them into mosques. The Moslem aḏān[1] was cried from the great church at Cairo. He plundered monasteries, murdered bishops, massacred monks. Enormous numbers of Copts apostatized to escape persecution. Of the faithful who, in spite of all, clung to their faith, Maḳrīzī says: "troubles came upon them such as they had never yet borne."[2] Maḳrīzī calculates the number of churches destroyed by Ḥākim as over 1030.[3] During this reign Christian services practically stopped in Egypt. At the end of his life he became slightly more tolerant towards Christians. He offended Moslems irreconcilably by declaring that he was an incarnation of God; and he was murdered by them in 1021. The end of this monster is that he is still worshipped by the astonishing sect of the Druzes in the Lebanon. During Ḥākim's reign the Coptic Patriarch was Zachary (1004-1032),who managed to escape with his life during the persecution. Ḥākim was succeeded by his son Aḏ-Ḏāhir (1021-1036), who reigned justly and mercifully. Shenut II[4] (1032-1047) became Patriarch of the Copts. The custom had arisen of paying a large sum to the clergy of Alexandria who elected the Patriarch. He also had to pay a bribe to the Khalif. The Patriarchs refunded themselves by selling bishoprics to the highest bidder. Simony is the constant vice of the Coptic Church. It forms a main subject of complaint in nearly all Coptic synods. Shenut II was a specially bad offender. He not only sold holy orders openly, but he made a synod to declare this practice lawful. After him came Christodulos[5] (1047-1077). He published a code of thirty-one canons, which hold an important place in Coptic canon law. For instance: marriage is forbidden in Lent, baptism and funerals on Good Friday; no foreigner may hold any benefice in the Coptic Church; Wednes-
- ↑ The call to prayer.
- ↑ AlMaḳrīzī: op. cit. 63-65. The Jews were no less cruelly persecuted. They had to ring a bell wherever they went, and to wear a wooden calf's head, in memory of their adoration of a golden calf under Moses. Moslems have nearly always persecuted Jews even more cruelly than Christians.
- ↑ Ib. 56.
- ↑ This name often occurs among Copts. In Coptic it is Shenūt (see A. J. Butler: Ancient Coptic Churches of Egypt, i. p. 352, n. 2). In Arabic it becomes Shanūdah; Maḳrīzī writes Sanutir (op. cit. Arabic text, p. 27). In Latin it is Sanutius.
- ↑ In Arabic 'Abdu-lMasīḥ ("Servant of Christ").
