Tag: Religion

NAACCS 2009 & FTFT!

by David Bebawy, posted in Church News, Coptic, Coptic News, News, Personal News, Religion
H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Pope & Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church

H.H. Pope Shenouda III presided over the North American Annual Coptic Clergy Seminar (NAACCS) which was held in Holy Virgin Mary’s Spiritual Vineyard of Charlton, MA from Monday, September 14, 2009 through Wednesday, September 16, 2009. There were 14 bishops and over 220 priests from the United States & Canada in attendance. Among the bishops in attendance where: H.G. Bishop Pisenti (Helwan), H.G. Bishop Botros (Patmos), H.G. Bishop Serapion (Los Angles), H.G. Bishop Youssef (Southern), H.G. Bishop Suriel (Melbourne), H.G. Bishop Agathon (Brazil), H.G. Bishop Youssef (Bolivia), H.G. Bishop Reweis (General Bishop), H.G. Bishop Makarious (General Bishop), H.G. Bishop Youannis (General Bishop), H.G. Bishop Youhanna (General Bishop), H.G. Bishop Armia (General Bishop), H.G. Bishop David (General Bishop), and H.G. Bishop Michael (General Bishop).  The Seminar consisted of spiritual words of wisdom delivered by H.H. Pope Shenouda III and Their Graces the Bishops to the Reverend Fathers, as well as Question & Answer sessions.

On Tuesday morning, September 15, 2009, H.H. along with Their Graces the Bishop and Reverend Fathers travelled to Nashua, New Hampshire to consecrate the Coptic Orthodox Church of Virgin Mary & Archangel Michael (41 Chandler St, Nashua, NH 03064-2816). After consecrating the church H.H. and the clergy returned to the vineyard to continue their seminar.

On Tuesday evening, H.H. received and welcomed FTFT! (First Timothy Four: Twelve!), a faith-based church-supervised youth-managed missionary service organization. FTFT! presented to H.H., and all the clergy in attendance their origin, history, and goals.  FTFT! explained that they are answering H.H.’ call for missionary service in the United States.  They are serving with the spiritual goal of bringing people to Christ.  They serve the neediest of our Lord’s people such as those who are hungry, homeless, sick, elderly, lonely, and imprisoned both Copts and non-Copts. H.H. was pleased with the group’s presentation, he blessed and encouraged them.  H.H. distributed gifts to the presenters and took a group picture with them. H.G. Bishop David (Overseer of FTFT!) suggested that any priest interested in getting their local youth involved in such a service could contact FTFT! for help getting started.

To read more about the Seminar please visit:

To learn more about FTFT! please visit:

The Reception of His Grace Bishop Michael

by David Bebawy, posted in Coptic, Coptic News, News, Religion

UPDATE: Although there has been much confusion  about H.G. Bishop Michael’s diocese and jurisdiction, it is clear that H.G. is a general bishop overseeing some selected churches which he helped found.  Some of them are:

  • Archangel Michael & St. Anthony Church in Richmond, Virginia
  • St. George Church in Hampton, Virginia
  • St. Moses the Black Church in Sterling, Virginia
  • Coptic Community in Stafford, Virginia
  • St. George Church in  Bethesda, Maryland

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bishopmichaelrecception

H.G. Bishop Michael, Coptic Orthodox Bishop

The reception of His Grace Bishop Michael took place as stated below.  Here is the link for some pictures of the event:

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Below are details concerning the welcome reception for His Grace Bishop Michael, General Bishop.  May God preserve him on his seat for many years and peaceful times.

Saturday, August 22: Vespers at St. George Coptic Orthodox Church at 5:00 pm. The Vespers will be attended by:

  • H.G. Bishop Isidoros, Abbot of El Baramous Monastery, Egypt
  • H.G. Bishop Youssef, Bishop of the Diocese of the Southern States, USA
  • H.G. Bishop David, General Bishop (Papal Residence, Cedar Grove, NJ)

Sunday, August 23: Following the 8:30 am Divine Liturgy at St. George Coptic Orthodox Church, a reception will be held at Saints Peter and Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church** at 4:00 pm. The reception will be attended by:

  • H.G. Bishop Isidoros, Abbot of El Baramous Monastery, Egypt
  • H.G. Bishop Youssef, Bishop of the Diocese of the Southern States, USA
  • H.G. Bishop David, General Bishop (Papal Residence, Cedar Grove, NJ)
  • H.G. Bishop Serapion, Bishop of the Diocese of Los Angeles, USA
  • H.G. Bishop Apollo, Bishop of Southern Sinai, Egypt

**Saint Peter & Paul Anitochian Orthodox Church: 10620 River Road Potomac, MD 20854.

For more details visit www.stgeorgemd.org

Coptic Ordinations Pentecost 2009

by David Bebawy, posted in Coptic, Coptic News, News, Religion

On June 7, 2009, the Feast the Pentecost, H.H. Pope Shenouda III, the gathered Metropolitans, and Bishops ordained many bishops and priests.

They enthroned 2 existing bishops for dioceses as follows:

H.G. Bishop Timothaeus (Timothy), on the Diocese of El ZaaZeh, Egypt

H.G. Bishop Abakir, on the Diocese of Sweden and all Scandinavia

They also ordained 7 new bishops as follows:

H.G. Bishop Michael, on the Diocese of Virginia, United States

H.G. Bishop Daniel, on the Monastery of St. Shenouda, Australia

H.G. Bishop Theodosius, a General Bishop in the Diocese of El Giza, Egypt

H.G. Bishop Salib, a General Bishop in the Diocese of Meet Gamr, Egypt

H.G. Bishop Marcorios. on the Diocese of Girga, Egypt

H.G. Bishop Botros (Peter), on the Diocese of Shebeen El Anater, Egypt

H.G. Bishop Mina, a General Bishop

While ordaining the bishops,  As he places the bishops crown on every new bishop, H.H. breathes onto their faces and recites, “…  He said to them, As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.  And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 20:21-23)

They also ordained 37 new priests:

  1. Father Daniel to serve Virgin Mary & St. Abraam’s Church in Ajax, Canada
  2. Father Antonios, known as Nader Salib of East Brunswick, NJ to serve Virgin Mary & St. Kerolos’s Church in Pennsylvania, USA
  3. Father John, formerly known as John Rizkalla of East Brunswick, NJ to serve Virgin Mary & St. Athanasius’ Church – Raritan, New Jersey, USA
  4. Father Bishoy, known as Bishoy Lamie Mikhail to serve St. Antonios & St. Mina’s Church in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA
  5. Father Mina, known as Mina Attwa to serve St. Mark’s Church in Nairobi, Kenya
  6. Father Steven to serve St. Moses the Black’s Church in Lusaka, Zambia
  7. Father Antony to serve St. Antonios’s Church in Lambo, Congo
  8. Father Kerolos (Cyril) to serve St. Mark’s Church in Shoubra, Cairo, Egypt
  9. Father Antonios (Anthony) to serve St. Mark’s Church in Shoubra, Cairo, Egypt
  10. Father Mikhail (Michael) to serve St. Mark’s Church in Shoubra, Cairo, Egypt
  11. Father Martiros to serve St. George’s Church in El Bortoeya, Egypt
  12. Father Kerolos (Cyril) to serve St. George’s Church in El Bortoeya, Egypt
  13. Father Mina to serve St. George’s Church in El Bortoeya, Egypt
  14. Father Agnatios (Ignatius) to serve Vrigin Mary’s Church in Haret Zooela, Egypt
  15. Father Polycarpos to serve Virgin Mary’s Church in Garden City, Egypt
  16. Father Yostos to serve St. Mark’s Church in Cleopatra, Cairo, Egypt
  17. Father Antonios (Anthony) to serve St. Mark’s Church in Cleopatra, Cairo, Egypt
  18. Father Mina to serve St. Mark’s Church in Cleopatra, Cairo, Egypt
  19. Father Yousef (Joseph) to serve Virgin Mary’s Church in Ard El Golf, Egypt
  20. Father Youhanna (John) to serve Virgin Mary’s Church in El Sherooh, Cairo, Egypt
  21. Father Angelos to serve Virgin Mary & St. Shenouda’s Church in Ard El Berka, Egypt
  22. Father Gabrial (Gabriel) to serve Virgin Mary’s Church in El Uptamia, Cairo, Egypt
  23. Father Rafael to serve Virgin Mary’s Church in Deriaz, Cairo, Egypt
  24. Father Ibraam (Abraham) to serve Virgin Mary’s Church in Deriaz, Cairo, Egypt
  25. Father Shenouda to serve Virgin Mary’s Church in Deriaz, Cairo, Egypt
  26. Father Moussa (Moses) to serve Virgin Mary’s Church in Ezbet El Nakhl, Cairo, Egypt
  27. Father Andrwais (Andrew) to serve Virgin Mary’s Church in Ezbet El Nakhl, Cairo, Egypt
  28. Father Philopateer to serve Virgin Mary’s Church in Ezbet El Nakhl, Cairo, Egypt
  29. Father Mina to serve St. George’s Church in Sawael, Luxor, Egypt
  30. Father Ibraam (Abraham) to serve St. George’s Church in Sawael, Luxor, Egypt
  31. Father Philopateer to serve Archangel Michael’s Church and Monastery in Kamoola, Luxor, Egypt
  32. Father Moussa (Moses) to serve Archangel Michael’s Church and Monastery in Kamoola, Luxor, Egypt
  33. Father Elia (Elijah) to serve St. Pachomios’s Church in Luxor, Egypt
  34. Father Hedra to serve St. George’s Church in Armant, Egypt
  35. Father Boules to serve Sinai, Egypt
  36. Father Bishoy to serve St. Doolagi’s Church in Isna, Egypt
  37. Father Gerges (George) to serve Virgin Mary’s Church in Mahat El Fatekat, Egypt

They also elevated 2 priests to the rank of Hegomen:

1. Father Youhanna to serve St. Mark’s Church in Cleopatra, Cairo, Egypt

2. Father Antonios to serve Virgin Mary & John the Beloved’s Church in El ZaaZeh, Egypt

May the Lord continue to bless His Church and increase her service. We congratulate His Holiness Pope Shenouda III on the ordinations of these new servants of Christ. We also congratulate the newly ordained fathers the bishops, hegomens, priests, their families, and the congregations of these blessed churches.

Bishop Ordinations Video

Priest & Hegomen Ordinations Video