Sons of Pharaohs The Copts are the rightful ancestors of the ancient Egyptians. The term “Copt” is derived from the Greek word “Aigyptos” which is in turn derived from the ancient Egyptian word “Ha-ka-Ptah” which means, the house of the spirit of Ptah, a most highly revered deity in Egyptian mythology. Since the Arab conquest… Continue reading Who are the Copts? Part 1
The Orthodox Church respects the natural order God created, i.e. the difference between male and female, for God created man and woman to compliment each other. Truly in Jesus Christ there is no man and woman (Galatians 3:28), for each of them is a member of the one body, having the same faith. Both are… Continue reading The Issue of Female Priests!
The church, being the house of God, is naturally the dwelling of God with His people, in them and for their interest. The church community constructs the church building as an oblation of love to God, who accepts it, sanctifies it, and turns it into his heavenly and holy temple. Within it, the community receives… Continue reading Coptic Architecture!
Yesterday the Coptic Orthodox Church celebrated the Entry of the Holy Family into Egypt, below is a short discourse on some of the wonderful miracles that happened on this journey. Hosea, the Prophet, foresaw the Son of God going out of Bethlehem and fleeing to Egypt, where He found a welcome in the hearts of… Continue reading “Blessed Be Egypt, My People”
Im involved in making the Holy Bread at St Barbara & St Noufers Coptic Orthodox Church! Amongst the guys who bake the Holy Bread or “Orban”, we were discussing whether there were actually any guidelines or canons on how the Holy Bread should be made. Being Me, i stumbled across the Following book from the… Continue reading Canons of Holy Bread Baking!
The Holy myron oil, is the oil used in the sacrament of confirmation to annoit the newly baptised as a way of them obtaining the Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus instituted it when He said: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said,… Continue reading Tradition of the HOLY MYRON OIL
Today the Coptic Church celebrates the blessed feast of the Ascension which is celebrated 40 days after the Resurrection of Christ. Below is a wonderful contemplation by St Romanos a melodist (6th century in the Eastern Orthodox Chruch) on this wonderful Feast. He Who descended to earth, as He alone knew how, Rising up from… Continue reading Happy Feast of The Ascension
At such a time angels stand by the Priest; and the whole sanctuary, and the space round about the altar, is filled with the powers of heaven, in honour of Him who lies thereon. For this, indeed, is capable of being proved from the very rites which are being then celebrated. I myself, moreover, have… Continue reading Miracles That Occur In the Liturgy – St John Chyrsostom
The Hymn of Tonseena is next in our series on Coptic Hymnology of Easter LYRICS We, the believers, praise and worship the Word, One in eternity with the Father and the Spirit, born of the Virgin for our salvation, for He agreed and accepted to go up on the cross, and to suffer death in… Continue reading Hymns of Resurrection Part 4
A curious custom of the Coptic Church is the liturgy is prayed and sung in Coptic, the original language of ancient Egypt. The Church keeps alive the language of the pharaohs, which was written in hieroglyphics, hieratic and demotic and now a modified version of the Greek alphabet, Egyptian written in Greek and demotic (the Copt)… Continue reading Hymns of Resurrection Part 1
The Coptic Church was founded by St Mark the Evangelist who wrote the Gospel of St Mark. Hstory documents that St Mark entered into Egypt somewhere between 40-50AD Furthermore, while it is debated many scholars agree that the 1st Epistle of St Peter was written by St Peter in Egypt in the year 43AD. As… Continue reading History of the Nile Valley Christians!
Recently our parish Father, asked me to write a reply to one of our protestant brothers in regards to the following issues. 1. Concerning Priesthood 2. Concerning the Orthodox understanding of Sacraments 3. The true understanding of what really happens during communion and what is meant by remembrance or the Anamnesis. Below is the article… Continue reading Priesthood, Sacraments and the Anamnesis
It is custom that when we enter the church that we bow down in front of the Sanctuary and kiss the curtain. However people seem not to have the slightest clue as to what this ancient tradition handed down from generation to generation actually means. So in an attempt to revive the tradition and its… Continue reading Kissing the Sanctuary Curtain
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