An Ancient Church

Abstract

This chapter discusses Marcus Simaika's service to the Coptic Orthodox Church. Simaika's interest in the ancient Coptic churches was first aroused by the study of Dr. Alfred Joshua Butler's work on these churches, The Ancient Coptic Churches of Egypt, published in two volumes in 1884. It was while staying at Butler's house in Oxford in the autumn of 1890 that Simaika met Somers Clarke, the architect responsible for restoring English cathedrals. Simaika also wrote a book in which he provides a brief account of the dawn of Christianity in Egypt. The chapter considers the emergence of Christian monasticism in Egypt and the role played by monks and missionaries in the formation of the Coptic Orthodox Church's character of submission, simplicity, and humility. It also describes the impact of the Arab conquests on the Copts and the rise of lay Coptic notables such as Muʻallim Ghali.