Preservice 22/23

Introduction to
church history
Why?
• 1- Inheritance, the living gospel, treasures from our fathers
• When we study the life of the saints we understand the bible teaching,
ST Moses (Repentance) Ana Bishoy (Love) etc…
• 2- Tells us how we are here today and the amount of sacrifices our
fathers did so we have our churches today open for us
• 3- Tells us how god preserved the Coptic church, how the church passed
through different prosecution times. History that is rish and deep in
Christianity and well preserved
• 4- To be able to defend our faith, if we know how we are here today
• 5- To be able to give to next generation – as it was so shall it be
How
• By time, first century, second, and so on
• By Patriarchs, first one, and what happened in his time, then the
second, and so on
• Topics, like Heresies, Martyrdom, Monasticism

• We will chose by time

Beginning of church – Acts
• After resurrection, 40 days then Jesus ascended into heaven
• Mattias was chosen in place of Judas
• After 10 days, while they were together in St Mark upper room, at the
3rd hour – 9 AM our time, there was sound of wind, it filled all the
house, and the holy spirit came down in the form of tongues of fire on
everyone. They were all filled from the holy spirit.
• St Peter gave a sermon with topic Jesus who the jews crucified is the
awaited Messiah
• 3000 believed and baptized in that day
Beginning of church – the holy spirit
• The disciples spread everywhere preaching the gospel
• The holy spirit was:
• Leading them -> Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and
Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Acts 13:2
• Guiding them: “For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us” Acts
15:28
• Miracles, moving them from place to another -> Acts 8: 39 “the Spirit
of the Lord caught Philip away” 40 “the Spirit of the Lord caught
Philip away,”
Beginning of churches – apostolic churches
• Churches that has connections to the apostles, originated from the
early church time.
• Church of Alexandria, which is our church and is called Coptic
Orthodox church
• Church of Rome, which is not the Catholic church
• Church of Antioch, which became the Syrian church
First century – holy family visit
• The beginning. The start with St Mark visiting Egypt.
• But before St Mark, there was important visit before him.
• The holy family was in Egypt before St Mark
• It is written in the bible “Blessed is Egypt My people” Isaiah 19:25
• Which is very strange, In old testament, Israel was God’s people
• So this was like a prophecy about the Egyptian church
• The holy family went through Egypt and there was lots of miracles
happened. It is said the first alter was created in Meharak monastery
by Jesus himself
First Century - cont
• First Mobasher: the holy family
• First Patriarch: St Mark
• First Bishop: Anianus
• St. Mark went to Alexandria around the year 61 A.D. At his arrival, he was praying while
walking in its streets. His sandal was torn, so he was forced to stop by a shoemaker to get it
fixed. While Anianus, the cobbler, was repairing St. Mark’s footwear, an awl pierced his
finger, and that’s when he cried out saying, “O One God”. This astonished St. Mark and he
healed the man’s wound miraculously. Afterwards, St. Mark started talking to Anianus
about Our Lord Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for Mankind. That is when Anianus accepted
the faith and invited St. Mark to his house, along with his family and neighbors. St. Mark
baptized all those who believed. The first nucleus of the Christian Church was formed in
Egypt, soon after the seed of faith had been planted in the hearts of the people. This was
also the time when St. Mark established a theological school in Alexandria and a system for
the Divine Liturgy known today as the Divine Liturgy of St. Cyril.
First Century - cont
• First church: Believers used to gather in Anianos house, but the first
official church it was said to be the Morkoseya church in Alexandria
(Pokalia), it was said that this is the place were st Mark was martyred
• First epistle written by st Peter in Egypt
• St Mark wrote his book there
• First school, Alexandria school, which teaches all sciences, philosophy,
theology. Was founded by St Mark, was managed by first Principal
names Yastos, who became the 7th Patriarch
•
2nd century
• Main Topics:
• Pope Demetrius of Alexandria: 12th patriarch and has a very interesting story
• The previous patriarch grew old and was dying, an angel of the lord appeared
to him in a dream and told him the man who comes to you tomorrow with
bunch of grapes shall be the next patriarch after you. Next day a poor farmer,
who was married and neither can read or write, called Demetrius, was in his
vineyard and bunch of grapes although it is not the season, so he brought it to
the Patriarch.
• Julian when he saw him told the bystanders, catch that man, he is your next
Patriarch
• Later Julian died and Demetrius became the Patriarch
2nd century - Demetrius
• Pope Demetrius has 2 problems, he was married, and he can’t read or
write. While all previous Patriarchs were unmarriaried
• People started talking about him and disrespect him, an angel of the
lord appeared to him and told him to announce that he didn’t approach
his wife and though they are married they are living pure life.
• Demetrius after the liturgy he and his wife, they brought burning
blazing logs and put in his cloak and his wife’s too and they did not
burn
2nd century - Demetrius
• Because he couldn’t write or read, he brought lots of teachers to
educate him. IT was hard. At beginning he didn’t understand anything.
He prayed, an angel appeared to him and told him, you sit on your
Patriarch chair and the teachers sit under you and teach you, you
should sit under them to learn from them.
• He did that and the grace of god opened his mind and he was able to
learn everything, and later he became with much wisdom and was
teaching others
• He created a calculations for the feast of resurrection, and all the
churches followed that
2nd Century – school of Alexandria
• The growth of School of Alexandria that became very famous across the whole world.
• People came from everywhere to learn in it
• Apologetics started during that time, very famous people, like Athenagoras, who was
against Christianity, then read the bible then his life changed, and he became apologetic,
defending the Christianity
• He became dean of the school.
• Next dean is Clement of Alexandria, well known for his symbolic bible study, like looking
at the burning bush, and resembles it to St Mary, the Samaritan woman, resamples the
human sol, etc..
• Next one is his student, Origen of Alexandria. He became dean at age of 18, he was
brilliant and followed his father, but went a bit far. For example he said that the story of
Adam and Eve, and eating from the tree is symbolic. Church didn’t accept that. He said
also that god is merciful and he will forgive the devil as well.
3rd Century martyrdom
• Peek of martyrdom and prosecutions. Prosecution started since beginning of
church in 1st century, and was increasing more and more until the 3rd century
where there was mass executions
• Thousands were killed every day and receive the crown of martyrdom
• Diocletian: The most widespread official persecution was carried out by
Diocletian beginning in 303. During the Great Persecution, the emperor ordered
Christian buildings and the homes of Christians torn down and their sacred
books collected and burned. Christians were arrested, tortured, mutilated,
burned, starved, and condemned to gladiatorial contests to amuse spectators.
The Great Persecution officially ended in April 311
• Diocletian rules from 284, which is considered the first year from the Coptic
calendar
4th Century - Monasticism
• Main topic is end of mass prosecutions and beginning of Monasticism
• Emperor Constantine 306 – 337 started ruling, he saw the sign of the cross in
the sky and a voice telling him with this you will win the wars
• He and his mother Queen Helena became Christian
• 313 He announced the Edict of Milan, allowing freedom of religion, and the
end of prosecutions
• 318 Egypt first country to announce Christianity the official religion
• End of persecutions, begging of Monastic life. Fathers like the great St Antony,
Fr Makar
• St Antony started from 305, was living alone till 335 then started having
thousands of disciples
4th Century - Monasticism
• St Paul the hermit 230-341
• Saint Macarius the Great 300-391
• Peter I of Alexandria: last martyr 302-311
• Beginning of heiress, Arius
• 2 ecumenical councils were held Nicaea 325, Constantinople 381