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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
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