• Habib Girgis

    Habib Girgis

    1876 – 1951

    Contents

    Biography

    St. Habib Girgis (1876–1951) was the founder of the Sunday School Movement that initiated sweeping educational and theological reforms in the Coptic Church in the late 19th and early twentieth centuries. For much of his ministry, he was supported by Pope Kyrillos V. In 2012 he was canonised as a saint of the Coptic Church, along with Pope Kyrillos VI.

    Available Texts

    The Mystery of Godliness
    Habib Girgis
    1922

    Bibliography

    A. Works

    A comprehensive bibliography of Habib Girgis’ works can be found in Bishop Suriel, Habib Girgis: Coptic Orthodox Educator and a Light in the Darkness (Crestwood, NY: SVS Press, 2017): 264–67.

    B. Further Reading

    Jayson, Casper. “How Sunday School Sparked Revival in Egypt’s Oldest Church” Christianity Today, June 19, 2018, https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/2018/june/habib-girgis-coptic-revival-sunday-school-movement.html.

    Nasim, Sulayman. 1991. “Habib Jirjis”, in Claremont Coptic Encyclopedia, vol. 4. Macmillan/Claremont Graduate University, School of Religion, 1189a–1189b.

    Shenouda III (Pope). “Our Teacher Archdeacon Habib Girgis”. Translated by S. M. Saad. Watani, August 22, 2013, http://en.wataninet.com/coptic-affairs-coptic-affairs/religious/st-habib-girgis/1440/.

    Suriel (Bishop). Habib Girgis: Coptic Orthodox Educator and a Light in the Darkness. Crestwood, NY: St. Vladamir’s Seminary Press, 2017. (Amazon)

    Yanney, Rodolph. “Light in the Darkness: Life of Archdeacon Habib Girgis (1876–1951).” Coptic Church Review 5, no. 2 (1984): 47–52.

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    Connections:  Pope Kyrillos V

    Affiliation(s):  Clerical College  |  Sunday School Movement
  • Bishop Gregorius

    Bishop Gregorius

    1919 – 2001

    Contents

    Biography

    Bishop Gregorius (Oct 13, 1919–Oct 22, 2001) was the first and only General Bishop for Higher Theological Studies, Coptic Culture and Scientific Research. He was born Wahib ‘Atalla Girgis in Aswan in 1919. He received a Bachelor's degree from the Clerical College (May 1939). He continued to study the humanities at the University of Cairo, earning a Licenciate in Philosophy (July 1944) and a Diploma of Egyptian Antiquities (June 1951). Finally, he undertook a PhD in Egyptology and Coptic Studies at the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom (1952–1955) with a thesis entitled “Greek Words in Coptic Usage”. His broad learning in the humanities is on display in his early contributions to the Sunday School Magazine. He became a monk of Dayr al-Muharraq in 1962, becoming Bakhoum al-Muharraqi. Pope Kyrillos VI ordained him General Bishop for Higher Theological Studies, Coptic Culture and Scientific Research in 1967.

    Available Texts

    Fasting
    Bishop Gregorius
    1969
    Why Clergy Ought to Study Philosophy
    Bishop Gregorius
    1952

    Bibliography

    Works

    Bishop Gregorius’ written legacy is enormous, on a par with those of Pope Shenouda III and Fr Matta al-Miskin. If you can supply any works that are missing, especially letters or voice recordings, please contact us. A bibliography is currently being compiled and will be uploaded soon.

    The most important collection of Bishop Gregorius’ written works, including previously unpublished primary sources, is Monier Ateya’s Mawsū‘at al-Anba Ghrīghūryūs, most of which can be downloaded here or on Coptic Treasures.

    Further Reading

    Casey, John. After Lives: A Guide to Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory, Oxford University Press, 2009 (on pages 369–399).

    Guirguis, M. & van Doorn-Harder, N. The Emergence of the Modern Coptic Papacy. The Popes of Egypt: A History of the Coptic Church and Its Patriarchs, Volume 3. Cairo: American University in Cairo Press, 2011.

    Hasan, S. S. Christians versus Muslims in Modern Egypt: The Century-Long Struggle for Coptic Equality, Oxford University Press, 2003 (pages 86, 88, 89, 111, 159, 205, 226–27, 246).

     

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    Connections:  Fr Matthew the Poor  |  Pope Kyrillos VI

    Affiliation(s):  Sunday School Movement  |  Clerical College
  • Bishop Bimen of Mallawi

    Bishop Bimen of Mallawi

    1930 – 1986

    Contents

    Biography

    Bishop Bimen (22 June 1930–19 May 1986) was Bishop of Mallawi and, in the words of one modern scholar, “one of the most outstanding personalities within the church.”[fn]S. S. Hasan, Christians versus Muslims in Modern Egypt: The Century-Long Struggle for Coptic Equality (Oxford University Press, 2003): 155.[/fn]

    Like his many of his contemporaries in the Sunday School movement, he undertook extensive studies in the liberal arts: a Licenciate in History (1950); Diploma in Higher Education (1951), Masters of Education (1959), and a Bachelor’s degree from the Coptic Theological Seminary (1963).[fn]Hasan, Christians vs Muslims, 89–90.[/fn]

    After working as a teacher in various roles, he dedicated himself to service as a mukarras (consecrated servant) in the house of consecrated servants (bayt al-takrīs) headed by Fr Matta al-Miskin.  He also taught at the Coptic Theological Seminary from 1970–73.[fn]“Antonious, Kamal Habib (His Grace Bishop Bimen),” in Bibliographical Catalogue of Princeton Theological Seminary, 1900–1976, (ed.) A. M. Byers (Princeton, NJ: Princeton Theological Seminary, 1977): 478.[/fn]

    In the early 70s, he left the house of consecrated servants and was invited by Pope Shenouda to serve in the patriarchate: in that capacity, he became a priest and monk in 1973, taking the name Antonios al-Anba Bishoy, and was elevated to hegumen in 1974. Pope Shenouda III briefly made use of him as Vicar of the Patriarchate, before sending him to America for what would prove to be a short but important period of service as a priest in a newly founded parish in Jersey City. While there, he received a Master of Theology degree from Princeton Theological Seminary (1974–75). 

    Upon his return to Egypt in 1975, he was ordained as a General Bishop (June 1975) and then as Bishop of Mallawi and Minya in June 1976, in which position he served until his departure in 1986.

    In September of 1981, Anba Bimen was one of a number of prominent Coptic clergy imprisoned by Anwar Sadat in retribution for Pope Shenouda’s public criticism of the president’s failure to combat Coptic persecution.[fn]Bishop Bimen’s recollections of his imprisonment are included in a recently translated collection: I Rejoice in My Chains: Memoirs of Priests and Bishops in Prison (St Shenouda Press, 2019). On the tensions between Pope Shenouda an Sadat, see M. Guirguis and N. van Doorn-Harder, The Emergency of the Modern Coptic Papacy (Cairo: American University in Cairo Press, 2011): 160–66.[/fn]

    Available Texts

    With the Newborn of Bethlehem
    Bishop Bimen of Mallawi
    1900
    Grace and the Law
    Bishop Bimen of Mallawi
    1984
    What is the Meaning of the Divine Incarnation?
    Bishop Bimen of Mallawi
    1983

    Bibliography

    A. Works

    Bishop Bimen appears to have written exclusively in Arabic (although his Princeton degree suggests he was proficient in English as well). In addition to a number of short books, he wrote regular articles in al-Kiraza Magazine. His works are grouped in the tabs below into books and articles.

    • The Divine Incarnation [al-Tajassud al-Ilahī]. Mallawi: al-Maktaba al-Murqusiyya, 1972. (PDF)
    • Sex is Sacred: A Booklet for Youth [al-Jins muqaddasān: katīb li-l-shabāb]. Dar al-jīl li-l-Ṭibā‘a, 1983. (PDF)
    • Signs of the Church [‘Alamāt al-kanīsa].Metropolitante of Mallawi, Ansena and al-Ashmunein, n.d. (PDF)
    • The Liturgy from a Contemporary Ecumenical Perpsective [al-Lītūrjiyya min manẓār maskūnī ‘aṣrī]. Metropolitate of Mallawi, Ansena and al-Ashmunein, 1977. (PDF)
    • Grace and Law [al-Na‘ma wa-l-nāmūs]. Mallawi: Metropolitanate of Mallawi Press, 1984. (PDF, ACCOT)
    • The Life of Spiritual Struggle [Ḥayāt al-jihād al-rūḥī]. 2nd edn. Mallawi: Metropolitanate of Mallawi Press, 1995. (St Cyril’s Library: 248.311/BA)
    • The Mystery of Holy Love [Sirr al-ḥubb al-muqaddas]. Mallawi: Metropolitanate of Mallawi Press, 1970. Repr. 1992. (St Cyril’s Library: 248.32/BY)

    B. Further Reading

    “Antonious, Kamal Habib (His Grace Bishop Bimen).” In Bibliographical Catalogue of Princeton Theological Seminary, 1900–1976, edited by Arthur M. Byers, 478. Princeton, NJ: Princeton Theological Seminary, 1977. (PDF)

    “Church News: His Grace Anba Bimen,” in al-Kiraza 6, no. 45 (Nov 1975): 3.

    Gadallah, Nevine. “A Brief Look at the Life of the Departed Anba Bimen, Bishop of Mallawi” [Lamḥa ‘an ḥayāt al-mutanayyaḥ al-Anbā Bīmin Usquf Mallawī]. Watani (19 May 2016).

    Hasan, S. S. Christians versus Muslims in Modern Egypt: The Century-Long Struggle for Coptic Equality. Oxford University Press, 2003: 85, 95, 155, 165–6.

    Kozman, Michael (trans). I Rejoice in My Chains: Memoirs of Priests and Bishops in Prison. Putty, NSW: St Shenouda Press, 2019.

    Munīr, Nadyā. “Anba Bimen’s Pastoral Work as a Bishop” [al-‘Amal al-ra‘awy lil-Anbā Bīmin ka-usquf]. Sunday School Magazine 40.6/7 (Aug/Sept 1986): 21–24.

    ——— “The Writings of His Eminence Anba Bimen” [Mu’allifāt niyāfat al-Anbā Bīmin]. Sunday School Magazine 40.6/7 (Aug/Sept 1986): 24–31.

    Nessim, Sulīmān. “Anba Bimen as Educator” [al-Anbā Bīmin murabbiyyān]. Sunday School Magazine 40.6/7 (Aug/Sept 1986): 18–21.

    Ṣidqy, Bishoy (Father). “Consecrated by Fire” [Mukarras min al-nār]. Sunday School Magazine 40.6/7 (Aug/Sept 1986): 15–18.

    Links

    Anba Bimen (Arabic, St-Takla.org Biography)

    Anba Bimen’s Memorial Facebook Page (Arabic)

    Writings of Anba Bimen (Arabic, ChristianLib)

    Writings of Anba Bimen (Arabic, Coptic Treasures)

    Related Content

    Connections:  Wahib Quzman

    Affiliation(s):  Mallawi
    Subject Area(s):  biblical commentary  |  sacramental theology
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