Limelight: Desert fathers By Lubna Abdel-Aziz Is the desert the forbidden, burning, wasteland we all shun and fear? This vast and empty wilderness, parched and dry, boundless and bare, has lured countless men of profound religious faith to its warm throbbing heart, making the desert their paradise on earth. Deserts, "those lone and level sands that stretch far away," cover about one seventh of the Earth's land surface. While they cannot support abundant plant and animal life because of their dry soil and insufficient rainfall, there is always a running stream or oasis nearby that nurtures certain plants and animals adept at adjusting to the hot dry climate. It has therefore, been a welcoming spot for men seeking its purity and power, to feel a union with their creator. Like the vast and endless sea, deserts seem to unite with the heavens in their strength and majesty. Unlike the sea though, men are able to spend their whole lives in the comforting warmth of its murmuring sands. And so they have -- dedicated to serving their faith and glorifying their God. They separate themselves from the ways of ordinary men, for the peace and solitude the gentle desert affords. Wrapped in long cloth robes for protection against the scorching sun and blowing sands, they adopt a monastic lifestyle calling themselves monks, from the Greek monos, meaning "alone". "The ones who live alone" built the earliest Christian monasteries in the deserts of Egypt. The first monk in history was St Anthony of Thebes. About 271 AD, St Anthony left the bustling towns to wander alone in the Egyptian desert and lead a solitary life. He became the world's first Christian monk. That marks the birth date of the monasteries. Others soon followed. Monasteries continued to rise from the desert sands, amidst striking green palm trees: "It is easy to feel a divine spirit where water suddenly rises from the desert floor". These monks were dubbed, "the desert fathers" and their desolate desert, the "monks' garden", bustan al-rohban. Living a Spartan life away from the amenities and distractions of civilisation, they were known as "those who did without". And so they did -- without baths, leisure, sex; with little food, little sleep and ragged clothes. They learned to listen to the word of God rather than the talk of men. They made their desert "rejoice and blossom as the rose". Several monasteries were established in the vast Egyptian desert, especially between the Nile Valley and the Red Sea coast during the fourth century. Dozens of active monasteries are scattered all over Egypt from Alexandria to Cairo, Fayoum, Minya, Assiut, Edfu, Luxor and Aswan. Most famous of all is the Greek Orthodox Monastery of St Catherine in the Sinai, a popular tourist destination, as are several others. The most intriguing however, is the Monastery of the Syrians, (Deir Al-Surian) that houses the richest library, including the earliest Biblical texts and writings of the fathers of the desert. Most of the manuscripts are in Syriac, a branch of Aramaic, and the language of Jesus, as well as Pharaonic, Coptic, Arabic and Ethiopic. The Monastery of the Syrians was established by the monks of St Bishoi, who were opposed to the then popular Julianist monophysitism doctrines -- belief in one "divine" nature for Jesus not two, the "divine" and the "human". With the evaporation of the Julianists, the monastery was sold to a group of wealthy Syrian merchants and renamed the Monastery of the Holy Virgin of the Syrians. Syrian monks had always frequented Wadi Al-Natrun ever since the fourth century. By the 17th century, only Coptic monks inhabited the monastery, caring for the library, the paintings, and the invaluable manuscripts. Forty of these ancient texts were acquired by Pope Clement IX between 1715-1735. These documents are safely kept today in the Vatican Library. A century later, (1839-1851), the British Museum of London procured 500 Syrian manuscripts of religious, philosophical and literary context. Lord Curzon and other Britons purchased a considerable quantity of these documents which inspired intense research in the Syriac language and culture. Despite the numerous losses, the monastery of the Syrians still retains rare works in art and history, and religious manuscripts of "inestimable scholarly value". Now they are threatened by decay. After 1,500 years, time has ravaged the priceless treasures. They need a serious rejuvenating process to bring them back to their original status. To study, survey, restore and preserve this unique heritage for future generations, time, effort dedication, and above all, funds are needed. The concern for the welfare of the manuscripts of Deir Al-Surian was highly palpable in London. Elizabeth Sobcyznski established the Levantine Foundation in 2002 for the preservation of paper manuscripts; its first project, the Surian documents. Two leading Syriac scholars, Dr Sebastian Brock of Oxford University and Professor Lucas Van Rompay of Duke University were entrusted to salvage the relics of the fathers. In the most elegant of settings, under the Cathedral-ceilinged ballroom of the British Embassy, Ambassador and Lady Plumbly graciously greeted their guests. They came and they came, not to dance the night away in their resplendent ball-gowns and sparkling jewels. They came to hear soulful songs of the desert, and untold tales of endless wonders of Egypt's noble past, of decaying texts that must be redeemed and restored. Deir Al-Surian, considered the custodian of the Coptic heritage of Egypt, which is the foundation of early Christianity. Egypt is the cradle of civilisation, the home and guardian to its splendid ancient monuments, from the age of the mighty Pharaohs, to the advent of Christianity and the rich Islamic era. We applaud every effort to conserve and preserve the legacy bequeathed to us by our desert fathers. Egypt must continue to sing her sweet desert songs for posterity, so "every child may joy to hear." In the desert of the heart, let the healing fountain start.
