Remember to thank your parents, grandparents, and those before them for staying true to their faith when the odds were stacked against them. Realize how privileged you are today, living in a place where you can practice your beliefs freely.
Remember to pray for our brothers and sisters that are less fortunate than we are. Remember to use your opportunities to your full advantage. Every time we question our faith, may we remember those that handle discrimination and persecution on its behalf. Let us remember the power of prayer.
Let us remember to ask the Lord for wisdom and strength so that we can spread goodness in the world. But not a hair of your head will perish. Stand firm, and you will win life.
The discrimination and persecution we fear now only affects our physical bodies. Our Coptic church has managed to survive over the years because we realize that what truly matters is our goal of eternal life. The Coptic cross on the wrist is more than just a tattoo. Search Submit Clear Home. Some claim it dates to the 8th century, when monks begun adorning their arms with Christian symbols. However, others claim it was 7th-century Arab conquerors who started enforcing the practice when a Christian refused to convert to Islam.
Christians have had a strong presence in this country since the first centuries after Christ, and the Coptic Church assumed a position of leadership in the late Roman Empire. Yet when Arab Muslims invaded Egypt in the 7th century, the situation rapidly changed for the local population. To this day, a Copt is a Christian — whether Catholic, Orthodox, or some other denomination — of Egyptian descent living in Egypt or abroad, but the tattoos are common only throughout Egypt.
Every afternoon, after finishing his day-job, and during the holidays, he crosses the Garbage City to reach the monastery of Saint Simon on the slopes of Muqattam.
Here, in his very tiny workshop located in front of the monastery, he does his second — and much-loved — job as a tattoo artist. The workshop is very small, with just two chairs, one for him and one for the customer. On the table there are needles, ink and various materials used to tattoo. All around, a display of the tablets with Coptic Christian religious icons that Girgis has been using for about 32 years, as stencils for his tattoos.
As soon as I arrive I have to witness a rather strange and cruel scene for us Westerners but quite normal and heartfelt for the locals: Girgis is tattooing a small cross as the tradition goes on the wrist of a baby who is perhaps not even 1 year old! This practice can be considered sheer violence for many of us and for a moment I thought the same too. With Girgis I immediately have a great feeling: I ask him about his tablets and we talk about our jobs, so similar and linked to one another by the same tradition.
I guess he can sense my discomfort so he proceeds to show me the needles, the disposable caps and the ink. At this point I sit down and, in no time at all, I also have my little Egyptian Coptic cross tattooed on my wrist.
I am very happy even though I think that the icing on the cake would be to bring back some tablets to enrich my collection as proof of this ancient tradition.
Now I can really return to my hotel, happy as a child in a candy store. Tavolette copte usate per lo stampo stencil. L' iniziazione ,Girgis esegue una piccola Croce sul polso di un bambino. La piccola Croce tatuata sul polso del bimbo. I fall asleep tired but so grateful to have been able to meet Girgis and to live this wonderful experience.
I set off again, trying to find the other tattoo artist. As I get closer, I can see a boy who is tattooing himself. While I reply in my broken English, he carries on working. Unlike Girgis, Magdi works on the street under a beach umbrella. On his stall there are the tools of the trade: self-made small machines as well as needles, ink and disposable caps, like Girgis. And obviously the sacred icon tablets. Gloves are nowhere to be seen here… While there, I witness again a tattoo made on a very small child whose family tries to caress him to calm him down.
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