Iris Habib Elmasry
Encyclopedia
Iris Habib Elmasry was a prominent Copt
ic Historian
(1910–1994).
means The Egyptian
.
Her father Habib Elmasry was the secretary of the General Congregation Council
of the Coptic Orthodox Church. She had two brother Amin who was a prominent surgeon, and died in the 1960s, and Sami who was director of the Egyptian State Bureau for Tourism in London, and three sisters; Eva, who helped Iris in her work, Soraya, an avid pianist, and Dora, who was married to Dr Aziz El Masry
Mr Habib Elmasry, was the secretary of the General Congregation council for three terms, and was known for his strong support of ordination of a Monk to be the Coptic Pope and not a Metropolitan or a Bishop. This issue caused an ongoing dispute in the Coptic Orthodox Church and although The Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church
has considered in the 1960s the General Bishops to be secretaries to the Pope in the degree of a Bishop
, Miss Elmasry in her List of Coptic Orthodox Popes of Alexandria she considered Pope Shenouda III
(1971–Present), who was a general Bishop before, to be the fourth Bishop to become a Pope after Popes John XIX
(1928–1942), Macarius III
(1942–1944)and Joseph II
(1946–1956).
Iris received her Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in Education from Maria Grey College, University of London
in 1932.
Between 1952 and 1954 she pursued her research at Dropsie College, Philadelphia, and in 1955, she went to the National Gallery, London
to obtain further materials and documents.
In 1954, Pope Joseph II
appointed Iris as the female delegate of the Coptic Church to the Second Assembly of the World Council of Churches in Evanston, Illinois, USA.
From 1955 to 1985 Iris continued to lecture in Coptic History
at both the Seminary in Cairo and Alexandria and at the Institute of Coptic Studies
.
Iris departed in the Lord on Saturday, July 2, 1994.
(1959–1971): the book shows how highly appreciative she was of His Holiness's work.
She considered Abouna Matta El Meskeen the Spiritual Father of the Monks in St. Macarius' Monastery
in Scetis (Egypt
) as her mentor and she always expressed gratitude to him in the introductions to her books and also to father Bishoy Kamel
of Alexandria.
Iris wrote The Story of the Copts in English in two volumes first published in 1975 by the Middle East Council of Churches
, and she also wrote a book called Introduction to Coptic Church Published in English in 1977.
Pope Youssab II
, the 115th Pope (1946–1956), appointed her in 1954 as his secretary for correspondence with the World Council of Churches
. and his successor Pope Kyrillos VI
, the 116th Pope (1959–1971), appointed her in 1966, Counselor to young Coptic women.
In addition she wrote other books:
and provides a comprehensive approach to the history of Christianity in Egypt and point of view of the Coptic Church regarding many debatable issue like Council of Chalcedon
.
In the introduction to the first volume of her nine volumes book on the history of the Coptic Church, she mentions a conversation she had with a non-Egyptian about Council of Chalcedon
; during which she explained the Coptic view regarding the council.
She used a lot of sources in her work and mentioned many known scripts in different languages . Her work shows clear affection towards her church, and high esteem to certain people in the church’s history. This may be the reason behind the way she presented the history of Pope Cyril III
in comparison to the way it was presented in Abouna Menassa Youhanna
's book History of the Coptic Church .
Copt
The Copts are the native Egyptian Christians , a major ethnoreligious group in Egypt....
ic Historian
Coptic history
Coptic history is part of history of Egypt that begins with the introduction of Christianity in Egypt in the 1st century AD during the Roman period, and covers the history of the Copts to the present day...
(1910–1994).
Biography
Iris Habib Elmasry was born into a righteous Coptic family 1910, Her family name Elmasry in Arabic languageArabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
means The Egyptian
Egyptians
Egyptians are nation an ethnic group made up of Mediterranean North Africans, the indigenous people of Egypt.Egyptian identity is closely tied to geography. The population of Egypt is concentrated in the lower Nile Valley, the small strip of cultivable land stretching from the First Cataract to...
.
Her father Habib Elmasry was the secretary of the General Congregation Council
General Congregation Council
General Congregation Council is part of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria and represents the laity of the Church, it is also known as the Coptic Orthodox Lay Council...
of the Coptic Orthodox Church. She had two brother Amin who was a prominent surgeon, and died in the 1960s, and Sami who was director of the Egyptian State Bureau for Tourism in London, and three sisters; Eva, who helped Iris in her work, Soraya, an avid pianist, and Dora, who was married to Dr Aziz El Masry
Mr Habib Elmasry, was the secretary of the General Congregation council for three terms, and was known for his strong support of ordination of a Monk to be the Coptic Pope and not a Metropolitan or a Bishop. This issue caused an ongoing dispute in the Coptic Orthodox Church and although The Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church
The Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church
The Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria is the highest authority in the Church of Alexandria and it formulates the rules and regulations regarding matters of church's organisation, faith, service's order....
has considered in the 1960s the General Bishops to be secretaries to the Pope in the degree of a Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
, Miss Elmasry in her List of Coptic Orthodox Popes of Alexandria she considered Pope Shenouda III
Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria
Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria is the 117th Pope of Alexandria and the Patriarch of All Africa on the Holy Apostolic See of Saint Mark the Evangelist of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria...
(1971–Present), who was a general Bishop before, to be the fourth Bishop to become a Pope after Popes John XIX
Pope John XIX of Alexandria
Pope John XIX of Alexandria was the Coptic Patriarch of Alexandria ,Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark .-A Monk:...
(1928–1942), Macarius III
Pope Macarius III of Alexandria
Pope Macarius III of Alexandria was the Coptic Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of All Africa .Born on 18 February 1872 in El-Mahalla El-Kubra, Egypt died on 31 August 1945 in Cairo....
(1942–1944)and Joseph II
Pope Joseph II of Alexandria
Pope Joseph II of Alexandria, known in Coptic as Yusab II was the Coptic Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St...
(1946–1956).
Iris received her Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in Education from Maria Grey College, University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
in 1932.
Between 1952 and 1954 she pursued her research at Dropsie College, Philadelphia, and in 1955, she went to the National Gallery, London
National Gallery, London
The National Gallery is an art museum on Trafalgar Square, London, United Kingdom. Founded in 1824, it houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The gallery is an exempt charity, and a non-departmental public body of the Department for Culture, Media...
to obtain further materials and documents.
In 1954, Pope Joseph II
Pope Joseph II of Alexandria
Pope Joseph II of Alexandria, known in Coptic as Yusab II was the Coptic Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St...
appointed Iris as the female delegate of the Coptic Church to the Second Assembly of the World Council of Churches in Evanston, Illinois, USA.
From 1955 to 1985 Iris continued to lecture in Coptic History
Coptic history
Coptic history is part of history of Egypt that begins with the introduction of Christianity in Egypt in the 1st century AD during the Roman period, and covers the history of the Copts to the present day...
at both the Seminary in Cairo and Alexandria and at the Institute of Coptic Studies
Institute of Coptic Studies
The Institute of Coptic Studies was founded in 1954 by the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria. It is based in Cairo....
.
Iris departed in the Lord on Saturday, July 2, 1994.
Work
She took interest in the history of the Coptic Orthodox Church and in 1948 published the first volume of her nine-volumes book Story of the Coptic church. The seventh volume of this history is about the era of Pope Cyril VIPope Cyril VI of Alexandria
Father Mina became Pope of Alexandria on 10 May 1959 . In accordance with the old Coptic church tradition, Pope Cyril VI was the only monk in the 20th century to be chosen for papacy without having being a bishop /Metropolitan first...
(1959–1971): the book shows how highly appreciative she was of His Holiness's work.
She considered Abouna Matta El Meskeen the Spiritual Father of the Monks in St. Macarius' Monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
in Scetis (Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
) as her mentor and she always expressed gratitude to him in the introductions to her books and also to father Bishoy Kamel
Bishoy Kamel
Bishoy Kamel also spelled Bishoi Kamel , was a priest of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria. He is considered to be a saint of that faith.-Life:...
of Alexandria.
Iris wrote The Story of the Copts in English in two volumes first published in 1975 by the Middle East Council of Churches
Middle East Council of Churches
After many years of preliminary moves, the Middle East Council of Churches was inaugurated in May 1974 at its First General Assembly in Nicosia, Cyprus. Initially it contained three "families" of Christian Churches in the Middle East, the Eastern Orthodox Churches, the Oriental Orthodox Churches...
, and she also wrote a book called Introduction to Coptic Church Published in English in 1977.
Pope Youssab II
Pope Joseph II of Alexandria
Pope Joseph II of Alexandria, known in Coptic as Yusab II was the Coptic Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St...
, the 115th Pope (1946–1956), appointed her in 1954 as his secretary for correspondence with the World Council of Churches
World Council of Churches
The World Council of Churches is a worldwide fellowship of 349 global, regional and sub-regional, national and local churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service. It is a Christian ecumenical organization that is based in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland...
. and his successor Pope Kyrillos VI
Pope Cyril VI of Alexandria
Father Mina became Pope of Alexandria on 10 May 1959 . In accordance with the old Coptic church tradition, Pope Cyril VI was the only monk in the 20th century to be chosen for papacy without having being a bishop /Metropolitan first...
, the 116th Pope (1959–1971), appointed her in 1966, Counselor to young Coptic women.
In addition she wrote other books:
- The Blessed Virgin 1970
- Women in the Church 1979
- The Pharaonic Influence on Modern Coptic Life 1980
- Bishop Samuel 1983
- Father Bishoy Kamel 1980
- Habib Pascha El Masry 1971
Style
Miss Elmasry's work was very thorough: she made every effort not to omit details that she considered important. As a result, her work is more detailed, and of greater use to both academic and non-academic readers is valuable for any researcher in Coptic historyCoptic history
Coptic history is part of history of Egypt that begins with the introduction of Christianity in Egypt in the 1st century AD during the Roman period, and covers the history of the Copts to the present day...
and provides a comprehensive approach to the history of Christianity in Egypt and point of view of the Coptic Church regarding many debatable issue like Council of Chalcedon
Council of Chalcedon
The Council of Chalcedon was a church council held from 8 October to 1 November, 451 AD, at Chalcedon , on the Asian side of the Bosporus. The council marked a significant turning point in the Christological debates that led to the separation of the church of the Eastern Roman Empire in the 5th...
.
In the introduction to the first volume of her nine volumes book on the history of the Coptic Church, she mentions a conversation she had with a non-Egyptian about Council of Chalcedon
Council of Chalcedon
The Council of Chalcedon was a church council held from 8 October to 1 November, 451 AD, at Chalcedon , on the Asian side of the Bosporus. The council marked a significant turning point in the Christological debates that led to the separation of the church of the Eastern Roman Empire in the 5th...
; during which she explained the Coptic view regarding the council.
She used a lot of sources in her work and mentioned many known scripts in different languages . Her work shows clear affection towards her church, and high esteem to certain people in the church’s history. This may be the reason behind the way she presented the history of Pope Cyril III
Pope Cyril III of Alexandria
Pope Cyril III of Alexandria was the Coptic Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark Number 75...
in comparison to the way it was presented in Abouna Menassa Youhanna
Menassa Youhanna
Father Menassa Youhanna was a Coptic priest, historian and theologian, most noted for his work on the history of the Coptic Orthodox Church.- Biography :...
's book History of the Coptic Church .
See also
- CoptCoptThe Copts are the native Egyptian Christians , a major ethnoreligious group in Egypt....
s - List of prominent Copts
- Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria
- Habib GirgisHabib GirgisArchdeacon Habib Kozman Girgis was a modern-day dean of the Catechetical School of Alexandria. Habib Girgis was born in Cairo in 1876....
- Menassa YouhannaMenassa YouhannaFather Menassa Youhanna was a Coptic priest, historian and theologian, most noted for his work on the history of the Coptic Orthodox Church.- Biography :...
- EgyptEgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
- Coptic historyCoptic historyCoptic history is part of history of Egypt that begins with the introduction of Christianity in Egypt in the 1st century AD during the Roman period, and covers the history of the Copts to the present day...