Vol: 7 Issue: 3
Baramhat 1729 / March 2013
Christian Arabs before Islam By: Theresia Hainthaler Who are the Arabs? The question is not that simple as it might look at first glance. When did the name "Arab" appear in history? There are also other names in literary sources, like Ishmaelites, Saracens, even Hagarenes or Agarenes, or TayyjtyĂŞ in Syriac. Is it characteristic for "Arabs" to be nomads, who early have been linked with the (breeding of) camels? There is also the Roman province Arabia, and it cannot be excluded that even in the 6th century AD an "Arab" might designate a person of the province Arabia, who could be a Roman citizen. From the sociological point of view, "Arabs" mostly form a tribal society. It was possible that nomads, semi-nomads and settled people belonged to the same tribe. Language as well is not sufficient as an unequivocal mark. Probably, Christian Arabs celebrated the liturgy in Syriac; perhaps some of them understood Syriac. Palestine: At least in the second half of the 4th century, the formation of an ecclesial community and the beginning of an ecclesial hierarchy among Arab Christians in the region of the later constituted as such Patriarchate of Jerusalem is feasible. Often Arabs draw near to the Christian faith by encounters with monks, like Hilarion", the monk Moses in the story of the Saracen queen Mamie or the monastic father Euthymios, a phenomenon addressed already by Sozomen (the church historian). A strong influence was exercised by the monastic father Euthymios who caused a hierarchy to be installed in the camps in Palestine, the Parembole bishops: The first bishop, Petros the converted sheikh Aspebetos and former phylarchos under the Persians - participated at the council of Ephesus (431). An Episcopal lineage can be traced in historical sources for one century, because till 536, bishops can be found in synodical records. The monastic father transmitted his pro-Chalcedonian stand to the Arab bishops. The important Jerusalem Patriarch Elias (494-516), also an Arab, was a staunch defender of the Chalcedonian creed. A typical Christological position of Arab Christians, however, independently from monastic or imperial positions, cannot be found in the testimonies. Arab bishops of the Patriarchate Palestine took the stand of the Jerusalem Patriarchs
and therefore supported a pro-Chalcedonian position after the council of Chalcedon. Antioch: The Roman province Arabia with its capital Bostra came into being 106 after the conquest of the Nabataean kingdom. Already in NT times, there might have been some Christians. The first Christians in Arabia, known by name, were heterodox, like 200 Monoimus, the Arab, around 200, whose Gnostic doctrine is reported by Hippolytus". But there are no reliable testimonies for the beginning of Christianity in Bostra". Only in the first decades of the 3rd century, we have historical evidence with bishop Beryll of Bostra (ca 222-235). We know of persecutions against Christians under Diocletian (284-305) and Galerius (305311). A larger part of pagan population is still to be noted in the middle of the 4th century. Epiphanius of Salamis mentioned in his Panarion several heresies in Arabia, among them also Jewish Christian groups (Elkesaites resp. Ebionites), but also the Valesians, Markionites, and sects with a special veneration of Mary offering her sacrifices". Bostra seems to have been a stronghold of Orthodox hierarchy, after the Chalcedonian restoration under Emperor Justin I". Epigraphic and archaeological sources offer no traces of anti-Chalcedonian presence. The weakness of the antiChalcedonian hierarchy, however, does not correspond to the fascination of the antiChalcedonian teaching and piety for the faithful and the monasteries, especially around the Ghassanid residences". According to the preserved testimonies, the Arab foederati of the 641' century, the Ghassân, strongly supported the anti-Chalcedonians. In their activities in Church politics, they used their influence at the imperial court in order to help the interests of the anti-Chalcedonians. Also among their own anti-Chalcedonian Churches, they tried to heal schisms, without being successful at the long run. The intervention of Hârith to Theodora succeeded in the ordination of Jacob Baradaios, who untiringly was wandering in order to ordain priests and later also bishops for the anti-Chalcedonian communion. So he could rebuild the Severian hierarchy which was in a real danger of dying out". Due to his activity, the anti-Chalcedonian community in the patriarchate of Antioch was called Jacobite Church (sometimes even applied to the Coptic Church)". Christianity spread among Arabs, according to the preserved literary sources, often under the influence of holy monks who impressed nomads by their healing. A strong attraction was exercised by the stylite Symeon and by the soldier Sergius. It is difficult to judge how deep the roots of the faith had been". It seems that the antiChalcedonians got more influence among Arab nomads, as a consequence of that, the monks in the desert (which they met) often had withdrawn from the persecution of Chalcedonian emperors.
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Departure of Father Misael El-Antony Bishop Daniel, and the monks of the monastery would like to extend their condolences to Bishop Youstos and the monks of St Anthony Monastery in the Red Sea, Egypt, for the departure of the very beloved Monk Father Misael El-Antony. Since the arrival of Fr Misael to Australia to serve in St Sidhom Bishay church we had regular visits from our beloved father and saw in him a true image of Christ. We greatly miss him but our hope and confidence is that he is praying for us before the Lord. Liturgical Prayer: Let us gather together to weep greatly for our father, our teacher and our honoured guide, the hegumen, the protopreshyter Father Misael EI-Antony. Meditate on him O you wise men and you will find him in your midst saying, "I farewell you O altar of God on which I offered upon you sacrifices to the Lord." farewell my fathers beloved of the Lord, the presbyters who are entrusted by the Almighty, O hegumens and priests, my partners in the service of the sanctuary of God. Farewell my saintly fathers for you shall see me no more. Farewell my brethren the deacons, my partners and co-workers in the service. May the peace of the Lord be with you, guard you and protect you. May the peace of the Lord be with you till you become perfected in your Christianity. Truly I say to you my beloved brethren that you shall see me no more. Ask the Lord on my behalf my fathers and brethren so Christ may have mercy on my weak self. Beseech the Lord on my behalf so that my entrance before Him may be in Love. Ask Him to forgive me and grant me his infinite mercies as I stand before His courts and to accept me in peace in the place of joy with the twenty-four presbyters.� Go in peace our father the hegumen, to the bosom of our father's Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Go in peace, the peace of God be with you. May God aid us as he aided you. Through the intercessions of our All-Holy Lady the Theotokos Saint Mary, our father Sidhom Bishay the martyr, our father the great Abba Anthony the father of all monks. and all the choir of Angels, Saints, Martyrs. Amen. We worship You O Christ with Your Good Father and the Holy Spirit for You have come and saved us. Page 3
A 7th Century Monastery Discovered in United Arab Emirates By: Fr Anthony St Shenouda The news of the opening of an archaeological site of a 7th century Christian Monastery in the island of Sir Bani Yas, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has recently caught my attention for two reasons. The first is the fact that Christianity had a presence in the gulf region way before Islam came in the picture. Secondly the news came in a time when Christians in Egypt have been struggling to have the right to build new churches, while the above project was fully funded by the UAE government. In the eastern side of the 78 square-Kilometer Island of Sir Bani Yas, a Christian monastery was unearthed by British Archeologists. From the Archeological finds it has been reported that it was a multi-building compound that housed 30-40 monks. Dr Elders, the Archaeological Director of the project further adds “We think quite a lot of visitors came to the monastery.” The building complex comprises of monk cells, kitchen, animal pens, and a church in the middle of the complex. Excavation work has started in the sight since 1990s at the request of Sheikh Zayed the founder of the UAE. In December 2010 Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed the crown prince of Abu Dhabi has ordered the continuation of the excavation work on the site and its opening of the site for public viewing. Christianity in the gulf has started in the day of Pentecost, as we read that among those who were present were the Arabs (Act 2:5-11), whom when they heard the words of St Peter “they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’” (Act 2:37). “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.” (Act 2:41). We then know from St Paul that after his conversion he visited Arabia (Gal 1:17). Tradition also has it that later on St Bartholomew went to breach Christianity in the region. By the mid-third century a Christian bishopric was established in the Bahrain Islands. We also know from records of the Council of Nicea (325 A.D.) that Arab bishops were Page 4
present. After the condemnation of Nestorius in the Council of Ephesus (431 A.D.) the Assyrian Church, or the Nestorian Church of the East, sent missionaries from their center at Edessa (in modern day Iraq) all the way down to India through the trade routes that were used at that time. This was the time when the recently excavated monastery in the island of Sir Bani Yas was founded. After the rise of Islam in the 7th century many of these Christian communities gradually diminished. There are no Records of Bishops attending the Assyrian Church’s Synod after (676 A.D.) yet there are indications that Christianity persisted in the region until the late 9th century. Today the Gulf region has millions of Christian immigrants from all over the world (Coptic, Greek, Syrian, and Indian). This came as a result of the rapid economic development of the 70s and 80s after the discovery of Oil in the region. While a Muslim government, Christians in the region freely practice their faith without any hassle from the authorities and sometime in church building that are funded by members of the royal family.
Fr Kyrillos Farag, a newly ordained priest for the diocese of Sydney spending his 40 days retreat at the monastery
On Friday the 8th of March the monastery has received Fr Kyrillos Farag who was ordained on the same day, the eve of the feast of the departure of H.H. Pope Kyrillos VI, and who will be spending the 40 days preparation in the monastery to learn the liturgical prayers before he is sent to serve at his parish, St George Church, Kensington. Page 5
Buried Christian Empire Casts New Light on Early Islam By: Matthias Schulz
The “crowned man� relief found in Zafar, Yemen is seen as evidence that there was a Christian empire in the region before Islam took hold. Archeologists are studying the ruins of a buried Christian empire in the highlands of Yemen. The sites have sparked a number of questions about the early history of Islam. Was there once a church in Mecca? The commandment "Make yourself no graven image" has long been strictly followed in the Arab world. There are very few statues of the caliphs and ancient kings of the region. The pagan gods in the desert were usually worshipped in an "aniconic" way, that is, as beings without form. Muhammad had a beard, but there are no portraits of him. But now a narcissistic work of human self-portrayal has turned up in Yemen. It is a figure, chiselled in stone, which apparently stems from the era of the Prophet. Paul Yule, an archaeologist from the south-western German city of Heidelberg, has studied the relief, which is 1.70 meters (5'7") tall, in Zafar, some 930 kms (581 miles) south of Mecca. It depicts a man with chains of jewellery, curls and spherical eyes. Yule dates the image to the time around 530 AD. The German archeologist excavated sites in the rocky highlands of Yemen, an occupation that turned quite dangerous recently because of political circumstances in the country. On his last mission, Yule lost 8 kilograms (18 lbs.) and his equipment was confiscated. Page 6
Nevertheless, he is pleased, because he was able to bring notes, bits of debris and bones back to Heidelberg. Yule has concluded that Zafar was the center of an Arab tribal confederation, a realm that was two million square kilometers (about 772,000 square miles) large and exerted its influence all the way to Mecca. Even more astonishing is his conclusion that kings who invoked the Bible lived in the highland settlement. The "crowned man" depicted on the relief was also a Christian.
Holy Week Contemplations By: H.H. Pope Shenouda On the first anniversary of the departure of H.H. Pope Shenouda III, we would like to present to you a collection of books written by His Holiness titled Holy Week Contemplations. This book is made up of five different booklets that H.H. published in different years. This book takes you through the events of this great and holy week and helps the reader to participate in every step of Christ’s passions.
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