Services at St Mary’s Church
Monday:
Mass 9 - 11 am
Tuesday
Liturgy 5:30 - 7am
7:30pm The Way Orthodox Fellowship in Englisg for adults - All ages
Wednesday: Mass 9 – 11 am
6:30-8pm School of Deacons Adults
Thursday
Mass 9 - 11 am - English
English Midnight Praises 7:30pm
English Bible Study 7:30pm
Friday: Mass Mass 9 – 11 am
Youth 25 and above 7-9pm
Discipleship Clas Class 7-8:30pm
Saturday: Mass: 8:30 – 11am
Sunday School 4 – 5.30pm
Vespers & youth meeting 7-8:30pm
English
Vespers &Bible Study Arabic 5:307pm
Scouts 1:30 - 3pm
School of Deaconsgip 3 - 4pm
Sunday:
1st Mass 6:30 - 8:30 Arabic & English
2nd Mass.8:30 - 10:30 English - St
Mary’s Church
3rd Mass 8:30 - 10:30 Arabic - St
John’s Chrysostom Church
Hymns Class - English 11:4512:30pm
Church Priests:
Fr Tadros Sharobeam 0414251251
Email: frtadros@me.com
Fr Habib Girgis Younan: 0401238177 – 94498871
Email: habibgirgisyounan@hotmail. com
Fr Michael Salib: 0422431821
Email: frmichael@sac.edu.au
Church Address: 5 Epsom Rd., Kensington Vic 3031 Tel: 93766651
Fr Kerillos Tawadros 0411 518 399
Fr John Makary 0433 445 636
The Martyrdom of St. Dabamon.
17th June - 10th Baouna
On this day, St. Dabamon, was martyred. A man named “Warshenoufa” (Ouarshenoufa( was called upon to be a bishop, but he fled to “kahmoun” (Tahmoun(, diocese of Bana. There, he found a lodging with two brothers called Dabamon (Eudaeman( and Bastamon (Episteman(. That night, the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Why are you asleep while the fight is on, and the crowns are prepared? Arise and go to the governor and confess Christ to receive the crown of martyrdom.” When he rose up, he told the two brothers about his vision. They all agreed to receiving the crowns. They went to the governor and professed the Name of the Lord Christ before him. The Governor tortured them, and put them in prison. Then, he took them with him from Benchileel to Sanhour. He asked them to raise incense for the idols, but they refused. The Governor tortured them again and the Lord sent his angel to comfort them.
Then he took them to Sa, where the priest of the idols told the governor that a woman named Dabamon from Degwah had cursed the gods. She was a righteous and charitable woman who had a daughter named Youna. They weaved fabrics and painted beautiful drawings on them. They sold it and gave whatever was left as alms. The governor sent an executioner named Eulogi. When he saw her righteousness and her good nature, he refrained from killing her, and took her with him to the governor. There she met St. Warshenoufa and his two companions. The governor tortured her excessively and ordered to squeeze her with the press. The Lord strengthened her and raised her whole again. Meanwhile, Eulogi, the executioner that brought her, professed the Lord Christ. He was beheaded, and received the crown of martyrdom. The governor also ordered Dabamon to be beheaded outside the city. They took her out, and the women were around her weeping, but she was rejoicing. They cut her head off and she received the crown of martyrdom. May her prayers be with us. Amen.
The Martyrdom of St. Claudius. 18 June - 11th Baouna
On this day, the honorable St. Claudius, was martyred. He was the son of Ptolemy (Abtelmawos(, who was Emperor Numerianus’ (1( brother. He was loved by the people of Antioch for his courage and good appearance. Because they loved him so greatly, they painted a picture of him on the doors of the city of Antioch.
When Diocletian reneged the faith and incited the persecution against the Christians, this Saint agreed with St. Boctor (Victor( Ebn Romanus to be martyred for the sake of the Name of Christ.
Satan appeared to them in the form of an old man and told them, “O my sons, you are young men, the sons of nobility, and I am afraid for you from this infidel Emperor; so if he asked you to worship the idols, accept his command, and in your houses you can worship Christ in secret.” They realized that he was satan disguised as an old man and told him, “O
you who are filled with all evil, go away from us.” Straightway the old man changed his appearance and became like a black slave and told them, “Behold, I will go before you to the Emperor and instigate him to shed your blood.” he Emperor brought St. Claudius and proposed to him the worship of the idols, and promised to give him his father’s position. Claudius neither accepted his promise, nor submitted to his order. He spoke to him boldly and fearlessly reviling him for worshipping the idols. The Emperor did not dare to harm him for the people of Antioch loved him. Romanus, St. Victor’s father, advised the Emperor to send him to Egypt to be killed there. He sent him with a letter to the Governor of Ansena (Antinoe( stating in it: “Claudius neither obeyed our orders, nor hearkened our words. Persuade him with all your power first, and if he does not return on his counsel, cut off his head.”
When the Saint heard that, he called Sidrakhos, his sister’s husband, asked him to care for his sister, his possessions and bid him farewell. The Saint went with the soldiers to Egypt. When he arrived to Arianus, the governor of Ansena, he received him standing, kissed his hand, and said, “O my master Claudius, do not transgress the command of the Emperor.” The Saint replied, “I was not sent to you for you to lead me astray by your words, but that you might fulfil what the emperor commanded.” They argued with each other till Arianus became enraged with the answers of the Saint, and he drove the spear into the Saint. He delivered up his pure spirit and received the crown of martyrdom. Some of the believers, took his body and shrouded it. They placed it with the body of St. Victor who was martyred shortly before that. After the end of the time of persecution, Victor’s mother came, and took their bodies to Antioch.
May their prayers be with us. Amen.
The Commemoration of Archangel Michael. 19th June - 12th Baouna
On this day, the church celebrates the commemoration of the honorable Archangel Michael, intercessor of the human race.
The one who appeared to Joshua the son of Nun, encouraged him, and told him, “Nay, but as captain of the hosts of the Lord am I now come.” He made the city of Jericho to fall into his hands, and he stopped the sun for him.
May his intercession be with us. Amen.
The pagans in Alexandria worshipped the idol Zuhal, who had a statue and a temple, that was built by Cleopatra on the twelfth day of the month of Baounah.
During the reign of Emperor Constantine, Pope Alexandros preached to the people, explaining to them the error of worshipping the idols that do not move or reason, which are made by human hands, and the error of offering sacrifices to them. He changed the temple of this idol to a church in the name of Michael the Archangel, and destroyed that statue. He asked them to distribute these sacrifices to the poor that Christ had called His brothers, to receive the intercession of the angel Michael. This church was called, at that time, the church of El-Kaisariah.
It was said also that this feast was taken after the Ancient Egyptians. They believed that the flood of the Nile started on
the eve of the twelfth of the month of Baounah by “the coming down of the drop.” That is to say, the tear of “Isis,” the goddess of fertility and motherhood. The tear that she shed grieving for her husband “Osiris,” the god of agriculture and abundance, who was killed by “Typhon” the god of evil. This feast was replaced in Christianity by the feast of Michael the Archangel (Tareekh El-Omah El-koptiah(.
The Departure of St. Euphemia. This day also, marks the martyrdom of St. Euphemia. She was the wife of a man who feared God, and gave much alms. He kept three festivals each month: the commemoration of the angel Michael, on the twelfth day(1(; the commemoration of the Mother of God (Theotokos(, on the twenty-first day; and the commemoration of the Nativity of our Lord, on the twenty-ninth day of each month. When the day of his departure drew near, he commanded his wife, to keep this custom, to not stop the giving of alms, and to do the acts of charity especially on these three festivals. He painted a picture of the honorable angel Michael and gave it to her. After the departure of her husband, she continued to fulfill his will. Satan was jealous of her, and he came to her disguised as a monk, who talked to her expressing his pity for her. He advised her to get married, to bring forth children, and to refrain from doing charitable deeds lest she finish her money. He told her also that her husband had received the Kingdom and he had no need of the alms giving. She answered saying, “I have vowed not to consort with another man after my husband.” She went on saying, “If birds as the doves and the ravens do not take second mates, how then can men who are created in the form and likeness of God do this?” The devil left her angry. When the feast of the Angel had come, and she had prepared all what she needed as her custom, Satan appeared to her in the form of an angel and said to her, “Peace be to you, the angel Michael has sent me to you, commanding you to cease from these alms, and to marry a believing man.” Then he told her, “A woman without a man is like a ship without a captain,” and he began to bring her proofs out of the Holy Bible in regard of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, and others like them who married wives and pleased God. She replied saying, “If you are an angel of God, where is the Cross, the symbol of your military service? For the soldier of the King never goes to any place without this symbol with him.” When Satan heard these words from her, he returned to his original form, and jumped on her to choke her. She cried for the angel Michael, whose feast she was celebrating, and he delivered her immediately from him. The angel Michael told her, “Go and arrange your affairs, for you shall depart from this world today. And behold the Lord has prepared for you what eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, nor has it occurred to the heart of man,” then he gave her the greeting of peace, and went up into heaven.
After, St. Euphemia had celebrated the feast of the angel Michael, she sent for the father the bishop and the priests. She gave them all her money to give to the poor and the needy. Then, she took the Picture of the honorable angel Michael and prayed before it. She laid it upon her face and breast, then departed in
peace.
May his intercession be with us and Glory be to God forever. Amen.
The Commemoration of the Archangel Gabriel, the Announcer of Daniel the Prophet.
20th June - 13th Baouna
On this day also, the church in Egypt celebrates a feast for the honorable angel Gabriel. The angel Gabriel announced Daniel with the return of the children of Israel from captivity, the coming of the Lord Christ, the time of His coming, that He would be killed, the destruction of Jerusalem, and that no other Messiah would come after Him except the anti-Christ. This angel is the one who announced to Zachariah the birth of John, and six months later, he came with the glad tidings of the salvation of the world when he announced to the Virgin Mary saying, “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; ... And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1:31-33( Therefore, our church has arranged this feast to venerate this honorable angel. May his intercession be with us and Glory be to God forever. Amen.
The Martyrdom of Sts. Apakir, John, Ptolemy and Philip.
21st
June - 14th Baouna
On this day also, Sts. Apakir, John, Ptolemy and Philip, were martyred. St. Apakir was born in the city of Damanhur, and had a rich brother called Philip. They had agreed with two priests, one called John and the other called Ptolemy, to receive the crown of martyrdom. They went to the city of Kartsa (Kartes(, and confessed the name of the Lord Christ before the Governor. The governor ordered to shoot them to death with arrows, but the arrows did not touch them. They were then cast into red hot fire, but the angel of the lord delivered them from it. Then the governor commanded to tie them to the tails of horses, and to drag them from Kartes to the city of Damanhur, but the Lord guarded them from any harm. The governor commanded that their heads be cut off outside the city of Damanhur. They received the crown of martyrdom. People from the city of Sa came and took the body of St. Apakir, built for him a church, and laid his body inside it. Many signs and wonders took place through him. The people of Damanhur came and took the bodies of John, Ptolemy, and Philip, wrapped them in expensive shrouds and buried them there. May their prayers be with us and Glory be to God forever. Amen.
Reflections on the Gospel of the Mass
Sixth Sunday of Holy Pentecostal Sundays
John 16:23 - 33
“Seek, and receive, that your joy may be complete”
John 16:24
Here we present a brief explanation of this chapter of the Bible taken from the sayings of St. Augustine. + John 16:23:
The words that the Lord said to his disciples: ‘A Little while, and you will not see me and again a little while you will see me’ (v.16( were vague and difficult for the disciples. Therefore, they asked each other what little He was saying about him. We don’t know what he’s talking about. Making it even harder for them and perhaps saddening them so much, he told them that I am going to my Father and that you will see me no more (v.10(. And of course what was mysterious to the students at that time has become very clear to us now. Shortly after the Lord had spoken to His disciples, the Lord accepted the suffering of the cross and disappeared from His disciples for a short period (three days( and rose from the dead and saw Him again. But for a little while too. Then he went up to the father and they did not see him after that. “And here is what is meant by the word “don’t see me either”. meaning “never see me later” in my form as a body that is capable of death. “But surely they saw him in the glorified body that triumphed over death. In this way, too, we understand what the Lord meant by saying to His disciples, “You will weep and mourn, and the world will rejoice. You will be sad, but your sadness will turn into joy. You are now in sadness. But I will also see you and your hearts will be happy and no one will take away your joy from you. “They grieve because of the Lord’s death, crucifixion, and suffering. But immediately after this, they were filled with joy at His resurrection from the dead. The word “world” here refers to the enemies who persecuted and crucified him. The world here is the evil one and everyone who befriends him, according to the words of the Apostle Saint James, “Friendship with the world is enmity of God” (James 4:4(. For the love of the world has become enmity towards God, reaching in its violence the offering of the only begotten Son to the crucifixion. The Lord compares the suffering and sorrow of His disciples to that of the woman who gives birth (v.21(. And this is a kind of sadness that leads to joy. Because it ends with the birth of a human being. And this birth is the resurrection of the Lord from the dead, and it is the birth of all humanity in His person. And it is a
birth after which there is no death. Therefore, her joy is permanent. As the apostle Paul says, knowing that Christ, have being raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has domination over him (Romans 6:9(. Here, too, we need more attention and depth to understand the words that followed, which are that which say, “And on that day you will no longer ask Me anything. “And the verb you ask me means not only asking with hope or urgency, but also interrogative. This is exactly what this verb means in its Greek origin from which this translation is taken. But does this mean that we should not ask for anything or inquire about something after the resurrection of the Lord from the dead? Of course, this is unbelievable and never happened, for after the resurrection of the Lord and before His ascension, His disciples asked, Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? (Acts 1:6(. St Stephen also begged him and asked him to receive his spirit at his martyrdom (Acts 7:59(. Of course, it is not reasonable that we can ask the Lord Jesus while he is in the dead body and we cannot ask him while he is in the risen body. Rather, what is meant is that we will understand everything by the action of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. The spirit himself asks for us and intercedes for us. And so that we may have questions as perishing mortals. As survivors and faithful and standing with him from the dead. Thus, too, we can understand the preceding verses in a deeper sense when we understand that this little that he mentions in verse 16 is our earthly life. That is, the days of our estrangement on earth. It’s just a little bit in which we don’t see the Lord in the flesh. And soon it ends and we see Him and live with Him. And the time of the body is the time of sadness and pain, but it is like the sadness of the woman who is preparing for childbirth. It soon changes to joy. And this joy is a permanent joy because it is not followed by another death. Because we will be in a life of eternal joy in the heavens, never in which there is sorrow. We will never need anything. That this These words are Encouraging Promises for the Universal Church which The Lord assured her “ I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 27:20(. And this whole time is just a little although it sounds a lot to us and maybe we may feel hardship while the world is around us rejoices but there is The truth is that we live in
the hope of this promise of joy, saying with the Apostle, “Rejoicing in hope patient in tribulation”
(Romans:12:12(,
And the Lord assures us “that all that you asked of the Father in my Name He gives you “... And here we find the only condition
In my name. That is, our requests should never contradict the way we are saved in the name of Christ. Nor is it just that the name is mentioned just in letters. Rather, what is meant through his redemptive salvation work which is eternal forever. When we do not receive what we have asked for, we never think that the Lord has rejected our request, but in fact the time for receiving it has not yet come. Hence, we understand the word gives you. (And in the original translation: He will give you( and did not say give. He will give you. That is, to give to each individual according to his needs and what is suitable for him.
John 16:24: -
“Until now, you have not asked anything in My Name. Ask, and will receive, that your joy may be full.” This perfect joy is certainly not physical joy but spiritual joy. And this joy is so great that no other joy can be added to it. It is undoubtedly a complete joy. You don’t need any other joy with him from any kind. And this perfect joy is linked to the request in the name of Christ, who is truly for a blessed life. In fact, when we ask for something else, not through His Name. It’s as if we never asked for anything. When compared to something great, it pales as if it doesn’t exist. This corresponds to the Apostle’s saying, “If anyone thinks himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself” (Galatians 6:3(. And here we must understand that “whatever you asked for” means absolutely anything. Rather, it means something that is nothing, in comparison to the life of blessing and grace in Christ. And we understand the words of the Lord, “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name.”. In two ways: you did not ask for anything in my name because you did not yet know it very well. Or because you asked for things that are worthless and are nothing next to the things you should ask. And therefore He says to them, “Ask, and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.. that is, ask in my name, and you will receive what you want. He is very great and fills you with great and complete joy, with which you do not need any other joy.”
+ John 16 : 25 :-
“These things I have spoken to you in figurative language, but the time is coming when I no longer speak to you in figurative language.” The hour in question here must be understood as a future period of
which blessed Paul says, “but then face to face.” And the things that we hear in figurative language what the apostle says about, “For we now see in a mirror dimly” (1 Corinthians 13:12(. And then “I will tell you about the Father plainly”. for we truly see him in the person of the Son. But with the pleasure and desire of the Son, according to him also, “No one knows the Father except the Son and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal him” (Matthew 11:27(.
+ John 16:26:-
“And in that day, you will ask in my name” And what is it that we will ask on this day when we see the Father. Since we will never need anything. That is, even what you cannot think of or imagine. You can ask Him in the name of Christ even in that place where there is an abundance and abundance of everything. We can also understand that the Lord promised His disciples to move them from a state of physical understanding to a state of spiritual understanding. In the case of physical understanding, man understands spiritual things as if they were proverbs that he does not yet realize their essence and reality. And it does not taste its true taste. But when he turns to spiritual understanding, then he realizes the meaning of these things and obtains insight and inner enlightenment so that he sees clearly and openly and they become in need of nothing. They feel full joy and fullness. And through the name of Christ they receive and pray to what is indescribable and unspeakable.
+ John 16:27:-
“The Father himself loves you because you have loved Me.”
Did the Father’s love for us begin with our love for the Son?? That is, we are the cause of it??
The apostle himself answers in his letter, “And we love him because he first loved us (1John 4:19(. That is, his love is still previous. And this is the strange secret. The love of God is a gift from God. The Lord Himself has given us the grace to love Him. Who loved us when we didn’t love him. While we were angering him with our evil deeds, he loved us too. While we were not pleasing Him He loved us so that he could have his love in us when we made his pleasure. Because we couldn’t love the son unless we had loved the father too. And the father loves us because we loved the son. Thus, in reality, we have received the grace to love the father and the son, for love dwells in our hearts through both their souls. In this spirit we have come to love the Father and the Son. The Lord loved us and rejoiced in us when He created us.
We became His own pleasure.
+ Feast of Pentecost:
Next Sunday 23rd June is the Feast of Pentecost – Fiftieth day after Resurrection when the Holy Spirit filled the Holy Disciples as the Lord promised them that He will send His Holy Spirit the comforter to fill them and stay with them forever and asked them not to depart from Jerusalem until they are filled with this special power from the Highest. On that day, the Holy Spirit descended upon them as cloven tongues of fire and they started to talk in tongues and to teach so much that three thousand believed that day as they heard a sermon from St Peter. It is the Birthday of the church of the New Testament and the start of the preaching mission of the disciples all over the world. Let us ask the Lord to work in us and make us honest witnesses to him and live Gospels read by all people. At St Mary’s Church the service programme will be: 5:30am Matins prayers and the procession of the Resurrection.
6:30 - 8:30 am First Liturgical Service
8:30 - 10:30 am Second Liturgical Service
English
8:30 - 10:30 am third Liturgical Service
Arabic
11:30 - 1:30 pm Kneeling Down (Sajda) Prayers.
Holy Apostles Fasting starts on Monday 24th June.
+ 40th Day Commemoration:
Next Saturday 15th June at St. Mary’s Church for Late Mrs Sania Beshay Gendy wife of Late Mr Lotfy Habib Baselyous mother of Dr Emil Baselyous husband of Miranda and mother of Amany wife of Mr Adel Rizkalla. She is sister of Mr Samir Beshay, Tasony Ofimia, Ayda wife of Eng Adel Sakla and Late Ferial wife of Late Samir Fanous. She is grandmother of Youanna, Joy wife of Zaky Zakhor, Rachel and Sara Baselyous. She is grandmother of Monica and Mina Rizkalla.
She is untie of Mary, Dr Phillip, Nabil, George Samir, Dr Amgad Sakla in Canada and Dr Maria, Alfred Younan and also Enas wife of Mr Tom Sherng.
May the Lord repose her soul and grant peace and comfort for all family members.
Link for booking
https://forms.gle/PLyy9juV-
5GYrfJfGA
“And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” (Deutronomy 31:8)
Heaven gained another angel, our dearest Soad Nour passed away peacefully on the 9th of June 2024.
She was the beloved wife to the late Mr Lotfi Nour, mother to Adel Noor, the late Atef Nour, Afaf Farag and the late Susie Gooley. She was the sister to the late Wedad Zaki, Nabila Koudos and the late Wasfy Zaki and auntie of Flora, Salwa, Sonia, the late Nivien, George, Peter and Wagdy. She was dear to her grandchildren, blessed to know her great grandchildren and was a dear friend to many. Details for the wake are:
Wednesday the 12th of June 2024 at 6:30pm
St George’s Coptic Orthodox Church
77-79 Henry St, St Albans
Funeral details:
Monday the 17th of June 2024
11:30am at St George’s Coptic Orthodox Church: 77-79 Henry St, St AlbansDetails for the wake are:
Wednesday the 12th of June 2024 at 6:30pm
St George’s Coptic Orthodox Church
77-79 Henry St, St Albans
