New Publication: Sayings of the Fathers on the Holy Theotokos
With great joy and enthusiasm, we present to you The Holy Theotokos, part of the Treasures of the Fathers of the Church series. This book contains excerpts from patristic writings related to the Holy Virgin Mary. In addition, the book features several theological articles related to the place and faith of the Holy Theotokos in the Orthodox Church. ~ From Preface by His Grace Bishop Serapion O people of Christ, let us acclaim her – …
New Address for Holy Transfiguration Church from October 1
One of our newest parishes, Holy Transfiguration American Coptic Orthodox Church, announces their new address for all services beginning October 1: [googlemap width=”100%” height=”300″ address=”15330 Fairfield Ranch, Chino Hills, CA”] 15330 Fairfield Ranch Rd, Unit B Chino Hills, CA 91709 God willing, the congregation will settle at this address for at least the next two years.
One-Year Commemoration of the Departure of Reverend Hegumen Father Bishoy Gobreial
The Diocese today commemorated the one-year anniversary after the departure of Reverend Hegumen Father Bishoy Gobreial who faithfully served St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church in Los Angeles from 1979 until his departure from this vale of tears on September 14, 2014.As a dedicated servant, he also served elsewhere in the Diocese and North America, and was instrumental in establishing parishes in Bellflower, West Covina, Santa Monica, Fresno, Bakersfield, Las Vegas, and more.For this reason, the – …
Archpastoral Visit of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II
The Diocese, under the auspices of His Grace Bishop Serapion, joyfully awaits the safe arrival of our father in Christ, His Holiness Pope Abba Tawadros II, the 118th Pope Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of the Holy Apostle Mark. In order to ensure the safety and organization of all the congregations, the Diocese has arranged for His Holiness to visit different areas of the Diocese for services targeted to different groups. For example, there – …
Bless the Crown of the Year
As we prepare to celebrate the Feast of Nayrouz, which is the feast of the new year beginning on September 12 in the Coptic Orthodox Church, we cannot help but notice the phrase, “Bless the crown of the year with Your Goodness, O Lord,” which is repeated throughout the hymns of the Church. This phrase is actually a quotation from Psalm 64:12 (LXX; 65 in the Protestant Bible), which reads, “Thou shalt bless the crown of – …
No More Christian Baby Names?
When God blesses a married couple with a child, it is undoubtedly one of the most joyful moments of life leading up to intense preparation for the coming of the child. Among the many stressful activities involved in the preparation is choosing (or oftentimes agreeing upon) the name of the child. Many couples turn to the Internet for advice as to which name they should choose. In response, they may receive advice like this from FitPregnancy: – …
St. Athanasius and St. Cyril Theological Library Orientation on September 12
The St. Athanasius and St. Cyril Theological Library cordially invites you to its Orientation on September 12 at the Claremont School of Theology, Seely G. Mudd Theater. Among the speakers are His Grace Bishop Serapion and the Very Reverend Professor Archimandrite Irenei (Steenberg), who will speak about ecumenical issues among the Orthodox Church today. For more information, please visit this link.
‘NSync, Losses, and Memory Eternal…
Kareem Elgawly: February 1, 1992 – September 5, 2014 Bye Bye Bye, baby, bye bye bye! blasted on the sound system as I entered Vons a few hours ago. Yeah, it was ‘NSync, a boy band that I never really got into, but they had a couple of big hits that stuck with me throughout the years. That one and “This I promise you”. A strange melancholy gripped me right away, but not the bad gloom, it was – …
A Prayer for the Syrian Refugees
By now, we have all seen the horrifying photo of the three-year-old boy whose lifeless body washed up in Turkey, a victim of humanity’s neglect of the hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of refugees who are trying to escape Syria and other places in the Middle East to seek basic human needs. Among the many things we can do for these refugees, by far the most important is to pray for them, as the Holy – …
The Power of the Priestly Cassock
One of the most disturbing ideas I’ve heard in the recent push to “modernize” the Coptic Orthodox Church and make it more “attractive” to people in today’s society is the idea of priests putting aside their priestly cassocks in favor of pants, shirts, and collars, like other western clergy. The general arguments in favor of abandoning the priestly cassock essentially argue that it is too traditional to the point of alienating people in modern society. – …
St. Gregory American Coptic Orthodox Church Begins Service on August 29
With great joy, the Diocese announces the opening of a new parish, St. Gregory the Theologian American Coptic Orthodox Church, on Saturday, August 29, 2015.This parish has a similar mission to the other “American Coptic Orthodox” parishes in the Diocese, such as St. Paul (Tustin) and Holy Cross (San Diego), in that it offers a primarily English service geared towards second- and third-generation Copts and non-Copts alike.The new parish will begin service at the following – …
What a Woman
Every mother has a story. Every mother came from somewhere, and where she came from affects how she raises her children and interacts with her husband. One mother, however, the mother of all of us, has a story that I think is awe-inspiring. The volumes that are written and could be written about our blessed mother, the Theotokos, the God-bearer and the Christ-Bearer, are countless. She’s not just some lady that got lucky. No, we know that God – …