INTRODUCTION

EARLY in the year 1887 I was called upon to leave my parish for a time, in order to undertake work in Cairo, with the sanction of the Archbishop of Canterbury and my own Diocesan of Bath and Wells, under the auspices of the “Association for the Furtherance of Christianity in Egypt,” and in conjunction with Mr. John Sidley. What little we were able to do, we reported to the said Association from time to time, and gave a fuller account of ourselves on our return.

It has been my desire ever since to supply our English reading people, with faithful translations of Catechisms of the Holy Eastern Church, and the Coptic Church, which we hope may be reconciled to her before very long. The former I have done in publishing “The Holy Catechism,” by D. N. Bernardaces, and ‘The Greater Orthodox Catechism of Nicholas Bulgaris,” which is now in the press—but the latter I have rather shrank from, lest I might be thought to be favouring doctrines condemned by the General Council of Chalcedon, which God forbid. My sole object is to place before Orthodox Christians everywhere the official teaching of the present Coptic Church, and those Churches in full communion with her—namely, the Abyssinian, Armenian, and Syrian Churches. For this purpose I made choice of two Catechisms (1) that of the Very Reverend Abouna Filothaus; and (2) that of the Reverend Abouna Ephraim, who also published one with the full approval of the present Coptic Patriarch. After consultation with the Reverend Naser Odeh, we decided the first-named would be best, and the Coptic Dean willingly gave his sanction, and hopes to send a few words for publication with this. No true Christian, when travelling in the East, can view these very ancient divisions in the Church with indifference, and especially when he finds Latins and Protestants making matters worse by forming Uniat Churches and Protestant meetings. Surely the Anglican Church has a great work to do in the East by looking after her own people scattered in all parts, and by promoting friendly relations between those who are the successors of the malcontents of Chalcedon, and the representatives of “The Mother of all Churches.”

The Early Anglican Connection with the Coptic Church

The first Anglican Priest to take any interest in the Coptic Church was the Reverend—afterwards Archdeacon—Henry Tattam, Rector of S. Cuthbert’s, Bedford, who went out with letters from Archbishop Howley in 1836. The beautifully-printed Scriptures in Arabic and Coptic—presented by the Anglican Church, though in 1843—are shown to English visitors by the present Coptic Patriarch with great pleasure. But we must not forget that the grand old Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge published an Arabic New Testament as early as 1727. Mr. Tattam’s name is still held in great respect amongst the Copts to this present day. The Church Missionary Society next sent out a noble priest in the person of the Reverend John Rudolph Theophilus Lieder in 1841, who so won the confidence of the Patriarch that he granted him the use of some monastic buildings next to the Patriarchate, and there he worked for some nine years, and was called to his well-earned rest on July 5, 1865, and is buried with numbers of other English people in the cemetery at Old Cairo. Many Bishops and Priests in the Coptic Church, both in Egypt and Abyssinia, received their training through him and a vast number of the laity. I remember with what feelings of emotion one of his most regular pupils, the aged Abdel Sheheid Bey Mikiel, spoke of him.

England’s connection with Egypt caused the founder of the “Association for the Furtherance of Christianity in Egypt”—Mr. Few—to call together the first meeting in Jerusalem Chamber, Westminster Abbey, on Feb, 22, 1883. In 1884 the Revs. H. G. Morse and A. T. Chapman, with Mr. A. J. Butler, went out as a sort of deputation from the Anglican Church; and the last-named gentleman, at the end of that year, published his most interesting two volumed book, “The Ancient Coptic Churches of Egypt.” As early though as 1871 the Reverend Dr. S.C. Malan placed in our hands his translations of the “Original Documents of the Coptic and Armenian Churches,” which will always remain textbooks on the subject. The Reverend George Greenwood has also done good service by his visits to the East and his admirable lectures, &c. Mr. John Sidley took up the work in 1886, and I went to join him in 1887, when we worked like brothers for nearly another year, when I was recalled to my parochial duties. The Reverend A. W. B. Watson took my place, but both had to return the following year. The work is now in the hands of Mr. Oswald S. Norman, a certificated teacher, who spends most of his time in the school of El Iktissad, in Cairo, where I was first invited to teach on July 29, 1887, and we then had about 140 pupils. On my arrival in Egypt I took the first opportunity of paying my respects and handing my credentials to His Holiness the Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria, who was then staying in that city, as the following letter will show:—

A Letter from the Patriarch of Alexandria

Most Reverend Archbishop of Canterbury, Chief of All England, My Lord Metropolitan, Brother Beloved in Christ, My Lord Edward, we embrace your reverence in our humility, and in gladness address you.

We gladly received both the brotherly epistles of your reverence, one of the 16th of February last, delivered to us by the Reverend Priest Richard Raikes Bromage, whom you commended to us, and one of the 25th of March last, conveyed to us by the holy all-sacredness our beloved brother in Christ, the Lord George Francis Popham Blyth, whereby we are informed of his canonical consecration, and of the scope of his Mission to the East, and, moreover, of the various antecedents which adorn his all-sacredness, from which we are persuaded that he will be well reported of in his high mission, and justify the anticipations of your reverence.

At the reading of both your brotherly letters we were filled with spiritual joy, beholding in them the feelings of brotherly love with which the English Church is charged towards her Eastern Orthodox sister, and your fervent desire for the union of these two sister Churches, of which there is clear proof in the disclaimers concerning the jurisdiction and the title of our newly-consecrated brother, and in the distinct assurance of your reverence that he will forbid all attempts at proselytism among the Orthodox. So far as in us lies, accepting the selection of both the clerics commended to us, we shall not cease to afford them fully our moral concurrence for the fulfilling of the scope of their sacred mission, and to contribute to the riveting of the happily subsisting brotherly relations between the two Churches, that so the longed-for unity may be effected, and that, according to the promise of our Saviour Jesus Christ, there may be “one flock, one Shepherd.”

Saluting yet again your much-loved reverence, we ask of God in many prayers that your years may be very many, healthful, and happy, and we remain,

From the Patriarchate of Alexandria, on the 30th of June, in the year of salvation 1887,

Your Reverence’s beloved and wholly devoted brother in Christ,

The Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria, SOPHRONIUS.

The Division of the Church

Efforts have not been wanting on the part of “The Mother of All Churches” to reconcile this long wandering child—the Coptic Church—and they will be blessed in God’s good time. His Holiness Sophronius has had the Orthodox Greek Catechism translated into Arabic, and presented a goodly number to his Coptic brother Patriarch. He has also invited King John of Abyssinia to send some forty of his most promising young men to be trained in Athens or elsewhere for the Abyssinian priesthood; and the Russian Church some time since made a great effort to help Abyssinia by sending a number of monks to enter the Abyssinian religious houses; but this last effort was cruelly broken off by political intrigues. We Anglicans have simply to strengthen the hands of the Orthodox Eastern Church, and endeavour to break down the barriers which have hitherto prevented reconciliation.

Ever since the 8th of October, 451, has this terrible division lasted, when the Fourth General Council assembled in the church of S. Euphemia, in Chalcedon, the opposite side the water to Constantinople, and now called Kadi-Keei. The 630 Bishops there met condemned the teaching of Dioscorus, Patriarch of Alexandria, and elected another Patriarch in his place; but, so strong was the position of the former, that nearly all the Egyptian Christians followed him and his successors.

Two Patriarchs have, therefore, ever since sat at Alexandria—the one Orthodox, and in union with the rest of the Holy Eastern Church, and the other Coptic, and in union with the Abyssinian, Armenian, and Syrian Churches, who have shown sympathy with the rebellion against the Fourth General Council.

Of the twenty-four Patriarchs before this, the names of SS. Mark, Athanasius, and Cyril will always stand out as lights of the Universal Church. Theonas, the sixteenth Patriarch, so well taught his Church to brave the terrible persecutions of Diocletian that the Copts date their years from 284 a.p., when most laid down their lives for our dear Lord. In fact, his successor S. Petrus was martyred at the same time with his wife and daughters, because they would not worship idols.

The names of Origen and SS. Anthony and Clement of Alexandria are also very dear to the Church.

History and Suffering of the Coptic Church

Ninety years after this schism, it almost came to an end, sad to be related, it was suddenly revived by Jacob Baraus, Bishop of Edessa, from whom is derived the name of Jacobite, which means the same as Monophysite. Yet ninety years later, 641 a.p., animosity ran so high that the Egyptian preferred to submit to the Mohammedan yoke rather than unite with their Brethren of the Orthodox Church.

The Coptic Church has, indeed, suffered bitterly for this even when so many witnessed for Christ at Khartoum, as several have informed me. Every Copt is known by the cross tattooed on him soon after birth, and numbers have been put to death by the Mahdi for refusing to deny our Lord. The Copts and Abyssinians still flourish all up the bed of the Nile and right into Kordofan, Darfur, and Bahr-el-Ghazal, besides the territory of King John—and His Eminence Zobeir Pasha informed me that he had seen ruined churches in the inmost recesses of Africa, many of which have been turned into Mosques. It cannot therefore be many years before our Anglican missionaries come in contact with these ancient Christians on newly-explored grounds, so it would be well for them to know something about them.

The Structure and Calendar of the Coptic Church

The Bishop of Minieh, on the Nile, with whom I had a long conversation in the house of Dean Filothaus, informed me that there are at present eighteen Bishops in the Coptic Church including the Patriarch—viz., thirteen in Egypt, four in Abyssinia, and one in Jerusalem. The Patriarch always lives in Cairo, and his official organ is “El Watan.” The Metropolitan of Abyssinia lives in Gondar, and is in direct succession from S. Frumentius, who was ordained and consecrated to the see of Auxume=Axum by S. Athanasius. The poor stipends which the clergy receive can be gathered from the fact that Dean Filothaus only receives £96 per annum and a house, and most priests only £12 per annum, so we cannot wonder that so many of them beg.

The Coptic months are as follows:

  • Tot—August 29th to September 27th.
  • Babeh—September 28th to October 27th.
  • Hator—October 28th to November 26th.
  • Kihak—November 27th to December 26th.
  • Tubeh—December 27th to January 25th.
  • Amshir—January 26th to February 24th.
  • Barmahat—February 25th to March 26th.
  • Barmudeh—March 27th to April 25th.
  • Bashansh—April 26th to May 25th.
  • Bauneh—May 25th to June 24th.
  • Abib—June 25th to July 24th.
  • Mesre—July 25th to August 23rd.
  • Nissi—August 24th to August 28th.

Liturgies and Education

The Copts use three different Liturgies, written originally in Greek, but translated into Coptic and Arabic—viz. (1) that of S. Mark revised by S. Cyril; (2) that of S. Basil, and (3) that of S. Gregory of Nazianzen—on Feasts of the Saviour and other Solemn Festivals.

The services are said in Coptic and Arabic, but, inasmuch as very few of the clergy even understand the former language, it is to be hoped that all will soon be done in Arabic. At present there is no rule, but Coptic and Arabic are printed side by side, and it depends upon the one who is taking the service if it shall be in Coptic and Arabic or nearly all Arabic.

The Copts are very fond of learning, and the old spirit of the Catechetical School of Alexandria is not dead yet, and, if their own people, the Orthodox and Anglicans, do not supply their wants, they will still continue to flock into the schools of the Presbyterians, Christian Brothers, and Jesuits, etc. In Cairo there is the large school at the Patriarchate, and the school of “El Iktissad” mentioned before; but the Copts perfectly see the need of having schools attached to all their settlements. There is next to no special preparation for the Priesthood, although a vigorous attempt was made to start a Seminary by Dean Filothaus—may he yet meet with success.

Monastic Life and Hospitality

The Patriarch often invites a man at his work to become a Priest, as was the case with one of the best in the Coptic Church, who was formerly a railway official. The Secular Priests are for the most part married, but the Patriarch and Bishops are chosen from one of the Monasteries. Egypt was the cradle of the Religious Life, for we read that in the early part of the fifth century there were 5,000 monks and 366 monasteries in the Desert of Scete (Natron) alone, and from that fact we derive the word “Ascetic”—a Scete. The monks all continue to follow the rule of S. Anthony (252 to 356); of the number formerly in the Natron Valley of the Libyan Desert only four remain, although ruins are scattered everywhere—viz. (1) Dair Abu Makar with fifteen inmates; (2) Dair Anba Bishoi with five inmates; (3) Dair Siriani, with twenty-six inmates, and (4) Dair-al-Baramis with twenty-six inmates. The last mentioned is the present Patriarch’s monastery, and he has devoted much attention to its restoration. I had the pleasure of visiting all these monasteries with Mr. John Sidley, Abouna Boutros (a Coptic Priest), Suriel Effendi Said (a most promising Coptic layman), and others. The Patriarch most kindly wrote letters telling the monks to treat us as his guests. One little episode will suffice to show how kindly we were received.

On our approach to Dair-al-Baramis, we heard all the bells in the different churches ringing out, and soon a long procession emerged from the gate of the monastery, singing joyfully, and with banners flying, and incense ascending. At its head we saw the Kummus, or Abbot of the monastery, Abouna Abd-el-Messib, clad in raiment of camel’s hair, barefooted, and a leathern girdle round him. I at once jumped from my horse to be embraced by the dear old man. We then waited for the rest of the caravan to arrive, and went in solemn procession to the chief church, where a Thanksgiving Service was held for our safe arrival. Early the next morning I celebrated the Sacred Mysteries according to our Anglican Rite in the chief church with the full approval of the Abbot, who was present himself with all his brethren. Mr. Sidley served, and Suriel Effendi Said understanding English, we were able to have it fully choral, with hymns 215 and 313 “A. and M.” After this service, we adjourned to the next church, where our Coptic Priest and fellow traveller, Abouna Butros, celebrated according to the Coptic Rite.

A Letter from the Abbot

BY THE GRACE OF THE LORD.

To Cairo. Shall be honoured by the enlightenment of the holiness of our great father Kirillos, Patriarch of the Copts in Cairo, in safety from the Monastery of Baramts.

To His Holiness the honourable lord of lords, noble father of the fathers, and great shepherd of the shepherds, our father the lord Patriarch Kirillos,

After kissing your honourable hands, and after kneeling down at your feet with humble obedience, I have the honour to inform your Holiness that on Thursday, 27th of the blessed month Mesra, we were honoured by the arrival of the Reverend Father Richard Raikes Bromage, and Mr. John Sidley, English subjects. At the time of their arrival we prepared ourselves to honour them according to the Lord. We have received them with the best reception, and with great pleasure. We have shown them our great joy and respect, as is fitting to their dignity. In a word, we have done our best to honour with all that pleases your Holiness, Though all our doings in respecting and honouring them were far less than that which is due to their rank. We have reached the last extremity of our efforts. We ask our good Lord to recompense them for the fatigue they have suffered to visit some holy monuments, with pleasant happiness in the kingdom of His Holiness, with His virtuous and chosen men, and accompany them in safety with His Divine Providence to their dwellings, with the help of the prayers of those for whom they have suffered. Amen.

We beg your Holiness to honour us with your presence this year, for it is a long time since you visited us. We all have a great desire to enjoy your presence, and it is our most earnest entreaty and hope that you will not refuse us.

Please favour us with a letter to reassure us. We kiss your pure hands for the first, second, and third time.

He who asks your good wishes is the poor Priest,

ABD EL MESSIH, In the Monastery of El Sayeda Baramts.

Conclusion

It is my desire to hurt the feelings of none of these, but to speak out plainly in defence of the position of the Holy Orthodox Eastern Church, and to place within the reach of English speaking people and others an official Catechism of the very ancient and interesting Coptic, Abyssinian, Armenian, and Syrian Jacobite Churches, that Anglicans may help forward this much desired reconciliation of which I have spoken, and that an advance may be made towards the union of our Blessed Lord’s Prayer “That we may all be one.”

RICHARD RAIKES BROMAGE.
Keryford Parsonage, Frome, Feast of S. Katharine, 1892

Summary

The introduction, written by Richard Raikes Bromage, recounts his experiences in Egypt in 1887 as part of an Anglican mission to foster Christian unity and understanding, particularly among the Coptic, Abyssinian, Armenian, and Syrian Churches. Bromage describes the historical relationship between the Anglican Church and the Coptic Church, the divisions within Christianity since the Council of Chalcedon (451 AD), and efforts by various churches to reconcile these divisions. He emphasizes the importance of translating and sharing official catechisms of the Eastern and Coptic Churches for English readers, aiming to promote understanding rather than proselytism.

Bromage details the structure, liturgies, calendar, and educational practices of the Coptic Church, as well as the challenges it has faced, including persecution and poverty. He also highlights the cordial relations between Anglicans and Copts during his time in Egypt, and expresses hope for eventual reconciliation between the Coptic Church and the wider Orthodox Christian community.

The introduction is respectful and sympathetic toward the Coptic Church, but it is not fully “pro-Coptic teaching” in the sense of endorsing all its doctrines. Instead, it is written from an Anglican perspective that values the Coptic Church’s antiquity, spirituality, and endurance, while also expressing hope that the Coptic Church will eventually be reconciled with the wider Orthodox Church (from which it has been separated since the Council of Chalcedon).

Bromage is careful to state that his purpose is not to promote doctrines “condemned by the General Council of Chalcedon,” and he distances himself from any suggestion of proselytizing or favoring non-Orthodox teachings. His main goal is to present the Coptic Church’s teachings accurately to English readers, foster mutual respect, and encourage Christian unity.

In summary:

  • The introduction is not against Coptic teaching; it is respectful and seeks understanding.
  • It is not fully pro-Coptic teaching in the doctrinal sense; it hopes for future reconciliation with the Orthodox Church.
  • The author’s attitude is ecumenical, sympathetic, and focused on unity and mutual respect rather than doctrinal partisanship.

Sections:

Each section includes:

  • ✅ Full original Q&A as written in 1892 (verbatim)
  • ✅ Clean toggle layout for easy reading
  • ✅ Scripture references and theological clarity
  • ✅ Navigation links to go forward or back
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