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The Pope's Seat...

Coptic servantCoptic servant
edited December 1969 in Faith Issues
Hey all,

I was wondering about something: since our Coptic Orthodox faith was started by St. Mark in Alexandria, shouldn't the Pope's seat be in Alexandria? Why is it at the Abbassiya Cathedral now? Why did H.H. Pope Kyrillos VI open the new Cathedral in Cairo? Plus, what is the Azbakia?

Sorry to throw a lot of questions at you...and btw, when I say "The Pope's Seat", I mean the Patriarchate (also, if u notice, the Pope's title is "Pope of Alexandria and the See of St. Mark").

Peace...
Sinful Servant

Comments

  • PsalmistPsalmist
    Well since Cairo has become the Capital of Egypt, it only makes sense, since aloth of Gov't officials would be attending the Major Liturgies, and meeting with H.H. quite regularly.
  • mike_henainmike_henain
    I alos think whever the Church was started is not all that necessary. In fact, that's one thing I disagree on with Catholics; they think Rome is the "holy place".

    Mike
  • spr418spr418
    because at the past alexandria was the capital but now
    it is cairo!also pope kirolos build the new onebecause the old one was so small and the people was so much!
    and the azbakia is the name of the street that the old cathedral is in!i hope that helped!if anyone have different answer or opinion please correct it for me!
  • beshoyrmbeshoyrm
    im not so sure if alexandria was ever the capital of egypt . . . . .
  • spr418spr418
    it was when the(moez le din elah el fatemy)was the president!
  • Coptic servantCoptic servant
    You know, I never thought of that...

    I always thought that too much emphasis was being put on Rome by Catholics...

    I know for one we don't really care about "holy places" and such, right?

    btw, are there any "relics" that the church believes is true?

    Sinful Servant
  • PsalmistPsalmist
    Quite contrary...the church values holy places. Egypt is even refered to as the Second Holy Land because it fostered the Holy Family for about 3 years. Isisah also prophecied and said "And there shall be an alter for the Lord in the heart of Egypt...and a pillar of faith at its border" The pillar of faith is the Cathedral of Alexandria. WE also know that the heart of Egypt is Assiut partiularly an area called Dronka where the Monaestry of Dronka abides. Now that alter doesn't belong to Jews since Jews can't sacrifice out side of Isreal, and it doesn't belong to the muslims since they don't belive in Altars. therfore it belongs to Christians. So thats just an example of how valuable Holy places are.

    RElics too are importants....the bodies of Saints from which we are blessed.

    and with regards to Rome...Rome was one of the 5 main centers of Christainity. Alexandria held the same importance as Rome, in fact the Library of Alexandria was much greater then the one in Athens. So I don't see the big fuss about ROME.
  • Coptic servantCoptic servant
    When I said relics, I meant the Christ relics....

    Catholics claim to have found the true cross...but i read somewhere that us Copts don't believe in that.

    Also, there are claims that they have found Jesus' tomb, among other relics related to Christ. Do we believe in those?

    and btw, thanks for all the facts...I didn't know that the Library in Alexandria was bigger than that of Athens. What about that new one in Alexandria? is it any bigger? I heard it was built in a place close to where the old Alexandria library might have existed.

    Sinful Servant
  • copt-icboycopt-icboy
    Ladies and Gents,
    Just wanted to clarify a few things.
    Azbakia is the name of the street and area surrounding it.
    The capital of Egypt moved around a few times during different rulings. It was Alexandria since Alexander the great built it. It stayed that way up untill recently (a few hundred years ago) when it was moved to Cairo.

    Psalmist, i think you are talking about El-Moharak not Dronka different monestary that has the first alter in the world. Not quiet sure of the story but all I know is Virgin Mary laid Jesus on it and I think there is a footprint of baby Jesus on that rock.

    We do Honor the relics of the saints as Psalmist said. If we do that to the saints, what would we do to the relics of Jesus Himself? The cross was found (let them check thier history) by King Constantine and his mother Helen. In fact we have a piece of it in a frame in a church north in a place neer Demiat by the Delta. Also, we know where the Tomb of Jesus is and we used to have a coptic bishop for Jerusalim. There is a church built around the tomb, creatively enuf is called Church of the ressurection. They have the Shoud of Turin which was the linen cloth that Jesus's body was wraped in. We acknowledge its authenticity even though we haven't examined it. We we do believe is we don't need the physical Cross, the shround, the holy Grail, etc... to get closer to God. Basically we don't need the shroud to prove to us the death and ressurection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

    Just my 2 pennies
  • Coptic servantCoptic servant
    Question: the capital of Ancient Egypt was Memphis (near modern day Cairo). How did it move to Alexandria? was it when Pletomy came to Egypt after Alexander's death?
  • spr418spr418
    it was moved when the great Alexander explor it!!

    i hope that answered the question!
  • PsalmistPsalmist
    The coptic Church has two feast days for the Cross...the first one right after Nayrouz and one later one when i canèt remember. The second one commerates the finding of the Holy Cross by Queen Helen and King Constantine. So yes we do belive in the relics of Christ. The shrine and nails and crown of thorns also the napkinf of Vironica are all in Rome
  • copt-icboycopt-icboy
    Psalmist,
    The second feast of the Cross is March 19th or 10 Baramhat.
    The first one is for three days and we are celebrating finding the cross (again).
    The story goes that a king in Persia heard about the cross and wanted to steal it. But every time he approched it, he would be repled away. King Constantine had assigned 2 decons to gaurd the Cross. so that persian king bribed the decons into stealing the cross. He also kidnapped the daughter of the priest in the area. When King Constantine heard about the theft of the cross, he went after the persian king and fought him restoring the cross and the priest's daugher.

    thought I would share
  • Coptic servantCoptic servant
    ok...i have a question relating to Coptic Christianity beginning in Alexandria...

    Of course, we all know that St. Mark the Apostle is the one who started Christianity in Egypt...but most historians disagree, and think that it was a small Jewish community living in Alexandria that started Christianity...I know that sounds crazy, but it's what they think is true.

    My question is why would they think that? How can a Jewish community living in Alexandria start a sector of Christianity?

    Any thoughts?
    Sinful Servant
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