SSCN Voumes 1-10, 1994-2004

St. Shenouda Coptic Newsletter

Tel: (216) 921-4748, Fax: (216) 921-3637 e-mail: jestodad@aol.com

meeting time is Saturdays 1-4 p.m. Currently texts of Apophthegmata Patrum texts is being translated. 17. Lecture Series at the Coptic Center: The Society is scheduling a monthly series of lectures on topics related to Coptic History. Deacon Severus (Maged) S. A. Mikhail, the Center's research assistant will be delivering this lectures. They are usually scheduled for the fourth Thursday of the month, between the hours of 7:30 and 9:00 pm. The next ones are scheduled for May 31, and June 28, 2001. The previous lectures were delivered on February 22, March 22, and April 19, 2001. They dealt with the following topics: +Feb 22, Coptic Conversions : This covered documented conversions during the period just preceding the Arab Conquest of Egypt up until the 10th century AD. It dealt with such classifications of conversion such as from Melechite to Orthodox and Christian to moslem. +March 22, Coptic Revolts : This covered the different uprising by the Copts in the first few centuries after the Arab Conquest which were tax-related. And it touched briefly on the documented role that the Coptic Hierarchy played in reaction to such movements. +April 19, Coptic Elites : This covered the role played by the Elites among the Copts shortly before the Arab Conquest and up to 11th century AD. Their impact on and relations with the rulers and the church was discussed. Deacon Severus (Maged) is a Ph.D. Candidate in History at UCLA. Exact titles will be announced and posted on our website. 18. Electronic Edition of the Coptic Encyclopedia : Work is progressing on a faster scale on this project during the past quarter. The formatting template is complete along with all the separation of the ASCII files into their final file format. Formatting of the text is simultaneously being done in the Los Angeles area and in Ohio on all 8 volumes. Formatting, review, and conversion to PDF including graphics and internal links of volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 are complete along with 90% volume 5. Just the formatting of volume 7 complete at this time. Work on Volume 8, the most challenging, is about 20% complete. Also the so-called volume 9, which will include short annotations on articles that are being disputed by Coptic Church authorities and corrections of obvious errors, is at the early stages of work. These extra items will be electronically linked to the articles they pertain to.

Website: www.stmarkfoundation.coptic-history.org The support of Copts and scholars is needed to continue the efforts of this organization. May God bless all the efforts that His children are making for the glory of His holy Name. 15. Coptic Book Library: The Library is still growing with the addition of several more volumes, including a number of rare titles. The most notable of the new acquisitions for the past quarter: Anonymous, Koptische Kunst - Christentum Am Nil - 3 Mai bis 15 August 1963 in Villa Hügel-Essen (1963); Du Bourguet, P. Les Coptes (1988); The British Library. The Christian Orient ; Erman, A. Bruchstucke Koptischer Volklitteratur (1897); Fields. Origenis Hexaplorum , 2 vol; Hamilton, F. & E. W. Brooks. The Syriac Chronicle known as that of Zachariah of Mitylene (Reprint:1979); Krek, M. A Catalogue of the Arabic Manuscripts in the Oriental Institute of Chicago (1961); Matta El-Maskin. Eucharist, the Lord's Supper , 2vol [Arabic] (2000); Quecke, H. Das Johannesevangelium Saidisch (1984); Rieu, C. Supplement to the Catalogueof the Arabi Manuscripts in the Bristish Museum (Reprint:2000); Smith & Wace, Dictionary of Christian Biography , 4 vol. (1880); Thackery. A Grammar of the Old Testament in Greek (1909); Vycichl. Dictionnaire Etymologique de la Langue Copte (1983). During the last quarter we received offprints related to the Coptic Studies from Prof. Young of Chicago, Rev. Dr. Tim Vivian (Bakersfield), and Ms. Nora Steen (Norway). 16. Coptic Classes: The advanced translation seminar, being conducted at the Center is on Wednesday evenings from 7:00-8:00 p.m., dealing with the translation and study of the Bohairic version of the Book of Genesis. Two sessions of our experimental class in Coptic for ages 8-13 are currently being held at the Center, teaching Coptic II. Another session for adults is being planned. All these classes are taught at the Los Angeles Coptic Center by Mr. Hany N. Takla. The Center is also hosting an advanced class in Sahidic, that previously was holding its sessions at UCLA. The instructor is Dr. Monica Bontty (e-mail: uhura@humnet.ucla.edu) who is a Staff Research Assistant at the University as well as a UCLA Extension instructor. The class held it first session at the Center on Saturday March 31, 2001. The regular

St. Shenouda Coptic Newsletter

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