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Coptic Orthodox Church

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كنيسة الشهيد العظيم مارجرجس- ببلفلاور

Saint Peter of Alexandria was the seventeenth patriarch (bishop) of the see of St. Mark (300-311). He was the last of the "martyrs", according to the tradition, and was of great esteem in the East because of his martyrdom. However, he remained an obscure figure. It is the Coptic Church tradition which had the most to say about Peter. The story of his popularity was still attested after his death.

Peter was bishop during the Great Persecution. He had a small but fascinating and important source in the early volumes of church history. Peter’s place of eminence in the church became obvious when Athanasius was fusing together the Coptic and Greek traditions. In the fourth century, Peter lived on in two traditions: first as a martyr and second as a theologian. It is not till later that these two traditions merged. The Coptic Church tradition considered Peter primarily as a pious and humble bishop, who like Christ gave his life to his people and was content with his marvelous deeds. The Greek tradition considered some fragments of his writings as opposing Origenism and thus saw him as an opponent of heretics. Eventually, these two traditions came together. Though very little has been written about the civilian and about the ecclesiastical administrative life of Saint Peter, he is important both for who he was and what he became.

Almost nothing is known for certain about Peter’s early life, including his date of birth, however the History gives him a date of birth the fifth of Abib (July 12). The Bohairic version of the Economium is the most and the sole source of Peter’s childhood and early career. Peter was allegedly the son of Theodosius, senior presbyter of Alexandria, and Sophia who was devout but barren. Like Elizabeth, the mother of John and like Hannah, the mother of Samuel, through prayers and faith, she is blessed with a son, Peter, whom she dedicates to God when he was seven years old. Socrates suggests that Sophia came from Alexandrian nobility. Both the History and the Economium reliably state that Peter was born in Alexandria. It is possible that at the end of the third century he was head of the catechetical school at Alexandria. It is likely that Peter was associated with the famous Christian Academy and that he was elected bishop while directing its affairs. According to the tradition, Theonas was a "father" to Peter and "the one who raised him" and Peter was devoted to the memory of the old bishop. According to the Economium, Theonas was instructed by the Lord to appoint Peter as his successor. It is likely that Peter was elected by Theonas and then, the presbyters assembled and approved the choice by a laying on of hands (History of the Patriarchs, vol. 2, p.383).

After the outbreak of the persecution in 303, Peter’s went into exile probably at the beginning of 304. His flight led to the schism caused by one of his bishops, Melitius of Lycopolis. According to the Economium and the Martyrdom of Saint Peter, Peter fled to Mesopotomia:

Peter was in control of ecclesiastical matters in Alexandria, even from distance. Peter had control of the situation of the church, he had not left in haste; thus, the bishops continued their obedience to him and the church order was maintained (under Peter’s supervision in absentia). Peter may have had more than one motif for his flight: first, is probably to seek personal safety and a secure place from which to continue administering his church; and second, is to avoid provoking further actions by the authorities against the church. Peter justifies himself in Canon 9.

Peter fled from Alexandria and later returned. The chronology is not sure but the following is probably the most accurate sequence:

304                         Peter flees

304-305                 Melitius comes to Alexandria

305-306                 Peter returns and writes the Canonical Letter

Peter faced some difficulties and the most prominent was the Melitian schism. In some writings, some of the Fathers describe Melitius as non-heretic and was "thought of to be first among (the bishops) throughout Egypt and was second only to Peter in the archibishopric (0f Egypt)." Epiphanius. Melitius, Bishop of Lycopolis (asiout) was never thought of highly from the historians. During the absence of Peter, Melitius was accused to have sacrificed to the idols, he overtook the church of Peter and the dioceses of four other bishops who were taken prisoners in the persecution. He assumed all episcopal rights illegally, such as ordination outside of his diocese and he was disrespectful of authority. Melitius started the so-called Melitian schism. He made himself a champion of rigorism and set up the "church of Martyrs". He refused to accept Peter’s schedule for the readmission of the lapsi. No one knows for sure the cause for the Melitian schism. Peter never talked about a disagreement between him and Melitius.

From 306-311 events of Peter’s life are almost unknown. Nothing is known about his return to Alexandria or any confrontations with the Melitians. The opening of the Canonical Letter may indicate that it is possible that the persecution was not enforced in any systematic way and that Peter was able to return for a while to Alexandria. During this return, Peter was probably gathering his flock together, ministering to their needs, and administering the necessary regulations to govern a church torn by the question of apostasy and penance.

Peter was in exile twice and Melitius was arrested and sent to the mines and became a "confessor". It is during this "era of the Martyrs" that the Coptic Church was born. Peter died as a martyr at the end of 311, and the persecution ended early in 312. Peter’s death "set the seal of divine approval on his policies." (Frend). He became the hero of the Alexandrian church and thus Peter became a Coptic saint.

Peter’s writings can be grouped as follows:

1. Letters
2. Theological works
3. Homelical works

1. Letters:

Written in 306 and edited after Peter’s death. Peter wrote 14 ways to deal with the people who had lapsed during the persecution. These letters gave a high place to martyrdom and were to encourage people to grow. Peter along with Cyprian and Dionysius shows the bishops’ insistence on episcopal authority. All three insisted that only the bishop had the right to forgive sins and to set terms of penance. Peter sets the following terms for the various types who has lapsed:

Peter also stated that the fourth and sixth days of the week were set as times of fasting. His charity is thus illustrated, especially in the eleventh canon.

2. A letter from Peter concerning Melitius

In 304-5 Peter attacks Melitius in this letter for invading his diocese and performing illegal ordinations. This letter is one of the "Veronese fragments" (in Latin) and it is regarded as authentic.

3. A Letter Concerning Persecution and the Celebration of the Eucharist

It is a Coptic fragment. In this letter Peter exhorts the community to be prudent during persecution and to be unprovocative. It also directs that "the Eucharist is not to be celebrated twice on the same altar on the same day."

4. A Letter Written during Persecution

A partially published letter in Sahidic Coptic in which Peter seems to be referring to the persecutions by Decius and Valerian.

5. A letter from Peter to Diocletian

It indicates that there was a collection of letters from Peter to Diocletian. This letter does not seem authentic as it is difficult to imagine that the bishop is informing the emperor that he had given himself over to demons.

6. A Letter during Persecution concerning Heretics

It is addressed to the orthodox community during a persecution and exhorts them to avoid heretics. Reference to the persecution in this letter might give it some historical basis but its authenticity is debatable.

2. Theological Works:

1. On the Deity and Humanity

It was written in defense of the true divinity of Christ against subordinationism. Peter identifies the Logos with the Son. He loses nothing by incarnation. He becomes Incarnate to redeem humanity. Peter affirmed that Christ had two natures. Peter saw in the "signs and miracles".

2. On the Soul

These fragments are concerned with the question of preexistence and the resurrection of the body. It is directed against the Origenistic doctrine of the soul’s preexistence and its imprisonment in the body for a sin formerly committed. Preexistence of the soul is foreign to those who wish to live in Christ. Peter’s view is clear: God created both body and soul at one time and in one place, that is from the earth.

3. Pascal Letter (on the Resurrection)

Peter affirms that all in the dead will rise. Peter quotes Paul (Hebrews and Colossians) six times in a very brief passage. He emphasizes the point that there will be a change at the resurrection. Peter is arguing for a materialistic understanding of the resurrection body. He defines the life-giving process not as a revivification bur as a change of quality. Peter sees the resurrection as realized. He tells his audience that Jesus "change" and His Resurrection serves as symbol and reality in their own lives. He emphasizes that because of the change, the disciples did not recognize Jesus. The Syriac fragments should not be used in determining Peter’s thought on the resurrection.

4. On Easter

It deals with fasting on the forth and sixth day. Also, Peter apparently argues for Anatolius’s dating of Easter. Peter follows the Alexandrian custom, which always celebrated Easter after the vernal equinox. He returns to the them of the "Lord’s Day", the day of Resurrection.

Those who quoted Peter saw him as supremely orthodox. Peter’s fragments on Theology listed above cannot be used alone to establish Peter’s theology. Only a few pieces of his writings survived into the fifth century.

3. Homiletical Works:

Its authenticity is not certain.

2. A Homily on Riches

The Coptic homily was discovered in 1910 at the ancient monastery of Saint Michael at Hamouli in the Fayoum. It was intended to be read on one of the festival days of Saint Michael. It may be outlined as follows:

The lesson is the proper use of wealth and the attitudes which should be adopted by the wealthy and the poor. God will judge the righteous, rich and poor alike and punish the wicked, rich or poor.

3. An Epiphany Homily

It is concerning the baptism our Savior received in the Jordan river by John the Baptist (the 11^th of Tobi). It is also from the monastery of Saint Michael.

`Paragraph 40 has been separated and used for the morning office of the forth day of the Holy Week. It is addressed to those who know to hear with the ears of the mind. In paragraph 29, Peter refers to his custom of not sitting in his episcopal chair.

Many of the major problems of the church existed at Alexandria during Peter’s episcopacy: it was divided both ecclesiastically and theologically over how it saw itself. Peter has come down as one of those who embodies the strengths of the church: toughness tempered with compassion, perseverance, and personal piety.

Peter was one of the great moderates of the church. Like Cyprian and Dionysius before him, who, although living in times of great turmoil and danger, nevertheless advocated forgiveness and leniency. He opposed the rigorists in and out of the church who insisted that the faithful be perfect and unstained. Peter reflects the spirit of philanthropy found among the majority of the early fathers of the church.

Some scholars assumed of a full system of penance in Egypt during Peter’s episcopacy. Peter said that the church had the right to forgive sinners and vested that authority in the clergy, especially in the bishops. They tended toward moderation, as opposed to the rigorists, most of whom ended up outside the church. The Canons of Peter exhibit to a larger extent than those of Nicea what Philanthropia means: compassion, mercy, moderation and forgiveness, they show that the respect accorded him was well deserved. The Greek church remembered Peter as a martyr, but the Coptic church came to venerate him as a pastor also.

In 309 the persecution worsened. It is very difficult to determine what took place in Alexandria at that time. With the calm of April 311 "amnesty", Peter returned to Alexandria. He died a few months later when the persecution began anew in October or November 311; he was then beheaded. The reason for which Peter was arrested is unknown. All agree that, once condemned to death, Peter voluntarily gave himself up to the soldiers rather than to bring risk to his flock. Thus he followed the example given by Christ our Lord.

Martyrdom reports that the people placed the martyred Peter upon the episcopal throne, and then, proceeded with the consecration of their new bishop and finally the burial of Saint Peter. This detail may very well be true because, out of humility, Peter always refused to sit on his throne and sat instead on the footstool. The tradition surrounding Peter’s "enthronement" and burial holds him to have been a man of great piety and humility. He is known as "the last of martyrs" or "the seal of the martyrs".

Peter has been venerated immediately. He came to symbolize both the Greek and Copt, the end of persecution and the beginning of the "Great Peace". Alexander, who conducted the church after Peter, engaged in the celebration of his annual festival. The Coptic and Ethiopic churches venerate Peter as "the preacher of the Faith, the counterpart of Paul". His feast day in the Greek Orthodox church is November 25, in the Roman Catholic church November 26; In the Coptic church November 26, Julian and December 8, Gregorian (Athor 29); and in the Ethiopian church December 5.

Very little is known about his life but he is a pillar, not only for the Coptic church but as a Father of the church universally. Cyprian said: "every faithful is a Peter". Also two fine statements summarize Peter’s humility and pragmatism:

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