DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14563#0364
THE COPTS, THEIR HISTORY AND RITUAL. 325
Church corresponds with the Greek, Armenian, Nestorian,
and other oriental churches, which have never acknowl-
edged the supremacy of the Pope. The Ahyssinian branch
of the Coptic Church is under the superintendence of a
mutran, who is now the only dignitary of that name, and
who, at his death, is succeeded by another from Cairo,
appointed by the patriarch, and sent in chains to his see, in
token of his dependence upon the head of the church.
Besides this patriarch and the mutran, I cannot learn
with certainty how many others now exercise episcopal
functions in the Coptic Church. There is a Coptic bishop
at Osioot, and others in other chief towns, perhaps twelve
in all.
Next in rank to a bishop, is the superior of a monastery,
called a Commos. " Each community of monks is gov-
erned by a superior; some of the monks are priests, with
the title of father, and the rest lay brethren." The
monies are not permitted to marry, nor is a female permit-
ted to enter the walls of a monastery even as a visitor. A
widower, however, if he is determined to abide in that con-
dition, may be received as a member of the community.
Priests, not under monastic vows, are allowed in the Coptic,
as in the Greek and the Armenian churches, to marry
once; and in the convents, where the priests are not
monks, but seculars, the inmates are of both sexes. Of
course the convents are open to lady visitors.
It is said that the number of monasteries and convents in
Egypt and its deserts formerly amounted to three hundred
and sixty-six, some of which had numerous inmates, and,
in connection with their founders or their superiors, en-
joyed a world-wide reputation for learning and for sanctity.
Gibbon mentions fifty in the Natron Valley alone, on the
confines of the Lybian Desert, to the north or west of the
Delta, in one of which "the ambitious Cyril passed some
28
Church corresponds with the Greek, Armenian, Nestorian,
and other oriental churches, which have never acknowl-
edged the supremacy of the Pope. The Ahyssinian branch
of the Coptic Church is under the superintendence of a
mutran, who is now the only dignitary of that name, and
who, at his death, is succeeded by another from Cairo,
appointed by the patriarch, and sent in chains to his see, in
token of his dependence upon the head of the church.
Besides this patriarch and the mutran, I cannot learn
with certainty how many others now exercise episcopal
functions in the Coptic Church. There is a Coptic bishop
at Osioot, and others in other chief towns, perhaps twelve
in all.
Next in rank to a bishop, is the superior of a monastery,
called a Commos. " Each community of monks is gov-
erned by a superior; some of the monks are priests, with
the title of father, and the rest lay brethren." The
monies are not permitted to marry, nor is a female permit-
ted to enter the walls of a monastery even as a visitor. A
widower, however, if he is determined to abide in that con-
dition, may be received as a member of the community.
Priests, not under monastic vows, are allowed in the Coptic,
as in the Greek and the Armenian churches, to marry
once; and in the convents, where the priests are not
monks, but seculars, the inmates are of both sexes. Of
course the convents are open to lady visitors.
It is said that the number of monasteries and convents in
Egypt and its deserts formerly amounted to three hundred
and sixty-six, some of which had numerous inmates, and,
in connection with their founders or their superiors, en-
joyed a world-wide reputation for learning and for sanctity.
Gibbon mentions fifty in the Natron Valley alone, on the
confines of the Lybian Desert, to the north or west of the
Delta, in one of which "the ambitious Cyril passed some
28