DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14563#0168
CHAPTER XIX.
negadeec-salutations -a coptic church.
We halted awhile at Negadeh, one of the chief towns of
the Copts, in the hope of becoming better acquainted with
these representatives of the ancient Egyptian Church.
This was the native place of one of our crew, whom we
took with us as a guide. He had been absent many
months from home, and it was curious to observe the
greetings he received from his townsmen as we passed
along the streets. The salutations of the Egyptians are
insufferably tedious. When two persons meet, they touch
the palms of their hands together, then each touches his
right hand alternately to his forehead, his lips, and his
heart, uttering some complimentary wish, and then repeats
the process until the whole vocabulary of compliments is
exhausted. Their phrases are such as these, which are
doled out in wearisome succession. " Peace be with you ;"
" I give you peace ;" " May God bless you ;" " God bless
you evermore;" " May God give you peace ;" " Blessing
has come to dwell with me;" " May God not desert you."
The mere interchange of salutations occupies several
minutes, and after these are ended there seems to be
nothing more to say. A few whiffs of the pipe are
exchanged, and the parties separate without ceremony.
The frequent stops made by our attendant to greet his
friends, and the time consumed in these salutations, illus-
trated the caution given by Elisha to Gehazi when he sent
12*
negadeec-salutations -a coptic church.
We halted awhile at Negadeh, one of the chief towns of
the Copts, in the hope of becoming better acquainted with
these representatives of the ancient Egyptian Church.
This was the native place of one of our crew, whom we
took with us as a guide. He had been absent many
months from home, and it was curious to observe the
greetings he received from his townsmen as we passed
along the streets. The salutations of the Egyptians are
insufferably tedious. When two persons meet, they touch
the palms of their hands together, then each touches his
right hand alternately to his forehead, his lips, and his
heart, uttering some complimentary wish, and then repeats
the process until the whole vocabulary of compliments is
exhausted. Their phrases are such as these, which are
doled out in wearisome succession. " Peace be with you ;"
" I give you peace ;" " May God bless you ;" " God bless
you evermore;" " May God give you peace ;" " Blessing
has come to dwell with me;" " May God not desert you."
The mere interchange of salutations occupies several
minutes, and after these are ended there seems to be
nothing more to say. A few whiffs of the pipe are
exchanged, and the parties separate without ceremony.
The frequent stops made by our attendant to greet his
friends, and the time consumed in these salutations, illus-
trated the caution given by Elisha to Gehazi when he sent
12*