- مبارك شعبى مصر.
- الكنيسه القبطيه ككنيسه رسوليه.
- مدرسه الاسكندريه.
- الاثار المسيحيه
- ابطال الايمان
- الكنيسة القبطية و مجمع خلقيدونية
- معنى حمل الصليب في الكنيسة القبطية
- الكنيسة القبطية الأرثوذكسية والحياة الرهبانية
- الكنيسة القبطية اليوم
- امتداد الرعاية الرعوية للأقباط في جميع أنحاء العالم
- الثقافة القبطية
- استنتاج
مبارك شعبى مصر:
الكنيسة القبطية هي الكنيسة المصرية، قبط و إيجيبت هي نفس الكلمة. بدأت الكنيسة القبطية تاريخها كما أنشأها القديس مرقس الإنجيلي في القرن الأول من المسيحية. عمر الكنيسه القبطيه الآن أكثر من تسعة عشر قرنا من العمر. نلاحظ أن في العهد القديم لدينا نبوءة بشأن الكنيسة القبطية. كما هو مكتوب في كتاب إشعياء النبي، الفصل 19، "سيكون هناك مذبح في وسط مصر". لماذا اختار ربنا مصر لمذبحه؟ هذا شيء خاص.
وكانت مصر أرض حضارة وتاريخا عظيما. بدأت حضارتها أكثر من 3000 سنة قبل المسيح. يشير الكتاب المقدس إلى اشخاص رئيسيين زاروا مصر إثراءا لحضارتها. بعض هذه الشخصيات الرئيسية هي: 1) موسى، النبي، الذي تعلم في كل حكمة المصريين. 2) إبراهيم، أبو الآباء؛ 3) يعقوب؛ 4) يوسف، ابن يعقوب. 5) اسباط اسرائيل الاثني عشر. 6) إرميا، وآخرون. وتتوجت هذه الزيارات بزياره 7) العائلة المقدسة في بداية المسيحية خلال طفولة ربنا يسوع المسيح.
كانت مصر مباركة من زيارة ربنا، وكانت الدولة الوحيدة في العالم، باستثناء أرضه، التي زارها ربنا. وقد وقعت العديد من المعجزات هناك أثناء زيارة العائلة المقدسة وكانت هناك العديد من الأماكن المباركة. وقد بنيت العديد من الكنائس في الأماكن التي عاشت فيها العائلة المقدسة. هذه الكنائس هي اماكن مقدسة يزورها الناس من جميع أنحاء العالم.
الكنيسه القبطيه ككنيسه رسوليه:
تأسست كنيسة مصر من قبل القديس مرقس الإنجيلي في عام 56 م. استشهد أيضا في مصر في عام 68 م، وأول كنيسة بنيت في الإسكندرية في بداية النصف الثاني من القرن الأول.
كنيسة الإسكندرية، التي هي الكنيسة القبطية، هي واحدة من الكنائس الأربعه الأكثر قدما في العالم. الكنيسة الأم المسيحية هي كنيسة القدس، حيث بدأت المسيحية. الكنائس الثلاث الأخرى هي كنيسة الإسكندرية، وكنيسة روما، وكنيسة أنطاكية. تأسست كنيسة أفسس من قبل القديس يوحنا الإنجيلي، وكنيسة القسطنطينية تأسست في القرن الرابع.
مدرسة الإسكندرية:
تأسست مدرسة الإسكندرية من قبل القديس مرقس في القرن الأول، وبالتالي كانت كنيستنا القبطية تهتم بالتعليم المسيحي منذ بداية تأسيسها. أصبحت المدرسة مشهورة جدا في اللاهوت، والعقائد، والتاريخ والدوريات، وتوجيه العديد من الأساقفة البارزين من العديد من مناطق العالم. أنتج العلماء مثل أثيناغوراس بنتينوس، كليمنت، وأوريجانوس العلامه، الذي كان يعتبر والد اللاهوت وكان أيضا نشطا في مجال شرح دراسات الكتاب المقدس. وقد بدأت طريقة السؤال والجواب فى التعليق في مصر. وقيل أن أوريجانوس ألف أكثر من 6000 التعليقات على الكتاب المقدس. وبالإضافة إلى ذلك، وقال انه كتب له هيكسابلا، حيث ستة أعمدة مكتوبة في العبرية من العهد القديم. وكان أيضا مسؤولا عن جميع الترجمات من وقته. وكان القديس ديديموس المكفوفين مرتبطا أيضا بكلية الإسكندرية، متجهة إلى ذلك في وقت القديس أثناسيوس، بابا الإسكندرية. كرجل أعمى، تعلم القراءة والكتابة باستخدام الخشب المنحوت، خمسة عشر قرنا قبل برايل. القديس جيروم زار سانت ديديموس مرة واحدة، وعلى الرغم من انه هو نفسه عالم غرامة، وقال انه تمنى ان لديه الوقت لدراسة واسعة مع سانت ديموس. قال القديس جيروم إلى القديس ديديموس المكفوفين "لا تقلق ولا تحزن لأنك فقدت هذه النظرة التي تشترك فيها الحيوانات والحشرات، ولكن تذكر أن لديك البصمة الإلهية التي يمكنك أن ترى ضوء الألوهية ".
الآثار المسيحيه:
منذ البداية، لعبت الكنيسة القبطية دورا في اثراء الآثار المسيحيه. أنتجت آلاف النصوص و الدراسات الكتابية واللاهوتية التي هي موارد هامة لعلم الآثار. ترجم الكتاب المقدس إلى اللغة القبطية في القرن الثاني. كان مئات الكتبة يستخدمون لكتابة نسخ من الكتاب المقدس والكتب الليتورجية واللاهوتية الأخرى. الآن يمكن للمكتبات والمتاحف والجامعات في جميع أنحاء العالم الحصول على مئات وآلاف المخطوطات القبطية. وقيل إن هناك حوالي 400 كاتب في دير الانبا بيشوي في وادي النطرون في الصحراء الغربية في مصر، حيث كان يعيش 2400 راهب في ذلك الوقت.
أبطال الإيمان:
عندما كان القديس أثناسيوس شماس، قاد الحجج اللاهوتية والمناقشات في المجمع المسكوني نيقيه الاول الذي عقد في 325 م. وكان هو واضع العقيده المسيحيه.و كان شماسا للكنيسة القبطية و الزعيم الفكري والروحي للأساقفة 318 الذين كانوا أعضاء في مجمع نيقيا المسكوني. بعد أربع سنوات، أصبح بابا الإسكندرية وكرس حياته للحفاظ والدفاع عن الاهوت. كان القديس أثناسيوس بطل الإيمان المصري و الذي دافع عن ألوهية ربنا يسوع المسيح فى الاريعه مجلدات الشهيره كونترا أريانوس او ضد اريانوس. وقال القديس جيروم إنه ان لم يكتب هذا العمل لكان العالم كله قد سقط في الآريوسية. والقديس أثناسيوس نفي أربع مرات بسبب آرائه، وذهب من بلد إلى آخر، من القارة إلى القارة للحصول على دعم الأساقفة والمجامع المقدسة للحفاظ على الإيمان وشرح الوهية ربنا. القديس أثناسيوس نفي للمرة الخامسة، ولكن الإمبراطور لم يكن قادرا على تنفيذ الأمر. عشرات الآلاف من أعضاء الكنيسة تجمعوا حول مسكن البابوية وقالوا لقادة الجنود "لا يمكنك أن تأخذ البابا إلا إذا قتلت كل رجل هنا". أعيد القديس أثناسيوس إلى كرسى القديس مرقس. عندما يقول أي مسيحي في العالم أن ربنا يسوع المسيح هو الله يجب أن يتذكر القديس أثناسيوس.
تحت سلطة الإمبراطورية الرومانية الشرقية في القسطنطينية (على عكس الإمبراطورية الغربية في روما)، لعب البطريركيون والباباوات في الإسكندرية أدوارا رائدة في اللاهوت المسيحي. ودعيت في كل مكان للتحدث عن الإيمان المسيحي. وكان القديس كيرلس، بابا الإسكندرية، رئيس المجمع المسكوني الذي عقد في أفسس في العام 430.
VI. THE COPTIC CHURCH, AND THE COUNCIL OF CHALCEDON
The Coptic Church was misunderstood at the council of Chaicedon which was held in the middle of the 5th century. Perhaps the bishops of the Council understood the Church correctly, but they wanted to exile the Church to isolate it and to abolish the Egyptian Patriarchate for political reasons. The Coptic Church was accused of following the teachings of Eutyches, who believed in monophysitism. This doctrine maintains that the Lord has only one nature, the divine, not two natures, the human as well as the divine. How do the Copts explain the two natures of our Lord? We believe that He is perfect in His divinity, and He is perfect in His humanity, but His divinity and His humanity are united in one nature, which we call "the nature of the incarnate word." We believe that His divinity never parted from His humanity not an instant nor a twinkle of an eye. The unity of His divinity and His humanity is perfect, yet without mingling confusion or alteration. This was reiterated by St. Cyril of Alexandria. To the Coptic Church, faith is more important than anything and that others must know semantics and terminology are of little importance to us. St. Dioscorus of Alexandria was sent into exile and the political motives of the Council of Chalcedon became apparent when the Emperor Marcianus interfered with matters of faith in the church. St. Dioscorus told the Emperor, "You have nothing to do with the Church," and in the year 45l, the Coptic Church established its independence, but has remained very strict and steadfast in its faith.
Our people in Egypt were persecuted by their brothers for believing in the two natures of Christ during the years between 451, the year of the Council of Chalcedon, until 641, when Islam entered Egypt. Many thousands of people were killed. It was a tearful time, and our popes were exiled. They went from place to place to strengthen the faith of their people, and they succeeded in keeping the faith. When Islam entered Egypt, the 38th Pope of Alexandria, Benjamin the First, had been in exile for about 13 years. Many of the Popes of Alexandria were forbidden from praying in their churches and were persecuted for being monophysites.
VII. THE MEANING OF CARRYING THE CROSS IN THE COPTIC CHURCH
Among the greatest glories of the Coptic Church of Alexandria is its Cross. By this I mean the willingness of the Copts to accept persecutions, hardships, and sufferings for Christ who said, "if anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." (Matthew 16:24) The Coptic Church carried the Cross all through its history from the time of St. Mark through every generation of Christianity. The Church has remained steadfast and unchanging in its faith up to this time.
VIII. THE COPTIC ORTHODOX CHURCH AND THE MONASTIC LIFE
Egyptian monasticism entailed a life of prayer, contemplation, solitude, worship, and purity of heart. Monks had nothing in their minds, hearts and feelings except God alone. They lived a calm and quiet life abiding in the Lord. They were detached from everything. Every man was bound to the Lord alone.
The Church of Alexandria was the source of monasticism which began during the last years of the third century and flourished in the fourth century. St. Anthony (251-356 AD), the world’s first monk, was a Copt from Upper Egypt. St. Bachomius (292-348), the founder of the cenobitical system of Monasticism, was also a Copt. He was an Egyptian soldier in the roman Army who converted to Christianity after the compassionate treament he got from the christians of diospolis (modern day Esna in Upper Egypt). He became a disciple of St. Palemon, and later established many monastries for monks and nuns with more than 8000 disciples. When St. Athanasius visited him and tried to ordain him priest, he refused. He performed many miracles during his life and after his departure. His main monastry in modern day Edfu, upper Egypt is very active today
The Development of the Monastic Forms
1. In the Apostolic age, many believers practiced asceticism, seeking the perfection of the Gospel, but without withdrawal of their family or community.
2. The eschatological attitude of the church reflected the believers eager longing for their Bridegroom's advent, thus lived in virginity and devoted all their time for worshipping, as a spiritual preparation for the heavenly wedding feast.
3. Some felt they were in need not only to live as virgins, but to be in a spiritual atmosphere. Men preferred to leave the cities and live in simple huts in villages. They were called 'devotees' as the word 'monk' was unknown. 'They lived on their own orders.
4. Then, St. Anthony outlined the pattern of the anchoretic life.
Monasticism flourished in Egypt. There were hundreds of monasteries, and thousands of cells and caves scattered throughout the Egyptian deserts.
Among the founders of monasticism were St. Macanus of Egypt (300-390 AD) and St. Shenouti the Arch, mandrite (348-466 AD) who accompanied St. Cyril of Alexandria to the third canonical Ecumenical Council of Ephesus. The great St. Pishoy, whom God appeared to several times, was born in 320 AD, became a monk at the age of twenty, and departed during the first half of the fifth century (417 AD). John Cassian, the founder of the monastic life in France in the first half of the 5th century, said that a person traveling from Alexandria in the north to Luxorin the south could hear the monks, hermits, and anchorites praying and singing hymns in the deserts, monasteries, and caves along the entire route.
The world's first anchorite was St. Paul, the Egyptian hermit. He lived without seeing the face of any man for about eighty years.
The news spread about their spiritual life, which sought a true homeland in Heaven. This is what we have inherited from our fathers; the first church in Alexandria inherited the glory of civilized Egypt, and we have inherited the glory of the Church of our fathers.
IX. THE COPTIC CHURCH TODAY
The church has gone through difficult times to get where it is at the present time. There are many generations when our Church suffered weakness and isolation, but it enjoyed a real revival during the last years of the 19th century. There are two reasons for this revival: The first is the re-establishment of the Theological College in 1893. It began its new history with five students, one of whom became the president of the college. The second reason is the activity of the Sunday schools, which provide pastoral care for our children from the very beginning or their lives. We now have tens of thousands of Sunday School teachers - young men and women, all of whom are volunteers. There is no age limit for Sunday school students or teachers and young people may either study in classes or teach them.
Example: In one church in Shubra, one of the districts or Cairo, there are 155 Sunday School teachers teaching more than 120 classes. How could we find room for 120 classes? We use all the rooms in the church, even administrative rooms, the meeting rooms, the library, the kitchen - any room. We also use the rooms of the Coptic societies around the church.
We teach our children on Sunday and Friday which are the days off in Islamic countries. Every day there are classes at 3:00, 4:00, 5:00 and 6:00. Hundreds of boys come in and go out all the time on Sundays and Fridays. We have classes on Wednesday for young women and classes on Thursday for young men. We teach our children not only to have Christian knowledge, but to experience God's love as well. After the students of Sunday schools become Teachers, they also remain as students in higher classes in order to take refresher courses which remind them that they have not advanced beyond discipleship. We also have pastoral care for the Christian students in the university. The revival of Sunday school teaching in our Church has helped prevent deep problems with our young men and women. They are taught the Christian education, faith, and simple principles of theology, history and the Creed.
Our churches are full of believers. We celebrate the liturgy at least 3 times a week, if not daily. We build new churches every year to accommodate to accommodate the increasing numbers of believers attending.
Our monasteries are still flourishing and have new vocations. The young men and women who go to the seminaries retreat houses, and Sunday schools are prepared to give their lives for the Lord. At one time we had only one theological college which was located in Cairo. Now we have seven theological colleges in Cairo, Alexandria, Upper Egypt and the Delta.
The Coptic Church also played a role in the ecumenical movement during this century.
The Coptic Church is an active member in all the councils of the world today. To name a few:
- WCC World Council of Churches
- AACC All African Council of Churches
- MECC Middle East Council of Churches
- NACC National American Council of Churches
The church plays an active role in the Christian movement by exchanging visits between Patriarchs, and by conducting dialogues with the Catholics, the Greeks, the Presbyterians, and the Evangelicals.
X. EXTENDING PASTORAL CARE TO COPTS AROUND THE WORLD
After the 1967 war and due to the difficulties that Christians faced in Egypt, they had to look for new opportunities outside Egypt. As a result, tens of thousands left Egypt looking for a better life and vocation.
The mother church then provided pastoral care for them. We have 45 churches in America and Canada as of 1989. Churches were established a few years ago in Tripoli and Benghazi in Libya. We have churches in Algeria, Nigeria, and we have a diocese in East Africa. In Europe we have 25 churches. We have 12 churches in Australia, and several more in Asia. We have a metropolitan church in Jerusalem, and churches in Palestine, Kuwait, Bagdad, Oman, Abu Dhabi and, Dubal. We have two dioceses in Sudan.
We want to witness for the Lord where ever we can. But we confess that we still need the help of God to maintain our strength, to meet our goals, and to meet the needs of our people.
XI. THE COPTIC CULTURE
The Pharaohs were known by their exceedingly religious attitudes, and their love towards life to come, although they did not know the reality of this life. At the same time, they were interested in science and they did many scientific marvels which modern science could not unfold their mysteries till now. Thus, the Egyptians believed in the religious life and in the development and progress in all aspects of knowledge and science. This belief had its reflection on the Christian school of Alexandria, which was encyclopedic in its teaching, presenting the whole series of profound Sciences besides studying the Holy Scriptures.
The Copts accepted the Christian faith that sanctifies all that is human and develops it, therefore they were genius in music, iconology, architecture, textiles, literature, astronomy, etc..., and their culture and arts had their effect all over the world.
Art and Worship
Worship in its essence is the expression of man's response towards God's infinite love. Man feels that mere words are unable to express this response; therefore he uses his gifted arts in worship.
For the Christians who live in the cities and countries the Christian faith penetrated into their life, even in their eating, drinking, literature, and arts. There is evidence that Christian symbols and images were inscribed on their rings painted on their walls, doors, cups, plates, chairs, etc.... As an example, at the Coptic Museum in Cairo there is a Coptic ivory comb dating from the fifth century. It has three etchings on each side. In one etching, Lazarus appears in the shape of an Egyptian mummy, another drawing shows Jesus Christ bearing a cross, and another representation is the "healing of the blind man". Also on the other side of the comb, there is a mounted Coptic Saint enclosed irrationally within a wreath supported by angels.
Sanctifying Arts
It is man's desire to offer his life and devote all his culture to express his deep and unspeakable love towards his God. At the same time, it is God's beneficence that He longs to sanctity man's being, life, and culture. God loves man as a whole and accepts his soul as His dwelling place, and does not despise his body which was made from dust and human culture which is man-made. For these both, human body culture, can be sanctified by the Holy Spirit to act spiritually as instruments of righteousness for the edification of God's Church on behalf of the heavenly kingdom.
XII. CONCLUSION
The blessings of God, granted to Egypt thousands of years ago, were and still are the source of flourishing, that nourishes the life of the Copts, from generation to generation, and throughout the ages to come.
Glory to GOD forever amen.