This site is private. It has the aim of helping in teaching pharaonic
language coptic, and it gives an idea about the culture
of egyptian
christians, the copts
The site does not target a specfic viewer but
whomever interested in having an idea about the culture the history the
language of the christian community in Egypt
The word coptic is a
phonetic deformation of the greek word ⲁⲓⲅύⲡⲧⲓⲟⲥ . Aarabs
before the invasion of Egypt in 642 A.D.
pronounced in some dialects
g as k hence the word agiptios was pronounced akipti (os), in the
dialects of the gulf and
northern and sudern egypt g is pronounced
as is, and the word is pronounced Gpti for masculine and Gptia for
feminine
`NXHmI is an adjective , in pharaonic language the adjective
is formed from `n + noun ,
hence the prefix `N + XHMI (pronounced
kimi, Egypt)
= `NXHmI which means egypt + ian, copt + ic, to form a
word with adjective we add a word before it for example ⲣⲉⲙ,
rem,"person" + `NXHmI, "of Egypt"= ⲣⲉⲙ`ⲛⲭⲏⲙⲓ , rem`nkimi =
egyptian person, egyptian
and since arab invasion the word indicates
egyptian christians as the majority of the population was arabized and
do not use any more the description as copt , Gpti.
the word nowadays
indicats only christians of Egypt or from egyptian origin, while the
rest of the population is called egyptian muslims or muslims.
beside
the ethnic demographic indication it refers to religion , history,
literature, music, etc.
This site is a personal effort for
maintanence of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the christian
community in Egypt.
The term ‘cultural heritage’ has changed
content considerably in recent decades, partially owing to the
instruments developed by UNESCO.
Cultural heritage does not end at
monuments and collections of objects. It also includes traditions or
living expressions inherited from our ancestors
and passed on to our
descendants, such as oral traditions performing arts, social practices,
rituals, festive events,
knowledge and practices concerning nature
and the universe or the knowledge and skills to produce traditional
crafts.
The Christian faith of the Copts is believing in one God who created the entire universe and all its creatures. ***God is unchangeable “ⲡⲓⲁⲧⲫⲟⲛϩ”, invisible “ⲡⲓⲁⲑⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲣⲟϥ”, without beginning or end “ⲡⲓⲁⲧⲁⲣⲭⲏ, ⲡⲓϣⲁ `ⲉⲛⲉϩ”, unmeasurable “ⲡⲓⲁⲧ`ϣϯϣⲓ `ⲉⲣⲟϥ”. God is defined in Coptic liturgy as following “ineffable, invisible, infinite, without beginning; everlasting, timeless, immeasurable, incomprehensible, unchangeable Creator of all; Savior of everyone. Who forgive our sins; who save our life from corruption, who crowns us with mercies and compassions”. ***“ⲡⲓ`ϣⲁⲧⲥⲁϫⲓ `ⲙⲙⲟϥ, ⲡⲓⲁⲑⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲣⲟϥ, ⲡⲓⲁⲧϣⲟⲡϥ, ⲡⲓⲁⲧⲁⲣⲭⲏ, ⲡⲓϣⲁ `ⲉⲛⲉϩ, ⲡⲓⲁⲧⲥⲏⲟⲩ, ⲡⲓⲁⲧ`ϣϯϣⲓ `ⲉⲣⲟϥ, ⲡⲓ`ϣϧⲟⲧϧⲱⲧϥ, ⲡⲓⲁⲧⲫⲟⲛϩ, ⲡⲓⲣⲉϥⲑⲁⲙⲓⲟ `ⲛⲧⲉ `ⲡⲧⲏⲣϥ, ⲡⲓⲣⲉϥⲥⲱϯ `ⲛⲧⲉⲟⲩⲟⲛ ⲛⲓⲃⲉⲛ, ⲫⲏⲉⲧⲭⲱ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ `ⲛⲧⲉ ⲛⲉⲛⲛⲟⲃⲓ, ⲫⲏⲉⲧ ⲥⲱϯ `ⲙⲡⲉⲛⲱⲛϧ, `ⲉⲃⲟⲗϧⲉⲛ `ⲡⲧⲁⲕⲟ, ⲫⲏⲉⲧϯ`ⲭⲗⲟⲙ `ⲉϫⲱⲛ ϧⲉⲛ ϩⲁⲛⲛⲁⲓ, ⲛⲉⲙ ϩⲁⲛⲙⲉⲧϣⲉⲛϩⲏⲧ”. ***The faith says that God appeared to mankind in a form looks like mankind. “Genesis 1:26 And God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness”, “Genesis 32:24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day”. “Philippians 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men” ***The second point is that he is complete in all his qualities totally just and totally merciful: “Deuteronomy 32:4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he”. “Matthew 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect”. “Exodus 34:6 And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth”, “Exodus 34:7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation”. “Psalm 116:5 Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful”. ***The third point that mankind has fallen into sin. The sin was contrary to God and as so it was God only who forgives it. The punishment for sin had different forms from payment for the damage to an eye for an eye to physical death and eventually the spiritual death. The death means eternal damnation. And the redemption of the sin was an offering. Christianity is talking about the incarnation of God, though it is difficult for some to believe, but as Christians believing in the word of God we believe that he appeared to man kind and offered us forgiveness. “John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth”. “Isaiah 59:20 And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD”. “Isaiah 59:21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever. As a just god he”. “Micah_7:18 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy”. ***And about incarnation the bible says: Isaiah 53:1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? Isaiah 53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. Isaiah 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Isaiah 53:4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. Isaiah 53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. Isaiah 53:9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Isaiah 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Isaiah 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Isaiah 53:12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. *** Ϯⲅⲁⲗⲓⲗⲉ`ⲁ `ⲛⲧⲉ ⲛⲓ`ⲉⲑⲛⲟⲥ: ⲛⲏ`ⲉⲧϩⲉⲙⲥⲓ ϧⲉⲛ `ⲡⲭⲁⲕⲓ: ⲛⲉⲙ `ⲧϧⲏⲓⲃⲓ `ⲙ`ⲫⲙⲟⲩ: ⲟⲩⲛⲓϣϯ `ⲛⲟⲩⲱⲓⲛⲓ ⲁϥϣⲁⲓ ⲛⲱⲟⲩ. + ⲫϯ ⲫⲏ`ⲉⲑⲙⲟⲧⲉⲛ `ⲙⲙⲟϥ: ϧⲉⲛ ⲛⲏⲈⲑⲟⲩⲁⲃ`ⲛⲧⲁϥ: ⲁϥϭⲓⲥⲁⲣⲝ ϧⲉⲛ ϯⲡⲁⲣⲑⲉⲛⲟⲥ: ⲉⲑⲃⲉ ⲫⲏ`ⲉⲧⲉⲫⲱⲛ `ⲛⲟⲩϫⲁⲓ. ⲁⲙⲱⲓⲛⲓ ⲁⲛⲁⲩ `ⲁⲣⲓ`ϣⲫⲏⲣⲓ: ϩⲱⲥ ⲑⲉⲗⲏⲗ ϧⲉⲛ ⲟⲩ`ϣⲗⲏⲗⲟⲩ`ⲓ: ϩⲓϫⲉⲛ ⲡⲁⲓⲙⲩⲥⲧⲏⲣⲓⲟⲛ: ⲉⲧⲁϥⲟⲩⲱⲛϩ ⲛⲁⲛ `ⲉⲃⲟⲗ. + ϫⲉ ⲡⲓ`ⲁⲧⲥⲁⲣⲝ ⲁϥϭⲓⲥⲁⲣⲝ: ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲡⲓⲗⲟⲅⲟⲥ ⲁϥ`ϧⲑⲁⲓ ⲡⲓ`ⲁⲧⲁⲣⲭⲏ ⲁϥⲉⲣϩⲏⲧⲥ: ⲡⲓ`ⲁⲧⲥⲏⲟⲩ ⲁϥϣⲱⲡⲓ ϧⲁ ⲟⲩ`ⲭⲣⲟⲛⲟⲥ. ⲡⲓ`ⲁⲧ`ϣⲧⲁϩⲟϥ ⲁⲩϫⲉⲙϫⲱⲙϥ: ⲡⲓ`ⲁⲑⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲥⲉⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲣⲟϥ: `ⲡϣⲏⲣⲓ `ⲙⲫϯ ⲉⲧⲟⲛϧ: ⲁϥϣⲱⲡⲓ `ⲛϣⲏⲣⲓ `ⲛⲣⲱⲙⲓ ϧⲉⲛ ⲟⲩⲙⲉⲑⲙⲏⲓ. + Ⲓⲏⲥⲟⲩⲥ ⲠⲬⲣⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ `ⲛⲥⲁϥ ⲛⲉⲙ ⲫⲟⲟⲩ: `ⲛⲑⲟϥ `ⲛⲑⲟϥ ⲡⲉ ⲛⲉⲙ ϣⲁ `ⲉⲛⲉϩ: ϧⲉⲛ ⲟⲩϩⲩⲡⲟⲥⲧⲁⲥⲓⲥ `ⲛⲟⲩⲱⲧ: ⲧⲉⲛⲟⲩⲱϣⲧ `ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲧⲉⲛϯ`ⲱⲟⲩ ⲛⲁϥ. ⲁ`ⲫⲓⲱⲧ ϫⲟⲩϣⲧ `ⲉⲃⲟⲗϧⲉⲛ `ⲧⲫⲉ: `ⲙⲡⲉϥϫⲉⲙ ⲫⲏ`ⲉⲧ`ⲟⲛⲓ `ⲙⲙⲟ: ⲁϥⲟⲩ`ⲱⲣⲡ `ⲙⲡⲉϥⲙⲟⲛⲟⲅⲉⲛⲏⲥ: `ⲓ ⲁϥϭⲓⲥⲁⲣⲝ `ⲉⲃⲟⲗ`ⲛϧⲏϯ. The dignitaries of the nations, who sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, had the great Light shine to them. + God who rests, within His saints, became incarnate of the Virgin, for our salvation. Come behold and be amazed, joyfully sing on account, of this mystery, which was revealed unto us. + For the One without flesh was incarnate, and the Word took body, the One with no beginning began, and the eternal One became temporal. The Incomprehensible has been touched, and the Unseen has been seen, and the Son of the living God, truly became the Son of man. + Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever, in one hypostasis, we worship and glorify Him. The Father looked from heaven, and found no one like you, He sent His only begotten, who came and took flesh from you. Theotokia of Wednesday, part 7.