The Departure

of St. Alexandra, the Empress.

24th April - 15th Baramoda

On this day also, St. Alexandra, the Empress, Emperor Diocletian’s wife, departed. When the great martyr, St. George deluded Emperor Diocletian that he would worship his idols, the Emperor embraced his head and brought him into his royal palace.

The Saint prayed and read some of the Psalms before Empress Alexandra and interpreted to her what he read. He explained to her the Divinity of the Lord Christ. His words entered her heart and she believed in the Lord Christ, to Whom is the glory.

When the Saint stood before the idols, he called the Name of the Lord Christ, and the idols were destroyed. The Emperor and those with him were humiliated. When the Emperor returned to the palace and told the Empress what had happened, she told him: “Did I not tell you not to set yourself against the Galilean, for their God is strong and powerful?” Diocletian became extremely raged, tortured her severely, then threw her in prison where she departed in peace. Her prayers be with us. Amen.

The Martyrdom of St. Antipas, Bishop of Pergamos.

25th April - 16th Baramoda

On this day, St. Antipas, bishop of Pergamos, was martyred. He was a disciple of St. John the evangelist (Rev. 2).

Domitianus started persecuting and killing the Christians because he heard, that they were saying, that Christ was their God and King. This Saint was one of them. He was tortured severely, but adhered more to the faith. During his imprisonment, St. John the evangelist sent him a message to comfort and strengthen him. In his message, he called him faithful priest and good shepherd. Finally, the Emperor placed him in a bull of brass and lighted fire under him until he delivered up his soul in the hand of the Lord. The believers took his body and placed it with great honor in the church.

His prayers be with us and Glory be to our God forever. Amen.

The Martyrdom of St. James the Apostle Brother of St. John the Apostle.

26th April - 17th Baramoda

On this day, St. James the Apostle, the son of Zebedee, and the brother of St. John, the Apostle, was martyred. After he had preached the Gospel in Judea and Samaria, he went to Spain. He preached the Gospel there, and its people believed in the Lord Christ. He returned to Jerusalem and pursued his ministry.

He always advised his flock to give alms to the poor, the needy, and the weak. They accused him before Herod who called him and asked him: “Are you the one that instigating the people not to give the taxes to Caesar but to give it to the poor and the churches?” Then he smote him with the sword, cutting off his head, and St. James received the crown of martyrdom.

Clement of Alexandria, from the fathers of the second century, said: “The soldier that seized the Saint, when he saw his courage, he realized that there must be a better life and asked the Saint for his forgiveness. Then the soldier confessed Christianity and received the crown of martyrdom (Acts 12:1,2) along with the Apostle in the year 44 A.D.”

Because Herod saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. So when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover. (Acts 12:3-4)

So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. And the people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died. (Acts 12:21-23)

As of the body of St. James, the believers took it, shrouded it, and buried it by the Temple. It was said that the body of St. James was translated to Spain, where James the elder considered to be its Apostle. His prayers be with us and Glory be to our God forever. Amen.

The Martyrdom of the blessed Youhanna (John) Abu Nagaah El-Kabeer.

28th April - 19th Baramoda

On this day also, of the year 719 A.M., the blessed Youhanna (John) Abu Nagaah El-Kabeer, was martyred. He was one of the nobel Copts in the tenth and eleventh centuries. He was the head scribe in his time, as he was the lay leader during the reign of Al-Hakim Be-Amr Ellah the Fatimid Caliph. This great elder was a contemporary to Pope Philotheos, 63rd Patriarch, who was enthroned on March 28th. 979 A.D. and departed on November 8th.

103 A.D.

Youhanna was a devout Christian, righteous, virtuous, charitable, and loving to the church. He was zealous in the Orthodox faith. When Al-Hakim Be-Amr Ellah completed the extermination of the people close to him and the leaders of the army, he turned to the notables and chiefs of the scribes. He called ten of them and offered them to adopt Islam. Youhanna, who was their head, was called first. Al-Hakim told him: “I want you to leave your faith and adopt my faith, the Islam. I will make you my minister to manage the affairs of my kingdom.” Youhanna replied saying: “Give me a chance until tomorrow to deliberate the matter with myself”

Youhanna went to his house, called his friends, informed them with what had happened, and told them: “I am ready to die in the Name of the Lord Christ, and my reason for asking for the delay, not to deliberate the matter with myself but to see you and my family, to bid you and my family farewell, and to commend you and them. Now my brothers, do not ask for this vain glory, for you will loose the eternal glory of the Lord Christ Who satisfied us with the richness of the world, and now with His mercy, He had called us to the Kingdom of Heaven, so strengthen your hearts.”

His golden words, which were full of wisdom, influenced those who heard them, strengthened their hearts, and they decided to die in the Name of the Lord Christ also. He made a great feast for them, and then they went to their homes. The next morning, Youhanna went to Al-Hakim Be-Amr Ellah who asked him: “O Nagaah, have you decided?”

Youhanna (John) replied saying “Yes”. The Caliph asked: “Which way have you decided?” Youhanna answered steadfastly and with courage: “Remaining in my faith.”

The Governor attempted with all ways of persuasion and threatening to make him forsake Christianity. John was steadfast as a rock; nothing shook him away from the Christian faith, and the Governor could not with all his powers make him renounce the faith of his fathers.

When the Governor failed with Youhanna, he ordered to remove his clothes, be tied to the squeezing wheels, and be beaten. They beat him five hundred lashes on his delicate body, and his flesh was torn and his blood flew as water. The whips that were used were made of cow hides; even the mighty ones could not bear one lash from it on their bodies, much less, this gentle branch.

Then the Governor ordered to beat him up to one thousand lashes. After he was beaten three hundred more lashes, he said as his Master: “I am thirsty.” They stopped beating him and informed the Governor who told them: “Water him after you tell him forsake your faith.” When they came to him with the water and told him as the Caliph ordered, Youhanna replied with pride and dignity: “Take the water back to him, for I do not need it, because My Master Jesus Christ had watered me and quenched my thirst.” The people who were standing around testified that they saw at this moment water dripping from his beard. When he said that, he delivered up his soul.

When they told the tyrant Governor about his death, he ordered them to beat the dead body to complete the one thousand lashes, and thus he was martyred, and received the crown of martyrdom that was prepared for him by the Great King Jesus Christ.

The History of the Patriarch did not mention the day that he was martyred, but El-Makrizi in his manuscripts said: “The Vizier Fahd Ibn Ibrahim, one of the ten men and the companion of Youhanna Ibn Nagaah, was slained in the nineteenth of Barmoudah, 719 A.M. (April 14th., 103 A.D.)” The martyrdom of the blessed Youhanna Ibn Nagaah was mentioned in the History of the Patriarchs, before the mentioning of the martyrdom of the Vizier Fahd Ibn Ibrahim. Youhanna, in the feast that he made for his friends and kinfolks among whom were the other nine chosen ones, did not mention the account of the martyrdom of the Vizier Fahd in what he said during the feast. Accordingly, the martyrdom of this Saint was on the same day of the martyrdom of the Vizier fahd. His blessings be with us. Amen.

3. The Martyrdom of the Vizier Abu Elaala Fahd ibn Ibrahim and his companions.

This day also marks the commemoration of the martyrdom of the Elder the Vizier Abu Elaala Fahd Ibn Ibrahim, who was distinguished in the later half of the tenth century and early the eleventh century. He was also contemporary to Pope Philotheos, 63rd Patriarch, and from the Fatimid Caliphs, Al Emam Al-Azeez Be Allah, and his son Al-Hakim Be-Amr Allah.

He was an Orthodox Archon, adhered to his faith, faithful to his church, and charitable. During his life, he never turned down anyone who asked him. Whenever he went through the streets riding and one asked him, he would extend the sleeve of his cloak and the one asking would find much good in it, and that to hide his virtue of giving.

This vizier was one of the powerful and influential men of the government during the Fatimid Rule. Al-Hakim Be-Amr Allah appointed him head of all the scribes and department heads. He built the church of the martyr St. Mercurius in the present monastery of Anba Rowais, which was known then by Dair El-Khandaq.

It is documented in the History of the Patriarchs that when Al-Hakim Be-Amr Allah wanted to make the notable Coptic scribes apostatize their faith, the Vizier Fahd was one of the ten that was chosen for that purpose. He brought him and told him: “You know that I have chosen and appointed you ahead of all the men in my government, then listen to me and be with me in my religion, so I will promote you more than what you are in now and be like a brother to me.” When he did not answer him, he ordered his neck to be cut off and to burn his body. The fire remained burning for three days and the body did not burn, and his right hand that he extended to give alms, was sound at all the time as the fire never touched it. It was mentioned also in the book of El-Khetat El-Tawfikiah that the Vizier Abu Elaala Fahd Ibn Ibrahim was discussing the affairs of the government with the head of the army, El-Housain Ibn Gawhar, and El-Hakim was luring him to apostatize his faith with many promises. When Fahd refused, he ordered his head to be cut off and to burn his body but God protected his body from burning. He was buried in the southern corner of the church of St. Mercurius, which he built in Dair El-khandaq. El-Makrizi wrote in his manuscripts: “Fahd Ibn Ibrahim was killed after he had remained as a chief minister of the government for five years, nine months and twelve days.” God had took revenge severely from the wicked people that discredited Abu Elaala Fahd before the Caliph and changed his heart against him. Twenty-nine days after the departure of Fahd, the wicked man, Aly Ibn Omar Ibn El-addas, was killed, then his companion, Taher Mahmoud Ibn El-Nahawy, was killed.

The church also commemorates the rest of the ten chief ministers that the Governor asked them to apostatize their faith. When they refused and disobeyed him, he ordered to torture them. They were beaten with whips, and when the beating became cruel, four of them became Muslims, one of them died the same night, and the other three returned to their Christian Faith after the end of the time of persecution. The rest departed while they were being tortured and received the crown of martyrdom and acquired the eternal life. Their blessings be with us. Amen.

The First Sunday of the Holy Pentecostes

John 20: 19-31

“Peace be with you ...” (John 20: 19)

The Lord rose from the dead ... and became the first of the fallen ... The Lord won the abyss and the death ... Thus, we have the right and through him to return to Paradise and to the embrace of the Father ... The Lord is no longer in the graves ... The whole world must know the resurrection and hear about it and feel it .... But the whole world must touch the resurrection and live with it ... But it is painful to find the world hearing about the Christ who fills the crowds and rejoices and runs behind him ... He hears about Christ who He will heal the sick and admire him and be crowded behind him ... but he will hear about the crucified Christ and look at him and feel pain and weep ... But here stands the march of many ... Even the grave ... It is easy to talk about Christ Uh, and feel it ... but it is very hard to talk about Christ, the world does not see it ... even if it existed from the dead.

Even the disciples were not easy on them ... even though Christ had risen from the dead ... they were still behind the closed doors ..... and the Lord saw his hands and his side ... and gave them peace ... Even Thomas even though he was not The first time ... he was never enough to hear the news ... but he must also hear himself and see Wilms ... Here he noted that what he asked Thomas to touch the Lord and touch his wounds ... is the same as the Lord did with pupils before ... in his request Thomas openly request pupils inside them in secret ... and the LORD heard all the students .. Thus the Lord dealt with the fear of the disciples to give them peace ... He treated their weakness as witnesses to resurrection by living testimony ... He treated their hesitation by giving them authority over His name in the whole world .....

And the Lord who is still working with the fearful ... And with the weak faith ... And with those who are hesitant .... And those who are reluctant ... And from these come out strong witnesses to resurrection ... And with them the whole world ...

+ Peace to you ...

The doors are closed .... because of the fear of the Jews .... The fear we saw at the cross .... And the fear we saw at the empty tomb ... This fear had to be treated and saved the Lord of mankind from him ...

What is the secret of fear? .... Fear of pain .... Fear of responsibility .... Fear of the unknown ....

They are all closed doors, one needs to open them to rest ... What are the hardest closed doors ... We are always afraid behind the closed doors .... Behind the closed doors ... There was a deadly angel .... Strikes the firstborn in the land of Egypt. But there are doors closed with wooden doors only ... And there are doors closed with blood ... This is not passed by the angel ...

In the Old Testament, there were those who were behind the closed doors in one of the towers ... and the whole tower burned with fire and destroyed all of them ... (Judges 9) But there were others who were behind closed doors but in joy ... like Peter in prison ... Paul and Silas behind the walls of the prison in Phillippe ...

There are those sitting behind closed doors miserable sad scared .... So even if you live in it accidentally becomes a prison ...

There are those who live in closed doors, as if they live in the sky on their breadth. Look at the miracles and the saints in the wilderness and the strange and the cracks of the earth ... The world has dwindled before them and set off in the glory of the heavens ...

Who is sitting behind the closed doors ... Did you know that the Lord can enter and the doors are closed .. But the Lord has risen from the dead ... that those who did not rise from the dead after .... They are only those locked doors closed .... Those who are dead do not have closed doors. How was the furnace of fire and plenty of beautiful with the three boys ... because there was Christ the Lord with them and strengthen them Aazihm .... How awful was the den of lions frightening ... the whole place of peace and joy .... because Daniel was the idea of starting point there in the sky .... And you, beloved ... Are you still lying in the graves ... Have you still not with Christ .... I’m still afraid of the world and the people of the world .... I still feel helplessness and fear in front of weak things weak ... Rise from the dead ... go out ... break the restrictions and get out of the closed doors ...

+ He showed them His hands and His side .... Nothing really strengthens a man like putting his hands in the wounds of the Lord ... to touch the wounds that the Lord has wounded for us .... He touches the love of the Lord for the sake of all and for everyone ... If you forget, beloved, how much God loves you and how much he cares about you ... Come and touch his wounds for you ...

That the son when he sees his elderly father ... and sees him walking with difficulty ... or all his eyes ... or suffering diseases ... Sadness and pain and increase his love for his father ... seeing in the pain of his father all the love of his father and sacrifice for the long year. .. and he feels that he is ready to do anything for him .... and now, his love and his illnesses and his guide ....

Constantine the Great .... In the Council of Nicaea stands reverence and respect for the Fathers of the Church and tends to accept their hands and accept especially the surgeries of those who have been imprisoned and tortured for their Christ and their testimony to their Christ ....

And you, O Beloved ... If you forget God’s mercy with you ... How can you forget his wounds for you? ....

In the surgery of Christ learns a lot ... you see a wonderful love beyond the perception of humanity ... God himself suffering for human beings ... In the hand of Christ pierced ... See the hand that created you ... Then pierced for the sake of not You are lost and wasted because of your sins ..... In the man of Christ perforated .... We see the effects of fatigue and exhaustion of the quest for you all day ... For the sake of Samaritan walks the Lord half day ... And for the sheep lost straying the Lord between the thorns looking and running .... see love Infinity is poured on these feet, which Iktalk of the path of misguidance good love ... and wash them with your tears ....

In the open side of Christ .... You will see a miracle ... See to see if you never imagined .... You see your own inside the Lord’s side and you and shadowing you ... You see yourself washed with his pure blood that flooded for you ....

When you stand weak in front of any problem, remember the surgery of love ... Come and touch it ... Stand in a warm prayer and pour yourself under the feet of the Lord ... and offer to take from his body pierced for you and his blood sheds and then you will find your problems all dissolve easily and power ... .

Distance ter this I still doubt .... Do you say I want to see and touch .... God loves you too ... And make sure he will show himself to you ...

He is very fond of Thomas ... He gave the apostles the gift of Thomas also to be testimony in the same strength of their testimony ... And you too will give you and strengthens your weak faith ....

+ As the Father sent, I send you ... Receive the Holy Spirit.

Are you after all this still hesitant to come out and find all the nations of God’s mercy and love for you ... Beloved, get out and do not hesitate to send you ... You do not go out of yourself ...

Moses thought himself strong and could do something for his brothers ... but found himself very weak ...

And when he knew his weakness ... the Lord’s request to send him ... He became very strong ... shook the throne of Pharaoh and the whole land of Egypt in front of him ...

Go, speak in the name of the Lord, and do not be afraid ... that the Lord has sent you ... always remember this ... You are sent for the salvation of the souls of others also ... not least that I know nothing ... Do not say that they will mock me ... You have extraordinary power.

You are not alone, but you have the power and authority of the Holy Spirit ...

That he who sees Peter denies his teacher in front of a slave ... It is unbelievable that he was the same Peter who confronted the people and all the chief priests and rebuked them and believed through him thousands of souls ....

He who sees Mark following the Lord from afar to wear a garment on his nakedness and then flee ... may not believe that he himself entered Egypt and fell before him all the idols of Egypt and illumined the hearts of its people by faith ....

Dear beloved ... Do not stand hopeless in front of the closed door ... The Lord enters from the closed doors ... and says to you ... Peace be upon you .....

Do not weaken in front of difficult situations .... but around your eyes and touch the wounds of the Lord take from them the power of faith make you jump off all your restrictions ...

Do not hesitate to call the service .... You are not weak ... You are not alone ... but get out of strength and say to all ... that we have seen the Lord ...

HH Pope Tawadros Resurrection Message, Resurrection 2023

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

Ekhristos anesti, Alithos anesti. Christ is risen, truly He is risen. I congratulate you all on the glorious Feast of Resurrection in the year of 2023. We celebrate the glorious Resurrection after a prolonged fasting. The Holy Lent that extended for 55 days. We celebrate the Resurrection as we do every year. As you know the feast of the Resurrection is a celebration of the foundation of our faith. This feast of the Resurrection is a celebration of Christianity and a celebration of faith in Christ. As such, we celebrate the Resurrection each day in the prayer of the 1st hour of the Agpeya. Moreover, we celebrate it each week on Sunday because it is the day of the Resurrection, the day of Light. We also celebrate it on the 29th of every Coptic month when we commemorate of the Annunciation, Nativity and Resurrection. We celebrate it every year on the glorious Feast of the Resurrection and our celebration extends for 50 days which we call the Holy Fifties. Indeed, the blessings of the Resurrection are innumerable in our life; I would like to discuss with you one of the rich gifts of the Resurrection of the King of glory. This is the gift of a positive vision toward life. God created the human eye as an organ for vision. He formed two eyes on his face to look at the present and to look towards the future. He didn’t create an eye on the back toward the past. He made man to always look ahead. Although we all have similar eyes physiologically and anatomically but individuals perception differs from one person to the other. Therefore, a positive view on life is characterized by three features; the first characteristic is that, it is realistic; it views matters realistically, rationally and practically, not ideologically. It perceives matters realistically so that when faced, they are clear and unambiguous.

Another aspect of a positive attitude in life is a compassionate outlook, that means that man’s perspective must include an act of mercy. The opposite of mercy is cruelty. Cruelty has filled many hearts in the world, thus that conduct is not compassionate. Another aspect of vision, the perception must be comprehensive and not a partial perception. As you all know when we speak about a cup of water has some water; is this cup half- full or half- empty? Some see it as a cup half full of water; this is a positive and comprehensive view. Others see the cup as half empty; this would be a negative view. These features; the realistic compassionate and comprehensive views make up the positive attitude toward life.

I will give you several examples from the events of the Crucifixion and the Resurrection. There were two disciples; John the beloved and Judas the Iscariot, both were two of the twelve disciples chosen by the Lord Christ. They witnessed the Christ’s teachings and miracles and they were with Him, certainly, there were conversations between them and the Lord Christ. Unfortunately while John the beloved had a positive attitude and vision toward life, we see him drawn near to Christ our Master, he follows Him even to the Cross and through the trials, we see him delight in placing his head on the chest of Christ our Lord. He called himself “the disciples whom Christ loved” (John 19:26). In contrast, Judas the Iscariot had a materialistic view. He had a negative attitude. He didn’t see Christ the Saviour and Redeemer who came for the salvation of the world. And because he did not find the fulfilment of his materialistic or earthly ambitions; he sold his Master for thirty pieces of silver. Ultimately, he went and hung himself, died and lost his eternal allotment. The two were in the same situation. One had a positive vision and the other had a negative one. Another example we see in the events of the Crucifixion is the two thieves, the one on the left and the one on the right of Christ. They crucified two thieves with Christ our Lord, believing that He was a criminal. The thief on the left has a long talk “if You are the Christ, save Yourself and us...” (Luke 23:39). Take away from us this pain we are in, the pain of the Cross. On the other hand, the right thief had another perspective in the same situation, at the same time, and with the same observation, we see that the right thief had a positive insight. He recalled “we are punished justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds”

(Luke 23:41). He looked at Christ and said “Lord, remember me when you come into Your Kingdom” (Luke: 23: 42). This phrase was an expression of prayer, an expression of repentance, articulation of a plea, a profession of hope. Christ our Lord accepted it in the last hour of the life of the right thief. And He said to him “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23: 43). This narrative applies to very many examples of the positive attitude in life. Therefore, beloved, strive to have a positive attitude. A positive outlook views matters favourably for all events in your daily life, your work, service, and family. You should have a positive attitude in all these circumstances. This is the effect of the Glorious Resurrection in human life. Keep your heart raised up always and say “Give me O Lord a positive outlook that sees the truth, beauty, and positivity in matters”, “distance me from negative or narrow - mindedness that is an eye that only sees what is wretched. Life has an extended beauty in every good deed. I am pleased to send you this message. I extend my heartfelt congratulations on behalf of the Coptic Church and on behalf of the Holy Synod. I offer it from here Egypt to all the dioceses and to all churches and monasteries throughout the whole world. I congratulate my beloved brothers, the fathers the metropolitans, the bishops, the fathers the priests, the fathers the monks, and the mothers the nuns, the church boards, all the youth, all the servants, all the deacons, the entire congregations and all the children. I congratulate you all wherever you are; in Europe, Africa, Asia, North America, South America or Australia. I congratulate everyone and this greeting I offer to all of you asking our Lord Jesus Christ who is risen from the dead to make you happy always and give you a positive outlook for every deed and every event in a one’s life. To our God is all glory and honour, from now and forever Amen. Ekhristos anesti, Alithos anesti. Christ is risen, truly He is risen.

Feast of of Holy Resurrection at St Mary’s Church

Feast of Holy Resurrection Dinner

St Mary’s Church Building Project Progress

On 21st March (Commemoration of Saint Fr Beshoy Kamel), the builder started erecting to walls of Ground and First Floors. The work is still continuing through this week. We thank our Lord for all the great works the Lord is blessing us with.

Total cost of the project; $13 million dollars. The Architecture and consultants cost is not included )estimated at $1.5 million Dollars(

Amount paid to the builder so far $4,355,775 - mostly from donations.

Current funds still available at the church accounts: $925,000

Government grant for the Child Care: $1,045,442 )50% has been paid to the church. The balance will be paid on October)

Amount drawn from the Bank Loan so far: $400,000 out of $8 million. Builder remaining cost to be paid by November 2023: $6,703,484

May the Lord reward all for their prayers, generous donations and support.

+ Holy Fifty Days:

With the feast of Holy Resurrection starts the Holy fifty days. First Sunday is Thomas Sunday, which is one of the Lord’s minor feasts. The church remember how the Lord revealed to His disciples the signs of His sufferings, as He called St Thomas to put his fingers and touch the prints of the nails, and the place of the spear in His side to remove away any doubts and give them a proof of His resurrection so that they can witness to all the world that we preach to you about the One Whom we have seen with our eyes and touched with our hands. The Lord manifested in His Resurrected Body the signs of the Cross even It was a glorified body. In these fifty days, the church embarks with Lord in a glorious journey in which the Lord reveal His Glory and His Kingdom. These are joyful days in which we do not fast as the Bridegroom is with us. The Lord is filling His disciples with support and peace to witness for Him and to be ready to be filled with the Holy Spirit Which abides with forever and is ready for His Second Coming. How wonderful are these days as the Lord reveal to His Bride the Human soul the Glories of the Heaven. I His Resurrection He opened for His Bride the Gates of the Paradise and accompany her in a journey through this world to Heavenly Jerusalem to live there forever. Let us make these days real spiritual days. Even there is no fasting but this body who enjoyed the spiritualities of the Lent and went through the passions of the Lord cannot any more get entangled in these materialistic lusts of the world. Let rejoice in the Lord and let us be elevated by Him to the Heaven. These are blessed days let us sanctify our thoughts and bodies and have the real joy of Resurrection.