St. Habib Girgis the Archdeacon

from Weekly Bulletin 20th August 2023

The

21st August - 15th Mesra

Archdeacon Habib Girgis (1876-1951) was born at a time of great darkness, ignorance, and apathy in the life of the Coptic Orthodox Church. It was a period of turmoil and great struggle both inwardly and externally. Within the Church, conflict existed between the hierarchy and the laity of the Church and, externally, Protestant and Catholic missionaries from Britain and the United States challenged the intellectual and demographic hold of the Coptic Orthodox Church. There were also the pressures brought upon the Church from the rulers of the land.

Habib Girgis was born in 1876 in Cairo - Egypt. His father passed away in 1882 when he was six years old. His mother continued the mission of raising him along with his other siblings in a Christian manner and enrolled him in the Great Coptic School at which he excelled.

Habib Girgis was among the first to join the Theological College since its re-establishment in 1893 when Yusuf Bek Manqarius was the dean. Being at the top of his class, he was chosen to teach at the Theological College while in his final year as a student, because there were few teachers to teach theology. He graduated in 1898, and was appointed to teach full time on 17 March 1898 that same year; later, he became the dean of the College in 1918. He was an archdeacon but not ordained as a priest. Pope Cyril V trusted him and appointed him as his personal deacon and disciple. He also worked closely with Pope Yuannis XIX (192842), Pope Macarius III (1942-45), and Pope Yusab II (1946-56). As chief editor, he published The Vine (al-Karma)--a religious, moral, and historical journal. The first issue was published on 11 September 1904, and he went on to publish more than thirty religious, theological, educational, and historical books along with many sermons and educational studies. In 1900, after Cyril V issued a papal decree in 1899 concerning religious education, he established Sunday Schools as a formal type of religious education for the first time in Egypt. He was chosen to be a member of the General Sunday School Committee, established in 1918, and in 1927 he was chosen as the general secretary of the same committee. Elected several times with the highest number of votes to the Lay Council (Majlis Milli), he was nominated to the papacy after the repose of Cyril V in 1928. During that time he was also nominated as bishop. However, the Church was not yet ready for such a reformer. He was among the most important participants in the first conference for Sunday School teachers in 1941 during the papacy of Pope Yusab II. He also participated in the second such conference in 1949. Both Copts and Muslims were deeply affected by his death on Wednesday evening 21 August 1951. The Church had lost one of its most revered sons— an eloquent teacher, a visionary, an educational pioneer, a reformer, and a loyal servant of the Coptic Orthodox Church.

Ref: Article by Pope Kyrillos and Archdeacon Habib Girgis Church NJ USA

Watch a video about Coptic Civilisation – Saint Archdeacon Habib Girgis by His Grace Bishop Suriel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyP3RnF1h2k

HH Pope Shenouda III

According to the gospel of the apostle saint Mark, the story of the Transfiguration was mentioned like this:

[Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves, and He was transfigured before them. His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus: “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”, because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid. And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying: “This is My beloved Son, hear Him!” Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves.] )Mark 9: 2 -8(.

And in the narration of the apostle saint Luke, he added saying: “And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. But Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep, and when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him” (Luke 9: 30-32).

The Glory And Divinity Of Christ

The expression “glory” is mentioned more than once in the gospel of Luke.

As regards His divinity, it is evident in that in a moment, He was transfigured to his illuminating brightful aspect, whose brightness was magnificent...... and about which it was said: “His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them” (Mark 6:2).

His divinity is also evident in the manner of His capacity to bring Elijah and Moses to be present with Him.....

In how He brought them with Him.....! in how they spoke with Him......! and suddenly disappeared......!

In His sudden appearance, and His sudden disappearance! How did they come with Him in a moment?! And how did they disappear in a moment?! Where did they come from?!

And where did they go to?!

Yes, how was Christ the Lord able to bring Elijah, body and soul, from that place which we do not know, since he was elevated alive to heaven in a chariot of fire, out of the earth. (2 Kings 2:11). And we do not know to what place in heaven!

His calling Elijah to stand with Him on the mount of the Transfiguration, then his dismissal in a single moment, undoubtedly that refers to the power of His divinity........ Then, how could He bring the soul of Moses, who was dead and buried, and “no one knows his grave to this day” (Deut. 34:6). It is known that the prophets and the righteous of the Old Testament were, before the Redemption, lying on hope, in their place of waiting “into the lower parts of the earth” (Eph. 4:9).

There is no doubt also that the calling of Elijah happened according to the power of His divinity.

The Lord willed to show to his disciples that He had put on this human body, simply out of His humility, and His self-abnegation.

But at that time, they did not understand His divine nature. This glorious transfiguration was supposed to establish an equilibrium in the moral condition of the apostle s when they will see the Lord at the time of His crucifixion, in an aspect which the prophet Isaiah described saying: “He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him” (Is. 53:2).

All this is added to the testimony of the Father for Him, with a voice which they heard out of the cloud which overshadowed them, saying: “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” (Mark 9:7), (Luke 9:35).

This testimony of the Father was heard during the baptism of repentance when the Lord humbled Himself “(Matt. 3:17), (Luke 2:23).

And this testimony was also heard during the glory of the Transfiguration...... He is the beloved Son, whether in His humility or in His glory......

Feast of the Assumption of St Mary

Tuesday 22nd August 2022

First Mass: 5 -7am

Second Mas: 8 - 10am

St Mary’s Church - Kensington

Feast of Holy Transfiguration

Saturday 19th August 2023

Divine Liturgy 9 - 11 am

Congratulations 17th Anniversary for the Ordination of Rev Fr Habib Girgis Younan

20th August 2023

May The Lord bless his services for many years

7th - 21st Augustst

Feast of the Assumption of St. Mary

Tuesday 22nd August

+ Remember O Lord the Departed:

It is with great sadness that we celebrate Joy Briggs-Khalil’s new eternal life with our Risen Saviour. Joy is the wife of Jarred and the precious daughter of the late Fay and Shawky Khalil, the sister of Suzie Botross wife of Peter Botross and the Aunt of Luke, Jirah and Kanan.

Neice to the extended Khalil family and the Nour family.

Joy has requested that we celebrate her funeral with a dress code of bright colours.

Funeral at St Mary’s Coptic Orthodox Church in Kensington at 11.30 Wednesday 16th August