January 25, 2005

Copts, the forgotten Christians. One of the oldest Christian sects, formed in Egypt, the Coptic Christians endured persecution by Roman Christians for their supposed heresies. . Initially they flourished under Islamic rule, but shifts in Miuslim attitudes, exacerbated by the Crusades, led to waves of persecution that did not recede until the 19th century. The Coptic language and writing system is the most direct descendant of ancient Egyptian, and was pivotal in decipering the hieroglyphs of old Egypt.
posted by rodgerd 19 years ago
  • Thanks for the informative links. The Egyptians I've met in the US all happen to be Coptic Christians. For some, the Islamic/Coptic tensions carry over to this country.
  • Old news here as well, as I have a co-worker that happens to be a Coptic Christian as well. We teased him about how we don't wish him a Merry Christmas as Dec 25th approched, until he revealed that he celebrates both. Imagine that, Two Christmases. I'm thinking of converting. On a completely serious note, it is really quite tragic that the relative harmony between the Muslim and Coptic Egyptians in the US has been broken. But then, when you read the circumstances of the murder, I suppose it was not hard to imagine it coming to this. I hope they find the bastards that did the crime, right quick.
  • Interesting links about a group I assumed was extinct. Thanks, rogerd, for correcting this impression.
  • "Coptic," from the Arabic term for Egyptian Christians, the Copts, al-Qubt. (or Qibt.). That word was from, via Coptic, the Greek name for Egypt, Aigyptos, which was derived from an Egyptian name for Memphis, H.wtk3pth. (or 8wtk3pt8, see below for the use of the numbers), the "House of the Soul [K3] of Ptah." Ptah was the patron god of Memphis. --- The Pronunciation of Ancient Egyptian