THE COPTIC ORTHODOX CHURCH As a Church of KNOWLEDGE & THEOLOGY
This booklet is a conversation between Mark and his uncle George about Saint Mark and the school of Alexandria. St. Mark established a Christian school in Alexandria called The Catechetical School of Alexandria.
BOOKS FOR KIDS
THE COPTIC ORTHODOX CHURCH
As a Church of
KNOWLEDGE & THEOLOGY
Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty
Bishoy Boshra Fayez
Estefanos Selwaness
Queen St. Mary & Prince Tadros
Coptic Orthodox Church
283 Davidsons Mill Road
South Brunswick, NJ 0883
Uncle George: Hey Mark. Welcome to 4th grade Sunday School Class. Do you know who you were named after?
Mark: St. Mark.
Uncle George: Very Good! Do you know the title of St. Mark?
Mark: Um.
Uncle George: St. Mark was the first Pope of Alexandria.
Mark: but Why just Alexandria?
Uncle George: When St. Mark came to Egypt, he first went to Alexandria.
Mark: But why just Alexandria.
Uncle George: Alexandria was a major center of learning in the old world. In fact, many people came to Alexandria to learn because it was famous for its schools and libraries. Therefore, St. Mark also established a very important Christian school in Alexandria.
Mark: What was it called?
Uncle George: The Cathecitcal School of Alexandria.
Mark: Who would go to that school?
Uncle George: The School instructed anyone that wanted to learn about Christianity before being baptized.
Mark: People had to learn before getting baptized?
Uncle George: Of course, there were courses for non-Christians about the principles of Christianity, courses for Christians about the Christian morals, as well as advanced studies.
Mark: But how come, they didn’t learn at church instead?
Uncle George: The School of Alexandria was very important because:
1. It produced many spiritual and church leaders throughout the years. Some even become Bishops after St. Mark
2. It won many souls to Christianity from Egypt and abroad.
3. It attracted students from other countries; many of them became leaders and bishops in their own churches.
4. It clarified the importance of education in Christianity.
5. It used philosophy to reach out to the pagan philosophers that lived in Egypt and across the world.
Mark: And who was in charge of the school after St. Mark
Uncle George: Some of the leaders were Athenagoras, Pantaenus, Clement, Origen, Heraclas, Alexander, Dionysius, Theognostes, Peter, Macarius, Didymus the Blind as well as Athanasius the Apostolic, Cyril of Alexandria, and Dioscorus.
