Editing Cyrenaica (section)

==== Christianization ====
{{See also|Early centers of Christianity#Cyrene}}

According to the [[Synoptic Gospels]], [[Simon of Cyrene]] carried the cross of Jesus Christ to the crucifixion.

According to one tradition, [[Mark the Evangelist]] was born in the Pentapolis, and later returned after preaching with [[Paul the Apostle]] in [[Colosse]] (Col 4:10) and [[Rome]] (Phil 24; 2 Tim 4:11); from Pentapolis he made his way to [[Alexandria]].<ref>[http://www.suscopts.org/coptic-orthodox/church/saint-mark/ "St. Mark the Apostle, the Founder of the Coptic Church"], Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States, accessed 19 May 2009</ref>

[[Early Christianity]] spread to Pentapolis from Egypt; [[Synesius of Cyrene]] (370–414), bishop of [[Ptolemais, Cyrenaica|Ptolemais]], received his instruction at Alexandria in both [[Catechetical School of Alexandria|the Catechetical School]] and the [[Mouseion]], and he entertained a great deal of reverence and affection for [[Hypatia]], the last pagan [[Neoplatonism|Neoplatonist]], whose classes he had attended. Synesius was raised to the episcopate by [[Theophilus I of Alexandria|Theophilus]], patriarch of Alexandria, in 410. Since the [[First Council of Nicaea]] in 325, Cyrenaica had been recognized as an ecclesiastical province of the [[Patriarchate of Alexandria|See of Alexandria]], per the ruling of the Nicaean Fathers.[[Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria|The patriarch of the Coptic Church]] to this day includes the Pentapolis in his title as an area within his jurisdiction.<ref>[http://www.coptic.net/articles/CoptsAndChristendom.txt "Atiya, Aziz S. "The Copts and Christian Civilization] Coptic.net</ref>

The Eparchy of the Western Pentapolis was part of the [[Coptic Orthodox Church]], as the [[Pope of Alexandria]] was the Pope of Africa. The most senior position in [[The Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church]] after the Pope was the Metropolitan of Western Pentapolis, although, since its demise as a major Archiepiscopal Metropolis in the days of [[Pope John VI of Alexandria]], it was held as a Titular See attached to another Diocese.

After being repeatedly destroyed and restored during the Roman period Pentapolis became a mere borough, but was nevertheless the site of a diocese. Its bishop, [[Zopyrus (Bishop of Barca)|Zopyrus]], was present at the [[First Council of Nicaea]] in 325. The subscriptions at [[Ephesus]] (431) and [[Chalcedon]] (451) give the names of two other bishops, Zenobius and Theodorus.

Although it retained the title "Pentapolis", the ecclesiastic province actually included all of the Cyrenaica, not just the five cities. Pentapolis is still included in the title of Popes of the [[Coptic Orthodox Church]] and the [[Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria]].