Introduction
to Sahidic Coptic

Download the Application Announcement (pdf)

About the course

The course Introduction to Sahidic Coptic ensures a solid foundation in Coptic grammar and morphology (emphasizing the Sahidic variety), fostering proficiency in reading and translating simple Coptic texts.

There are no entry requirements; the course is intended for beginners with a good command of the English language.

The reference textbook is T. O. Lambdin, Introduction to Sahidic Coptic, Mercer University Press, Macon (GA) 1983, but not required.  Materials are provided digitally during class. 

Additional references: B. Layton, A Coptic Grammar, Harrassowitz Verlag, Wiesbaden 2011; B. Layton, Coptic in 20 Lessons, Peeters, Leuven-Paris-Dudley 2007.

The Coptic Language Summer School 2024 provides a dynamic learning experience with a combination of online sessions and an in-person residency in Rome.

Online Sessions May-June 2024

Virtual sessions are scheduled every Wednesday, starting from May 29, 2024, according to the following timetable:

In presence in Italy (Rome), July 22–26, 2024

The in-person residency will be held in Rome from July 22 to July 26, 2024. This immersive residency aims to enhance participants' proficiency through interactive sessions and practical exercises. The general schedule of the courses is as follows:

Mon, July 22, 2024, 9-11 AM CEST

Mon, July 22, 2024, 5-7 PM CEST

Tue, July 23, 2024, 9-11 AM CEST

Tue, July 23, 2024, 5-7 PM CEST

Wed, July 24, 2024, 9-11 AM CEST

Wed, July 24, 2024, 5-7 PM CEST

Thu, July 25, 2024, 9-11 AM CEST

Thu, July 25, 2024, 5-7 PM CEST

Fri, July 26, 2024, 9-11 AM CEST

Fri, July 26, 2024, 5-7 PM CEST

Due to the complexity of sessions in Rome, in-person residency cannot be substituted by online attendance. Classes in Rome will not be transmitted via Zoom.

Instructor

Vittorio Secco

Vittorio Secco (1992) received a bachelor's degree in History (2014), a master's degree in Classical Philology (2016) and a master's degree in Theoretical Philosophy (2018) at the University of Genoa; after a period of study at the Humboldt Universität in Berlin, he received a bachelor's degree in Protestant Theology (2021) at the Waldensian Faculty of Theology in Rome. In 2023, after a year of study at the Protestant theology faculties in Leipzig and Jena, he received his master's degree in Theology from the Waldensian Faculty of Theology in Rome. He is currently a doctoral student at the Humboldt Universität in Berlin (advisors: Prof. Dr. Jens Schröter, Prof. Dr. Tonio Sebastian Richter), and Research Assistant with the charge of teaching Coptic at the Waldensian Faculty of Theology. Since 2019 he has been a member of the Coptic Studies Group at the same faculty.