The legacies of the Coptic Christian presence in Alexandria and the Egyptian Deserts from the fourth century to the present day The great city of Alexandria is undoubtedly the cradle of Egyptian Christianity, where the Catechetical School was established in the second century and became a leading center in the study of biblical exegesis and theology. According to tradition St. Mark the Evangelist brought Christianity to Alexandria in the middle of the first century and was martyred in that city, which was to become the residence of Egypt's Coptic patriarchs for nearly eleven centuries. By the fourth century Egyptian monasticism had begun to flourish in the Egyptian deserts and countryside. The contributors to this volume, international specialists in Coptology from around the world, examine the various aspects of Coptic civilization in Alexandria and its environs and in the Egyptian deserts over the past two millennia. The contributions explore Coptic art, archaeology, architecture, language, and literature. The impact of Alexandrian theology and its cultural heritage as well as the archaeology of its university are highlighted. Christian epigraphy in the Kharga Oasis, the art and architecture of the Bagawat cemetery, and the archaeological site of Kellis (Ismant al-Kharab) with its Manichaean texts are also discussed. Contributors Elizabeth Agaiby, Fr. Anthony, David Brakke, Jan Ciglenecki , Jean-Daniel Dubois, Bishop Epiphanius, Lois M. Farag, Frank Feder, Cacilia Fluck, Sherin Sadek El Gendi, Mary Ghattas, Gisele Hadji-Minaglou, Intisar Hazawi, Karel Innemee, Mary Kupelian, Grzegorz Majcherek, Bishop Martyros, Samuel Moawad, Ashraf Nageh, Adel F. Sadek, Ashraf Alexander Sadek, Ibrahim Saweros, Mark Sheridan, Fr. Bigoul al-Suriany, Hany Takla, Gertrud J.M. van Loon, Jacques van der Vliet, Youhanna Nessim Youssef, Ewa D. Zakrzewska, Nader Alfy Zekry

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

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

Contributors Elizabeth Agaiby, Fr. Anthony, David Brakke, Jan Ciglenečki , Jean-Daniel Dubois, Bishop Epiphanius, Lois M. Farag, Frank Feder, Cäcilia Fluck, Sherin Sadek El Gendi, Mary Ghattas, Gisèle Hadji-Minaglou, Intisar Hazawi, Karel Innemée, Mary Kupelian, Grzegorz Majcherek, Bishop Martyros, Samuel Moawad, Ashraf Nageh, Adel F. Sadek, Ashraf Alexander Sadek, Ibrahim Saweros, Mark Sheridan, Fr. Bigoul al-Suriany, Hany Takla, Gertrud J.M. van Loon, Jacques van der Vliet, Youhanna Nessim Youssef, Ewa D. Zakrzewska, Nader Alfy Zekry

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