THE STORY OF THE COPTS - THE TRUE STORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN EGYPT

(Elle) #1

The Council, having passed this inequitable verdict
on Abba Dioscorus, continued to convene. In the session
reckoned the fifth, the discussion centred round the Faith,
and Anatolius, Bishop of Constantinople, seized the
opportunity to declare that the orthodoxy of Abba
Dioscorus was impeccable. The veracity of this witness is
clearly manifested by the fact that despite its injustice, the
Council could only depose Abba Dioscorus, but could
neither degrade nor ex-communicate himn. Had they
really found that he swerved from Orthodoxy, they would
not have been satisfied with a sentence of deposition
alone.
The Council held several sessions after passing its
sentence on Abba Dioscorus, and discussed several
worldly matters, one of which was: who among them
would be first and have more prerogatives. Sadly enough,
this revealed the unworthy intentions and ambitions of a
few among them, who – quite obviously – wanted to bring
the heretofore highly influential Coptic Church of
Alexandria to a position of inferiority, so that
Constantinople and Rome could gain superiority over it.



  1. Before the Council wound up its final sessions,
    word came from Marcianus that he had ratified its
    sentence and decreed the exile of Abba Dioscorus to the
    island of Gangra – off the coast of Asian Minor. The
    imperial confirmation was necessary on account of the
    immense possessions administered by the Patriarch of
    Alexandria.^61 And, with the ratification, the Emperor
    gave the bishops the permission to return to their Sees.

  2. Abba Dioscorus was voluntarily accompanied in
    his exile by four Egyptian clergymen: two bishops, an
    archdeacon and Theopistus his secretary. As for the

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