Issued by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church and His Holiness Karekin I, Catholicos of all Armenians Preface H.H. Catholicos Karakin I, the Catholicos of all Armenia, visited Egypt from January 14-18, 1998. On Wednesday, January 14, he visited H.H. Pope Shenoud who introduced him and invited him to address the thousands of people who usually attend H.H. Pope Shenouda’s weekly meeting. The Catholicos spoke about the importance of Church – …

Christianity today is struggling; arguing not to carry the cross. People are asking, why do I have to carry ‎my cross? why do I have to suffer? Do I have to suffer to be a Christian? Is this really necessary? ‎ When we hear the Lord asking us to carry the cross and to share the Cross with Him, it is a call to share the ‎Lord in His grief. Him who said, “My soul – …

Just look at the brain and how it works, its relation with all other organs; if the brain is damaged, no physician can fix it no matter how genius he is!! If we observe the heart and how it works, its relation with the brain, and the relation of each the heart and the brain with life! Or if we watch the precise performance of kidneys or liver, of the nervous system in the human – …

Causes Of Drug Addiction We are going to look at these causes not merely to identify them, but rather to try to overcome them with the help of God. We will keep in mind that these causes can affect all of us. However, not all people fall into drug addiction because of these factors. Some people are psychologically and socially vulnerable to it. The Feeling of Emptiness There is no doubt that some young people – …

A selection from St. Ignatius’s Epistle to the Romans For it is not my desire to act towards you as a man-pleaser, but as pleasing God, even as also you please Him…For if you are silent concerning me, I shall become God’s; but if you show your love to my flesh, I shall again have to run my race…Only request in my behalf both inward and outward strength, that I may not only speak, but – …

Commentary on John, §18, ANF, v. 10; Treasures of the Fathers, v. 3. Now Jesus is the Word of God which goes into the soul that is called Jerusalem, riding on the donkey freed by the disciples from its bonds. That is to say, on the simple language of the Old Testament, interpreted by the two disciples who loose it: in the first place him who applies what is written to the service of the – …

Note: Many of the following sayings and quotations deal with forgiveness of others and reconciliation with them. This is because Lent is a sacrifice offered to our Lord, and since He ordered us before offering a sacrifice to: "Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift." (Mt 5:24) This is also why the Church chose the reading of Mt – …

Due to the presence of HH the Pope at the Monastery, the Orthodox Russian Delegate headed there on the evening of Thursday, December 16 to meet HH at His papal Residence at the Monastery. His Holiness the Pope received them and discussed matters concerning the Theological dialogue between the two Orthodox families and the Orthodox cooperation at the Ecumenical Councils especially at the World Council of Churches, also the Orthodox Joint responsibilities in confronting the – …

October 25, 2006–His Holiness Pope Shenouda III had a successful spinal surgery at the Cleveland Clinic on Sunday, October 22, 2006. The surgery and immediate recovery have been excellent. His Holiness the Pope is currently receiving routine physical therapy, which is the natural follow-up to such surgery. Pope Shenouda is overseeing the daily affairs of the Coptic Orthodox Church from his hospital suite in Cleveland. On Monday, October 23, 2006, His Holiness the Pope called – …

Under the guidance and leadership of His Grace Bishop Serapion, the Diocese of Los Angeles has established a theological library in the name of the great Alexandrian fathers, St. Athanasius and St. Cyril, with the mission to establish a library to encourage the study of the biblical and patristic heritage of the great Alexandrian Fathers, especially Saint Athanasius and Saint Cyril. It is hoped that this effort will help respond to the theological, pastoral, and – …

In August 2003, the Coptic Orthodox Church, through the leadership of His Holiness Pope Shenouda III and the Holy Synod, issued a formal declaration against homosexuality and same-sex marriage. In part, the declaration stated, Same-sex marriage is against the Divine Plan for marriage and its purpose of procreation. “But from the beginning of the creation, God ‘made them male and female.’ For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined – …

Our Beloved, the Blessed Children of the Holy Church, Peace and grace from our God and Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ. It gives us great pleasure to see how the Church’s children living abroad are greatly concerned about helping our needy brothers and sisters in Egypt , especially the orphans. We find that it is written in the Holy Bible, “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Fr. is this: to visit orphans and – …