Listen to the first part from 0.0 to 0.5 (in Arabic)
Pope Shenouda III (1971 – 2012) was probably the closest Coptic patriarch to his people, always teaching and answering questions from the people. Every Wednesday evening he held a question-answer session followed by a sermon. One of the questions, which I include in the above loaded video, timestamps 0.0 to 0.5) which drew my attention was from a Coptic youth.
The Coptic youth is not named. He refers to himself as a “Christian youth” rather than a Coptic youth, which is a tell-tale of the lack of understanding or awareness of the Coptic identity, which is not simply Christian. His question comes from this perspective, of perhaps seeing himself as “Christian Arab”, the sort of Arabised Copt who has forgotten his own identity. His ignorance of central elements in the Coptic identity is displayed in his second question: “Is the Coptic language same as the Latin language?” Pope Shenouda explains to him in the video clip that the Coptic language is different from Latin – the former being the last series of development from the Pharaonic language, while the latter is the Roman language. Such questions from Coptic youth show the damage inflicted upon the Copts by the Arab dominated state-sponsored education and the lack of any Coptic control over their own cultural issues. As we have said before, the demise of the independent Coptic schools that were first set up by Pope Cyril IV (1854 – 1861) by the Arab nationalist government of Nasser in 1955, is one of the greatest blows to the Copts and their culture, and that is why we call now for a Coptic national cultural autonomy which guarantees us independence in cultural matters.
But let us return to the direct question to Pope Shenouda about the importance of the Coptic language in the life of the Christian youth. How did Pope Shenouda answer it and what it means?
Pope Shenouda answers the chap, saying:
The importance [of Coptic to the Christian youth] is that he [may] understand the church melodies (hymns) and also understand many sections in the liturgy. And also [so that he may] understand his Christian identity. Oh, yes, should he remain without an identity?
There are two parts to this answer:
First, Pope Shenouda repeats what most Coptic clergy can safely say: that learning Coptic is important for the Copts so that they may understand ecclesiastical melodies and liturgy. The Arab authorities cannot object to this for as long the purpose of learning and educating Coptic is limited to the religious. There is lack of a national dimension in this; and Coptic being learned by Copts would be seen as, e.g., Latin being learned by the Italian or Portuguese or Filipino or Argentinian Catholic – its purpose is solely ecclesiastical, and the language does not form any part of national identity, rooted in history, and manifested in a separate literature.
Second, Pope Shenouda, however, known for his courage but wisdom also, does not restrict the learning of Coptic language to the religious purpose. He talks about the importance of Coptic in forming the Coptic identity – an identity that makes him separate from the Arabs, and an identity that should be maintained, protected and promoted. Of course Pope Shenouda does not talk so explicitly about that, but the meaning is clear. In what seems to be like any potential criticism friom the Arab state, he says: “Ah, yes, should he [the Copt] remain without an identity?”, emphasising the separate Coptic identity in Egypt which is based on the Coptic language, amongst others, and not Arabic. What Pope Shenouda could not say in detail, he said it in a few words. And those Copts who see themselves as a cultural nation not just a religion sect saw, listened and understood.
The Coptic Church must tread carefully in a country dominated by the Arabs and which is antagonistic to the Copts, though superficially professes unity and equality. The truth is that the Coptic Church has been, and still is, a hostage in the hands of the Muslim Arab rulers – they know it, and we know it. The Church has to consider all things before expressing a certain position, and has to avoid expressing opinion if damage will soon come to the Church and its followers from the Muslim Arab authorities. The Church is expected to toe the line – if she stepped it, she falls out with the state; and the state punishes the Church. This is the essence of the Islamic contract (‘qd) regarding the relationship between the Muslim state and the Dhimmis inside it, who are headed by their patriarchs. We have seen what Sadat did to Pope Shenouda in 1981.
But while some Coptic popes may cower in terror from Muslim Arab potential retribution, there are many who don’t. Pope Shenouda was one, but he also used wisdom. “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves,” so spoke Christ (Matthew 10:16). The Coptic nationalists do not need to be so careful. They must answer the question about the importance of the Coptic language in a more frank way, which was not possible for the great Pope Shenouda III: Coptic language is important for it is a main pillar in our unique national identity.