tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66559628171379132912024-03-05T18:33:38.743+00:00Coptic News and ArchiveThis blog is compiled by Howard Middleton-Jones. My aim is to provide a regularly updated archive of the Coptic past and present.Coptic News and Archivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132384757554938213noreply@blogger.comBlogger93125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655962817137913291.post-58402812348926504452013-03-21T08:05:00.002+00:002013-03-21T08:05:50.724+00:00Congratulations to Bishop Anba Suriel of MelbourneOur congratulations to His Grace Bishop Anba Suriel of Melbourne, Australia for being given 'The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi' at Fordham University NY United States.<br />
Good news for His Grace and Copts everywhere.<br />
<br />
See here for details and photographs<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.copticboard.com/subject.aspx?id=8395">Bishop Anba Suriel receiving honor</a>Coptic News and Archivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132384757554938213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655962817137913291.post-27245306535902320512013-03-17T10:55:00.001+00:002013-03-17T10:55:08.877+00:002nd UK Coptic Symposium at Coptic Centre UKHere is notification of the upcoming 2nd International symposium on Coptic culture~: Past, Present and Future.<br />
22-24 July 2013<br />
Venue - The Coptic Orthodox Church Centre UK - Stevenage<br />
<br />
Conference theme: 'Adaptation, Representation and Assimilation.<br />
<br />
To read the review of the first symposium held at the Coptic Church Centre in May 2008 go here:<br />
<a href="http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2013/2013-02-08.html">Coptic UK symposium 2008 review</a><br />
<br />
To know more about the UK Coptic Orthodox Church Centre go here;<br />
<a href="http://www.copticcentre.com/">Coptic Orthodox Church centre</a><br />
<br />
Please contact me for updates<br />
<a href="mailto:howardmj@yahoo.com">howardmj@yahoo.com</a>Coptic News and Archivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132384757554938213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655962817137913291.post-49826507738792399302013-03-15T20:11:00.000+00:002013-03-15T20:16:03.683+00:00Coptic church set ablaze in Libya’s BenghaziGunmen on Thursday attacked an Egyptian Coptic Church in the Eastern Libyan city of Benghazi and started a fire.... read more here<br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: sans; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 1.4em;"> </span><a href="http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2013/03/15/coptic-church-set-ablaze-in-libyas-benghazi/" style="line-height: 1.4em;">Coptic church set ablaze-benghazi</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="line-height: 1.4em;">:</span></div>
</div>
Coptic News and Archivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132384757554938213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655962817137913291.post-52671471169808577242013-03-15T19:40:00.001+00:002013-03-15T19:40:16.905+00:00Coptic blog update 2013Hello all<br />
The Coptic blog will be up and running again from March 2013 - please look in at regular intervals for updates and news on Coptic related subjects.<br />
I will be posting items on current and future events, news, conferences, Coptic archaeology, Coptic heritage and Coptic culture in general.<br />
Please feel free to join the blog and add your news and views - I look forward to reading your comments<br />
<br />
Do not forget to check our Coptic research and resource website at <a href="http://www.ambilacuk.com/coptic">Coptic Resource website</a><br />
Also our UK Coptic research and resource centre facebook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Coptic-Research-and-Resource-Centre-UK/344501256222?fref=ts">UK Coptic Resource centre facebook</a>Coptic News and Archivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132384757554938213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655962817137913291.post-53230762979020327452011-06-29T14:45:00.003+01:002011-06-29T14:49:49.971+01:00Coptic Cairo article June 22 - 2011<div>Here is an interesting article on Coptic Cairo just published - June 22, by the website emhotep.net<br /><br />Coptic Cairo: A Complex Design of Many Parts<br /><br /> Posted by: Shemsu Sesen <br /><br />You can read the full article here:<br /><br /><a href="http://emhotep.net/2009/06/22/locations/lower-egypt/coptic-cairo-a-complex-design-of-many-parts/">http://emhotep.net/2009/06/22/locations/lower-egypt/coptic-cairo-a-complex-design-of-many-parts/</a></div><div> </div>Coptic News and Archivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132384757554938213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655962817137913291.post-67282667557317008472011-06-22T09:15:00.002+01:002011-06-22T09:23:22.276+01:00Urgent appeal: Coptic studies<div>From a colleague at Claremont University California Saad Michael Saad;<br /><br /><br />Coptic studies exist at Claremont Graduate Univ, Toronto Univ, Macquarie Univ-Sydney & AUC because of Coptic community funding. St Shenouda Coptic Society is $8,000 away from meeting 30 June pledge to CGU.<br /><br />Please read about progress and methods of donation at:<br /><a href="http://www.cgu.edu/pages/5446.asp">http://www.cgu.edu/pages/5446.asp</a><br /><br />For more information on the St. Shenouda Coptic Society - see here:<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.stshenouda.com/">http://www.stshenouda.com/</a></div><div> </div>Coptic News and Archivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132384757554938213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655962817137913291.post-75756613416411737992011-04-03T14:02:00.002+01:002011-04-03T14:05:48.552+01:00Monastic wall Paintings at Amarna ProjectPlease give some consideration to the Monastic wall painting project at Amarna, where funds are being raised to document the important wall paintings at the 5th-7th century monastic site of Kom el-Nana at Amarna Please view the website for further details - Many thanks. <a href="http://www.justgiving.com/amarna-project0/">http://www.justgiving.com/amarna-project0/</a>Coptic News and Archivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132384757554938213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655962817137913291.post-77083609605571051272011-03-29T08:32:00.002+01:002011-03-29T08:35:59.895+01:00Jordan battles to regain 'priceless' Christian relics<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M5KCOHDuzEk/TZGLX3qvx9I/AAAAAAAAACs/dEuWtIWDMeM/s1600/Jordon%2Bbook.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 180px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589401854739990482" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M5KCOHDuzEk/TZGLX3qvx9I/AAAAAAAAACs/dEuWtIWDMeM/s320/Jordon%2Bbook.jpg" /></a> They could be the earliest Christian writing in existence, surviving almost 2,000 years in a Jordanian cave. They could, just possibly, change our understanding of how Jesus was crucified and resurrected, and how Christianity was born. A group of 70 or so "books", each with between five and 15 lead leaves bound by lead rings, was apparently discovered in a remote arid valley in northern Jordan somewhere between 2005 and 2007. A flash flood had exposed two niches inside the cave, one of them marked with a menorah or candlestick, the ancient Jewish religious symbol. A Jordanian Bedouin opened these plugs, and what he found inside might constitute extremely rare relics of early Christianity. That is certainly the view of the Jordanian government, which claims they were smuggled into Israel by another Bedouin. Continue reading the main story “ Start Quote As soon as I saw that, I was dumbstruck” End Quote Philip Davies Sheffield University The Israeli Bedouin who currently holds the books has denied smuggling them out of Jordan, and claims they have been in his family for 100 years Read the full article by Robert Pigott of the BBc here: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12888421">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12888421</a>Coptic News and Archivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132384757554938213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655962817137913291.post-30883234456350185562011-03-25T08:24:00.002+00:002011-03-25T08:28:59.479+00:00Christianity and Monasticism in Upper Egypt Vol 2The 2008 St Mark Foundation Symposium contribution papers are now published in the regular series of "Christianity and Monasticism in Upper Egypt" - the current one is Volume 2: Nag Hammadi-Esna<br />Here are the details and contributors:<br /><br />Edited by Gawdat Gabra<br />Hany Takla<br /><br />New studies in Christianity in the Sohag region<br /><br />Christianity and monasticism have flourished in Upper Egypt from as early as the fourth century until the present day. The contributors to this volume, international specialists in Coptology from around the world, examine various aspects of Coptic civilization along the Nile Valley from Nag Hammadi (associated with the famous discovery of Gnostic papyri) through Luxor and Coptos and south to Esna over the past seventeen hundred years, looking at Coptic religious history, tradition, language, heritage, and material culture in the region through texts, art, architecture and archaeology. Contributors: Iwona Antoniak, Heike Behlmer, Ramez Boutros, Renate Dekker, Marianne Eaton-Krauss, Stephen Emmel, Cäcilia Fluck, Gawdat Gabra, James E. Goehring, Martin Krause, Bishop Martyros, Nashaat Mekhaiel, Howard Middleton-Jones, Samuel Moawad, Ashraf Nageh, Fr. Angelous el-Naqlouny, Elisabeth R. O’Connell, Tonio Siegfried Richter, Adel F. Sadek, Ashraf Alexandre Sadek, Fr. Bigoul al-Suriany, Matthew Underwood, Jacques van der Vliet, Gertrud J.M. van Loon, Fr. Awad Wadi, Youhanna Nessim Youssef<br /><br />You can purchase the book via AUC press - or if you are in the Book fair at Tahrir you may be able to purchase there<br /><a href="http://www.aucpress.com/p-3739-christianity-and-monasticism-in-upper-egypt.aspx">http://www.aucpress.com/p-3739-christianity-and-monasticism-in-upper-egypt.aspx</a>Coptic News and Archivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132384757554938213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655962817137913291.post-91744928648845305962011-03-25T08:18:00.002+00:002011-03-25T08:21:48.207+00:00Tahrir Book Fair CairoReminder - The Tahrir Book Fair Program takes place in Cairo March 31 - April for more information check the AUC website;<br /><br /><a href="http://www.aucpress.com/t-newsitem.aspx?NewsID=114">http://www.aucpress.com/t-newsitem.aspx?NewsID=114</a>Coptic News and Archivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132384757554938213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655962817137913291.post-69120669166504807522011-03-25T08:11:00.000+00:002011-03-25T08:13:07.421+00:00Egypt’s Christians and Muslims Face Unity and TensionsAs Egyptians shape their political destiny, there are questions about whether the Christian-Muslim unity seen during the popular uprising will hold.<br /><br />On this Sunday morning, Christians attend mass in Egypt’s Coptic Cairo neighborhood, where they have worshipped since pre-Islamic times. Egypt’s Coptic community is the largest Christian population in the Arab world, as Christians make up about 10 percent of Egypt’s 82 million people.<br /><br />Read the full article here;<br />http://www.copts.com/english/?p=1451Coptic News and Archivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132384757554938213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655962817137913291.post-13983315440586772882011-01-29T14:37:00.001+00:002011-01-29T14:39:09.744+00:00Cairo updateOver 50,000 protesters have amassed at Tahrir square despite a curfew in place from 16.00 local Cairo time today.<br />The military have also surrounded the Giza Plateau (Pyramid site) and have closed off the area to the public.<br />The Military have also secured the Egyptian museum in Cairo....Coptic News and Archivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132384757554938213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655962817137913291.post-17779737325834567062011-01-29T14:35:00.002+00:002011-01-29T14:37:21.120+00:00Egypt events - updatesApologies for not updating recently - I have just returned from Cairo, and just missed the sensational events just taking place - if you want to receive regular and live updates of events happening in Egypt in this historic period, I will attempt to update here, and you can also get up to the minute reports on my facebook page - just add me to your list (Howard Middleton-Jones)Coptic News and Archivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132384757554938213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655962817137913291.post-2067868616189218852011-01-02T20:01:00.001+00:002011-01-02T20:03:57.594+00:00Copts retrun to deadly blomb blast in AlexandriaAlexandria, Egypt (CNN) -- Emotional congregants returned to their church Sunday in Alexandria, Egypt, mourning the loss of fellow worshippers in a bombing a day earlier<br /><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/01/02/egypt.attack/?hpt=Sbin">http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/01/02/egypt.attack/?hpt=Sbin</a>Coptic News and Archivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132384757554938213noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655962817137913291.post-88766739829155733132010-12-12T19:44:00.002+00:002010-12-12T19:47:11.430+00:00A view of Cairo from the Patriarchate<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_5f67Fmdk1QA/TQUmtWrEbnI/AAAAAAAAACc/QcNFPNDdZ3g/s1600/A%2Bmonks%2Bview%2Bof%2Bcairocopy.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 305px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549884676426198642" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_5f67Fmdk1QA/TQUmtWrEbnI/AAAAAAAAACc/QcNFPNDdZ3g/s320/A%2Bmonks%2Bview%2Bof%2Bcairocopy.jpg" /></a><br /><div>A view of Cairo from the then unfinished cultural Centre in the Patriarchate - Bishop Dioscorus is looking out from a window while the building was under construction in September 2008</div><br /><div></div>Coptic News and Archivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132384757554938213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655962817137913291.post-49424283343068033232010-11-28T10:37:00.004+00:002010-11-28T10:42:05.545+00:00Picture of the week<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyG8ge3jwxAbNedXkUgOLqLuzuVQBoQo8-5xT-KFpDJSZ1VOyVnRyp04unZuEAu71gJHWoMqc4ccEyV6S9SPxfdMCrZa_SrKncVhJiUSEfkj6NNPFqnLSbuJ1ewGbVGmQejx0hQIAuyZRG/s1600/Qubbat+groupcopy.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544548796692370162" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyG8ge3jwxAbNedXkUgOLqLuzuVQBoQo8-5xT-KFpDJSZ1VOyVnRyp04unZuEAu71gJHWoMqc4ccEyV6S9SPxfdMCrZa_SrKncVhJiUSEfkj6NNPFqnLSbuJ1ewGbVGmQejx0hQIAuyZRG/s320/Qubbat+groupcopy.jpg" /></a> Aswan St.Marks Coptic Symposium February 2010 - the group at the Monastic site of Qubbat al-Hawa<br /><div></div>Coptic News and Archivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132384757554938213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655962817137913291.post-48368396824334610552010-11-15T08:19:00.001+00:002010-11-15T08:21:33.565+00:00Egyptian Security Attempts to Stop Construction of Church(AINA) — Thousands of Copts staged a sit-in inside and outside the Church of the St. Mary in Talbiya, in the Pyramids area, since the morning of November 11, to protest the storming of the church premises by dozens of security forces to stop construction work and demolish stairs and toilets inside the church, despite the church having obtained the necessary permits.<br /><br />For more information go here: <a href="http://www.copts.com/english/?p=5008">http://www.copts.com/english/?p=5008</a>Coptic News and Archivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132384757554938213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655962817137913291.post-13327286872712326482010-11-01T22:39:00.003+00:002010-11-01T22:43:11.540+00:00Egyptian Book of the dead Exhibition London<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_5f67Fmdk1QA/TM9CPtpnH2I/AAAAAAAAACE/1-Y95sOtsIc/s1600/book+of+dead+image.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 164px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534715304781225826" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_5f67Fmdk1QA/TM9CPtpnH2I/AAAAAAAAACE/1-Y95sOtsIc/s320/book+of+dead+image.jpg" /></a><br /><div>There is an exhibition of the Egyptian Book of the Dead at the British Museum, London, from November 4th to March 6th 2011 - this is a unique display and well worth seeing.</div><br /><div>More information here:</div><br /><div><a href="http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/future_exhibitions/book_of_the_dead.aspx">http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/future_exhibitions/book_of_the_dead.aspx</a></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Above Scene from the Book of the Dead of Hunefer. Egypt, c. 1280 BC</div>Coptic News and Archivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132384757554938213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655962817137913291.post-68971878947218016872010-09-29T13:30:00.002+01:002010-09-29T13:34:53.251+01:00Archbishop of Canterbury interview 2008 - Desert FathersJust a reminder for those who have not seen the video of my interview with Dr. Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, at Lambeth Palace, London in 2008, you can view the whole interview on the main Coptic research site by clicking on the photograph of Dr. Williams<br /><a href="http://www.ambilacuk.com/coptic/">http://www.ambilacuk.com/coptic/</a><br /><br />The Archbishop of Canterbury has had a long time interest in the Desert Fathers and has visited many of the Coptic monastic and church sites in Egypt - He has also written much on the subject.Coptic News and Archivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132384757554938213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655962817137913291.post-85636685754364516062010-09-28T15:39:00.004+01:002010-09-28T15:56:42.765+01:00Coptic Art revealed - Exhibition Cairo November 2010 - January 2011<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlxB8a3YoYBotVnAJ_SdBuSH8Six9B3hNX2Scjw0ItmjZJy9tdQHo3Gg44CQrdw9-5sSd5TtWhfqBVbMWy6WROdsgpIr5d6OvUGrBfIllEp4XI6Kaa6fgHx_TRW5MBGD6Ln3_06wnJmCSX/s1600/plakatt.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 228px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521974615026513714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlxB8a3YoYBotVnAJ_SdBuSH8Six9B3hNX2Scjw0ItmjZJy9tdQHo3Gg44CQrdw9-5sSd5TtWhfqBVbMWy6WROdsgpIr5d6OvUGrBfIllEp4XI6Kaa6fgHx_TRW5MBGD6Ln3_06wnJmCSX/s320/plakatt.jpg" /></a> An exhibition of Coptic art called 'Coptic Art Revealed' will open at Amir Taz Palace Cairo, commencing 28th November 2010 until January 31st 2011.<br /><br />Quote from Dr. Nadja Tomoum Project Manager and Chief Curator;<br /><br />"More than 200 masterpieces of Coptic art will be displayed on around 400 m2: Colourful icons painted by the famous artists Yuhanna Al Armani, Ibrahim Al Nasikh and Anastasi Al Rumi, beautiful textiles, illuminated manuscripts from the Coptic Museum’s archives, an excerpt from the famous Nag Hammadi Library, stone and wooden friezes with intriguing designs as well as splendid metal objects and pottery, among other priceless items will give expression to important facets of the Coptic culture."<br /><br />More information here: <a href="http://copticartrevealed.coptic-cairo.com/index.html">http://copticartrevealed.coptic-cairo.com/index.html</a><br /><br />Fortunately I will be in Cairo in January so - inshallah, will visit the exhibition<br /><br /><div></div>Coptic News and Archivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132384757554938213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655962817137913291.post-5117526572892250782010-09-25T20:00:00.003+01:002010-09-25T20:13:52.266+01:00Picture of the week<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2tNmE90ifhMnsgkL8TTudRc4bIrNyuG4tkReTRz1LapTeffslGCdrm8hXKDgsyNAYWLUuwlXFXRJwLc2B0u8sLm9TJyBeXW_TDF2kBpEfUm7mRiENNvpIlzuMjIPNcpqbcWtIu9KEPYDU/s1600/Bishop+Marrtyros+and+howard.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520931031178294642" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2tNmE90ifhMnsgkL8TTudRc4bIrNyuG4tkReTRz1LapTeffslGCdrm8hXKDgsyNAYWLUuwlXFXRJwLc2B0u8sLm9TJyBeXW_TDF2kBpEfUm7mRiENNvpIlzuMjIPNcpqbcWtIu9KEPYDU/s320/Bishop+Marrtyros+and+howard.JPG" /></a><br /><div>I am introducing a weekly image to upload onto the Coptic blog - while I have a considerable number of photographs from my travels in Egypt and elsewhere, please feel to contact me if you think you have a suitable picture relating to Egypt and Coptic culture, that others may find of interest.</div><br /><div><a href="mailto:howardmj@yahoo.com">howardmj@yahoo.com</a></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>This week's image is of myself and Bishop Martyros of Cairo and his colleague at the evening dinner of the 2008 conference of the International Association of Coptic Studies in Cairo.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Coptic News and Archivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132384757554938213noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655962817137913291.post-25064218725159227292010-09-24T16:53:00.002+01:002010-09-24T17:14:03.719+01:00Alexandria Coptic Conference summing upThe Coptic conference in Alexandria, September 21st - 23rd, 'Coptic life in Egypt' which was held in the Bibliotheca Alexandrina - the Library of Alexandria, Egypt, appeared to be a great success -<br />Unfortunately I was unable to attend, but I set up a live video conferencing link from Swansea University here in Wales, and followed all of the presentations that were filmed from the small theatre.<br /><br />If you wish to look at a list of the abstracts you can download them here..<br /><a href="http://www.bibalex.org/CalligraphyCenter/CopticStudiesConference/home/home.aspx">http://www.bibalex.org/CalligraphyCenter/CopticStudiesConference/home/home.aspx</a><br /><br />Jacques Van der vliet from Leiden gave a very good succinct introductory talk on Coptology and its importance to Egypt and the world, bringing in a diverse range of subject matter and new projects that will help to promote Coptic studies and the Coptic heritage in general.<br /><br />There were a number of 'new faces' on the block so to speak, in the form of post graduates from a number of institutions who gave some interesting presentations outlining their current research - although perhaps a few lessons in public presentations/speaking may be called for as they did rather flash through the photographs and slides as if there were a fire in the theatre...having said that, the content was thorough and interesting.<br /><br />A diverse range of subject areas were covered, including, architecture (both Coptic and Islamic) art, culture, history, the church, literature, language and texts.<br /><br />The final keynote speech was given by Prof, Stephen Emmel, director of the Institute of Egyptology and Coptology at Muenster, Germany, and who is now in fact in Cairo for a year where has has the first chair in Coptology at the American University in Cairo.<br /><br />Stephen gave an excellent talk on the future of Coptic Stidies, where areas of education, heritage and methods of dissipation of Coptic research were covered and discussed with some enthusiasm at the question and answer session.<br /><br />Overall, the conference certainly birthed a few lively debates on topical issues, and helped to place the field of Coptology (Coptic studies) back on the map once more.<br /><br />It is encouraging that conferences covering the field of Coptology are increasing, and possibly will help to promote many more symposiums of a more local nature, encouraging more of the younger members to present their research.<br /><br />I look forward to hearing of a second conference, and inshallah, I will be attending.Coptic News and Archivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132384757554938213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655962817137913291.post-87888657459681024582010-09-07T18:47:00.001+01:002010-09-07T18:49:58.476+01:00Egyptian papyrus found in Irish peat bog - Coptic connectionsSeptember, 06 2010 <br /><br /><br />AFP<br /><br />Irish scientists have found fragments of Egyptian papyrus in the leather cover of an ancient book of psalms that was unearthed from a peat bog, Ireland's National Museum said on Monday. <br /><br />The papyrus in the lining of the Egyptian-style leather cover of the 1,200-year-old manuscript, "potentially represents the first tangible connection between early Irish Christianity and the Middle Eastern Coptic Church", the Museum said.<br /><br />"It is a finding that asks many questions and has confounded some of the accepted theories about the history of early Christianity in Ireland."<br /><br />Raghnall O Floinn, head of collections at the Museum, said the manuscript, now known as the "Faddan More Psalter", was one of the top ten archaeological discoveries in Ireland.<br /><br />It was uncovered four years ago by a man using a mechanical digger to harvest peat near Birr in County Tipperary, but analysis has only just been completed.<br /><br />O Floinn told AFP the illuminated vellum manuscript encased in the leather binding dated from the eighth century but it was not known when or why it ended up in the bog where it was preserved by the chemicals in the peat.<br /><br />"It appears the manuscript's leather binding came from Egypt. The question is whether the papyrus came with the cover or if it was added.<br /><br />"It is possible that the imperfections in the hide may allow us to confirm the leather is Egyptian.<br /><br />"We are trying to track down if there somebody who can tell us if this is possible. That is the next step."<br /><br />O Floinn said the psalter is about the size of a tabloid newspaper and about 15 percent of the pages of the psalms, which are written in Latin, had survived.<br /><br />The experts believe the manuscript of the psalms was produced in an Irish monastery and it was later put in the leather cover.<br /><br />"The cover could have had several lives before it ended up basically as a folder for the manuscript in the bog," O Floinn said.<br /><br />"It could have travelled from a library somewhere in Egypt to the Holy Land or to Constantinople or Rome and then to Ireland."<br /><br />The National Museum in Dublin plans to put the psalter on public display for the first time next year<br /> <br />http://www.archaeologydaily.com/news/201009065017/Egyptian-papyrus-found-in-ancient-Irish-bog.htmlCoptic News and Archivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132384757554938213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655962817137913291.post-27119934677339634562010-08-25T16:49:00.003+01:002010-08-25T16:54:21.039+01:00Coptic Conference Alexandria September 21st-23rdThe Coptic conference in Alexandria organised by the calligraphy Centre of the Egyptian Bibalex.org has now been brought forward to September 21st - until 23rd<br /><br />I hope to arrange a video conference link at Swansea University, however, it will be covered via the Internet - inshallah!<br /><br />More details here - http://www.bibalex.org/CalligraphyCenter/CopticStudiesConference/Home/Home.aspx<br /><br />The subjects covered are:<br />Conference Themes<br />1. History and Archaeology in Egypt in the Byzantine Period, <br />2. History and Archaeology in Egypt in the Coptic Period, <br />3. Minor Art in Coptic Egypt, <br />4. Coptic Language, Architecture, <br />5. Restoration (wood, metal work, textile, etc) , <br />6. Coptic Icons and Murals, <br />7. Touristic Sites Development, <br />8. Environment, Architecture, <br />9. Comparative Studies between Ancient Egyptian and Coptic Eras.Coptic News and Archivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132384757554938213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6655962817137913291.post-40571130605379567662010-08-20T20:06:00.003+01:002010-08-20T20:09:24.559+01:00New film to benefit Coptic churchI Have ben informed that a new film has been made that will hopefully benefit the Coptic Church. It is called 'Visions and Miracles' By Paul Perry the Producer and Director of the acclaimed Documentary<br /><br />“Jesus: The Lost Years<br /><br />For further information and how to get the DVD - go here;<br />http://www.visionsandmiracles.com/Coptic News and Archivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09132384757554938213noreply@blogger.com0