Copts

Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)

native Egyptians. No doubt the Egyptians underwent more or less intermixture during the sway of the Roman Empire; and yet it may be said that the Copts are the descendants of the ruling class of ancient Egypt. The Copts have been overrun by the Arabs so long that their language is almost extinct. They have kept alive many customs however. Not infrequently a conquering people is absorbed by the conquered, as was the case in Greece and Italy and Spain; but the Copts have been losing to the Arabs ever since the Arabian conquest. At the middle of the nineteenth century they formed about one-fourteenth of the population of Egypt. Many of the Copts are now Mohammedans; many others are Roman Catholics; but the majority are members of what is known as the Coptic church. Speaking strictly, the term is racial, but in ordinary use Copt refers to the church or denomination. The Abyssinians are also adherents of the Coptic church. The head of the Abyssinian church is consecrated by the Coptic patriarch of Alexandria and acknowledges no other authority. The Copts are reputed to have been converted to Christianity by St. Mark. As compared with Protestant denominations, the Coptic church is an ancient one, dating as a schism from the Orthodox Greek Church in 451, before the final rupture between the Greek and the Roman churches. In foundation doctrine the Copts differ little from the Church of Rome. The head is the patriarch of Alexandria, who refuses all allegiance to the sees of Rome and Constantinople. The church has regular orders of bishops, priests, and monks. All but the superior clergy are allowed to marry. These ancient Egyptians have been harassed by the Greeks, the Romans, and the Saracens. Like the Jews they have maintained their manners, features, and religion; but the Coptic language has been replaced by the Arabic, and is retained only in a few religious ceremonies, just as Latin has been retained by the Roman Church. At the time of the Saracenic invasion of Egypt the Copts numbered perhaps two-thirds of a million people, but at the present time they do not exceed one-fourth of that number. Many have become Moslems. The Coptic church shows some signs of disintegration, in which case it is likely to be absorbed by the Roman Church. It has been suggested that the name Copt is derived from the last syllable of Egypt. The Copts of Egypt dress like Moslems, but wear a distinctive black turban. They are said to be gloomy, deceitful, and bigoted. They have black eyes and curly hair and are very expert in calculations. Like the Hebrews they take naturally to merchandising and to clerical work, rather than to agriculture. In the early days of the Coptic sect a considerable literature, consisting chiefly of the lives of saints and of religious homilies was produced.