Minnesota in Egypt
Early Christian Egypt: Timeline
first to fifth centuries of our era:
For futher information about these events, not all equally
well documented, click on dancer
at left of appropriate century. Most underlined words are links to the
glossary, where the relevant entry will be at the top of the screen.
Two link to the bibliography, and two to the website of the Coptic Church.
For additional images, click on image
at right (the pages may take a long time to load).
return to
introductory page or site map
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general
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texts
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monasticism
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later works of art reflecting these developments.
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FIRST CENTURY
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early: Flight into Egypt (Mathew 2:12-23)
late: St. Mark comes to convert Egypt.
For the importance of both these traditions
to present day Egyptian Christians, see
www.coptic.net.
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Flight into Egypt, Giotto, c 1305, Arena Chapel, Padua (detail).
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SECOND CENTURY
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Earliest contemporary documentation for Christians in Egypt.
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Beginning of century: first fragments of New
Testament text: Gospel of St. John.
Mid-century: papyri of additional gospels, not
in New
Testament
End--possible date of composition of "apocryphal"
life of virgin Mary.
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Incident from apocryphal life of Mary, Tres Riches Heures,
c. 1415, (detail) |
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THIRD CENTURY
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Honoring the martyrs,the Coptic church begins
its calendar in August of the the year we call 284, the year
when Diocletian became emperor. so 2001 is 1716/7.
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Beginnings of "eremitic"
monasticism:
About 275, St. Antony, retires to the desert. (He dies in
356, aged 105).
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St. Anthony flies from the temptation of gold:
Fra Angelico, 1430.
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FOURTH CENTURY
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Great Persecution begins in 303. It gives rise to many martyrs'
stories in Egypt.
Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, condemns "apocryphal"
literature, helps define orthodox doctrine.
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mid century: probable date of most "Gnostic"
books found at Nag Hammadi, 50 miles south of White Monastery.
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Beginnings of " cenobitic"
monasticism: Pachomius, d.379, founds nine monasteries
west and south of the present White Monastery. White Monastery founded.
Rufinus says10,000 monks and 20,000 nuns in
Egypt: St. Shenute becomes abbot of Wthite Monastery
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St. Athanasius (from www.theologie.uni.erlangen.de)
no other images at present
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FIFTH CENTURY
no link: no additional information
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451 Council of Chalcedon
separates most Egyptian Christians from the majority elsewhere,
creating what we now call the Coptic church. For the modern Coptic
view, see www.coptic,net. |
Possible date for compilation of "Sayings
of the Desert Fathers," recording stories about Egyptian hermits
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Under St. Shenute, the White Monastery
is said to have housed 2200 monks and 1800 nuns.
Cassian. a traveller from Gaul, writes two
books about Egyptian monasticism, and founds two monasteries
in Europe.
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Icon of Moses the Black in the Monastery Church of Christ
of the Hills Monastery, New Sarov, Texas. He was martyred
in 405. Some of his actions are recorded in the "Sayings."
(no other images)
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back to introductory
page
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