Services at St Mary’s Church
Monday:
Mass 8:30 - 11 AM
Tuesday
Liturgy 5:30 – 7 AM
The Way Orthodox Fellowship in English for adultsAll ages 7:30 PM
Wednesday:
Mass 8:30 – 11 AM
Hymns class for adults 7 – 8:30 PM
English Bible Study 7:30 PM
Thursday
Mass 8:30 - 11 AM
English Midnight Praises 7:30 PM
Friday:
Mass 8:30 – 11 AM
Youth meeting 25 and above 7-9 PM
Discipleship Class 7-8:30 PM
Saturday:
Mass: 8:30 – 11 AM
Scouts 1:30 – 3 PM
Choirs and Theatre 2 – 4 PM
Vespers Praises 2:45 – 4 PM
Sunday School for grades 7-10 4 – 6:30 PM
Sunday School for primary 4:30 – 6 PM
Vespers & youth meeting 7-8:30pm English
Vespers &Bible Study Arabic 6-7:30 PM
Midnight Praises 7:30 – 9:30 PM
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
Psalmist School of Hymnology 11:15 AM – 12:15
PM
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 Kyrillos Tawadros 0411 518 399
Fr John Makary 0433 445 636
Additional Liturgies during the Lent:
Tuesday 12- 3pm
Thursday 5 - 7 pm
The Departure of St. Sarah the nun. 24th March - 15th Baramhat
On this day departed the righteous and ascetic St. Sarah the nun who was a native of Upper Egypt. Her parents, who were exceedingly rich, were Christians and had no other children. They raised her in a christian manner and taught her reading and writing. She was always reading the books of the church and especially the biography and sayings of the fathers the monks. She was influenced by their lives and desired the ascetic life. She went to one of the convents of Upper Egypt and dwelt there for many years serving the virgins. Then she put on the monastic garb, persisting on fighting the lust of Satan for thirteen years until Satan was weary of her. When Satan was exasperated from her steadfastness and purity, he wished to overthrow her by the sin of pride. He appeared to her while she was standing praying on the roof of her cell and said to her: “Rejoice for you have overcome Satan.” She replied: “I am a feeble woman, and I can not conquer you except by the power of the Lord Christ” and then Satan vanished.
This Saint had many useful sayings that she used to say to the nuns. One of her sayings: “I never set my foot upon the step of the ladder, and I never go up to the next step without thinking I may die before I raise my leg so that the enemy might not entice me with the hope of a long life.” And she also said: “ IT is better for a man to show mercy even to satisfy men for the time will come that it will be to satisfy God.” She also had many other sayings written in the Paradise of the Fathers. She stayed on the banks of the river in a cave for sixty years fighting a great fight and no one saw her until she departed to the eternal bless and she was eighty years old.
May her prayers be with us. Amen.
The Martyrdom of St. Sedhom Bishay in Domiat. 26th March - 17th Baramhat
On this day also the church commemorates the martyrdom of Sedhom Bishay in Domiat on the 17th. of Baramhat year 1565 A.D. )March 25th., 1844 A.D.(. He endured the torture for the Name of the Lord Christ and his martyrdom made the rising of the Cross during the Christian funeral processions openly, for it was forbidden before.
This martyr was a clerical employee in the government of the port of Domiat during the days of Mohammed Ali Basha the Governor of Egypt. A revolt of mobs in the port arose, they seized Sidhom Bishay and accused him falsely that he cursed Islam and witnessed against him before the religious judge a low uncivilized person and a donkey driver. The judge decided either he would forsake his faith or be killed, he whipped him and then sent him to the Governor of the city. After the Governor had examined his case he issued the same
judgement against him as the judge did. Sidhom was steadfast in his Christian faith, not caring to be killed. They whipped, dragged him on his face down the stairs in the Governor palace, then they put him on a buffalo facing the tail and went around with him in the streets of the city insulting and degrading him. The Christians in the city became afraid and locked themselves in their houses.
The mob continued to insult him and tortured him in different ways until he was about to deliver his soul; so they brought him to the door of his house and left him there. His family went out and brought him inside and five days later he departed to heaven. His departure was a great martyrdom, and the Christians counted him among the holy martyrs. They gathered regardless of their denomination and joined in his funeral in a celebration that there was nothing like it before. The Christians carried their arms and the priest put on their vestments headed by the Archpriest Yousef Michael who was the head of the Coptic congregation in Domiat and accompanied by the priests of the other denominations. They marched in his funeral in the streets of the city and in front of him the deacons carrying the banners of the Cross, and they arrived to the church where they prayed the funeral rites. The people went on objecting this reprehensible and painful incident and talking about the patience and endurance of the different kinds of torture in silence and the steadfastness of Sidhom the martyr.
The prominent people of the Christian community in Domiat deliberated as how to avoid these incidents in the future. They decided to ask the consuls of the foreign countries to mediate with the ruler of the country and the Pope the Patriarch of the Copts and sent to them detailed reports. Mr Michail Sorour the official representative of seven countries in Domiat was in charge of this mediation.
The ruler of Egypt was concerned about this incident and sent two official representatives to examine the case. So they reopened the inquiry and they realized the injustice and the ill-treatment that befell the great martyr and convicted the judge and the governor for their wrong doing, stripped them from their honor then exiled them. They asked, as a good will and to comfort the people, to allow the raising of the Cross publicly before the Christian funerals, and the ruler allowed that in Domiat. This was allowed later on all over the country during the Papacy of Pope Kyrellos IV. The blessings of this great martyr be with us and glory be to God forever. Amen.
The Martyrdom of St. Aristobulus, the apostle.
28th March - 19th Baramhat
On this day St. Aristobulus, one of the seventy apostles that was chosen and sent to preach by the Lord before His passion, was martyred. He received along with
the disciples the gifts of the Spirit the comforter, accompanied, ministered to them and preached with them the Life-giving Gospel. He turned many to the path of salvation, believed in the Lord Christ, baptized them and taught them the Divine commandments.
The disciples ordained him bishop for the city of Abratabias, and he went there, preached it’s people, performed many miracles, taught and baptized them. Many tribulations and humiliation befell him from the Jews and the Greeks, who threw him out many times, and cast him with stones. Having finished his strife, he departed in peace. St. Paul had mentioned him in his Epistle to the Romans )Ch.16:10(. May his prayers be with us. Amen.
The Departure of Lazarus, the beloved of the Lord. 26th March - 19th Baramhat
On this day the righteous Lazarus, the beloved of the Lord Christ, departed. He was the brother of Martha and Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair. When Lazarus fell sick the sisters sent to the Lord Christ saying: “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was” to magnify the miracle. Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” The disciples told Him, “Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. “But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” These things He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.” Then His disciples said, “Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.” However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.” When the Lord came to Bethany which is nearby Jerusalem He stood before the tomb and said: “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and prayed then he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come
forth!” And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.” )John 11:1-45(
That was to manifest the reality of his death, so no one would think that this was deception with previous arrangement, for that the miracle was magnified and many believed.
The prayers of this righteous be with us. Amen.
The Departure of St. Kyrellos (Cyril), Bishop of Jerusalem.
On this day of the year 386 A.D. the holy father Anba Kyrellos )Cyril(, Bishop of Jerusalem, departed. This father was chosen in the year 348 A.D. as a successor for Anba Maximus, Bishop of Jerusalem, for his knowledge and righteousness. He did not stay long on his Chair, until a contention arose between him and Acacius Bishop of Caesarea about who had the right to be in primacy over the other. Kyrellos argument in that he was the successor of St. James, one of the Twelve Disciples.
Anba Kyrellos had sold some of the church vessels and distributed the money on the needy because of a famine that befell the land of Palestine. Acacius took this chance and made an effort to obtain an order to exile him from the country. Anba Kyrellos was exiled without any one listening to his case. In the year 359 A.D., he appealed his case before the council of Seleucia. The council called Acacius to hear from him his argument, but he did not attend, so they judged by removing him from his office, and the return of Kyrellos to his Chair )Parish(. He did not stay long for Acacius went and enticed emperor Constans to assemble a council at Constantinople and the Arian bishops agreed with him. This council convened in the year 360 A.D. and ordered to exile this saint once more. When Constans died, and was succeeded by Julian who ordered the return of all the exiled bishops to their chairs. This saint returned to his chair in the year 362 A.D. and shepherded his people faithfully and honestly, but he resisted the Arians. They went to emperor Valens the Arian who invalidated the order of his predecessor Julian stating the return of the exiled bishops to their chairs. This way St. Kyrellos was exiled for the third time, where he remained until the death of Valens in the year 379 A.D. When Theodosius the great reigned and assembled the one hundred fifty in a council against Macedonius )The second universal council(, this father attended, and opposed Macedonius, Sabilius and other heretics. This Saint composed many Homilies and Exhortations, exceedingly profitable, in the Doctrines of faith and old traditions then departed in peace. May his prayers be with us. Amen.
Reflections on the Holy Bilble
Fourth Sunday of the Great Lent
John 4: 1-42
Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again John 4:13 The Samaritan woman had five husbands … and the sixth who is with her is not her husband … five husbands are the five senses )of mankind( which all has been defiled and of mankind no longer indicate the right sense … and the sixth husband represents the descend )of mankind( into the arms of the ) ( world, after all internal senses had died … thus the Samaritan woman was living a care-free life … the looks of the people towards her are condemning and attesting to her sins … but she no longer cared and maybe had convinced herself that what she did is normal … she only did what others do … she no longer felt any shame of what she did … but, she even reached the position of not remembering her past or present … and had forgotten her sins and surrounded herself with hallow of self-righteousness … for she still a daughter of Jacob … and she worshiped on this mountain as her forefathers did … and she still very zealous for her nationality and identity … to the extent of her enmity to the Jews … after all she is a Samaritan.
It is very sorrowful for mankind to reach such a status … undeniably he or she is in need for the Lord to open his or her eyes to see and ears to hear … and open his or her nose to smell the stench which is emitting from him or her and for the Lord to give back the sense of taste for him or her to know the bitterness of the life they lead and for the Lord to restore their sense of touch to recognise their coldness and how lost they are.
+ The lord asked her for water … that she may feel that she is thirst and hungry … have not satisfied her thirst from this world waters …
He )the Lord( asked her to bring her husband … so that she might feel how lost she is! … for she has broken all the commandments.
Her eyes were opened … Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet … her conscious started to be alive … she left her bucket … her heart is opened … is this the Messiah )Christ(? (
+ Give Me a drink
Truly He thirsted to make us drink … he hungered that we may eat …
He was not in need of a drink but we are … He was not in need of food but we are … but we are not aware … extremely thirsty and we don’t know … we are in dire hunger and not aware.
It is according to the bible saying of all those who are lost “Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked” )Revelation 3:17(. Cain’s heart was harsh and stern … despite God warning him … “sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you” )Genesis 4:7( … but he did not take heed … and rushed on ( his way and killed his brother … and he continued in his
sins and vengeance till he spread sin all over the earth … and sin increased till God regretted creating mankind and decided to end it and destroy the earth with a flood )Genesis 6( … and no one was saved except Noah and Genesis 6 his family … strange negligence by mankind which made mankind not aware of the status of sin mankind lives in … Esau was a wild man who loved hunting … he despised his firstborn rights and sold it for a meal of stewed lintels )Genesis 25:27-32( …indeed he was Genesis a hungry person … despite he was a good hunter and cook, even his father )Jacob( yearned to eat from Esau’s hand … but what is strange that Esau went on his way neglecting his real hunger … which led him to loose everything … he lost his birthright … and lost the blessings too.
There is a story of a miserly mean man … who had a son who wasn’t mean like him … who was uneasy with his father’s meanness and often would ask his father to be generous with the poor and meek to gain a treasure in heavens … but the )mean( man was neglecting )the )mean advice( and would reply )you can donate some of my ( ) money after my death to be of value for me in heaven( ( … but the replied )what is the benefit of good deeds after the death of a person … but good deed which proceed a person is of benefit( … but the father was recalcitrant … and one night the father and the son were travelling on a dark road and the son followed the father carrying a lantern … and here the father asked the son to carry the lantern before him to light up the road … the son answered; the light of the lantern is strong enough to light up the way … the father answered what benefit is it whilst you walk behind me … the son used this opportunity and said … do you see then father that the light which proceeds us is of benefit and not the one behind us … thus is mercy and good deed … it is mercy and light as they say … if offered before your departure )from this world( will light up the way to you in the from kingdom of heavens … but if you let be dehind you offered by others on your behalf )after your departure( it is of no benefit …
Often mankind wants to be filled of the pleasure of this world … thinking in doing so, one will be comfortable and fulfilled … not knowing that one will be more thirsty and hungry … that is because one did not take from the real source of fulfillment which is The Lord Jesus Christ … mankind seeks safety in wealth )money( money and finds nothing but troubles, apathy and loss of peace … seeks comfort in sleep )and laziness(, food and drink ) … to find only illness, pain and physical tiredness And you beloved what do you seek? … do you seek to satisfy your senses … it is like the five husbands … no matter how you feed it, you still will be hungry and will seek the sixth husband … and the sixth husband is the excess, irresponsibility and being lost … no one will satisfy you to fullness or quench your thirst except
being attached to the Lord Jesus Christ and the life purity, grace, and righteousness … one will not find comfort except in God’s commandments and justifications … do you really want to be fulfilled?? + Go call your husband +++ It was essential for the Lord to reveal the internal rottenness and wounds which has been covered up and hidden inside … it is the hidden sins which you do not want to get rid of … but instead you love it very much and convinced yourself that it is vital for you live in it …
Once an adulterous woman was presented to the Lord Jesus who was caught in the act )John 8:1-11( … they said to the Lord, the law of Moses says to stone her … they gathered around her with stones in their hands, eagre to stone her head in. The lord answered them “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first” )john 8:7( … stooping to the ground 8:7 the Lord written with His finger and everyone discovers his sins inscribed by the Lord before him … no one dare )to throw a stone( and all withdraw … ) the stench of rottenness within has come out and all left except for the woman standing alone … the Lord asked her Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you? She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go” )John 8:10-11(. John
Indeed how difficult it is for one to live a life of peace with a polluted heart with sin … for one loses his or her inner peace for the least of reasons … and becomes troubled for the most trivial reasons … and the true reason is the presence of sin within … but the person who lives a life of purity, nothing will affect him or her, even if he or she is thrown into the fire or dropped in the den of lions or put in depth of jails … nothing can restrict his or her peace and comfort )in the Lord(.
St Samuel the confessor … the barbarians attached the monastery where he lived and took him as a prisoner to their city … they were pagans worshiping the sun and the stars and tried to convince the saint to leave his God but he refused their worship and idol gods … so, his barbarian master started to punish and beat him severely without any success … the Lord sent him )St Samuel the confessed( an angel to edify him and heal ( his wounds … his pagan master came to a wicked plot to force St Samuel in renouncing his faith … he tied him to wicked slave woman and sent them to shepherd a flock of sheep in the fields … the slave woman was very strong and harsh on the St Samuel was weak because of the torture he has endured … therefore the slave woman used to drag him without any mercy … this was a very painful test for the saint reverted to deep prayers with tears and full submission before God to save him and have mercy on him …. The Lord wanted to save him and show His Mercy … so )the the
Lord( sent a lame young man who asked the saint to pray for him … and truly he prayed for him and the lame man was cured and walked on his feet … the news of this )miracle( became known and all the sick miracle people started to come )to St Samuel( and he would pray for them and they will be healed … even the wife of his barbarian master was barren, so the saint prayed for her and the Lord gave her an offspring … so, the heart of the barbarian master was touched and freed him )St Samuel the confessed( and heard from confessed him about Christ and he and all his people believed on the Lord and allowed St Samuel to return to his monastery.
Also, there were the three young men, strong in their exile … they reused to defile themselves with the king’s food and drink … they were steadfast in their faith and when they thrown into the fire … they were not touched by the fire … but not even one hair of their heads was burned )Daniel 1 to 3( and they were seen walking in the fire with a fourth with them like the Son of God … the Lord Jesus, Himself was in fire to strengthen them.
The sin lived in the hearts of wicked sons of Eli the priest … therefore they listened to no advice or warning and became stumbling block to the whole of the )Israelite( nation … and were the reason of the destruction of their father’s house )1 Samuel 2-4( … Also, was Ahab too … his love of his woman the evil Jezebel was strong … and because of this love which dwelt in his heart against love of God … he fell into worshiping idols … and because of her he angered God and lost himself and his people … How terrible is the sin which dwell in the heart?
Beloved … uncover these sins … let the Lord’s searching eyes look within you and uncover such rotting )sins( which resides within. )sins
Maybe these sins are an awful desire which had overcome you or you became enslaved to it … be strong and pluck it away from you … uncover it before God’s eyes … let it be burned before the Cross of the Lord Jesus in repentance. Maybe it is love of money and wealth … love of possessions … the desire of worldly treasures … awake my beloved … escape this whirlpool which can strangle you and let you lose your )eternal( life … Maybe it is deceptive interests … interests without any aim … till when do you waste your time and self in it?
Be careful, beloved before you find yourself lost between the five husbands … then one can find one’s self being destroyed in the arms of the sixth husband Hasten and uncover the sin within you … confess it … uncover it … expose it the Lord’s Light till all darkness escapes from within you … in this you will live in the true Light )of the Lord Jesus Christ(. Christ
Why a Samaritan?
The story of the Samaritan Woman is one of my favorite stories in the Bible. It is a unique story, for the Lord meets this woman who is a Gentile in many ways, and carries on a conversation with her. He leads her away from the shames of her life and grants her the mission of evangelism. In a short period of time, she attracts the city with her preaching and leads its people to the Savior of the world.
The question is, why a Samaritan?
Throughout the stories of the Gospel The Lord underlines His interest in Samaria. He praises the Samaritan leper that He cured, because he returned to Him and thanked Him for purifying him. The nine Jews, who Jesus also purified, did no such thing. “And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.
So Jesus answered and said, ‘were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?’ And He said to him, ‘arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well’” )Luke 17:1519(. The Lord also gave us the parable of the Good Samaritan; whose heart was moved with love and compassion for the wounded Jew.
ٍSamaria was at focus of the Lord care and thought even if they rejected Him at the begining: Luke 9:51-56
51 Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, 52 and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. 53 But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. 54 And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, [a]just as Elijah did?”
55 But He turned and rebuked them, [b]and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. 56 [c]For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village.
https://youtu.be/sGltofkuZvE?si=m9TgBizb4pajXrti
Fr Habib Gerges Younan
Mulholland
Coptic Hope Charity Announcement
Coptic Hope Charity Easter Appeal 2025
“It is more blessed to give than to receive”
Acts 22:35
Dearest Congregation, Easter is a sacred time of year. It is a time of fasting and sacrifice to commemorate Christ’s sufferings.
Many families in Egypt sacrifice and withstand suffering daily. Our mission at Coptic Hope Charity is to bring some relief to these struggling families. For Easter, we provide these families with food hampers so that they may also be able to celebrate the joy of our Christ’s resurrection. Each food hamper will cost $70, which provides enough food for up to a family of 4.
Larger families will receive multiple hampers.
Whether you can help one family or multiple families, any support is appreciated. Please join us by donating to the below bank account )a tax-deductible receipt will be provided to all donors(
Account Name: Coptic Hope Charity Limited ATF BSB: 063-159 Account Number: 10 686 722
Please use the reference: ‘Food Hamper’
At Coptic Hope Charity, we sponsor more than 1500 families on a regular basis. We need to increase this support to many more families.
If you would like to become a regular donor and sponsor a family for as little as $60 per month, please fill in our sponsorship form on our Facebook page )a tax-deductible receipt will be provided to all donors(.
For any further information, please contact Nagy Banoub on 0423 411 715 or email nsbanoub@yahoo.com or info@coptichope.org.au.
May our Lord reward you all, and we wish you all a blessed fast of the Holy Lent.
Congratulations St Mary’s youth took third place and St Mary’s Men’s came first again on Sunday 16th March
(No wonder they had a special hero who got muscles of prayers)
Commemoration of the Departure of Saint Hegomen Fr Beshoy Kamel 21st March - 12th Baramhat
Celebrating the feast and Vespers at St Mary’s Church next Saturday 22nd March 6 - 7:30pm
New Church, New Building and Car Park are ready
We started to use the New Building and church last on Lazarus Saturday 27th April 2024. church services are continuing as normal as in the Timetable inside the Bulletin. You can donate monthly contribution using Direct Debit forms available in the church or downloaded from church website. We thank Our Lord for this great Gift Cost of building works is around $13,000,000. Your support and donations will be blessing and very appreciated.
Donations to St Mary’s Church and Building project can be made by the following Link
https://www.stmc.org.au/donate
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