New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-03-19
RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

|
THE CoPTIC CHUBCH.-A correspondent OF
| The 81. JdmeS's Gazette gives an interesting ac-
| count of tho present state and condition OF the
| COptc Church IN Egypt. 1t has lost much of
| the hold on the people il had a century or two
ago, as the ruined temples of this faith scat
| tered all over the country from Cairo to Assoan
| bear witness. In Cairo the COpts are said to
number about 10000, while they claim for
their followers throughout the Khedlye's do
mnions some 800, 900. IL is only few years
ago that Copts have been placed, as far as
public burdens or political privileges are con-
Cerned, upon the same level as Greeks or Mos
lens. At the present day, therefore, though
they cannot attain to the rank OF pacha, or In
the Army rise above the rank OF captain, 1t Is
little to their interest to exchange the Liturgy
of st. Gregory of NaLianzen for the Koran.
| The COptic heTesies were publicly condemned
by the Council of ChalcedOn in the year 45l
A. d.; and for two hundred years afterward
they suffered continual prosecutions at the hands
OF the Orthodox Church. They then COM
bined, when Amer and his Arabs came, with
the Moslem against their fellow Christians, and
continued during the greater part OF their MS
tory to evlnce q far greater tolerance for the
followers of the Prophet than tor the Greek,
the Armenian, or even the Roman Catholic
Church. /" In the present day. remarks the
| correspondent, " the Protestant community in
Cairo is looked upon with least favor by the
COptic clergy. PrOtestantS are spoken or
deri,ively as a prayerless people >; and their
Indifference to fasts moves the Indignation OF
a Church which lays particular stress on the
efficacy of severe and frequent modification
| of the flesh. The COptic Lent or the Great
Fast as it is called in Cairo, is observed for
ifty-fve days and it is preceded by fast,
which has nothing corresponding to it in other
| Christian Churches, held in cOmmemoration of
that of Nineveh This lasts three days, and
for this period the strlCtest of the COpts allow
no food of any kind to pass their lips. During
Lent only vegetable diet is permitted; but,
during the twenty eight days OF the Fast or
the Nativity preceding Christmas the shorter
Fast OF the Apostles succeeding the Ascension,
which commentaries the period when the
Apostles tasted after they lost their Lord, and
the fifteen days of the Fast of the Virgin, 1t is
customary to eat fish as well as eggs, milk,
butter and vegetables. Intolerance Is not the
only vice to which the Coptic priest is charged
with being particularly prone. lie is called
gTasping, licentiOuS and ignorant by Greek
and Roman Catholic alike. The charge OF
aYaTice and immortality he may fairly throw
back on those who make it to that of lgnOr-
ance he may reply that with no help from
withOut) his COptic schools are rapidly lmproy
ing; while there are mahy charitable spirits IN
the Church who look hopefully forward to the
time when their differences with the Greek
shall disappear. The Copts in fact, have, on
several occasions offered to meet their Old
prosecutor more than half way; and the late
Patriarch Cyril very seriously incurred the
khedive'5 dlspleusure on account OF his Greek
tendencies. TO this day many Of the COpts be-
lieve he was poisoned by Salds orders Inc
present Patriarch, Cyril XIV, the one hun
bred and twentieth successor OF ST. Mark, Is a
handsome, thOughtful-ookng man of some
thing moro than middle age. lie is not difficult
of access, and receives with becoming ditlidence
the expressions of q more profound homage
than Is paid to Khedive Tewtik. 1t may be
that even after twenty years OF town lie, he
still retains something of the humility of the
monk of the desert he once was; although his
position cOmpelS him to assume, and his IN
come of ESQ a month (swelled considerably by
irregular contributions warrants him IN as
summing what in Cairo Is considered prIncely
nagnificence. He is, in fact, after the khedlve
and a Greek merchant or two, the best-lOdged
man in Cairo, and has probably more chairs
than anyone else can boast of In that metropolis
of divans. He is courteous to Europeans, OF
whatever religion they may be- and is always
glad to be informed (by means of an interpre-
ter, for he only understands Arabic and Coptic)
of the condition of their respective churches,
concerning which he is astOnshingy ignorant.
The Patriarch is always chosen from amon6
the monks of the Convent OF St. Anthony, III
the Eastern Desert, near the Red sea. When
the palriarchate is vacant the superior OF the
convent nOmlnates dozen or 30 monks whom
he considers fitted for the Office Their names
are then written on separate pieces OF paper
and placed in drawer. To insure fair play
the lot is drawn 10y child The early success
sOrs of st. Mark lived according to very rigid
rules Even the late Cyril always wore coarse
WOOllen next his skin, and was awakened at
frequent intervals during the hight. The Cyril
Of day himself wears wOOen next his skin,
taking care that it shall be of the finest tex
tue bat he suffers no interference with his
nights rest
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