SSCN Voumes 1-10, 1994-2004

St. Shenouda Coptic Newsletter

that Christ has chosen; and pisorp qen niapoctoloc (Dox-B) > that puts St. Peter as the head of the Apostles along with listing them. All manuscripts (Codices A through E), agree in including Dox-B and omitting Dox-A. In the introduction to the base text, the editor mentioned that the text included was based on the manuscripts as well as the personal copies of the text used by Pope Cyril V and by another contemporary Coptic bishop. So it is safe to state that the source for Dox-A is those personal copies which otherwise became the transition point between the manuscript tradition and the printed book tradition. Further, in the 1994 Coptic-English edition of the base text, Dox-A was the only one included! Conclusion: It is obvious that the editor of the base text and his contemporaries are shying away from Dox-B. A possible reason for this could be for the Coptic Church to set itself apart from the newly-emerged rival Coptic Catholic Church in Egypt in the late years of the 19th century. It may have been felt that such language may substantiate the new church supremacy claim, which is in union with the Church of Rome. The Church of Rome of course argued that since St. Peter, considered the first among the apostles preached in Rome, the Roman Church should be considered the head of all other Episcopates. 1. St. Shenouda Coptic Newsletter: We have started with last issue, the new and more expanded 'Subscriber Edition' . Only members-in-good- standing and subscribers will be receiving this current issue. Non-members on our mailing list will be receiving the abridged version of the Newsletter. Those interested in having a separate publication subscription, including the Newsletter and the Annual Bulletin, can do so with an annual subscription rate of $15 ($10 for students) within the US and Canada. Subscription for overseas

According to Archbishop Basilios, the Coptic church believes that since the Apostolic Age, all Episcopal seats have been considered equal in honor and rank and that the head of all the "Apostolic Sees" is Jesus Christ. In order to substantiate or dispute the above opinion as to the addition date of Dox-A, it will be necessary to collate manuscripts that are later than 1739 AD, which is the latest date of the manuscripts that I collated. Bibliography: Delaporte, Louis Joseph. Catalogue Sommaire des Manuscrits Coptes de la Bibliotheque Nationale de Paris. Revue de L'Orient Chretienne 14, 1909, 417-23; 15, 1910, 85-96, 133-56, 392- 397; 16, 1911, 85-99, 155-60, 239-48, 368-95; 17, 1912, 390-4; 18, 1913, 84-91. (Delaporte) Hebbelynck, A. and A. van Lantschoot. Codices Coptici Vaticani Babberiniani Borgiani Rossiani. I. Codices Vaticani. Vatican 1937. (V) Labib, E. pijwm n te ]'almwdia e yu nte ]rompi mvr/] etauyasc n je nenio] n ]ekkl/cia nrem n ,/mi . Cairo 1908. (Base Text) [Contains the Coptic and Arabic text of the Coptic Annual Psalmodia]

News (by Hany N. Takla)

addresses will be $20 ($15 for students). Perspective subscribers outside North America, who usually attend the Coptic Congresses, can arrange with the Society to have their subscriptions paid at the time of the Congress. The next congress will be at Leiden, the Netherlands, in the year 2000. The Society reserves the right to accept or reject such requests. 2. Coptic Computer CD: The Society is nearing the completion of its first Coptic Language CD. The projected release date January 10, 1998 has

St. Shenouda Coptic Newsletter

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