Diocese Schedule of Divine Liturgies during the Great Lent
As Orthodox faithful observe the holy Great Lent this year, parish churches throughout the entire diocese have increased celebrations of the Divine Liturgy throughout the week. As His Grace wrote in the recently released Great Lent publication: The period of Great Lent is distinctive for its many celebrations of the Divine Liturgy. They become the spiritual treasure for the fasting person to help him throughout the rest of the year. Along with the Divine Liturgy – …
"Christians and the State: Comparing Russian and Egyptian Experiences" at Claremont Graduate University
On Wednesday, February 17, 2010, Claremont Graduate University School of Religion and Claremont McKenna College Department of Religious Studies will hold a public lecture entitled "Christians and the State: Comparing Russian and Egyptian Experiences" featuring Professor Sergei Plekhanov of York University in Toronto, Canada. The lecture will compare relations between temporal and ecclesiastical authorities among Christians in Russia and Egypt, as well as the the historical and contemporary experiences of these two sister churches to help understand the evolving role of – …
Diocese to Digitize Publications for Amazon Kindle and More
With great joy and enthusiasm, the Diocese announces the availability of its first electronic book ("eBook") for the Amazon Kindle platform, On the Manifestation of God in the Birth of Christ (Oration 38 of St. Gregory the Theologian) (Pastoral Messages Series). The release of this publication for the Amazon Kindle format is part of the Diocese’s efforts to digitize past and future publications to take advantage of the benefits of the electronic book format. Among – …
Diocese Great Lent Lecture Series
The Saint Athanasius and Saint Cyril Theological Library joyfully announces its first annual Great Lent Lecture series, "Fasting in the Desert: A Historical and Spiritual Examination of the Desert Fathers and the Applicability of Their Lives Today." God willing, the Library has organized a series of six lectures on the Sunday evenings of the Great Lent at various churches throughout the diocese, following the Sunday evening prayer. The schedule of these lectures is as follows: – …
Official Statement from Christian Churches Together in the USA on the Earthquake in Haiti and the Nag Hammadi Martyrs
At the recent annual meeting of Christian Churches Together in the USA, a fellowship of 36 churches and religious organizations in the United States, from January 12-15, 2010, church leaders gathered to deepen their fellowship with one another and present a united front in the face of recent events and tragedies that have affected the Christian community, as St. Paul says, “And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it” (1 Cor. 12:26). The – …
Church Leaders Condemn Violence Against Copts in Egypt
In response to the recent attack and violence against Coptic Orthodox Christians in Nag Hammadi in which six Coptic Christians were martyred, church leaders from around the world have expressed their solidarity with the Coptic Orthodox Church in various ways. His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI of the Roman Catholic Church spoke out against the violence in his weekly blessing on Sunday, saying, "Violence against Christians … has caused indignation among many people, particularly because it – …
Coptic Christians Martyred in Nag Hammadi
On the eve of the Glorious Feast of the Nativity, six Coptic Orthodox Christians were martyred in a new wave of sectarian violence against Coptic Christians in Egypt when three gunmen fired automatic weapons at them after they exited Holy Virgin Mary Coptic Orthodox Church in Nag Hammadi after the Divine Liturgy on the Feast. The names of the martyrs are as follows: Zakaria Toma, Mina Helmy Said, Bishoy Farid Labib, Boula Atef, Ayman Zakaria – …
Annual Youth Service Trip to Egypt
The Diocese joyfully announces its Annual Youth Service trip to Egypt for 2010 from July 12 to August 5. The purpose of this trip is to serve the Lord’s brethren in Egypt by providing them with basic medical and social services. Participants in this year’s trip will be blessed to spend time with His Grace Bishop Serapion and His Grace Bishop Thomas at the Anaphora Retreat Center. There will also be retreats for males at – …
Ordination of Archdeacon Moses
On Saturday, December 26, 2009, at St. Maurice Coptic Orthodox Church, His Grace Bishop Serapion ordained the blessed servant, Paul Saman, as an Archdeacon for the Diocese of Los Angeles to continue his service at St. Demiana Coptic Orthodox Church in San Diego. Participating in the Divine Liturgy were the reverend Hegumen Fr. Mina Wahba Youssef, Hegumen Fr. Michael Gabriel, Fr. Shenouda Ghattas, Fr. John Paul Abdelsayed, Fr. David Abdelsayed, and Fr. Daniel Habib. Also, – …
Grand Opening of Archangel Raphael Church Building
On December 7, 2009, His Grace Bishop Serapion and several diocesan priests celebrated the grand opening of the new church building at Archangel Raphael Coptic Orthodox Church in Palmdale, California. His Grace was joined by His Eminence Archbishop Mor Clemis Eugene Kaplan, the Patriarchal Vicar of the Syrian Orthodox Archdiocese of the Western United States and several dignitaries, including: Mr. Norm Hickling, Field Agent for Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovitch Mr. Isaac Barcelona, Representative – …