YSC 2012 Results
On Saturday, August 18, 2012, the Diocese community gathered at St. John Coptic Church around our beloved father, Bishop Serapion, for the 2012 Youth Spiritual Competition. Over 800 youth from 27 parishes participated in this wonderful event after preparing for months. The day began with the celebration of the Divine Liturgy by His Grace Bishop Serapion and several diocesan priests, including Fr. Gawargious Kolta, Fr. Michael Gabriel, Fr. Shenouda Ghattas, Fr. Boules Baky, Fr. Daniel – …
Conflict Between Church and State: An Eighth Century Episode during the Patriarchate of Abba Mennas I (766-774)
The conflict between the secular rulers and the Church in Egypt is a constant and recurring danger in the life of the Church. A revealing episode takes us back to the eighth century during the patriarchate of Abba Menas I (766-774), the forty-seventh Patriarch of the See of St. Mark. The episode is narrated by B. Evetts in The History of the Patriarchs of the Coptic Church, published in the Patrologia Orientalis, T. X, Fasc. – …
Practical and Mystical: Patriarch Kyrillos VI (1959-1971)
Today the memory of Kyrillos has become somewhat overshadowed by the steady news of miraculous interventions attributed to Kyrillos’s intercession after his passing away. In death his influence stretches far beyond Egypt. For example, one of the latest miracles that happened during the fall of 2005 unfolded in Iraq where his miraculous intervention rescued the American husband of a Coptic woman deployed there from certain death. In this essay I discuss some of the bases – …
Schedule for the 2012 Youth Spiritual Competition (August 18)
With God’s grace, we present to you the schedule of testing for the 2012 Youth Spiritual Competition that will be held, God willing, at St. John Coptic Orthodox Church in Covina, CA. The day will begin with the celebration of the Divine Liturgy by His Grace Bishop Serapion and the diocese clergy followed by brunch and immediate testing according to the schedules below. Please download the appropriate PDF for your team and be at the – …
The Missionary Journeys and Epistles of the Apostle Paul
An understanding of the chronological order of events in St. Paul’s ministry can be very valuable as a tool for the study of the book of Acts and St. Paul’s epistles. The book of Acts and the epistles of St. Paul sometimes tell us the length of time between one event and another. However, determining the year in which an event took place can require some research. It is most helpful to know the year – …
On the Resurrection of Lazarus
A man was raised up by Him who made man: for He is the only One of the Father, by whom, as you know, all things were made. And if all things were made by Him, what wonder is it that one was raised by Him, when so many are daily brought into the world by His power? It is a greater deed to create men than to raise them again from the dead. Yet – …
The Exercise of the Arrow Prayer
The Concept Behind this Exercise These prayers are called “arrow-like prayers” by the Church for they are, in a manner of speaking, spiritual arrows that penetrate the thick veil that can exist between man and God, rises to the pinnacle of heaven and enters the sanctuary of the Lord and is most effective. When you repeat this prayer with concentration, you will experience the following: 1. You will feel that the Lord is opening you – …
The Christian in the Parables of Christ
Introduction The life of a Christian is not supposed to be spent haphazardly. That is, the Christian does not perform random acts hoping that the act that he has taken is a proper act. So if a Christian does not act randomly, then there must be a guideline, or standard by which he can evaluate an action and thus know what to do or what direction to take in a specific situation. Likewise, Christians should – …
H.H. Abune Paulos, Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Rests in the Lord
His Holiness Abune Paulos, Patriarch and Catholicos of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, passed away last night in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He was 76 years old. Official sources have confirmed the departure of the Patriarch. Lately, he had been seriously ill at the Dejazmach Balcha Hospital in Addis Ababa. Coptic Orthodox Christians will remember the warm friendship between the Thrice-Blessed Pope Shenouda III and the Thrice-Blessed Patriarch Paulos as the hierarchs of the Coptic and – …
The Feast of the Cross Available for Amazon Kindle
Glory to God! With great joy, the Diocese announces the digital version of her publication, The Feast of the Cross, for Amazon Kindle devices, including iPad, iPhone, Android, Mac, and PC. This volume consists of eight chapters. After presenting the readings for these feasts, the next chapter contains a thorough introduction to the Feast by our beloved father, the Thrice-Blessed His Holiness Pope Shenouda III. The following chapters include various excerpts from historical accounts of the – …
New Drug Targeting the Egyptian Strain of Hepatitis C
While 3% of the world suffers from chronic Hepatitis C, the prevalence in Egypt is 20% — far higher than that of any country. Egyptians everywhere in the world continue to suffer from this disease and are looking for better ways to combat the relentless virus. Until now, the only treatment available is a combination of Interferon (injections) and Ribavirin (tablets). However, not only is Interferon difficult to administer, but it is also very toxic – …
The Honest Servant: A Documentary about Fr. Angelos Youssef
A group of servants and youth from Holy Virgin Mary and St. Pishoy Coptic Orthodox Church in Los Angeles have produced a beautiful documentary concerning the life and ministry of the late Hegumen Father Angelos Youssef who departed into eternal rest on June 30, 2012. You may watch the full video at YouTube: