Weekly Bulletin 9th July 2023

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

The Departure of St. Kyrillos (Cyril) the First, the Twenty- Fourth Pope of Alexandria.

10th July - 3rd Abib

On this day, of the year 160 A.M. (June 27th, 444 A.D.), the great father, the pillar of faith and the lamp of the Orthodox church, St. Kyrillos (Cyril) the First, the Alexandrian Pope, and the twenty-fourth Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, departed.

This saint was the son of the sister of Pope Theophilus (23rd patriarch). He was raised by his uncle at the school of Alexandria where he was educated in its Theological and Philosophical subjects needed to defend Christianity and the Orthodox faith. After he learned a great deal of these subjects, his uncle sent him to the monastery of St. Macarius in the wilderness. There, he became a disciple to a righteous old monk called Sarabamon. He taught him the church books, and the sayings of the pure fathers. He trained his mind and body by practicing the works of righteousness and virtues for a period of time. After he spent in the wilderness five years, Pope Theophilus sent him to Abba Sarapion, the honorable bishop, so he increased in wisdom and knowledge. Shortly after, the bishop returned him to Alexandria. His uncle was rejoiced, ordained him a deacon, appointed him a preacher in the cathedral and made him his scribe. Whenever Kyrillos gave a sermon, he captured the hearts of his listeners with his eloquence, fluency, and his strong influence. Since that time, he became well known for his vast knowledge, his great righteousness, and his deep influence in his teaching.

When his uncle Pope Theophilus departed in the 18th of Babah 128 A.M. (October 15th, 412 A.M.), they enthroned this father in his place on the 20th day of Babah, 128 A.M. (Oct. 17th, 412 A.D.). The church was illumined with his knowledge, and he gave special attention to resisting paganism and defending the Christian faith. He started to refute the falsity of Emperor Julian the Infidel in his ten essays that had been written after his apostasy. These were the favorite readings of the pagan young people of Alexandria and their pride, for they believed that it destroyed the principles of the Christian faith. Pope Kyrillos refuted them in terms that were clear, strong and convincing.

He set out to rebut the heretics until he was able to close their churches and seize their contents. He ordered the expulsion of the Jews from Alexandria which led to a disturbance and confrontation between the Jews and the Christians. This led to the widening of the contention between the governor and this great saint. Because of his strong devotion to the Christian ethics and teachings, he found himself compelled to ask for reconciliation with the governor. However, the governor refused to accept the reconciliation, and the conflict between them continued for a period of time.

When the heresy of Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople, emerged, a Universal Council convened for him.

He denied that the Virgin was the mother of God (Theotokos).

Two hundred bishops assembled in the city of Ephesus during the reign of Emperor Theodosius II, known by Theodosius the Less. St. Cyril (Kyrillos), Pope of Alexandria, presided over this council. He debated Nestorius, explained to him his heretic opinion, and threatened him with excommunication and exile from his Chair, if he did not change his erroneous opinion. St. Kyrillos composed twelve discourses wherein he explained the true faith, refuting the error of Nestorius. Anba John, Patriarch of Antioch, and some of the bishops of the East disagreed with him, taking Nestorius’ side. Nevertheless, shortly after, they came back and agreed with Kyrillos who was victorious over the enemies of the church. He wrote many discourses and valuable epistles, confirming in them, that God the Word is One Nature, One Will, and One Person incarnated. He anathematized anyone who separated Christ or differed from this true faith. The Emperor exiled Nestorius in the year 435 A.D. to the land of Egypt, and remained in the city of Akhmim until his death in the year 440 A.D.

From the monumental works of Pope Kyrillos was the commentary of the Holy Books. When he finished his strife, he fell sick for a short time and departed in peace. He remained on the Alexandrian Chair for thirty-one years, eight months, and ten days.

May his prayers be with us. Amen.

The Martyrdom of Sts. Peter and Paul, the Apostles.

12th July - 5th Abib

On this day, the two great saints Peter and Paul, were martyred. Peter was from Bethsaida, and he was a fisherman. The Lord chose him on the second day of His baptism after He chose Andrew his brother. He had fervent faith and strong zeal. When the Lord asked His disciples: “Who do men say that I am?”

So they answered, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” ... Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Mat. 16:13-20) After he received the grace of the Holy Spirit, he went around in the world preaching of the crucified Christ, and he converted many to the faith. God wrought great and innumerable signs and wonders by his hands. He wrote two catholic Epistles to the believers. When he came to the city of Rome, he found there St. Paul the Apostle. Through their preaching, most of the people of Rome believed, so Nero seized Peter and commanded to crucify him. Peter asked them to crucify him head downwards, and he delivered up his soul into the hand of the Lord.

As of St. Paul the Apostle, he was born in Tarsus two years before the advent of the Savior. He was a Jew, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. He was well learned in the Law of the Torah, and he was jealous for it. He persecuted the Christians.

When they stoned St. Stephen, Paul was guarding the clothes of those who were stoning him. He took from Caiaphas, the high priest, letters to the synagogues of Damascus, to bind the Christians and bring them to Jerusalem. As he journeyed, he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying

to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” Then He ordered him to go to Ananias in Damascus, who baptized him, and he received his sight at once. He was filled by the grace of the Comforter, and he proclaimed boldly the Faith. He went around in the world preaching of the crucified Christ. He suffered much beatings, imprisonment, and was bound with fetters, some of which are mentioned in the book of the Acts of the Apostles and in his Epistles. He went to Rome and proclaimed the Faith there and many believed by his hands. He wrote for them the Epistle to the Romans which was the first of his fourteen Epistles. Finally, Nero seized him, tortured him severely and ordered his head cut off. While St. Paul was passing along with the executioner, he met a damsel who was a kinswoman of the Emperor Nero, and who had believed through him. She walked along with St. Paul, weeping, to where they carried out the sentence. He comforted her and asked her for her veil. He wrapped his head with the veil, and asked her to return back. The executioner cut off his head and left it wrapped in the veil of the young girl, and that was in the year 67 A.D. The young girl met the executioner on his way back to the Emperor, and asked him about Paul and he replied, “He is lying where I left him and his head is wrapped in your veil.” She told him, “You are lying, for he and Peter had just passed by me, they were arrayed in the apparel of kings, and had crowns decorated with jewels on their heads, and they gave me my veil, and here it is.” She showed it to the executioner, and to those who were with him. They marvelled, and believed on the Lord Christ.

God wrought by the hands of Peter and Paul many great signs and wonders, that they even carried the sick out into the streets ... that as Peter came by ... his shadow might fall on them ... and they were all healed. (Acts 5:15) The handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from Paul’s body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. (Acts 19:12) May their prayers be with us, and Glory be to God forever. Amen. The Departure of St. Shenouda (Shenoute), the Archimandrite.

14th July - 7th Abib

On this day, the ascetic father, St. Shenouda (Shenoute), the Archimandrite, departed. This father was born in the city of Shandaweil (Shenalolet) in the district of Akhmim. His father was a farmer, who owned flocks of sheep. When Shenouda grew up, his father entrusted him with the care of the sheep. He tended to the sheep, gave his food to the shepherd, and he spent his day fasting. His father took him to his uncle Anba Bgoul (Bigal) to bless him. Anba Bgoul laid the boy’s hands on his own head and said, “You bless me, my child, for you will be a father for many peoples.” His father left him with his uncle and returned home. One day he heard a voice from heaven saying, “Shenouda has become the Archimandrite.” Since that time, he exerted himself with many worships and intense asceticism. When Anba Bgoul (Bigal) departed, Shenouda replaced him. He followed the monastic communal rules that were formulated by St. Pakhom, and he added to them a pledge the monk had to sign before joining the monastery. The number of monks during his days reached 1800 monks. That

monastery, still standing west of the city of Souhag, has a church and is known as the monastery of Anba Bishoy.

Anba Shenouda had built another monastery, the number of its monks reached 2200 monks, which is still standing and is known as the monastery of Anba Shenouda.

Once, an army commander asked Anba Shenouda to lend him his girdle to wear during the war so that God might make him victorious. The Saint gave it to him and the commander overcame his enemies.

Anba Shenouda became a shining light to all the world with his sermons, discourses, and canons that he put for the good of the monks, hierarchies, and laity, men and women. He attended the Council of the two hundred that gathered at Ephesus with the holy father Anba Kyrillos (24th), and he admonished Nestorius the heretic. Before his departure, he asked his disciples to support him so that he might worship his creator. He worshiped God and then commanded them to follow his footsteps and told them, “I commit you to God” then he departed in peace. May his prayers be with us. Amen.

The Martyrdom of St Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, in Rome. On this day also, St. Ignatius was martyred in Rome in the year 17 A.D. He was chosen Bishop for Antioch, succeeding St. Peter the Apostle, in the year 69 A.D., during the reign of Emperor Trajan. When the Emperor heard that this Saint had attracted many by his teachings to believe in the Lord Christ, he brought him and asked him, “Are you Ignatius the Theophoros?” He replied, “Yes, I am.” The Emperor inquired about the meaning of his name. The saint replied saying, “It means ‘Godbearer.’” The Emperor said, “Do you think that we do not carry our gods to support us in wars?” The Saint answered, “How can these statues be gods? Listen, there is no God except the only God that created the Heaven and Earth, and His Son Jesus Christ who was incarnated to save mankind. So if you had believed in Him, you would be content now in your kingship.”

The emperor attempted to persuade him to forsake Christianity, but he refused. The Emperor was enraged, ordered him bound with fetters, and taken to Rome to be thrown to the beasts. Ignatius responded by kissing the fetters that would be his means of receiving the crown of martyrdom. The believers tried to save him by paying bribes to the soldiers, but he refused, for he was yearning for martyrdom. He went on his way to Izmir (Smyrna), where he wrote a letter to the Christians of Rome that said in it: “I am afraid that your love may be harmful. If you wish to prevent my death, that will not be difficult for you. But allow me to be slaughtered wherever the altar has been prepared .. I am wheat which must be ground, to make bread, to be offered to Jesus Christ. Whenever the people will not behold me anymore, I will behold our Lord Jesus Christ.”

When he arrived in Rome, they threw him to the beasts. A lion attacked him and grabbed him by his neck. The Saint delivered up his soul in the hand of the Lord. Then the lion released him and went back to his place, and the believers came and carried his body with great honor to a place they prepared for him in Antioch.

May his prayers be with us, and Glory be to God forever. Amen.

Reflections on the Holy Bible

First Sunday of the blessed month of Abib Luke 10: 1-20

“it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city” Luke 10:12. Many are God’s warnings to mankind, for God is very loving, patient, merciful and generous in compassion and does not wish the death of a sinner but to return and live )hourly prayers – Agbia) and because of this He warns many times and never without a testimonial in all ages and generations, but even in every city and nation because He is indeed just and will declare to the sinner on the day of judgement “you are inexcusable, O man” )Romans 2:1). However, people do not accept warnings since old and they persecuted and even killed prophets because of their wornings to evil people, for people want to be merry and receive complements and take pleasure in those who turn a blind eye to the destruction they heading to. Indeed, how difficult is warnings to sinful man’s heart and how challenging is the mission of the warner. There are great differences between God’s warnings and warnings of the world, as God’s warnings are distinguished within it there are hope and an open door for repentance and stop )committing sin), but the world warnings are punitive and destructive. Truly, it is better to fall into the hand of the Lord, than to fall int the hands of man )2 Samuel 24:14), since the warnings of God start with peace.

+ Peace to this house

God is gentle and merciful in His dealings with mankind, when He sees you frightened, He does not reproach you for your fears and lack of faith but gives you peace first. The Lord Jesus entered while the disciples were behind closed doors because they were afraid )John 20:19-20) and said “peace be with you” and when they saw Him walking on the waters as they were in the midst of the seas, troubled by the waves, He said to them “it is I, do not be afraid” )Matthew 14:27). There are many more examples of such calm and assuring warnings which were full of peace. Even, the evil people of Sodom had Lot living among them, who was troubled with their evil works every day and without a doubt his pure and good works was a peaceful warning for the people of Sodom )Genesis 19).

There is a similar story from the book of Judges

)chapter 19) where a righteous elder from the tribe of Ephraim lived in a city of evil people and this elder offered lodgings to some travellers who entered the city but were not offered lodgings by anyone and some of the evil )young) men of the city surrounded the elders house and asked for his visitors to carnally know them. A very troubling and painful story and its end is even more painful which was almost the close to the elimination of the Benjaminite’s tribe and the presence of this elder among them, surely was a peaceful and cal warning to them, but they would not heed this peaceful warning. Without a doubt, Noah and his family were a calm and peaceful warning to a world full of evil, he was building the ark for nearly a hundred years and certainly every day of this years was a calm warning to those evil people. King Saul, the spirit of God departed from him because of his evil and arrogance but the Lord gave him many warnings; once Samuel the prophet became enraged and decided to leave Saul, but he grabed Samuel and tore his robe in his hand and this was a calm warning offered by Samuel to King Saul, that God will tear his kingdom from his hand )1 Samuel 12). Again twice king Saul followed after David the righteous psalter, wanting to kill him, but he falls in David’s hand and David spares him. It was a warning and what a warning and certainly the torn piece of cloth of king Saul’s robe in the hand of David )1 Samuel 24) was a sign of warning which Saul should have not forgotten. It is all warnings accompanied with peace and love but will find willing hearts to understand and heed it?

Sometimes, this calm warning are just the words “sin no more, lest worse things come upon you” )John 5:13) as the Lord said to the paralysed man, other time it could just a memory, just as Peter when he denied the Lord Jesus, then remembered and wept bitterly outside )Luke 22:54 & Matthew 26: 69-75). Many are the calm and peaceful warnings in your life, beloved, it might be a word you heard in cermon in the church or a simple visitation by one of the church priests or a sign passes in your life, like an accident you see on the road or a visit to a sick person or attending a funeral or

going to the cemetery just a social duty. There are people who possess sensitive hearts and just a word will awaken the message )within them), like St Anthony the great upon hearing a verse, he was affected and changed his life. Again, Matthew the tax collector just the words “come and follow Me”, he left everything and followed )the Lord). And there are those who have hardened hearts, they see the warnings but they simply say; it is not for us and this will never happen to us. They find an excuse for all that happens around them and it does not concern them. Indeed, the master of this world has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts and closed their ears, and those need very strong and hard warnings and they might be of need to the rod of rebuke but still with hope and an opened door for repentance.

+ The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you

The sign of dust is an austere sign from time of old, in one of the wars with evil groups )Judges 20), the sign of destruction of the evil city was the raising smoke from the city and when the )Israelites) soldiers saw the smoke the running away turned to attackers and the attackers turned into running away and thus the evil army (of the Benjaminite’s) was defeated badly.

The exodus of Lot from Sodom, was )another) sign of the dust being wiped off and similarly Noah’s enterance to the ark and God closing the ark on him was a sign of the dust being wiped off and every-time you see the rain bow in the skies, remember it a sing of God’s anger on sin and His mercy which is extended to mankind. In the few months prior to the destruction of Jerusalem, there were many signs which the inhabitants of Jerusalem should have understood as the dust being wiped off, for a whole year, there was a man who kept on screaming and everyone thought he was a madman; woe from the east and woe, the west, woe from the north and woe from the south and the last time he spoke these words, he said woe to me and then a stone fell on his head and killed him.

And, one day they found the door to the sanctuary of the high temple opened which

normally needed 10 strong men to open it and they heard footsteps as if it was departing, as if there were unseen residents departing the temple and the city. Without a doubt the dust )and smoke) rising from Nagasaki and Hiroshima and there are many still suffering from its effects till today, is a sign of warning to those who enjoy the weapons of destruction and war for personal gains and there are the wise ones, today who warn against the destruction such wars which leaves behind no victor or defeated as all will be destroyed. The door of repentance is open till the last possible moment, Jonah kept on calling to the people of Nineveh will be destroyed and ruined but the repentance of the people of Nineveh made God relented from the disaster He was to bring upon evil Nineveh )Jonah 3:10).

Beloved, be careful that your heart is not hardened to this serious stage and God wipes the dust in your face, so when you hear His voice )calling you to repent) do not harden your heart.

+ it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom

Beloved, God’s warnings now a days are much more than of old, and the evil of Sodom and Gomorrah was the sin of homosexuality and because of this God burned both cities with fire and sulphur and today there are many groups who boast with such evil sins, but even they demanding to have churches and ministers of the same. What will the Lord do with this world? The Lord is warning and warning. The evil of the world which caused the floods (at the time of Noah) was the sins of adultery, promiscuity, immorality and ruthlessness and today where do we stand? Such sins, now are everywhere. Beloved, do not ignore God’s gentleness, patience, it is His love for you and the Lord wants your salvation, repentance and return to Him.

Remember, beloved that the day the Lord Jesus spoke of, is the day of judgement which terrifying, what shall you do and what answer will you give before God and how would you account for your sins, for every warning the Lord gives you today, will testify against you and every word you hear or read now will testify against you unless you benefit from it and did )what it calls for) but if you continue in sin and hardened heart then Sodom and Gomorrah will have a more tolerated state than your status on the day of judgement.

Abba Bishoy

15th July - 8th Abib

Anba Bishoy was born in the town of Shesna to a family of six children. One day, his mother saw an angel in a dream, asking her to give one of her children to the Lord. She was very pleased and left the choice to the Lord to pick one of her kids. So, the Lord picked Anba Bishoy. His mother was very worried because Anba Bishoy was physically very weak, and she asked the Lord to pick a stronger child to serve Him; but the angel insisted that Anba Bishoy was the one the Lord had chosen.

Later in his life Anba Bishoy went to the desert of Shehet where he took his vows to monastisism and studied under Anba Bamwa. He devoted his life to God and prayer until he deserved the appearance of Jesus Christ.

Anba Bishoy is an Egyptian monk, and Bishoy is a Coptic name means «elevated«. He was known by his wisdom, strength, modesty, courage, simplicity in appearance, deep thoughts, calmness and generosity to strangers. These are the highlights of his character. King Constantine appeared to him in a dream one day and told him «If I had known all the honor bestowed on the monks, I would have left my kingdom to become a monk« Anba Bishoy answered by saying: «But you were the one that removed the worship of idols and Christianity was very prosperous during your reign, didn›t Jesus give you anything ?«; Constantine answered «Yes a lot, but not the honor of the monks.

In his days, an old preacher appeared in the mountain of Ansina. He became so famous for his preaching that a lot of people gathered around him. It came to be that he lost his way and the devil misled him until the point when he denied the Holy Spirit. All this news reached Anba Bishoy who went to see him taking with him sacs each having three handles, something that amazed the old preacher, and he asked Anba Bishoy the reason for that and he answered «I have a trinity, and I do everything accordingly«, and he started to explain to the people the words of the Bible until he convinced them all.

The saint fulfilled his life of flesh and wished he could see Jesus, and in the middle of that, he got a promise from God that He will appear to him on the mountain of Shehet. So, he gathered the monks and told them the good news. Everyone was filled with joy and they were waiting for that big event to happen. On the appointed day, everybody was in a great hurry rushing to see Jesus. On their way, they passed by man who was trying to join them but had great difficulty because of his age; so he stretched out his hand asking for help, but nobody stopped or even paid him any attention. When Anba Bishoy passed by him, he stopped and carried him on his shoulders, gradually he started to feel that his load was becoming lighter and lighter, then he realized that the old man was Jesus the Lord, the one that everybody ignored. Finally, he died in peace giving his soul the freedom to go and live with the one he always wanted to be with, and that is Jesus Christ.

Thank for all for your prayers and support. May the Lord reward you all.

Current Building Site 4th July 2023 Ready for the Roofings

Construction of New Buildings started Thursday 28th April

The new Building is expected to be ready within 6 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