Origins of Christianity in Egypt
The Coptic Encyclopedia attributes Egypt’s Christian beginnings to Saint Mark’s preaching in Alexandria, while its historical survey traces the Alexandrian church from Demetrius I onward.[^1][^7]
Also known as: Beginnings of Christianity in Egypt · Introduction of Christianity into Egypt · Introduction of Christianity to Egypt
Saint Mark and the Alexandrian Beginnings
The Coptic Church was established by Saint Mark the Evangelist, who preached in Alexandria. He was the Church’s first patriarch.12
The entry on Anianus gives a detailed account of the first conversion. After arriving from Cyrene, Mark entered Rakotis, a suburb of Alexandria, where he sought a cobbler to repair his sandal. When the cobbler, Anianus, injured his hand, Mark reportedly healed him in Jesus’s name and preached Christianity to him. The account continues with Mark teaching and baptizing Anianus’s household.3
According to the same entry, Mark ordained Anianus as bishop, together with three presbyters and seven deacons, before temporarily leaving Alexandria. On his return, the growing community had built a church at Bucalis, beside the eastern harbor. Anianus succeeded Mark after his martyrdom; the entry dates his patriarchate to 68–85.3
Differences in Chronology
There are different chronological indications for Christianity’s introduction. Mark’s arrival in Alexandria is dated to AD 42 and his martyrdom there to 68. The introduction of Christianity, however, is placed in the second half of the first century.24
Religious Background
The preface interprets perceived parallels between ancient Egyptian beliefs and Christian teaching as helping Egyptians receive the new faith. It explicitly distinguishes such parallels from an identification of Egyptian mythology with Christian doctrine.5
The same preface associates Egypt’s Christian heritage with the Flight of the Holy Family. It describes Coptic devotion to places believed to have sheltered Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, including pilgrimage sites and churches commemorating their journey.6
The historical survey is more cautious about some early religious relationships: it describes the connection between Christian communities and Jews as debated, and the influence of gnosticism as unclear. It nevertheless identifies a strong gnostic presence in second-century Alexandria through Basilides and Valentinus, and recognizes Hellenism as important to Alexandrian theology.7
Growth and Historical Evidence
The historical survey states that the history of the Alexandrian church can be traced from Patriarch Demetrius I (189–231) onward. During the third century, Christianity advanced throughout Egypt, with bishops attested in Alexandria, Nilopolis, and Hermopolis; by the century’s end, the Church had gained standing among different social classes and ethnic groups.7
Christian refusal to participate in imperial worship and other religious rites brought conflict with the authorities.8 The survey of Roman and Byzantine Egypt places the emergence of a Christian majority in the fourth century, while noting continuing debate over the pace, extent, and regional differences of conversion, as well as the persistence of pagan communities.9
References
Sources
- 1.The Coptic Encyclopedia — Introduction — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 58)
We must remember that Christianity was preached in the eternal city of Alexandria by Saint Mark, the author of the oldest known gospel.
- 2.The Coptic Encyclopedia — Introduction — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 59)
The establishment of the Coptic church came to pass at the hands of Saint Mark the Evangelist, who became its first patriarch between A.D. 42, the year of his entry into Alexandria, and 68, the year of his martyrdom in the same city.
- 3.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 1 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 344)
ANIANUS, the immediate successor as patriarch (68-85) to Saint MARKI the Evangelist and his first convert to the new religion in the region of Alexandria. When Mark I entered Rakotis, a suburb of Alexandria, following his journey from Cyrene in the Pentapolis, the strap of his sandal broke off. He found a cobbler named Anianus to repair it. While working on the sandal, an awl slipped and pierced Anianus' hand. He then cried "Heis ho Theos," the Alexandrian Greek for "God is one," an utterance that opened the way for Mark to preach monotheistic Christianity to him while miraculously healing his
- 4.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 3 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 654)
The origins of Coptic education may be traced to the period of the introduction of Christianity in the second half of the first century, when ancient educational traditions in the temples became colored with the doctrines and traditions of the new religion.
- 5.The Coptic Encyclopedia — Introduction — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 59)
Without identifying the ancient mythology with Christian doctrine, we must concede that that parallelism in thought paved the way for the acceptance of the new faith, for the purification of the late Egyptian debasement and for corruption of the older mythology.
- 6.The Coptic Encyclopedia — Introduction — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 59)
The Flight of the Holy Family to Egypt also played a role. Jesus who came as a mere infant returned to Palestine a young boy whose mind must have been exposed to the wisdom of the Egyptians. To the present day, the Copts cherish the thought that they gave refuge to Jesus the fugitive and follow the stations of the progress of the Holy Family in places of pilgrimage; churches have been constructed over some of them.
- 7.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 6 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 407)
It is a matter of debate how strongly the early Christian communities were connected with the Jews, and it is far from clear how they were influenced by gnosticism. At any rate, the strong presence of gnosticism in second-century Alexandria is evident in the works of Basilides and Valentinus. Also, the heritage of Hellenism was an important element in the development of Alexandrian theology. The history of the Alexandrian church can be traced from Patriarch DEMETRIUS I (189-231) on. During the third century, the church made considerable progress throughout the country. There were bishops in Al
- 8.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 6 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 407)
The refusal to take part in the cult of the emperors and in other religious rites was a source of conflict with the authorities.
- 9.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 3 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 690)
The end of the persecutions of the Christians and the triumph of Constantine in 324 did not mean the end of paganism, not even the end of conflicts between pagans and Christians (cf. surveys by Maspero, 1923; Hardy, 1952; Rémondon, 1960; new approaches by Pearson and Goehring, 1986). Both coexisted, often very uncomfortably, in the society at large as well as in the army. Notwithstanding these pagan attempts at resistance, Christianity conquered a majority of Egyptians in the course of the fourth century. But the pace and size of this progress, and its regional differentiation, are still debat
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This article was drafted from the sources listed above with AI assistance and reviewed by an editor before publication.