SSCN Voumes 1-10, 1994-2004

St. Shenouda Coptic Newsletter

from members. It also showed steady growth and accomplishments. 2. The Wadi al-Natrun Symposium, February 2002: Dr. Estafanous gave more details about the travails and triumphs experienced in organizing this historic symposium. 3. The Upcoming Christianity in al-Fayoum Symposium, Al-Fayoum February 2004: Dr. Estafanous presented the progress made in the preparation of this Symposium. He indicated that H.H. Pope Shenouda has approved it and H.G. Bishop Abraam of Al-Fayoum has assented to hosting it there in early February 2004. A correspondence from Dr. Gabra was read, providing a perspective list of participants. The contents of that list are included in the News Section of this Newsletter. 4. Coptica: The first issue of this joint effort between our two organizations was discussed and distributed to the members in attendance. 5. Future topics: There were extensive discussions about type and length of topics to be presented in future sessions of this conference. Suggestions of inclusion of panel discussions and general interest topics were presented by members. Such suggestions will be taken under consideration as long as it would fit the Society's goal of bringing to and promoting among the Coptic Community Coptic Studies. More efforts will be devoted to include and train more of the younger

generation of Copts to participate in the upcoming Conferences. Time and Location: This year the event was held on Friday and Saturday July 26-27. The place was at UCLA Royce Hall Room 314. Organizing Committee: This conference is another cooperative effort of the Collegiate Coptic Orthodox Christian Club of University of California, Los Angeles (CCC-UCLA), Department of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures of UCLA (DMELC-UCLA), and other members of the Society (SSACS). The following individuals have been designat d as members of the Organizing Committee: Dr. Nabil Elgabala i (SSACS) Joseph Fahim (SSACS) Deacon Severus (Maged) S. Mikhail (SSACS) Nardine Saad (CCC-UCLA) Dr. Saad Michael Saad (SSACS) Hany N. Takla (SSACS) Publications of the Proceedings: Selected papers presented at the Conference will be published in Coptica for the year 2004. A final draft of each paper shall be submitted by the presenter no later than January 30, 2003. Monee A. Takla (CCC-UCLA) Nefertiti M. Takla (CCC-UCLA)

St. Shenouda Coptic Newsletter Modern Coptic Hagiography- Fr. Yustus al-Antoni (1910-1976) (by Hany N. Takla)

Introduction: Hagiography is the study of the lives of the saints that has been transmitted to us through the centuries. The Society has narrowed its scope in this field to personalities that their lives were included in works read or composed by Copts as well those that are Egyptians but were not mentioned in Egyptian sources. The purpose of such study is essentially to present to

our generation and those that will/may follow us, how others have translated the written scriptures into their earthly lives. However these vitae (or lives) have at times been expanded beyond its original scope to include tales of courage and endless procession of supernatural acts. The historical inaccuracy of some of these extra details spoils their instructional value to the

-7-