According to tradition, St Mark the Evangelist travelled to Egypt where he founded the Coptic Church in the First Century.

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At this time the Church came under severe persecution from the Roman Empire and it is in this context that the first monasteries were founded in the deserts of Egypt.

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This talk traces the history of the Coptic Church, monasticism and the life of the desert fathers, all brought to life with the aid of paintings, icons and frescoes.