The Pentecost: Descent of the Holy Spirit
Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ ascended on the 40th day post-resurrection with the promise that the Holy Spirit would come. St. Luke narrates in the book of Acts that they were gathered together in one accord and in one place. There was a sound from heaven: A sound of mighty wind that filled the whole house. Then, tongues of fires appeared to them. The tongues of fire rested on each individual’s head, and – …
Diocese Announces Summer Conventions
The Diocese joyfully announces online registration for the annual summer conventions. Please go to http://lacopts:8888/cyc/register for more information and the online registration. The page also includes information on guest speakers and different activities. The Diocese encourages everyone to attend this year’s conventions. Please remember to complete the Liability Waiver Form and submit to a chaperon at your church.
The Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ
On the Feast of Ascension, we commemorate the last day of the physical presence of the risen Christ amongst His disciples and His ascension to the heaven. It may seem like a parting, a separation, and that after it, our Lord is not with us in quite the same way any longer. However, Christ ascending to heaven opens the gates to us, His people, He prepares a way for us, and He carries us and – …
Diocese launches logoschannel.com for Logos TV
Through the grace of God, and the prayers of His Grace Bishop Serapion, the Diocese is delighted to announce the launch of its new website for Logos TV. The site can be viewed at http://www.logoschannel.com. The new site will be the official portal for Logos TV, and the prime source of information on the status of the new channel. The site has an “On Demand” page where there are multiple categories of programs. The site – …
Ordination of New Presbyter for St. Demiana Church in San Diego
Christ is risen! The Diocese joyfully announces the ordination of a new presbyter to serve at St. Demiana Coptic Orthodox Church in San Diego, California under the auspices of His Grace Bishop Serapion.The servant Archdeacon Moses will be ordained as presbyter for the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Los Angeles to serve at St. Demiana Church by His Grace Bishop Serapion, His Grace Bishop Sarapamon, His Grace Bishop Tadros, and His Grace Bishop Youssef on Sunday, – …
A Prayer
O God and Lord of the Powers, and Maker of all creation, Who, because of Thy clemency and incomparable mercy, didst send Thine Only-Begotten Son and our Lord Jesus Christ for the salvation of mankind, and with His venerable Cross didst tear asunder the record of our sins, and thereby didst conquer the rulers and powers of darkness; Receive from us sinful people, O merciful Master, these prayers of gratitude and supplication, and deliver us – …
To Husbands, on Maintaining Peace towards their Wives
1. I am very grateful to you for the eagerness with which you welcomed my words on prayer, because you have made me happy. Happy is he that speaketh in the ears of those who hearken (Ecclesiasticus 25:9). I am convinced of this, not only by the applause and praise that I received, but also by what I saw you doing. For, as I was exhorting you not to pray against your enemies and telling – …
On the Holy Waters of Baptism
Excerpt from On the Spirit, Chapter 15 Through the Holy Spirit comes our restoration to paradise, our ascension into the kingdom of heaven, our return to the adoption of sons, our liberty to call God our Father, our being made partakers of the grace of Christ, our being called children of light, our sharing in eternal glory, and, in a word, our being brought into a state of all “fullness of blessing,” (Rom. 15:29) both in this – …
Excerpt from Festal Letter 5
Brethren, how fine a thing it is to move from festival to festival, from prayer to prayer, from holy day to holy day. The time is now at hand when we enter on a new beginning: the proclamation of the blessed Passover, in which the Lord was sacrificed. We feed as on the food of life, we constantly refresh our souls with his precious blood, as from a fountain. Yet we are always thirsting, burning – …
Homily 33 on Unceasing Prayer
1. We ought to pray, not according to any bodily habit nor with a habit of loud noise nor out of a custom of silence or on bended knees. But we ought soberly to have an attentive mind, waiting expectantly on God until He comes and visits the soul by means of all of its openings and its paths and senses. And so we should be silent when we ought, and to pray with a – …
Diocese Lecture Series on Mission in the Coptic Orthodox Church
Christ is risen! The Diocese joyfully announces a lecture series entitled “Mission in the Orthodox Church” throughout the next three months at St. John Coptic Orthodox Church in Covina, CA.Each lecture will focus on one aspect of mission and missionary work in the Orthodox Church, including mission in the life of the church, mission and the individual, and the history of mission. All of the lectures will begin with the celebration of the Divine Liturgy – …
Diocese Releases Additional Titles for Kindle, iPhone, iPad
Christ is risen! With God’s grace, the Diocese has developed and released three additional electronic book “eBook” titles compatible with the Amazon Kindle and iPad platforms. Amazon Kindle and iPad are new devices that allow users to read books electronically in an interactive way. The new titles, previously published in printed form by the Diocese, are: 1. Heaven: An Orthodox Christian Perspective by the Late Bishop Youannis of Blessed Memory 2. Homily on the Soul and – …