Category: Religion

Synod Hymns Committee on Kiahk Hymns

by David Bebawy, posted in Church News, Coptic, Coptic Hymn, Coptic News, News, Religion
stmary

Happy & Blessed fast of Advent!

As we await the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ this Advent season we are filled with joy as we celebrate the story of our salvation and the mystery of the incarnation. We attend vigils and prayers and the month is filled with hymns and praises about the Messianic prophesies, the virginal birth, and the glorious incarnation. I pray that this fast is a blessed time in which we deepen our relationship with God and prepare Him a place in our hearts to be born anew.

In recent new the Holy Synod has formed a Hymns Committee, led by H.G. Bishop Makari, General Bishop of South Shobra, and includes the involvement of many well-known priests and cantors in the Church for the main goal of unifying the sources of hymns. This committee has already met twice (October 31, 2014 and November 3, 2014) and has chosen the following sources for Advent (Kiahk) Hymns:

The following were mentioned to be present at the meetings:

  • H.G. Bishop Makari, General Bishop of South Shobra (Committee Head)
  • Hegumen Isaiah El-Muharraqi, St. Mary’s Monastery of El-Muharraq
  • Fr. Youannis Halim, Youth Bishopric Hymn Board
  • Fr. Angelos Ishaak, HICS Hymns & Music Department
  • Mr. Michelle Badee Abdel-Malik, Head of HICS, Hymns & Music Department
  • Cantor Ibrahim Ayad, Teacher at Didymus Institute for Chanters and the Clerical School
  • Cantor Gad Lewis, Teacher at Didymus Institute for Chanters and HICS
  • Cantor Todari Anwar, Teacher at Didymus Institute for Chanters
  • Cantor Milad Nadi, Teacher at Didymus Institute for Chanters
  • Cantor Magdy Bekhit, Teacher at Didymus Institute for Chanters
  • Cantor Youssef Ayoub, Association (Rabetat) of Chanters in Cairo
  • Cantor Rida Barsoum, Teacher at HICS Hymns & Music Department and the Clerical School
  • Deacon Beshara Nader Attia, Secretary of Youth Bishopric Hymn Board

Some related audio resources:

Sources:

Bishop Ordinations June 16, 2014

by David Bebawy, posted in Church News, Coptic, Coptic News, Media, News, Personal News, Religion, Video

H.H. Pope Tawadros II officiated the Holy Liturgy in St. Mark’s Cathedral in Al Abbasiya, Cairo, Egypt on June 16, 2014.  During this liturgy H.H. Pope Tawadros II, with our fathers the Metropolitans and Bishops, ordained 7 new bishops and enthroned 1 of the bishops over a diocese.

CTV Coverage of The Bishop Ordinations Liturgy – June 16, 2014

MeSAT Coverage of The Bishop Ordinations Liturgy – June 16, 2014

 

Newly Ordained Bishops:

  1. H.G. Bishop Isaac, formerly Khouri Abiskobos Isaac, as a general bishop.  His Grace is a graduate with a bachelor of science. He joined Al Surian Monastery in 1963 and was ordained a monk in 1964. He was the assistant to H.E. Metropolitan Pachomius.
  2. H.G. Bishop Bemwa, formerly Fr. Arsanious El Abanoubi, as a bishop of the Diocese of Suez. His Grace is a graduate with a bachelor of commerce. He joined the monastery in 1996 and was ordained a monk in 1999.
  3. H.G. Bishop Isaac, formerly Fr. Isaac El Anba Bishoy, as general bishop.  His Grace is a graduate with a bachelor of science. He joined the monastery in 1996 and was ordained a monk in 1999.  He will serve as an assistant bishop to H.E. Metropolitan Abraam of Al Fayuum.
  4. H.G. Bishop Karas, formerly Fr. Karas El Anba Bishoy, as general bishop to serve Cairo.  He joined the monastery in 1994 and was ordained a monk in 1993.
  5. H.G. Bishop Angelos, formerly Fr. Sharobim Al Baramousy, as a general bishop to serve Cairo. His Grace is a graduate with a degree in medicine.  He joined the monastery in 1991 and was ordained a monk in 1995.
  6. H.G. Bishop Markos, formerly Fr. Mark Ava Mina, as a general bishop to serve Cairo. His Grace is a graduate with a bachelor of commerce. He joined the monastery in 1994 and was ordained in 1997.
  7. H.G. Bishop Pavli, formerly Fr. Paul of Sinai, as a general bishop to serve Cairo. His Grace is a graduate with a degree in engineering in 1991. He joined the monastery in 1994 and was ordained in 1997. He is the first monk to enter the Monastery of St. Moses.

May God keep for us the life and standing of our beloved Pope Tawadros II and all of our fathers the metropolitans and bishops. Amen.

Web Sources:

Videos –

Pictures –

The Divine Liturgy of the Glorious Feast of the Resurrection 2014

by David Bebawy, posted in Church News, Coptic, Coptic News, News, Personal News, Religion, Video

The Divine Liturgy for The Glorious Feast of the Resurrection as celebrated by H.H. Pope Tawadros II that will take place in St. Mark’s Cathedral in Al Abbasiya, Cairo, Egypt on April 9, 2014 .

CTV Coverage of The Divine Liturgy on the Feast of the Glorious Resurrection 2014

2014 Papal Message on the Glorious Feast of the Resurrection

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, One God. Amen.

Ekhristos Anisti, Alithos Anisti. Christ is Risen, Indeed He is Risen

I congratulate you my beloved with the Glorious Resurrection Feast that is the crown of our feasts and joy. Christ’s Resurrection is the main foundation in our Christianity, our Church, our evangelism and our daily life. Christ’s Resurrection is considered everything to us. The Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ is considered our new life that we can live in.
In Christ’s Resurrection, we have three main aspects.

(1) Before Crucifixion and Resurrection, Our Lord Jesus Christ was a teacher and a shepherd
(2) During Crucifixion until Resurrection, He was a reconciliator and a liberator
(3) After Resurrection, our Lord Jesus Christ was present and became a companion to every man. How?

Before Crucifixion and Resurrection, our Lord Jesus Christ was a teacher. He taught the multitude and individuals. He used all available means at that time. He gave sermons, interviews, and meetings. He performed miracles and gave many various and different parables. In His service, He met all people from all levels; He met people from upper classes in society and others from lower classes in the community. He met great multitudes and individuals, in different dialogues. He met Zacchaeus at the tree and the Samaritan woman at the well. At night, He met with Nicodemos. Teaching was the starting point as well as to influence change. before Crucifixion, our Lord Jesus Christ was a teacher and a shepherd.

From the time of Crucifixion until the Resurrection, Christ was a reconciliator and a liberator for mankind. Man looks for freedom at all times. Freedom became desirable for mankind. Man looks for it in any form, as it takes many forms, colors and kinds. There is social freedom, civil freedom, family freedom, religious freedom, etc. But the true freedom is the freedom that comes from inside a man, the freedom from the sin. Sin is the only disaster of this world as said St. John Chrysostom. Freedom from the sin is gained only through the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ ascended to the cross specifically to give us this freedom. Through the cross, He gave us the freedom from sins that He carried. We were granted forgiveness of sins and became free when we were forgiven. The cross became the key for wiping out the sin of man. “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36)

The true freedom is the freedom of man from the sin. That is why the cross became the reconciliator and the liberator of man. Man was reconciled with God and with the Resurrection, man started the new covenant with God.

After Crucifixion and Resurrection, Christ became a companion to everyone. After His Resurrection, Christ appeared to individuals like Mary Magdalene, then to the two disciples of Emmaus. Then to the disciples without Thomas, then to them with Thomas with them, then to others, etc. The appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ during the forty days after His Resurrection meant that Christ was present there. He also appeared during catching the 153 fishes for both St. Peter and St. John. The appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ meant His presence.

And after His Ascension to the heavens, after the 40 days of His Resurrection, He remained a companion to mankind. If you read the last verse of the Gospel according to St. Matthew, the Lord says: “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20). Christ is present and a companion to man. He is now present and walks with everyone all times. He knows the life of everyone and guides it. That is why we pray in the third hour of the Agpeya and say: “Blessed is the Lord day by day. He prepares our way, for He is God of our salvation.” Christ walks with man day after day; He “prepares” means that He makes it in best condition. As He is our God of our salvation, He desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:4)

This is the new glorious Resurrection, and these are the fruits we get from the Cross and Resurrection. He says: “In the world you will have tribulation…” This tribulation could be our cross that we should carry. “…but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33). This “Overcoming” is the new Resurrection He grants to every man.

I congratulate you for the Glorious Resurrection Feast. I hope for all our churches, families, youths, children everywhere to rejoice with the Glorious Resurrection.

It is so blessed to have the Glorious Resurrection feast to be at the same day for all Christians at the whole world. This is a good starting point for all Christians, in hope of unifying our feasts, starting with the Feast of the Glorious Resurrection to be in one date in the whole world. We pray for this, and we work for this. May the Lord fulfill His work. May the resurrected Christ bless you. And bless your lives, works, services, and all that is in your hands. May the Lord keep you in His holy Name. To Whom is all glory and blessing, from now and forever. Amen.

— Tawadros II

Web Sources: