Recently,
I traveled to Canada on a family vacation and toured the Province
of Quebec. It was really picturesque country with the puffy white
clouds in the sky, the icecaps floating in the St Lawrence River,
and snow covering the farmlands and mountains in a vastness of white.
With whiteness covering all that the eye should see one could not
help but to think of this as perhaps an earthly Heaven giving us
a glimpse of the beautiful Kingdom of God.
While in
this inspiring setting I visited historical landmarks, which included
beautiful, breath taking Basilica's. The paintings and ornamentation
of the Basilica's were beyond words. While visiting the St Anne
Basilica in Beaupre' I read the "original" church was dedicated
to St Anne, the mother of St Mary, for the safe keeping of shipwrecked
mariners journeying to Canada. The "original" church had burned
and this magnificent church had replaced the "original." The word
"original" did not soon leave me. I was told the Basilica's value
was estimated at:
Two
Billion Dollars.
Another
Basilica that I visited was in Montreal, the Basilica of Notre Dame.
It was yet another beautiful monument of religious worship. The
pipe organs, the Italian paintings, and statues will always be remembered.
The Church was very rich in historical significance for the area
of Montreal. I read that the Old Notre-Dame Church was "demolished"
in 1830 and its old bell tower " knocked down" in 1843 following
the completion of the new towers in the new church to take its place.
The word "demolished" did not soon leave me either. My best guess
is that this church compared to the previous one is worth well in
excess of:
Two
Billion Dollars.
I begin
to think of our many Coptic Orthodox Cathedrals and monasteries
in Egypt. Did the Coptic homeland and its many places of worship
to the Lord Jesus Christ have an estimated value? Do the churches
and cathedrals contain as much wealth (gold, paintings, ornamentation,
and carved inscriptions) as the Basilica's I had visited? This thought
of comparison had never before entered into my mind. Why now?
After pondering
on this question for some time. I came to the realization that the
Coptic Orthodox Church is truly blessed. The Lord and all His Goodness
and Mercy has taken very careful care of our beloved Church. The
vast majority of our churches are still in their "original" state.
The vast majority of our churches have not been "demolished" through
efforts of our own.
It is truly
a blessing to be able to appreciate original wall paintings that
are "painted on the walls" and STILL THERE ON THE WALLS! Ancient
Coptic art can be found in many Egyptian Churches. Authentic Coptic
architecture abounds within these same places of worship. This was
a blessing that I had taken for granted until now. My best estimate
for the worth of our churches:
Priceless
I purchased
a book entitled "St Anne de Beaupre" and within it outlined the
history of the Basilica in which I toured. I found an interesting
beginning for the book, "St Anne worship first started in the Orient
(that's us, Coptic Orthodox) following the Ephese Council in 431
which determined Mary's Motherhood and thus acknowledged her own
mother's dignity." First the devotion to St Anne began in Jerusalem,
then Constantinople and then throughout the East. While reading
I quickly came to another conclusion. Not only were we blessed with
authenticity in structures also we were blessed with authenticity
in faith.
Much has
already been addressed with the 2000 Years of Coptic Christianity
that we have witnessed. Yet when another religious denomination
speaks to and documents this in correlation to one of their monuments
it really makes one take a step back. It certainly made me feel
that I have not been appreciative enough of this blessing. The price
of authenticity of the Orthodox faith and worship without change:
Priceless
Along with
structures and preservation of faith I begin to think of our monastic
heritage. Many Coptic Monasteries have been inhabited since the
third century. The artifacts being uncovered everyday are astounding
to me. Manuscripts abound and precious care is taken of all written
documents. Primitive artwork is more common than uncommon. Relics
of saints are innumerable. Again, My best estimate for the replacement
value of the monasteries:
Priceless
Antiquity
is indeed priceless. This article is not about money or wealth in
terms of paper. It is about blessings that I did not value until
a visit made to another country. It is about blessings that were
always mine but I did not count until recently. Perhaps you should
know that, although Coptic Orthodox, I have only visited the country
of Egypt through pictures and words in books as many of you. I can't
image the feelings that I will have when I actually visit the authentic
places that I have only read of.
In keeping
with the thought of authenticity I want to entreat everyone to help
the Coptic motherland protect our many blessings. In January, I
read an article in the Tampa Tribune that addressed a 2000-year-old
tree being destroyed. Upon reading further I realized it was a tree
in which a Coptic tradition holds "bowed before the Lord Christ"
when St Mary and St Joseph passed through Egypt to escape from King
Herod.
Why anyone
would want to destroy a 2000-year-old tree is incomprehensible to
me. Why anyone would want to destroy a Christian MONUMENT such as
this tree was, is heartbreaking AND incomprehensible. The deed has
been done but we must not rest with "There is nothing I can do about
it now."
Because
there is something we can all do. We can encourage the Egyptian
tourism ministry to protect and develop our Christian landmarks
or before you know it, our landmarks will become as others have
become. Places of worship with "estimated values."
Please
pray with me that God will continue to bless Egypt in its authenticity.