But the patriarch Athanasius did not agree with his predecessors. In the ninety-third canon of the 107 canons of Athanasius he said, "O beloved, let none of the priests and believers neglect to attend mass Saturday and Sunday." 24 Athanasius was patriarch from 326 to 372 (with the exception of those years in which he was deposed), and this observance of two days, one in honor of creation and the other in honor of the resurrection of Christ, seems to have been the common practice in Egypt. Of the large number of references found in Coptic texts, only a few typical ones have been chosen from Jacob Muyser's collection. He gives the original Coptic, or Arabic, text with a French translation. These follow in English.
Fasts.—The Egyptians did not fast on Saturday -or Sunday.—"There are no fasts Sundays nor Saturdays except abstaining from fat. We rest from fasting on the seventh day from the cockcrowing. One must not fast Saturday, because the Lord rested from all His labors." 25
"Those of the priests who were found fasting either on Sunday or Saturday excepting Easter Saturday were deposed." 26
In the canons of Christodulos, sixty-sixth patriarch of Alexandria from I047 to 3078, it is also mentioned that there is no fasting on Saturday, "except that of Easter Saturday." 27
Ascetics Broke Fasts on Saturday.—"The monks of Scete fast all the week. When they have reached Saturday, the men of Egypt (who fasted two days a week) took their places to eat with the elders." 28
Of some it was said, "They were accustomed to eating nothing from Sunday to Saturday, and even then they ate only one or two buns." 29 And of a number it is recorded that they ate nothing from Saturday to Saturdays30
Days for Mass and Communion.—Of St. Aphou, hermit and bishop of Pemdje, it is recorded:
"He came from his monastery in the desert to the church and assembled the people, and spake to them of the Word of God, until evening. They spent Saturday night saying masses, praying, and chanting psalms. He officiated at high mass and conducted catechisms till noon on Sunday, to enable him to return to his monastery till Saturday."'
This bishop was contemporaneous with the patriarch Theophile, twenty-third patriarch of Alexandria, 384 to 412.32
Among many such accounts there is one from the Apophthegmata patrum with a good comparison of Apa Poimen, between "the deer which have heartburn from eating serpents in the desert and are desirous of quenching their thirst with fresh water, and the monks living in the desert who love Saturday and Sunday, because on these days they come to the source of water—the body and blood of the Lord, purifying themselves of all bitter attacks of unholy demons." 33
Apa Aaron related of Apa Macedonius that, having become governor of Assuan, he went to Philae. "This was on a Saturday, and I searched for a place to receive communion, because I was an orthodox Christian. . . . Nevertheless certain priests of the city of Syene [Assuan] visit us, and give us communion Saturday and Sunday." 34
Church Attendance.—Saturday and Sunday are the two days when the monks and people always attended church services. "Assemble yourselves each day at the church, above all, Saturday and the resurrection day which is Sunday." 35 Even slaves were given the opportunity of resting two days each week. "Slaves work five days. Saturday and Sunday, however, they should be free from all occupation, to attend church, because the Lord, when He finished creation, rested Saturday, and also that Sunday was the day of the resurrection of the Lord." " Palladius reports that the monks of Natrun came to church only on Saturday and Sunday.37
Baptisms on Saturday. During some periods baptisms were usually performed on Saturday. "And those who should be baptized, take a bath the fifth day of the week, and eat, then fast on Friday. . . . Then on Saturday, the bishop will gather those who may be baptized, etc." "
Current Coptic Liturgy.—In the present Coptic liturgy are still to be found indications that Saturday was honored in a special manner at the side of Sunday." In the ancient Saidic and Bohairic Katameras there are listed the passages to be read during the mass for the different Saturdays of the ecclesiastical year, as well as for the Sundays and the great feasts.40
Souls in Hell.—According to one statement from the fifth century, it would seem that the souls in hell had only one day of rest each week. "He [God] commanded [the angels] who punish souls, to grant them a rest, because today is Sunday and the day of the resurrection of the Lord." 41 However, another statement from the seventh century gives the assurance that Saturday is also a day of mercy for the tortured souls in the Amenti. ".And the mummy said [to John the priest], 'Yes, my father, mercy is granted to those who are in torments every Saturday and Sunday.' " 42
Present Practice.—My personal observations and discussions during six years' residence in Egypt support the position here taken regarding Saturday and Sunday observance in the Coptic Church. In theory, both Saturday and Sunday should be observed as holydays, but at the present time Sunday is the only day that is honored.
—To be concluded next month
22 Jacob Muyser, Le Saln e di et le dimanche dans l'egUse et la litterature coptes p. i to, quoting Carl Schmidt. Fragment einer Schrift des Miirtyrerleischofs Petry: von Alexandrian (Leipzig, 1901), S-4.
23/bid., P. 94, referring to l'Historia Lausiaca, par. 18 1.c. S.41
24/bid., p. too, quoting from W. Riedel and W. E. Crum, The Canons of Athanasius of Alexandria (London, 2904), p. 92. p. 91, quoting from chap. 15 of Livre des canons reunis par Ibn al-assal (composed in A.D. 1238, ed. Eveque Isudurus, Le Caire, 1927).
26Ibid.
27 /bid, refers to 0. Burmester, in Le Museon, t. XLV (1932), p. 76 (texte) and p. 81 (trad.).
28/bid., p. 92, quoting E. Porcher, Les Apophtegmes des Peres (Coptic fragments in Paris), in R.O.C., t. XVIII(2913), p. 17ta.
29/1id., quoting C. Wessely, Studien zur PaleograPhie end Papyruskunde, Bd. XVIII (Leipzig, 1917), S. 39, No. 271 f. col. B.
30 /bid., p. 93.
31/bid., p. 95, quoting F. Rossi, Tre Manoscritti Copti, etc. (Torino, 1885), pp. 18 col. A16-col. B15 and 19 col. A5-col. B3.
32 "Ibid.
33 /bid., p. 97, referring to G. Zoega, Catalogus, pp. 319, 320. p. 98, quoting W. Budge, Miscellaneous Coptic Texts, etc. (London, /915) p. 444.
34"Ibid., p. 99, quoting chap. 19 of Livre des canons reunis par Ibn al-assal, p. 165. p. 100, quoting chap. 15 of Livre des canons, p. 166.
35 /bid, refers to l'Historia Lausiaca, sec. 7, S.20.
36 Ibid, p. 102, refers to chap. 3 of Livre des canons, p. 19.
37Ibid., p. 105.
38 Ibid., p. io6.
39 Ibid., p.ro8, quoting W. Budge, Copt. Mart., etc., p. 3I
40 bid., p. too, quoting E. Amelineau, Un eveque de Kelt an Vile Siècle (Memoires de l'Institute Egyptien, II,
* We regret that the sailing arrangements for Elder Branson to return to his field in the Near East made impossible final verification of the extracts from the leading work quoted, which he has with him.—EDITOR.
