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 – …

An article published in El-Keraza Magazine, Friday, July 14, 2006, Abib 7, 1722 AM Max Michael was our son, as son of the Coptic Church; he was born in it, was baptized in it and studied in our Theological College. And when he graduated, he served in our churched in Shobra, Zefta and Tanta. Then came the big trial, and it threw him outside the church so he said: “I have nothing at all to – …

The School of Religion and The Council for Coptic Studies at Claremont Graduate University cordially invite you to a public lecture on Christian Unity from an Orthodox Perspective By H.G. Bishop Serapion Coptic Orthodox Bishop of Los Angeles Claremont Graduate University Albrecht Auditorium, 925 N. Dartmouth Avenue Claremont, CA 91711 Wednesday, October 29, 2008 6:30 pm Social and Refreshments 7:00 pm Performance by Coptic Church Ecclesiastical Choirs 7:30 pm Lecture Christian unity is an important – …

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 – …

The great cannot exist without the small, nor the small without the great. There is a certain mixing together in all things, and usefulness in such. Let us take our body. The head without the feet is not anything, neither are the feet without the head. For the most insignificant parts of our body are necessary and useful to the whole of the body. But all work together and employ a single state of submission – …

The Hanging Church in Coptic Cairo is currently under restoration. The interior work is being done by a team of Russian specialists, who are using the experience gained from restoring ancient Orthodox churches in their own country. When I visited the Hanging Church in November 2006, I asked one of the Russians how long they had been staying in Egypt. She answered with a sigh and a smile, “We have lost our sense of time – …

Addiction is a widespread, chronic condition that may have very serious emotional, physical, social, financial, and legal implications. It afflicts the life of the addict in all its aspects, leading to a wide range of consequences, and frequently ends up with loss of functioning or even death. Such consequences often extend to include the addict’s family as well as the whole community. Every year, millions of lives and billions of dollars are lost all over – …

The Word of God searches for the work of truth. And so it is for a man to speak, to hear, and to do. For this reason one hears what is said, so that he might complete the work of obedience. On this day the Lord was born, the life and the salvation of men. Today is born Him who reconciles divinity to humanity and humanity to divinity. Today all creation leaps for joy. Those from – …