The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-02-27

1
press it, This had the effect OF exas-
perating the Egyptian Christians TO such
an extent that they actually hailed the
Moslem conquerors Of the Land Of the
Nile as their liberators and aided them
in driving out the Byzantine authorities.
In recognition OF these services they
were treated with sort OF contemptuous
liberation by the Arab invaders that has
been without parallel in any other Chris
tian country reduced to Moslem rule. and
there is no doubt that the relations of the
followers Of the prophet in Egypt to-
ward the Copts has always been in a
measure influenced not only by the recoi-
lection OF the assistance which they re-
ceiyed from the Copts in their conquest
of the Land OF the Nile. but also by the
remembrance OF the fact that their VIC
tory was largely due TO the betrayal By
the Copts Of the cross 10 the crescent.
Enthusiastically the Copts are subject
to a patriarch. VINO. although styled -
Alexandria" makes his headquarters as
Cairo, and whose spiritual authority ex-
tends over Abyssinia, where he is req
resented by sort of iegate and Metro
poiitan. known as the Abuna. He is In
variably chosen from among the monks
of the monastery of St Anthony. sltuat-
ed In remote portion OF the Eastern
desert. the existence Of which, Ike that
OF several OF the other Coptic desert
monasteries. dates back TO the earliest
centuries of the Christian era
In the same way that the Pope at Rome
is regarded as the successor Of st. Peter,
so is the patriarch Of the Coptic Church
looked upon as the successor OF ST
Mark. His cathedral church is that Of
st. Mary, situated in Old Cairo. and
dating from the sixth century. It is built
over a grotto in which the Virgin IS said
to have lived with the infant Jesus dur
ing her stay in Egypt. The part of the
church set aside for the women is shut
off from the view OF that occupied by the
men. There is no preaching, the service
consisting merely Of the recitation OF
passages from the Bible or the liturgy.
which. being in Coptc, no one under
stands, and it IS SO long that. as there are
no seats and one is expected TO stand,
crutehes are supplied on which TO lean
OF course, neither the Roman Catholic
Church nor yet the various Protestant
denominations have anything IN common,
theologically speaking. with the Copts.
and If the Gar has put forward a claim
to act as protector Of the Coptic Church
in Egypt it Is solely for political pur-
poses. since from the point OF view of the
Orthodox Church OF Russia the Copts are
as schismatic to-day as they were at the
time of the Council of ChaIeedon.
The moral standpoint of the clergy Is
very low. in spite Of the fact that mar
riage is forbidden only to the higher
grades OF the secular orders. Drunken-
ness Is their besetting sin. Even the prin-
cipal festivals OF the church are often
disgraced by frightful outbursts of this
vice on the part Of the clergy, and as TIE
latter are as a rule poor and without
fixed pay Of any kind. they resort 20 al
sorts Of schemes OF a more or less shaw
character to obtain money The mato--
ity Of the churches are terribly diIapidat.
ed and as remarkable for their dirt a
the priests. while OF the condition of AZ
fairs in the various converts and rnonas-
teries the less said the better.
Although the Copts have remained dis
tinCt as a race and as a church from
their Moslem observation-disclosures of the
Land Of the Nile. yet they have adopted
quite a number OF customs and practices
which we usually associate with the ouls
OF Islam
Thus. the women veil their faces both
IN public and at home, when male visi-
tors are present. and their funeral Gus
toms and many features OF their mar
rage ceremonies are Identical with thoss
of the followers Of the prophet. They
abstain from pork practice circumcision.
and at Cairo, Alexandria, and in the
more important towns wear the fez and
the stambouline. while in the very re-
mote districts they don the turban. which
Is. however. usually Of a grayish or Hgha
brown color. instead Of white. Indeed. =
has dingy appearance that IS not alto
gether out Of keeping with the extremely
unenviable reputation which the Cop.y
enjoy as foes OF everything that has any
bearing upon sanitation and eies ILLNESS.
Copyright. 1910. By the Brentwood Compsuyl