Church History, Part 10

Servants Preparation Curriculum

Lecture 57, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Church History, Part 10 – The 7th Century Invasions

Objectives:

1. To learn about the Coptic Popes during this century
2. To study some of the historic events during this century
3. To view the Islamic control of Egypt during this century

Lecture 57, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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The Popes of The Coptic Church

• Pope Anastasius (36) = 7/605 - 12/616 = 11 years
• Pope Andronicus (37) = 1/617 - 1/ 623 = 6 years
• Pope Benjamin I (38) = 9/ 623 - 1/ 662 = 39 years
• Pope Agathon (39) = 9/662 - 10/680 = 18 years
• Pope John III (40) = 12/680 - 12/689 = 9 years
• Pope Isaac (41) = 1/690 - 11/ 692 = < 3 years
• Pope Simeon I (42) = 12/692 - 7/700 = 7 years, 7 months

Lecture 57, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Pope Anastasius (36) = 7/605 - 12/616 = 11 years

• The Persians invaded Syria and attacked the churches in this time
• The Syrian Christians fled Syria to Egypt
• Pope Anastasius found them and housed / provided for them
• He reconciled with Pope Athanasius of Antioch who visited Alexandria for one month
• He authored 12 books named after the Coptic Alphabet
• Lots of Syrians came to Egypt

Lecture 57, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Pope Andronicus (37) = 1/617 - 1/ 623 = 6 years

• The Persians invaded Egypt in 620 AD, during the last 3 years of his life
• They destroyed the churches and monasteries, stealing its possessions
• He chose Benjamin the Monk to be his assistant and recommended him to be his successor

Lecture 57, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Pope Benjamin I (38) = 9/ 623 - 1/ 662 = 39 years

• He was a good monk who excelled in the righteous life keeping The Bible, and St. John’s Gospel in particular, near
• He claimed he had a vision in which St Mary told him, “Rejoice Benjamin, you will shepherd the flock of Christ”
• His spiritual father in the monastery took him to Pope Andronicus who made him his assistant and recommended him to be his successor
• After departure of Pope Andronicus, The Bishops chose Benjamin to be the Pope (38)

Lecture 57, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Pope Benjamin I (38) = 9/ 623 - 1/ 662 = 39 years Cont.

• The Roman Emperor, Heraclius, appointed Cyrus to rule over Egypt
• Cyrus was the Governor and the religious leader of the Roman Church in Egypt
• Cyrus tried to impose the Chalcedonian Decree on the Coptic Church, but Pope Benjamin refused to adopt it and left Alexandria with his bishops to South Egypt and hid in a small monastery for 10 years!
• Cyrus captured The Pope’s brother, Mina, who refused to change his belief and so he tortured him repeatedly and drowned him in the sea

Lecture 57, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Pope Benjamin I (38) = 9/ 623 - 1/ 662 = 39 years Cont.

• When Amr b. al-‘As invaded Egypt from 639 - 642, with an army of 4000 soldiers, The Christians supported him against Cyrus the Governor
• Amr restored Pope Benjamin to his throne in Alexandria
• However, The Coptic Christians were forced to pay a two dinars (Tax) to the Muslim invader to keep them alive and allow them to practice their Christian faith – (Gezya)
• Women, elders, and boys less than 13 years did not pay this tax
• Pope Benjamin restored the churches that the Romans captured
• Pope Benjamin accepted back The Orthodox who converted to The Catholic faith under Cyrus’ pressure
• He renovated St. Bishoy and St. Makarios’ monasteries

Lecture 57, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Pope Agathon (39) = 9/662 - 10/680 = 18 years

• He was an active priest in Alexandria and when Pope Benjamin escaped to the South, he remained in Alexandria visiting the Coptic Christians encouraging them to keep the faith
• In the morning, he would go dressed as a carpenter to hide from Roman soldiers
• At night, he prayed liturgies and gave communion to people
• He bought the Christian slaves to prevent them from converting to Islam
• Lots of poor Christians converted to Islam
• He ordained many priests and built churches

Lecture 57, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Pope John III (40) = 12/680 - 12/689 = 9 years

• He restored the churches that were captured by the Romans / Chalcedonians
• He sustained the poor for three years during famines
• He suffered from the local Muslim judge who ordered him to pay 100,000 denarii, which was later reduced to 10,000
• He suffered from severe gout attacks
• He prayed The Thanksgiving Prayer before the Altar and then succumbed to a come and died

Lecture 57, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Pope Isaac (41) = 1/690 - 11/ 692 = < 3 years

• He was an educated and righteous man from a rich family who worked in the government
• He left his job and became a monk at the Monastery of St. Makarius
• He renovated and built many churches

Lecture 57, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Pope Simeon I (42) = 12/692 - 7/700 = 7 years, 7 months

• He was to born to a rich Syrian family who brought him to the Pateron Monastery (Deir Al-Zugag monastery)
• He was a disciple to John the Hegumen, who was a candidate for the papacy
• He became Pope 42 and appointed Hegumen John to be his assistant
• He lived a strict ascetic life (fasting, prayer, little foods of beans, salt, water, cumin, and ate no red meat)
• He survived two poisoning attempts by those who did not follow The Orthodox Teachings
• He fought fiercely against a new trend among rich Coptic men who began emulating the Arabs by taking more than one wife

Lecture 57, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Church History, Part 10 – The 7th Century Invasions

Objectives:

1. To learn about the Coptic Popes during this century
2. To study some of the historic events during this century
3. To view the Islamic control of Egypt during this century

Lecture 57, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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The Persian Invasion

• In 623 AD the Persians captured Egypt and the Copts were prevented from practicing their religion, and their human and national rights were denied
• Nevertheless, some Copts felt relief because alien Patriarchs were no longer appointed by Byzantium to oppress the Egyptian church; however, during this era the Persians ruined and destroyed many churches and monasteries

Lecture 57, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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The Persian Invasion Cont.

• The Persian / Iranian armies attacked The Middle East - all the way to Egypt defeating the Roman army
• They destroyed many churches and monasteries
• They ambushed young men in Alexandria, Egypt by luring them to a big square and then killing thousands of them

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• Emperor Heraclius I, drove them out of Egypt but on their way back one of the commanders stole The Holy Cross from Jerusalem
• Emperor Heraclius I, chased them and restored The Cross

Lecture 57, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Emperor Heraclius I

• Heraclius I was the Byzantine Emperor from 610 to 641
• He drove the Persians out of Turkey and Syria in 627 (Nineveh Battle)
• He restored The Holy Cross from the Persian king
• He appointed Cyrus as the political and religious leader of Egypt
• He lost many battles to the Rising Arab conquests

Lecture 57, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Church History, Part 10 – The 7th Century Invasions

Objectives:

1. To learn about the Coptic Popes during this century
2. To study some of the historic events during this century
3. To view the Islamic control of Egypt during this century

Lecture 57, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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The Islamic Invasion

• Amr Ib El As, a Muslim military commander attacked Egypt from The East
• Cyrus, the Military governor, struck a deal to save himself and his troops fled the country
• Amr, in less than three years, occupied the entire Northern portion of Egypt
• He restore Pope Benjamin to his church
• He refused to burn or pray in any church
• However, he did authorize burning the great Alexandria Library – which was built by Ptolemy I which has old translation of Old Testaments and many other important & ancient books

Lecture 57, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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The Islamic Invasion Cont.

The Great Alexandria Library – built by Ptolemy I

Lecture 57, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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The Islamic Invasion Cont.

• The Islamic invasions extended South to Sudan
• The Islamic invasions extended west to Libya and Tunisia and North to Africa to Spain

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• All these countries were Christian before converting to Islam

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Lecture 57, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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The Islamic Invasion Cont.

• The Romans sent some troops to free Egypt from Islamic authority, but the Coptic Christians refused the return of the Romans and sided with the Arabs instead

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• The Roman garrison was defeated

Lecture 57, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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The Islamic Invasion Cont.

The First 4 Muslim Caliphs

1. Abu Bakr
2. Umar ibn al-Khattab
3. Uthman ibn Affan
4. Ali ibn Abi Talib

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• They all recommend the local Muslim governors to softly treat the Christians in Egypt and be gentle with them, however still collect Gezya from them in addition to lot of crops, produce and jewels

Lecture 57, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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The Islamic Invasion Cont.

The Umayyads dynasty

• Muslim Caliph Marwan Ibn El Hakam built Helwan and encouraged Christians to build a church in the new city
• He had good relations with Pope Isaac (41)

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• However, later he:
• Increased the gezya on the Christians
• Imposed one denarii as gezya to the clergy

Lecture 57, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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The Fall of Byzantine Empire

Lecture 57, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Church History, Part 10 – The 7th Century Invasions

Objectives:

1. To learn about the Coptic Popes during this century
2. To study some of the historic events during this century
3. To view the Islamic control of Egypt during this century

Lecture 57, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Review Questions

• Who is the most important Pope in the 7th century?
• Who is the Syrian Pope of Egypt?
• How did Emperor Heraclius I restore The Cross?
• Who is Cyrus and how did he help the Islamic invasion?
• What is the difference between the First 4 Caliphs and the Umayyads dynasty?

Lecture 57, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Memorization Verses

1. “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23)

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• “Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you” (Revelation 3:3)

Lecture 57, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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