Paul – that it may be a sweet smelling incense and an incentive to others. It was disclosed to Antani (St. Anthony of Egypt) who is known in ecclesiastical history as the "Father of Monks." The manner whereby Antoni found out about St. Paul was strange indeed. Having himself become a desert dweller for many years, a vain thought assailed and disturbed this holy man. He entertained a sort of pride to think that he was the first desert dweller. But, at night he saw a vision. The Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and told him of yet another desert dweller who had hallowed