Background:

There is a short interview with a student of the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary (ABTS) about Christian missionary work in Morocco. The major part of the recording is Zuzana Skalova, a Czech art historian speaking about the conservation of Coptic icons in Egypt. One of her central findings is the strong influence of Armenians (including the Armenian diaspora) on icon-painting in the post-Byzantine period. 

For more information, please refer to the tape Students at ABTS on their path to Christianity and Missionary work: 

http://www.arabwestreport.info/en/students-abts-their-path-christianity-...

Side A: 

In an interview, an ABTS student speaks about Christians in Morocco, their religious freedom constrained by the government and Muslim Brotherhood, and religious practise in the past and in 1997. He tells the biography of an unnamed Moroccan (“the oldest man in Morocco“) of Muslim origin who became a famous Christian missionary evangelising. Names, addresses and pictures of Christian converts were published in Moroccan newspapers, one of them called “The Muslim World Newspaper“. This interview was made upon the request of Dutch organization Open Doors.

In a lecture, art historian Zuzana Skalova speaks about the Conservation of Coptic Icons Project. In 1989, she lectured at the Netherlands Institute. In the first row, Armenians were sitting. The lecture was meant as homage to the Armenian nation. While in Egypt, she looked for Coptic Icons in churches. She states that the love for icons by Egyptians is stronger than the knowledge about them. In the speech, the holds up a “huge canvas“ dating to the first half of the 17th century that has stylistic parallels with wall decorations in Armenian churches in the Holy Land, Persia and Egypt. She continues to speak about: the post-Byzantine period; Armenian icons with traces from Egypt, Persia and Europe; Armenian diaspora’s role in the history of post-Byzantine icon painting in the Middle East; Armenian diaspora’s encountering with western arts in Persian capital Isfahan; the origins of icons painted on paper.

Side B:  

Zuzana Skalova continues her lecture and covers: printed and painted icons; manuscripts behind the icons; the role of Christian symbols found on icons; Arabic-Islamic inscriptions on icons; Christian arts production in an Islamic environment; Neo-Coptic revival allowing Copts to patronise Egyptian icon painting on a large scale; icons as sources of contemporary historical information; the new research field investigating the extent and sources of Coptic knowledge about ancient Egypt; portrayals of John the Baptist. Throughout her lecture, she shows pictures of icons and explains them. In the last few minutes, Zuzana Skalova is responding to questions of the audience.