The recent and worrying news of violent incidents between the Muslim majority and Copts, a largely unknown Christian minority of Egypt, made many ask “since when are there Christians in Egypt?” The answer is simple: since the first or second century AD. Egypt, just like most of the Middle East and North Africa, was at the time of its conquest (650 AD) by the Arabs an area inhabited by a diversity of native people, including Ancient Egyptians, Berbers, Semitic and Jewish tribes, or the Aramaic people of Syria. The Arab conquest did not always completely exterminate or absorb (ethnically or religiously) the natives. Remnants of these populations, in their majority Christian, are still present in the Middle East. They include the Syriac, Palestinian, Lebanese, or Mesopotamian (Chaldean) Christians. As Faulkner used to say, the past in not dead, is not even past.
As for the Copts of Egypt, the largest Christian Community in the Middle East, which numbers between 6-7 million members, it is important to note that they are the largest “native” population of the Middle East. Their original (and now liturgical language) is the last version of the Ancient Egyptian demotic language. In other words, the language spoken during some Coptic rituals is similar to the language used by the ordinary people of Egypt in late Antiquity (1st century BC – 7th century AD.
More info about the Middle East Christians.
Related articles
- Copt-Muslim clash in Cairo renews question: Who are the Copts? (csmonitor.com)
- One dies in Copt-Muslim clash in Cairo – BBC News (news.google.com)
- Sectarian violence: Muslims, Coptic Christians fight in Egypt (shortformblog.tumblr.com)
Main Coptic Communities and Churches