March 7, 2008–-In response to a recent news story about Jonathan McCullum, a U.S. Exchange Student who claimed he was starved by a Coptic Christian family due to church fasts, the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Los Angeles, Southern California, and Hawaii clarifies as follows: Although the Church strongly encourages her believers to observe periods of fasting according to Apostolic Tradition, fasting is a voluntary spiritual sacrifice. The Church does not impose her fasting days on anyone. – …

By God’s grace and the prayers of our beloved father, H.G. Bishop Serapion, the new church building of St. Demiana Church in Bakersfield is completed and the opening will take place on Saturday November 20th, 2004. H.G. Bishop Serapion will bless the event by praying Vespers on Friday, November 19th and celebrating the Divine Liturgy on Saturday, November 20th. Following the Divine Liturgy on Saturday, there will be a spiritual celebration. Everyone is invited to – …

Another Year of Success and Blessings for the Diocese Youth Spiritual Competition Over 500 students, ranging from junior high to college age, competed at this year’s diocese-wide Youth Spiritual Competition, held August 19 at Saint John Coptic Orthodox Church.  Saint John Church (Covina) took home first place for the college competition, Saint Mark Church (Los Angeles) won for high school, and Saint George Church (Bellflower) earned first place at the junior high level.  Third place – …

On November 24, 2006, on the occasion of the Feast of St. Mina, at St. Mina Church in Riverside, His Grace Bishop Serapion, ordained the blessed servant, Rafaat Tadrous, to the rank of Archdeacon to serve at St. Mina Church in Riverside. May the Lord God bless their service for the Glory of His Name. 

Pasadena, Calif., February 9, 2007 – A consensus on the importance of evangelism and the need to eliminate domestic poverty marked the official formation of Christian Churches Together (CCT) meeting here February 6-9. The CCT is composed of 36 churches and national organizations from virtually all U.S. Christian groups who have been seeking to come together for fellowship, worship and opportunities to share in important ministries. “Remember that you belong to God and God does – …

Thank God, this year’s Patristic Conference is now being broadcast live by Saint Athanasius and Saint Cyril Theological Library at copticlibrary.org. Lectures and presentations will be made by Rev. Fr. George Dion. Dragas of the Greek Orthodox Church and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, as well as our beloved, His Grace Bishop Serapion.

On Saturday, March 14, St. Marina Coptic Orthodox Church will hold a spiritual day for junior-high youth on the topic “Creation versus Evolution.” The aim of the programme is to educate young Orthodox Christian youth on the Church’s teaching on the creation versus evolution debate. In addition, the day will offer fellowship, skits, and games to both educate and entertain the youth. The schedule will be as follows: 10:00 – 10:30 Welcome 10:30 – 11:00 – …

The word Copt is derived from the Greek word Aigyptos, which was, in turn, derived from "Hikaptah", one of the names for Memphis, the first capital of Ancient Egypt. Following the Arab conquest of Egypt in 640 A.D., the land of Egypt has been called "dar al-Gibt" (home of the Egyptians) and since Christianity was the official religion of Egypt at the time, the word "Gibt" came to refer to the practitioners of Christianity as – …

The Lord Christ and the Cross The Lord invited to bear the Cross and said: “If anyone desires to come after ‎Me, let him deny himself, and take up his Cross, and follow Me” (Matt. 16:24; ‎Mark 8:34). And He said to the rich young man: “Go your way, sell whatever you ‎have and give to the poor,…and come, take up the Cross, and follow Me.” (Mark ‎‎10:21). ‎ He made the bearing of the – …

We all know that our Lord Jesus Christ raised Lazarus from the dead after four days. The woman who poured the fragrant oil was celebrating–albeit unknowingly–the end of the stench of death and the beginning of a new era. On that day, our Lord Jesus Christ was invited to the house of His beloved. Who are those beloved? They were Lazarus and his two sisters, Mary and Martha. And what about this new era? We – …

Introduction Occasionally, the Copts have been described as a schismatic eastern Christian minority, a lonely community in the land of their forebears. They have been forgotten since they chose living in oblivion after the tragedy of Chalcedon (451 A.D.) which was followed by a new wave of persecution inflicted upon them by fellow Christians and Byzantine rulers. Though they were not unknown to mediaeval and early modern travellers from Europe, Western Christendom appears to have – …

Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, this holy period is specified for correction, purification, an enlightenment of our entire being, both physically and spiritually. Great Lent is considered the spring of our spiritual life, and for every soul that yearns for her Heavenly Bridegroom, this is considered “a honeymoon,” in which the soul relinquishes worldly cares in order to be free for the Bridegroom and can say with the bride of the Song of – …