Study trip reveals the secrets of Coptic tradition in Egypt

Study trip reveals the secrets of Coptic tradition in Egypt

An important study trip by the theological faculty of the University of Koblenz-Landau emphasizes the Coptic tradition of Egypt. Professor Kremer headed the 39-member group, consisting of students of the Collegium Orientale, who learned from various biblical-historical places and the Christian community in Egypt. This intensive 17-day trip took place in the impressive backdrop of the ancient Egypt.

The exploration tour began in the Coptic Orthodox Antonius monastery, one of the most important sites in the Coptic Church. The participants visited the hermit cavity of St. Antonius and the Paulus monastery, where the tomb of St. Paul von Theben is located. The overnight stay in the guest house of the Greek Orthodox Catharin monastery in Sinai offered a deep insight into the way of life of the monks.

biblical-historical sites and Coptic monasteries

A highlight of the study trip was the night rise to the Moseberg, where the group experienced the sunrise and held a prayer. Father Justin, a monk of the Katharinenkloster, led the participants through one of the oldest active libraries in the world, which underlined the academic importance of this trip. The group also visited Anafora, known as the "Coptic Taizé", and various Coptic Orthodox monastery systems in Wadi Natrun.

The hospitality of the monks was estimated as well as private satella at the Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II in the Amba Bischoi monastery. This Pope has been the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church since 2012, which is an estimated 5 to 10 % of the Egyptian population and also has small communities in Libya, which Sudan and other countries. The Coptic Orthodox Church is considered one of the oldest churches worldwide and goes back to the Alexandrian-Egyptian Christianity of late antiquity.

cultural experiences in Egypt

The group also led the group to the historic cities of Alexandria and Cairo. Participation in excursions to the catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, the Greek-Roman museum and the modern library of Alexandria expanded the historical horizon of the participants. The Pyramids of Gizeh, the Egyptian National Museum and the new Great Egyptian Museum were on the program in Cairo.

Visits in Islamic sites such as the Mohammed Ali Mosque and the Al-Azhar Mosque strongly strongly the interreligious dialogue. In addition, Catholic institutions were visited to have conversations about the life reality of the Christians in Egypt. On the way to ancient temple systems, the group stopped in Samalut, a place of pilgrimage for the 21 Coptic martyrs, which were murdered in 2015. These visits illustrated the challenges that the Coptic Christians are opposite today, including the high tax burdens and occasional repression.

The experiences also included a boat trip on the Nile and visits of significant temples such as the Hathor Temple in Dendera, the Temple of Tops of the Hatshepsut and the Amun Temple of Karnak. The Horst temple of Edfu and the valley of the kings were further stations of the trip, which impressively combined the history of Egypt with the spirituality of the Coptic Church.