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
Arabic ; 7-8:15pm English (Zoom)
Hymns Class Arabic 8-9pm (Zoom)
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
Family Meeting 7-9pm (fortnightly)
Discipleship Clas Class 7-8:30pm
Year 10-12 Sunday School 6-9pm
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 Mass6 - .7:45am Arabic & Eng-
lish
2nd Mass.7:45 – .9:30am English
3rd Mass 9:30 - 11:15am Arabic
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., Kens-
ington Vic 3031 Tel: 93766651
Fr Kerillos Tawadros
0411 518 399
Fr John Macary 0433 445 636
Services Friday 7th April - Sunday 9th April
End Lent Friday
Friday 7th April
8am Early Morning
Prayer
8:30 Unction of the Sick
10am - 12:30pm
Divine Liturgy
Lazarus Saturday
Saturday 8th April
8:30am Eaely Morning Prayer
9-11am Divine Liturgy
Palm Sunday
Vespers Saturday Evening
8th April
St Mary’s Church (Arabic) & Anglican Church(Mckraken Street)
5:30 - 7 pm
Early Morning Prayer and Palm Procession:
6 - 8am Sunday 9th April
8 - 11am Divine Liturgy
11:30am General Funeral
Prayers
5:30 - 8pm Monday Eve Pascha Prayers
Passion Week starts Sunday 9th April
Evening.
+ Palm Sunday:
Today Sunday 9th April is Palm Sunday. We celebrate the victorious entry of our Lord to Jerusalem. On that day also, He presented Himself as a meek lamb prepared for slaughter for our salvation. People received him crying Hosanna Son of David. Let us today prepare our hearts to receive Him through real repentance, good deeds and prayers. Let us declare in eagerness that He is our Saviour. Hosanna in the Highest.
+ Passion Week:
This is the Holiest week of the year. On the past, people used to consecrate all their times during their week for worship and contemplation. Church services used to be continues during day and night with very little time for rest. Let us sanctify ourselves and our times to follow the steps of our Saviour on His way to the Golgotha and the Cross. Abstaining from food should be up to sunset or as directed by your father of confession. You should not resort to any sort of indulgence such as Television or picnics or fancy foods. Just fix your eyes and attention to the Cross of the Lord. Follow Him in His Passions to rejoice also in His resurrection.
+ Programme of Passion Week:
This is the programme of Passion Week at St Mary’s Church starting from tonight Sunday 9th April and up to Saturday night the Feast of Holy Resurrection 15th April.
Services are conducted at St Mary’s Church & Anglican Church - McCraken Street (English)
Sunday 9th April: Morning - Palm Sunday Service 6am - 8am Early Morning Prayers and Procession of Palm.
8am - 11am Palm Sunday Divine Liturgy.
11:15am General Funeral Prayers
Evening Pascha 5.30 - 8.30pm. English & Arabic Sermons at the end - contemplation on the day events. This programme is the same all the evenings of this week.
Monday 10th April Public Holiday)
9am - 12noon Day Pascha
5.30-8.30pm Night Pascha
Tuesday 11th April & Wednesday 12th April
6:30am - 7:30am 1st Hour of Day Pascha
9:30am - 12noon 3rd Hour - 11th Hour of Day Pascha
5:30 - 8pm Night Pascha
Thursday 13th April: Great Thursday:
6 am-1pm Early Morning, Lakan Prayers (Washing Feet), Day Hours and Holy mass of the Great Thursday 5 – 9pm Night Pascha
Friday 14th April: Great Friday: Starts at 7.30am and ends about 6pm Saturday Eve (15th April): Apocalypse Service which includes reading all the Book of Revelation starts at 11pm Friday night and ends with the Holy Mass Saturday morning 4-6am. Feast of Holy Resurrection Sunday 16th April:
Starts at Saturday Evening 15th April: 6:30pm Early Morning Prayers
7:30pm Holy Mass starts and including the Holy Resurrection Play at 8:30pm. Liturgy ends 10:30pm
May the Lord grant us to benefit from these blessed days following the Lord in His Sufferings, crucifixion and His Holy Resurrection. May we all rejoice in His Holy Resurrection.
Christ Has Risen. Truly He Has Risen
PALM SUNDAY:
At that day the people of Israel used to choose the lamb of Passover and), keeps it for several days to be slaughtered at the Passover. The Lord entered Jerusalem at that day and was received by the people as the pure Lamb to be offered for our Salvation and was received and accepted as a Saviour by all the ·people.
PASCHA MONDAY:
During that week the Lord used to spend the day at the temple teaching and• the evening at Bethany at the Mount of Olives. At the morning of that day the lord felt hungry and saw a fig tree with many leaves but no fruit and The Lord cursed this fruitless tree. On that day, the lord drove out all those who bought and sol!! in the temple and overturned their tables as: they defiled His House the House of Prayer.
PASCHA TUESDAY:
On the morning, the disciples saw the fig tree which was cursed by the Lord as· it dried up and withered away and marvelled. The Lord talked to the111about faith. The Lord answered the questions of the. Pharisees about the taxes and Cesare money. The Lord talked to His disciples about His Second Coming and the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem.
PASCHA WEDNESDAY:
The Lord left the temple on Tuesday intending not to enter it again and so He spent that day at Bethany teaching His disciples. Main events are the betrayal of Juda as he went on that day to consult with the Jews how to deliver the Lord to them and they promised him thirty pieces of silver the price of a slave. In contrast, we witness the woman who poured the perfume on the Feet of the Lord
GREAT THURSDAY:
The day of slaughtering the lamb the eve of Passover which commemorate the exodus of the people of Israel from Egypt with The Mighty Hand of the Lord. On that day the Lord established for us the Eucharist not as a symbol but as the real Truth. The Lord also washed the feet of His disciples giving us an example to follow in Humbleness and denying oneself. At the evening, they went to the Garden where The Lord was delivered by the kiss of Juda and was arrested and tried during the night.
GOOD FRIDAY:
The day of the Crucifixion of our Lord. The Lord offered Himself as the acceptable burnt offering for the whole world.
JOYOUS SATURDAY:
A night to spend at Heaven to go in spirit with St John the Evangelist to watch and observe events of the eternity and the Glory of Heavens to wait with all the Heavenlies for our True Bridegroom.
GLORIOUS FEAST OF HOLY RESURRECTION:
Early Morning before sunrise we conclude this wonderful procession when we witness the Victorious Resurrection of our Lord announcing New Covenant and New Life conquering the death and paving our way to Heavens.
Reflections on Sunday Bible Readings
The Blessed Palm Sunday
Matthew 21:1-17, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-48 & John 12:12-19
Today is the blessed Pam Sunday … on (this day) the Lord King of Glory who is seated on Cherubim, entered Jerusalem with great humbleness … seated on a donkey, a colt the foal of donkey … fulfilling what the prophet said “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion … your King is coming to you; … Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey (Zechariah 9:9) … The lord entered Jerusalem as a bridegroom coming to betroth His bride which is mankind … extending His hand to hold and lift (mankind) from the lewdness of sin … offering His precious Blood as an everlasting bond of Love … the One who is Seated in most upper Heavens, who in the past sent a chariot of fire for Elijah (2 Kings 2:11), He is ridding a donkey’s colt … the One who Elisa saw seated in His Majesty, on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple )Isaiah 6:1( … He departed from His 6:1 Majesty and lowly and humbly presented to mankind (in Jerusalem) in an amazing love and humbleness … not as the entry of invaders and attackers … but in an astonishing love and humility the Lord entered our hearts to purify it after it became a den of thieves … many thieves who are robbing and steal the treasure of blessings which are deposited in us … so, the Lord with His Love entered to expel the thieves and strangers and renew His covenant with us … transforming our busy hearts with world to hearts alight with God’s love.
The Lord has chosen a colt the foal of donkey, to make us know what we have become on account of sin, for us who were created in absolute purity and virtue, so that our hearts can become a throne for the Lord to occupy and dwell in it … we have become like beasts which does not talk … but we have become like most stupid of the animals and lost our heavenly status because of our sins … and when the bride saw … the human soul … her heavenly Bridegroom coming … she (the human soul) awakened from its neglect and sleep … and rushed to Him with joy … and strangely of you the bride you did not see your Bridegroom on mountain touched with fire )Hebrews 12:18( … nor 12:18 seen Him seated on His throne in heavens or among the thousands and myriads of His angels and saints … but despite all these, you truly recognised Him for He indeed saw you laying down sick and healed you … lam with desires and cured you … your hand withered from doing no charity and saved you … laying on a
bed for thirty eight years and healed you … almost lost all hope and faith and made you stand on your feet and set you free from your captivity (to sin) … He indeed, calmed the torrent waves of the sea around you with a word of His mouth … saw blind since birth, so He washed you and purified you and enlightened your vision by giving you the covenant of new birth in the blessings of the Holy Baptism … saw you hungry, so He given you food to satisfaction with thousands of your children with five loaves of bread and two fishes … from the earthly perishable bread, He gave the heavenly manna … and from the dead sea fish He gave you the heavenly life giving illuminations … truly He given you His Holy Body and Blood to live by .. Truly the bride had known Him and how could she not … He who became man in the flesh for our sake lived among us on earth as a man, suffered for our suffering … hungered for our hunger thirsted for our thirst … laboured for our labours and took our (human) body wit all its pains and debilities and bore the Cross offering Himself as a Sacrifice of Love to all mankind … The bride hurried represented in the huge multitudes to Him … laying her garments under His feet … leaving the garment of sin and asking for the garment purity and righteousness … carrying palm leaves as a sign of victory and triumph … the triumph of Satan and his militaries … for the captivity has ended and the bride is freed from the devils snares … the white pure palms … a sign of the willing heart to receive the Lord in it … the palm leaves which cheers representing the friend who is cheering before the Lord adorned with all the virtues given to him with the green olive branches … declaring the time of Holy peace which they live … with the Lord … just as the dove of old carried an olive branch in its peak and returned to Noah and his sons in the ark declaring a covenant of peace between God and mankind (Genesis 8:9) … the dove went through the rain-bow … the everlasting sign from God to mankind of God’s love … here too the multitudes carried the olive branches welcoming the Lord on His start of His journey to the Cross … declaring (our) willingness to enter with the Lord in a covenant of everlasting peace through the Cross … a reconciliation between heaven and earth … a covenant with it heavens once more is opened for mankind … The bride saw Him coming and willing to save her … heading towards the Cross for her … as humble lamb to the slaughter … at this time the multitudes of Jerusalem would choose a lamb for the offertory of Pass Over and would be careful to choose a lamb without any faults or a blemish … thus has to be the Lamb of
God which takes the sin of world is entering Jerusalem in meekness and humbleness and love as a pure and without a blemish Lamb … the multitudes saw Him and attested that He is without a blemish … even the children and babes went on praising Him …
The city shocked from the cries of their praise … they saw Him and rejoiced … they saw Him and felt their salvation is near … they saw Him and remembered the night of the first born in the land of Egypt … the night of the Pass Over where they sacrificed the lamb of Pass Over and with its blood painted the top of the doors … so the angel of death passed them over (Exodus 12:13) … and on this night the chains of slavery were broken and went forth to the wilderness … on the way to the promised land … the land of Canaan …
Thus, they saw the Lord entering Jerusalem and they cried Hosanna son of David … Hosanna in the highest … which means “have mercy on us Son of David” … have mercy from the highest (heavens) … they asked for mercy … as according to justice they deserve death … but according to (God’s) mercy they shall gain salvation …
They known Him as the son of David … for He is the King … King for ever … from the house of David who has become a sign of pure heart which God has found (David) after His own heart (Acts 13:22) … they asked for mercy from the highest … for He is not an earthly King … and His Kingdom not from this world …
The Lord entered Jerusalem triumphant … with the multitudes came to declare His advent … representing all the prophets who attested to Him from old … and the multitudes who saw Him declared their joy for His entrance … representing all the gentile nations whom He shown on them with His light and saved them from the slavery and servitude of sin …
The Lord entered the temple … to the inner heart (of the temple) … this is what the Lord wants … He wants a place to dwell within you and not outside you … the Lord was pleased with the palm branches you carried … and with olive branches you waved for Him … and the cries of praise you uttered … but one wounder what is in your heart??
The Lord entered within (the temple) … and alas what He has saw … He saw a trading market set up … He saw thieves and highway robbers … instead of the cries of praise, He heard cursing and voices of insult and scorn … instead of humility He saw chaos and disorder … instead of holiness He found
evil … and what a shame He found them selling doves … amazing, can the doves be priced … what cannot be priced is priced wit a monitory value … thus is peace sold for money … and love is priced … and virtues is priced too … even the gifts of the Holy Spirit has become for sale for money … mankind does not offer peace, love and good deeds unless a price is given in exchange … is this, how the doves are sold?? He found them selling what is holy, at tables of money changers, seated to trade in the Jerusalem Shekel … trading and manoeuvring … but, indeed thieving and cheating … is this how worship has become a trade … just a trade … just an outer shell covering cheating, deceit, dishonesty and lying … they pretend that they are protecting the purity of the temple and its sanctity so that no coins of the world would come in with a picture of Caesar and the (roman) eagle on it which is a sign of destruction and impurity … instead, they would exchange for the Jerusalem shekel?? But have they introduced with Jerusalem shekel … cheating, thieving anger and mockery??
What would the humble and meek Lamb do?? Keep quiet?? Be silent with evil and disregarding the holy place?? Indeed, He is the Lamb for our salvation … truly He is offering Himself in Love for our salvation … but, He cannot be silent in front of these disregards and perplexity … the Lord made a whip of cords and driven out the merchants and money exchangers and turned over their tables … He cleansed the temple from the defiling actions …astoundingly, the Lamb has become a lion … but why wounder? Isn’t He the Lord of Lords, whom before Him the whole the heavenly kingdoms are not perfect and to His angels, He can allocate blame … before His Kingdoms, no one can war … all submit to Him …the Lord had cleansed His temple … in provision of His Cross … His new throne which He bore with His own will for our salvation
The Lord wants to set up His throne within you too … then, what state is your inner temple in?? Great to rejoice and welcome the Lord today, with palm and olive branches … but the Lord will more pleased to receive Him in your heart … the Lord will be gladdened even more when you cleanse your heart from the dove sellers and tables of money exchangers … when you offer your love to all not for a reward … when you plant peace, everywhere you found to be, not for (personal) gains … when you offer to the Lord a (true) worship, pure and void of cheating, deceit and lying … Then, you shall shout and say Hosanna Son of David And the Lord will answer you from the highest and bestow Mercy upon you.
Passion Week
April 2023
Tuesday Pascha 11th April
Do not be decieved I have fortold you
Pascha Monday 10th April
Tree with Many Leaves
Pascha
Wedesday 12th April
Judas betrays the Lord
Pascha Wedesday the Ten
Virgins
Covenant Thursday 13th April
Good Friday 14th April
Joyous Saturday 15th April
Coptic Hope Charity Easter Hamper Appeal - 2023
“Blessed is he who considers the poor; The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.” Psalm 41:1
Beloved congregation of the Diocese of Melbourne and Affiliated Regions,
As we begin the blessed season of The Great Holy Lent and the Feast of the Glorious Resurrection, Coptic Hope Charity is pleased to announce the Easter Hamper Appeal - 2023. With the love and generosity of the Coptic Orthodox congregation, Coptic Hope Charity Easter Hamper Appeal supports our less fortunate brothers and sisters across the poorest villages and provinces throughout Egypt.
Our aim this year is to present 1700 families a special Easter Hamper, your gift of $60 for each Easter Hamper includes Meat, rice, flour, butter, milk, sugar etc to make celebrating the Feast of Resurrection a special time for our less fortunate brothers and sisters.
Coptic Hope Charity confirms that all donations collected for the Easter Hamper Appeal is to provide hampers to be distributed amongst as many families as possible, including the 1100 families in our Family-to-Family program.
To contribute to Coptic Hope Charity Easter Hamper Appeal or assist with ongoing support please donate with reference “Easter Hamper Appeal” to the following bank account or via our PayPal account at www.coptichope.org.au
Account Name: Coptic Hope Charity Limited ATF
BSB: 063-159
Account Name: 10686722
Tax deductible receipts for all donations above $2 will be issued upon receipt. All funds raised by Coptic Hope Charity are for the sole purposes of the services provided by Coptic Hope Charity to serve the poor and in need.
On behalf of Coptic Hope Charity, we would like to thank you for your love, generosity and support.
For further information please call Nagy Banoub on 0423 411 715 or email: info@coptichope. org.au
Blessed Engagement
Justin Calabrese & Nevine Masso
19th March 2023
St Macarius Church
Congratulations
Samuel Rizkalla
Player of the Year
Table Tennis
Victoria
Blessed Baptism
Baby Adam son of Mina & Verna Gayed
Sunday 2nd April 2023
St Mary’s Church
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.
Construction of New Buildings started Thursday 28th April
The new Building is expected to be ready within 9 months. 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. 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
for all who keep working tirelessly for the success of this project. May the Lord reward them all and bless all their works
