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 5:30-7pm
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
Family Meeting fortnightly 11:30am
Hymns Class - English 11:45 - 12:30pm
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 Commemoration of the Four Incorporeal Beasts
17th November – 8th Hator
On this day is the commemoration of the four Incorporeal Beasts who carry the throne of God. As it is mentioned by St. John who witnessed this in his Revelation saying, “Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardine stone in appearance: and there was a rainbow around the throne in appearance like an emerald: ... and in the midst of the throne and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. The four living creatures each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying, ‘Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty who was, and is, and is to come.’” (Revelation 4:2-8( Isaiah the Prophet said: “I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim: each one had six wings; with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said, ‘Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory.’” (Isaiah 6:1-3( Ezekiel the Prophet said: “Then I looked, and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the North, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself, and brightness was all around it, and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire. Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man... and each one had four wings. Their legs were straight; and the soles of their feet were like the soles of calve’s feet. They sparkled like the color of burnished bronze...” (Ezekiel 1:4-7(
St. John the Evangelist said: “After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, ‘Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, belong to the Lord our God,’ ... and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped God who sat on the throne, saying, ‘Amen, Alleluia... for the Lord God Omnipotent reigns. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give Him glory......’” (Revelation 19:1-7(
The Lord set them near His throne in order for them to make supplications on behalf of all the creation. The beast with the man’s face makes supplications on behalf of the human race, the one with the lion’s face makes supplications on behalf of the beasts, the one with the bull’s face makes supplications on behalf of the cattle, and the one with the eagle’s face makes supplications on behalf of the birds. The teachers of the church built churches in their names and commemorated them on this day.
Their intercession be for us and Glory be to our God, forever. Amen.
The Assembly of the Ecumenical Council at Nicea. 18th November - 9th Hator
Also on this day, of the year 325 A.D., 318 fathers assembled in the city of Nicea, in the days of Emperor Constantine, the righteous Emperor. Among them were the heads of the four Sees and they were: Anba Alexandros, the 19th Pope of Alexandria, who
was accompanied by Athanasius, his Archdeacon and private secretary; Estasius, archbishop of Antioch; Macarius, Archbishop of Jerusalem. Sylvestros, archbishop of Rome, because of his old age did not attend and sent two priests in his place. The reason for their assembly was to judge Arius who was a priest in Alexandria. He blasphemed against the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ by saying that he was not equal in essence to God, His Father, and there was a time when the Son did not exist.
Among those who attended this council were holy fathers, who were, in the rank of the Apostles, able to raise the dead, heal the sick and work great wonders. Among them also were those who were tortured for the sake of their faith, lost their eyes, or had their hands or feet cut off, or had their teeth smashed or their nails pulled out or their ribs broken. One of them was the fighter St. Bephnotius, the confessor, one of the bishops of upper Egypt who was tortured much during the days of Diocletian. They plucked out his right eye, burnt the flesh of his left leg, bound him in chains and took him to cut marble in a stone quarry. He was called the martyr among priests. He was a holy old man, loved by God and the people. The Lord worked many wonders through his supplications and prayers.
When the fathers convened, they sat on the chairs prepared for them. Then the righteous Emperor Constantine came and greeted them, starting with St. Bephnotius, the Bishop, whom he respected much. The Emperor kissed with honor the scars of his wounds. Then he placed his royal scepter and his sword before them saying: “Behold, this day, you have the power of the priesthood and the Kingdom, to loosen and to bind as the Lord said, ‘Whosoever you wish to exile or to keep, that will be in your authority.’”
The Holy Spirit enlightened the minds of those present and they were counted and there were found to be 319 but when they counted the visible chairs, they counted 318! This fulfilled the saying of the Lord Christ, “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20(
They had Arius brought before them and asked him to state his faith. He blasphemed saying, “The Father was when the Son was not.” When they explained to him his error and he did not change his opinion, they excommunicated him and all those who shared his opinion and belief. Then they wrote the Canon of the Christian faith which is known as the “Nicene Creed”. It states:
1. Truly we believe in one God, God the Father, the Pantocrator, Who created heaven and earth, and all things, seen and unseen.
2. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the Only-Begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages; Light of Light; True God of True God; Begotten not created, of One Essence with the Father, by Whom all things were made.
3. Who, for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and of the Virgin Mary and became Man.
4. And He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate; suffered and was buried.
5. And the third day He arose from the dead, according to the Scriptures.
6. Ascended into the heavens; He sits at the right hand of His
Father.
7. And He is coming again in His glory to judge the living and the dead, Whose kingdom shall have no end.
Later on, when the council of one hundred and fifty assembled in the city of Constantinople to judge Macedonius, the enemy of the Holy Spirit, they formulated the remainder of that creed saying:
8. Yes, we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, Who proceeds from the Father; Who, with the Father and the Son, is worshipped and glorified; Who spoke by the prophets.
9. And in One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
10. We confess one Baptism for the remission of sins.
11. We look for the resurrection of the dead.
12. And the life of the coming age. Amen. They forbade to add to or take away from the Creed and commanded all the believers, priests, laity, old and young, men and women, to recite it and to have it said during the Holy Liturgy and in all prayers.
After the fathers of the council of Nicea had excommunicated Arius and established the Creed, they issued other decisions as follows:
I. With regards to Melitus, Bishop of Assuit, who had resisted his superior St. Peter the martyr, the Alexandrian Pope, the council confirmed the authority of the Pope of Alexandria over his subjects in the ordinances 5, 6, and 7.
II. They settled the controversy between the bishops of Africa and Asia Minor and the bishop of Rome regarding the baptism of heretics. The council decided that the baptism performed by heretics was worthless in contrast to what the Bishop of Rome and his followers had thought. III. They also established the Resurrection feast day. It was decided that it would be on the Sunday that followed the full moon, on which was the Passover of the Jews. Thus, they would not celebrate before the Jews or with them. They authorized the Popes of Alexandria, because of their knowledge and accuracy in calculating the dates, to notify all the churches about the day on which they would celebrate the feast.
The holy fathers confirmed the church, they established the light of the faith and then departed to their parishes. Their prayers be with us and Glory be to our Lord forever. Amen.
The Departure of St. Anna (Hannah(, the mother of the Theotokos (, 20th November - 11th Hator.
On this day, the pious and righteous St. Anna (Hannah(, the mother of our Lady, the holy virgin St. Mary, the Mother of God, departed. This holy woman was the daughter of Matthan, the son of Levi, the son of Melki, who was a descendant of Aaron the priest. Her mother’s name was Mary (Mariam( and she was from the tribe of Judah. Matthan had three daughters. The first was called Mary after her mother, and she was the mother of Salome, the midwife. The second was Sophia, the mother of Elizabeth, the mother of St. John the Baptist. The third was St. Anna (Hannah(, the wife of the righteous man Joachim, who was of the tribe of Judah. She was the mother of our Lady, the holy virgin St. Mary, the Mother of the Savior of the world. That makes our Lady the Virgin St. Mary, Salome, and Elizabeth cousins. Although we know little about St. Anna, having been chosen to be the mother of the Mother of God in the flesh is an indication of her virtues and righteousness, which distinguished her from other women to have this great grace. Because she was barren, she entreated God to take away her shame. So the Lord gave her a daughter that delighted her eyes and the eyes of all
mankind; she is the Virgin St. Mary, the Mother of the Savior of the world.
Her intercession be for us all. Amen.
The Commemoration of the Honored Archangel Michael. 21st November - 12th Hator
On this day the church celebrates the feast of the honored Archangel, Michael, the head of the hosts of heaven, who stands at all times before the great throne of God, interceding on behalf of the human race.
Joshua, the son of Nun, saw him in great glory and was frightened by him and fell on his face to the earth and said to him, «Are you for us, or for our adversaries?» So he said, «No; but as Commander of the army of the Lord... I have given Jericho into your hand, ... and its king.» (Joshua 5:13-15, 6:2(
The Archangel Michael was with all the saints and martyrs. He strengthened them and enabled them to endure patiently until they finished their strife. Festivals of commemoration are held and alms offered in his name on the twelfth day of each Coptic month.
An example of one of his wonders: A God-fearing man whose name was Dorotheus and his wife Theopista, held a festival of commemoration for the honored angel Michael on the twelfth day of each month. It happened that this righteous family fell on hard times and had nothing to celebrate with for the commemoration of the honored Michael. They took their clothes to sell so that they might have a feast. Michael the Archangel appeared to Dorotheus and commanded him not to sell his clothes, but to go to a sheep-master and to take from him a sheep worth one-third of a dinar. He was also to go to a fisherman and to take from him a fish worth one-third of a dinar but Dorotheus was not to slit open the fish until he came back to him. Finally, he was to go to a flour merchant and to take from him as much flour as he needed.
Dorotheus did as the Angel commanded him. He invited the people, as was his custom, to the feast honoring the Archangel Michael. When he went into his storeroom looking for wine for the offering, he found that all the containers had been filled with wine and many other good things. He marvelled and was astonished.
After they had finished the celebration and all the people had departed, the Archangel appeared to Dorotheus as before and commanded him to cut open the belly of the fish. He found 300 dinars of gold and three coins each is a third of a dinar. He told him these three coins were for the sheep, the fish and the flour, and the 300 dinars were for him and his children. God had remembered them and their oblations and had rewarded them here, in this world and in the kingdom of heaven on the last day. As Dorotheus and his wife were astonished at this matter, the Archangel Michael said to them, «I am Michael the Archangel who delivered you from all your tribulations and I have taken your oblations and alms up to God, you shall lack no good thing whatsoever in this world.» They prostrated themselves before him and he disappeared and went up into heaven. This was one of the innumerable miracles of this honored Angel. His intercession be for us and Glory be to our God, forever. Amen.
Meditations on the Eucharist bible reading
Second Sunday of the blessed month of Hator
Matthew 13:1-9
“and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty” Matthew 13:5. Last week, we spoke of the land which became a walkway … an open land without a guard or a gate therefore, the land is trampled upon by foreigners with their heavy shoes till the soil became solid and its moisture is dried when it became a walk-way and any seeds fell on it did not take root and germinate but quickly eaten by the birds … and this the case like those open hearts to the world with no controls or limitations … the world walks all over it with its own thoughts, sceneries and lusts and the world tramples upon (these hearts( assuredly and soon the oil of grace within will dry out and God’s word finds no listening ears in these hearts and thus no fruits
…
The second and third types of land which give no fruits … is the land which its soil is full of stones and the soils infested with thorns … it is of note here that both lands were in fact good soils but with carelessness and procrastination the soil turned into unyielding soil
…
For the land full of stones in fact is a good soil but it was left for the stones to fall into it and were not cleared of (the stones( … and as time went by, the land became full of stones … what is troubling is that all the stones are buried under the surface of the land … from the outside it appears as good land but the reality is the good soil is only the surface part … and within this soil, roots cannot germinate or find a space to grow in it … and the land full of thorns is a land which was neglected and was not turned over continually to be purified of the thorns … thus the thorns choke the good plants … + Some fell on stony places …
The stony land is a deceptive to look at … for it appears to be good soil … but underneath the surface are the stones … and this is an example of those hearts which appear from the outside to be ready to hear the word of God and rejoice in it, but within there are the many stones which stop the good plants from growing and the roots cannot go deeper … thus the plant will germinate quickly and quickly burn with any heat from (the sun( … and the most difficult stone that can exist in the heart … are the stones of envy and strife … very heavy stone and difficult …
A story is told from the martyrdom era about a father who was wronged by his son … which made the father angry with the son and after a period of time the son realised his mistake and went to his father asking for
his forgiveness … but the father was extremely hurt by the sons previous action and refused to accept the son’s apology nor forgiving him … as time went by, and an era of martyrdom (for Christian beliefs( started … and the father went valiantly to be martyred with many other (Christians( … and he was condemned to death … but there at the execution place the son approaches his father again encouraging him to continue and asking for his prayers, blessings and forgiveness, at the father’s last moment on earth but the father stood there silent and did not want to utter the word of forgiveness to his son and the son cries bitter tears before his father but the father still did not move … and as the executioner came to carry out the sentence of death … suddenly the father started trembling and his face went yellow when he saw the sord in the hand of the executioner and he collapses with intense fear and confusion … and suddenly to the amazement of all around, he recants and denies his Christianity … the son tried to make him not deny Christ with no effect … but the son full of courage and bravely declares his Christianity and received the crown of martyrdom instead of his father … despite the fathers love of being martyred (for Christ( … but the stone (within his heart( of hate made him in the last moments recant (his Christ( and be destroyed. A similar stone is envy … that is to covet evil for others … and it is the same stone that Cain put in his heart against Abel (genesis 4( which made him commit the first murder crime in history and because of it the evil spread in the whole world … and it is the same stone Joseph’s brothers put in their hearts who were jealous of him …. And because of this stone, they lied to their father and sold their brother causing much pain to their father (Genesis 37-41( … and (again( it is the same stone the chief priests put in their hearts and because of it despite having the law and the prophets but they did not know the Lord Jesus (as the Messiah( and thus fulfilled all the prophecies in Him and delivered Him to be crucified …
One of the heavy stone bowlders … is selfishness and self-love … and in addition to this bowlder there other smaller stones attached to it like greed and gluttony … it is a stone bowlder … and a very heavy stone … which makes one love only him or herself and seeks nothing but one’s own comforts … and it is a difficult inflection … which Ahab the king was inflected with it … he coveted the field of Naboth the Jezreelite, despite all the fields and lands he owned … and Achan son of Carmi was inflected with it … so, in pure selfishness, he did not think except of
himself and coveted the spoils despite Joshua’s advise to the Israelites not to take anything of the spoils … and you beloved … do you have stones in your heart?? Stones that you still hiding under the pretence of an outer righteousness and false love … be carful … these stones, there will come a time when it be revealed … search your inner (heart( well … you very much love the word of God … you have spiritual admirations to grow (in the faith( and to yield fruits … but, perhaps from within you still have much self-love … or you love your personal pride (more( or maybe you carry a hate and envy of another person … despite the fact that you do not show it but it is still within your heart … At the time of temptations these stones will show up … at the time of harshness, the depth of good soil within you will be revealed … how often one deceives one’s self … and hides well these stones within one’s heart … still he or she loves to pray … and hear God’s words … but as soon as you discover that the person you despise is at one place … then you go somewhere else … another person, is eager for the word of God and rejoice in it … but as soon as he or she hears of some work which they can earn money from even on Sunday … quickly, they will leave the church and prefer the worldly work over the church … Beloved … the times are scarce? Save your time … for you never know what the future will bring in your life … the stones you leave hidden in your heart will be the strongest obstacle for you and will cause you much hardships in the times of need and temptations … but, it can even cause the destruction of yourself … + And some fell among the thorns … And how plenty are the thorns which sprout out in our spiritual life …
Worries of this world … worries, anxiety and preoccupation with the world … love of money and riches … fear of the future … all are different types of worries which can choke the word of God within you … an example of this is the (foolish) rich man who all he cared for is to accumulate more wealth and possessions and build bigger barns and said to himself you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry … but he heard the voice … fool, this night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided (Luke 12: 13-21( … the many worries and thinking of (the future( makes one forget his or her life with God … how easy it is to forget to pray … to be too preoccupied for fasting … or to find no time for confessions and partaking of communion (of the Eucharist( … and how easy it is for one too be
preoccupied with the world and worries of the world …
Being devoted to the world and its principals is the worst of the thorns and the harshest in destroying the spiritual fruits in your heart … for when you concentrate all your energies and strength in caring for your worldly position … or your physical comforts … or ensuring your future (in the world( … then, one finds that the word of God cannot grow within you and yield fruit but it is choked with all of this (worldly matters( …
One of the difficult thorns … is the thorn of pleasing others … for there are those who care for how to satisfy others … and how to complement them … even the church, they will attend to complement others … when there is an occasion in the church like a wedding or a funeral or a baptism … then the church will be full with parishioners (I mean the complementing group( … and the word (of God( we hear will pass at the time of complements with yielding no fruits … because the thought of pleasing and complementing others is the thorns which choke the fruits …
And another of the difficult thorns … love of prominence and presidential aspirations … which is a type of pride … and vanity of the world … and alas these thorns had infiltrated even our churches … and some times between the churches … for each wants to be the first and highest … and everyone wants to be prominent and have his or her position and appearance of prominence with all the honours associated with it … how many problems the churches suffer from and many souls will be troubled and in pain because of these thorns … the problem with thorns, that it might appear to be trivial and small … just a little green plant with no apparent thorns … but what is amazing such plants will grow with no efforts or care and day after day it will take more roots and establish stronger itself and thorns become more solid and the small green plant transforms into painful thorns and harsh which will shred the hands of anyone who handles it … + But others fell on good grounds …
Beloved … it is time to purify your soil well from the stones … dig it up to discover the stones which buried in it … it is time to pluck the thorns … pluck it from it’s roots … burn it and get rid of it … purify your ground … turn it well … expose it to the rays of God’s love … fertilize it with means of grace (of God( and then it will become a good ground suitable for God’s word to grow in it and it shall yield full fruits of thirty, sixty and hundred … (Amen Lord give the strength to dig out my stones and thorns from my heart and come and dwell in me(.
Family Meeting - Melbourne Cup Day Trip 2024
5th November 2024
Summer Festival 2023 - 2024
40th Commemoration
Next Sunday 24th November 2024 at St Mary’s Coptic Church, Kensington during the English Liturgy 8:30 - 10:30am for Late Mr Ramzy Abdou husband of Mrs Catherine Abdou and father of Nevine Tomaino, Nancy Abdou and Nelly Calvaresi.
May the Lord repse his soul and grant peace and comfort for all family members
Orientation Day Foundation 2025 St Mary’s Coptic College
Blessed Engagement
Michael Ilias & Sylvia Motran
Sunday 10th November 2024
St Mary’s Church
*** Sum-mer Club for 7-12 - Start Date Sunday 8th of December 2024 - End Date: Friday 31st of January 2024 -Sports training at St Mary’s college - Every Sunday 12-3pm (in total 8 Sundays) starting 08/12/2024
