Church History
My name is associated with the last and most terrible of all the persecutions of the early Church.
Diocletian
The reign of Diocletian (284-305) but he wasn’t alone, he brought on Maximian, a bold but rude soldier, Galerius and Constantius and distributed the responsibilities.
Galerius encouraged Diocletian to turn to persecution. These two rulers at a council held at Nicomedia in 302, agreed to suppress Christianity throughout the empire.
The cathedral of Nicomedia was demolished, and a decree was issued "to tear down the churches to the foundations and to destroy the Sacred Scriptures by fire and commanding also that those who were in honorable stations should be degraded if they persevered in their adherence to Christianity".
Three further decrees marked continuous severe persecution: the first ordering that the bishops, presbyters, and deacons should be imprisoned; the second that they should be tortured and compelled by every means to sacrifice; the third including the laity as well as the clergy.
After reigning for nearly twenty-one years, he abdicated the throne and lived in seclusion until his death.
What is the name of the Coptic New Year?
Nayrouz
· Those who die for the sake of faith
· Those who die for the sake of purity
· Those who die for the sake of dogma
These are types of what?
Martyrdom
What does a doctor, a fisherman, a taxcollector, and a teenager have in Common?
The four of them wrote the Gospel-inspired by the Holy Spirit.(Luke, John, Matthew and Mark)
This word is derived from the word witness. First it was used for the apostles who witnessed the new Christian faith. Afterward, it described the confessors who suffered for their belief in our Lord Jesus Christ. Lastly, it was used for those who were killed for the sake of their faith.
The word martyr
Copts take pride in the persecution they have sustained as early as May 8, 68 A.D., when this St. was slain on Easter Monday after being dragged from his feet through the streets and alleys by Roman soldiers through Alexandra.
St. Mark
Most of the Martyrs fall into the “those who died for the sake of the faith”. Name two
Saint George
Saint Mina
Saint Demiana
Etc...
Peter said his first sermon, and how many added to the church?
About three thousand souls were added to the Church. (Acts 2: 41)
I turned the history of the world into a new course and made Christianity, which until then had suffered bloody persecution, the religion of the State.
Emperor Constantine
What Copts eat this fruit to represent the martrys
Red Dates
Can you name different kinds of persecutions Martyrs may have experienced?
- Paying special taxes that allowed them to practice their faith, if they were not able to pay, they either had to convert or they lost their civil rights(meaning they could be killed)
- Restrictions on repairing churches and building new ones
- Testifying in court
- Public behavior
- Inheritance
- Public religious activities
- Dress codes
How did the word of God reach areas outside Jerusalem?
The apostles worked in teams to serve different areas of the world:
1-Judea and surrounding areas: Peter, James and Matthias.
2-Asia Minor and surrounding areas: John, Philip and Bartholomew.
3-Iran and India: Judas, Thomas and Simon the Zealot(Kananaios).
4-Various parts of Europe: Andrew, Jamesthe great(St. John's brother), Paul and Luke.
5- Egypt and Ethiopia: Mark and Matthew.
Nero began the first persecution for Christians where two saints got the crowns of martyrdom and apostleship. Who were they?
St. Peter and St. Paul
When did the Coptic Church begin the Coptic New Year?
The Coptic Christians began their calendar (Nayrouz) from 284 AD, which is the year that Emperor Diocletian became emperor and began his reign of persecution against Christians.
Can you name an example of a Pure Martyr?
- St. Theodora was a seventeen-year-old virgin martyr. She was martyred with Didymus the soldier who saved her from the plot to shame her by the emperor’s decree to send her to a whorehouse.
- St. Veronica the virgin martyr. In the year 749 the soldiers of Marwan the caliph entered a monastery for virgins close to Akhmim, a city in Egypt. They wanted to assault and rape her because she was very beautiful. But she deceived them, telling them that she had oil that would protect the body from any sword. To convince them she placed this oil on her neck and told them to test her words. One soldier took out his sword and swung at her neck and she was beheaded. This terrified the soldiers, and they left the monastery.
How did the Church continue growing after many of the Apostles were martyred?
Whenever the Apostles visited a country, they ordained Bishops and ministers to shepherd the believers.
How many Ecumenical councils does the Coptic church believe in and what are they?
The First Ecumenical Council of Nicea - The first Ecumenical Council was held in 325 AD on the occasion of the heresy of Arius (Arianism).
The Second Ecumenical Council of Constantinople - At that time another heresy was being proclaimed by Macedonius, bishop of Constantinople, who had announced his denial of the divinity of the Holy Spirit.
The Third Ecumenical Council of Ephesus - The Two Natures of our Lord Jesus Christ. Also the Name given to Saint Mary
The Copticcalendar is known as...
the “Year of the Martyrs”.
Which Martyrs died for the sake of dogma?
- St. Makarous the bishop (one of the three Macari)refused to sign the Arian decree and so was repeatedly kicked by the Arian bishop until he died.
- Riots in Alexandria were the consequence of the Chalcedon council where Pope Dioscorus was exiled, and 30 thousand martyrs were killed. They shed their blood in defense of the true Christian faith.
What does the word “Apostle” mean?
Apostle, from Greek Apostolos, meaning "person sent."