Desert fathers in the limelight
The Third Symposium on Coptic Studies that took place at the White Monastery of St Shenoude west of Sohag early this month cast light on the life and times of an extraordinary Upper Egyptian monk, says Jill Kamil


The opening ceremony on 2 February took place in the huge open courtyard of St Shenoude's Monastery, which lies some eight kilometres west of Sohag. Bishop Yuhannes, abbot of both the White and Red monasteries (so-called because the former is built of white limestone and the latter of red brick) welcomed the participants and organisers of the symposium at the entrance to the basilica, along with General Mohamed Sharawi, governor of Sohag, and his entourage, Bishop Bakhum of Sohag, Bishop Bashada of Akhmim, and an unexpectedly large representation of bishops from further afield along with their delegations. It soon became clear that not all the notables could be accommodated on the platform erected for them, and many had to take their seats with the participants. Present also was Abdullah Kamel, head of the Coptic and Islamic sector of the Supreme Council of Antiquities.