SSCN Voumes 1-10, 1994-2004

St. Shenouda Coptic Newsletter

characterized by being a series of repeated characters, words, or phrases. They even included simple mathematical problems such as addition and multiplication. According to the illustrations shown, some form of punctuation was utilized to separate syllables and exercises were separated at times with vertical lines. All in all these texts employed the methodology of 'Practice makes perfect.' Field Visits: The Organizing Committee prepared a series of visits to five different sites in the area as well as a revisit of Deir al-Surian at Wadi al-Natrun, during the 5-day period of the Symposium. The sites were either an ancient church of a particular monastery, an archeological dig in a monastic or Christian site, or a monumental site of the region. The guide was usually the scholar that has conducted conservation work or headed an excavation team at that particular site and in some cases the local or church officials. These visits were scheduled in such a way as to give the audience, as much as possible, a visual introduction to the papers that will be read later or just have been read. This enhanced the audience appreciation to the many topics discussed. The only shortcomings of these visits was their brevity. The first visit was on arrival day, Friday February 6, 2004, to Deir al-Malak Ghobrial monastery in Naqlun. Prof. Godlewski was our guide. The visit began with the group meeting briefly with H.G. Bishop Abraam, who came to the monastery specifically to greet us. Prof. Godlewski then took the group on a tour of the monastic church and described the many beautiful wall paintings that were uncovered and cleaned by the PCA. This included several in the Narthex of the church, among them was one for St. Shenouda the Archimandrite. Also there we saw one of the wall painting layers that was moved from the Sanctuary Apse, at the request of the monastery. The tour continued into the Nave, revealing more of these beautiful works, and the monks opened the sanctuary screen to show the other ones that

were uncovered in the inside apses. The next stop was the cemetery area outside the present wall of the monastery. There, our esteemed guide explained the excavated hermitage cells which could be seen from a distance in the mountain. He also described the excavation of the ancient monastic church below the mountain. The second visit was a tour of Deir al-Azab, where the Symposium was being held on Saturday February 7, 2004. The visit began with a tour of the elegant elementary School that is operating within the bounds of the monastery. H.G. Bishop Abraam was our guide along with the school administrators. Along with the spacious classrooms, they had a very modern computer lab. The group also was able to interact briefly with students from several grades in their own classrooms. There is also a new construction of an auditorium at the ground level that is nearing completion. Without a doubt, this school, which follows the regulations of the Egyptian Education Ministry, looked as good as any school in Egypt, if not better. The second leg of the tour was to the most reverent place in the monastery, the Chapel of St. Abraam. This long L-shaped room was situated at the Northern side of the church and it opens into the men communion area of the Sanctuary. At the end of the Chapel was the Reliquary with the coffin of the saint in clear view through its glass window. Above it was the commemorative icon, depicting eight bishops carrying the coffin into its current resting place. The south side of the room was lined with several recessed glass cases, containing many of the personal items of the saint. They included the only photograph known of him, with the Coptic Metropolitant of Eithopia, fragments of his garments, his ecclesiastical vestments, his personal humble library, and other items that he used during his blessed life. His library included a large Arabic Bible which he read in its entirety every 40 days, according to his vita. The place is elegant but not extravagant, keeping in tradition with his well- earned reputation of being the friend of the poor .

St. Shenouda Coptic Newsletter

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