Scholars presented their last research in Melbourne
Symposium on Coptic Monasticism

After the great success of the two previous symposia on Saint Athanasius in the Christian Tradition and Saint Cyril of Alexandria, the Diocese of Melbourne and Affiliated regions together with the Saint Athanasius Coptic Orthodox Theological College organised the third international symposium on Monasticism on the 29-30 September 2007.

This symposium was attended by more than 80 persons plus the Coptic clergy of the Diocese.

The symposium was inaugurated by a speech by His Grace Bishop Suriel, Bishop of the Diocese of Melbourne and Affiliated Regions and the official opening of the Photo Exhibition entitled, ‘Monasticism: Egypt’s Gift to the World.’ The exhibition was organised by Mrs. Inas Ramzy and included a collection of photos Mr. Emad Nassry. The exhibition focused on the monasteries of Egypt. It was arranged geographically from Lower to Upper Egypt. For each site there was a commentary, an overview of the place with special attention to some Coptic collection such as rare manuscripts and authentic Coptic icons.

This scientific event took place in the Diocese Headquarters, which is located on 22 acres of land in the heart of Melbourne in Donvale. This property was purchased in 2002, and paid off this year, from the Carmelite Fathers. Fr Ken Peterson from the Whitefriars gave an overview of the history of the site and its beginning in the year 1937 and its extension in the year 1962. His talk was supported by a power point presentation.

The first session of the Symposium focused on ‘The Beginnings’ of Monasticism. Our first speaker, Dr Matthew Martin, who had previously delivered talks in the first two symposia, was unable to attend the symposium, as he was sick.

Dr. Malcolm Choat, from Macquarie University, presented a power point presentation on the terms for monks in early documentary papyri from Egypt. In addition to the well known word monachos several words had been used such as apotikos, sarakote, monzontes.

Dr Heshmat Keroloss, a lecturer at St Athanasius Coptic Orthodox Theological College who holds a Ph.D from Fordham University, studied the conception of virginity and Marriage in Coptic Monasticism. Although Egypt is the cradle of Monasticism, the Sacrament of Marriage is honoured and this is apparent from a large number of patristic quotations. Some heretics such as Gnostic or Manichaens rejected marriage as a sin while this negative attitude is never found in the Coptic Monastic texts. He gave the example of the two women who were better than Saint Anthony the Great. The first session was concluded by vespers in the Church.

On the Sunday the 30th of September 2007, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated by His Grace Bishop Suriel and His Grace Bishop Martyros, visiting from Egypt.

The first paper of the second session was delivered by Rev. Fr. Columba Steward, OSB, a benedictine hiero-monk, who studied in Harvard, Yale and Oxford universities. He highlighted the importance of the saying of the Desert’s fathers in Egypt and the role of Evagrius.

In the second paper, Dr Heike Behlmer who is in charge of the Masters degree at Macquarie University gave on overview on the life and the career of Saint Shenoute and she stressed on the sixth canon of his writing where she is involved in an international research team to edit and translate the works of this saint.
Another victim of the flu, Rev. Dr. Peter Hill from South Australia who got his PhD from the University of Melbourne of the Harklean text of the New Testament, delivered a talk, which was read by his Ph.D Supervisor, Dr Geoffrey Jenkins. His talk tried to answer several question such as why a Syriac bishop would translate the Bible in Egypt? Were Alexandrian manuscripts used? What did relations between the Coptic and the Syriac Church play in this project?

After the tea break, Professor Pauline Allen, Director of the Centre for Early Christian Studies and the former president of the International Association of patristic studies delivered a talk on Severus of Antioch viewed as monk. She highlighted his role as monk and abbot in a monastery near Gaza, and his monastic life after his exile in Egypt. Her talk was based on biographical data gleaned from his biographies as well as his works such as his homilies and his letters.

This paper was followed by paper presented by Dr Youhanna Nessim Youssef, on Scetis in the seventh century. He provided the audience with the unique Coptic text on Saint John of Scetis (early Seventh century). Through a detailed analysis of the text of the consecration of the Sanctuary of Pope Benjamin in the monastery of Saint Macarius, he concluded that this event should take place in a leap year such as the year 648 or 652.

Bishop Martyros, concluded this session with a paper entitled, ‘Monks and Martyrs, new discoveries from the monastery of al-Shohada (martyrs) near Akhmim’. He projected the photos of several martyrs discovered during the renovation of the monastery. Some of them had been tortured by cutting their members, or by putting a wooden nail in the eye.

The fourth session began with the paper of Professor Kazuhiko Demurah from Okayama University in Japan. Professor Demurah started with an overview of the life of St. Augustine and how the life of Anthony was one factor of his conversion. St. Augustine established a kind of a monastic life with his colleagues and friends in North Africa. Professor Demurah highlighted the place of the heart meditation in the writing of Saint Augustine and its links with the Coptic monasticism.

Fr. Dr. Christopher Hanlon, also from the Centre for Early Christian Studies, Australian Catholic University, through his study of the Early Middle Ages in Western Europe, attracts the attention to religious and cultural contacts between Irish monks and people of the East (including Egypt). His argumentation included the traveller’s tales, the production of illuminated manuscripts and the preservation of Greek.

The last session starts with the paper of Professor Abraham Terian. Professor Terian is Professor of Armenian Patristics at saint Nersess Armenian Seminary, New York. He highlighted the role of the Holy Land in introducing monasticism in Armenia in the early fifth century.

The last paper of the symposium was by Dr Geoffrey Jenkins, who teaches Biblical Hebrew in Saint Athanasius Coptic Orthodox Theological College in addition to his different scientific activities. His paper explored the origin of Christian monasticism with the reference to the sources and origins of Syriac Christianity.

During the conclusion of the Symposium in the official dinner HG Bishop Suriel thanked all the participants. He expressed his desired that this symposium will be organised on a regular basis each year.

Fr. Macarius Wahba, Registrar
Saint Athanasius Coptic Orthodox Theological College