Theological Seminary in Melbourne

His Grace Bishop Suriel of Melbourne is completing the development of the Theological Seminary in Melbourne and will open it to the general public. Moreover, the Seminary will soon be accredited through His Grace’s leadership.

What a wonderful and awesome endeavor that is greatly needed for our Church and for the public at large.

We ask our Good Savior to continue advancing these efforts for the glory of His Holy Name.

Please check out this wonderful video about the Seminary:

More Information available at: http://www.sacotc.org/

NAACCS 2009 & FTFT!

H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Pope & Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church

H.H. Pope Shenouda III presided over the North American Annual Coptic Clergy Seminar (NAACCS) which was held in Holy Virgin Mary’s Spiritual Vineyard of Charlton, MA from Monday, September 14, 2009 through Wednesday, September 16, 2009. There were 14 bishops and over 220 priests from the United States & Canada in attendance. Among the bishops in attendance where: H.G. Bishop Pisenti (Helwan), H.G. Bishop Botros (Patmos), H.G. Bishop Serapion (Los Angles), H.G. Bishop Youssef (Southern), H.G. Bishop Suriel (Melbourne), H.G. Bishop Agathon (Brazil), H.G. Bishop Youssef (Bolivia), H.G. Bishop Reweis (General Bishop), H.G. Bishop Makarious (General Bishop), H.G. Bishop Youannis (General Bishop), H.G. Bishop Youhanna (General Bishop), H.G. Bishop Armia (General Bishop), H.G. Bishop David (General Bishop), and H.G. Bishop Michael (General Bishop).  The Seminar consisted of spiritual words of wisdom delivered by H.H. Pope Shenouda III and Their Graces the Bishops to the Reverend Fathers, as well as Question & Answer sessions.

On Tuesday morning, September 15, 2009, H.H. along with Their Graces the Bishop and Reverend Fathers travelled to Nashua, New Hampshire to consecrate the Coptic Orthodox Church of Virgin Mary & Archangel Michael (41 Chandler St, Nashua, NH 03064-2816). After consecrating the church H.H. and the clergy returned to the vineyard to continue their seminar.

On Tuesday evening, H.H. received and welcomed FTFT! (First Timothy Four: Twelve!), a faith-based church-supervised youth-managed missionary service organization. FTFT! presented to H.H., and all the clergy in attendance their origin, history, and goals.  FTFT! explained that they are answering H.H.’ call for missionary service in the United States.  They are serving with the spiritual goal of bringing people to Christ.  They serve the neediest of our Lord’s people such as those who are hungry, homeless, sick, elderly, lonely, and imprisoned both Copts and non-Copts. H.H. was pleased with the group’s presentation, he blessed and encouraged them.  H.H. distributed gifts to the presenters and took a group picture with them. H.G. Bishop David (Overseer of FTFT!) suggested that any priest interested in getting their local youth involved in such a service could contact FTFT! for help getting started.

To read more about the Seminar please visit:

• http://www.telegram.com/article/20090917/NEWS/909170670/1101

To learn more about FTFT! please visit:

• http://www.ftftmission.org/

Holy Synod Session June 2009

Only 3 months late, I have just now received word of the resolutions and decrees of the past Holy Synod Session which convened on June 6, 2009.  Below is a news post from the Lacopts.org website with a brief summary of the resolutions.

2009 Resolutions of the Holy Synod

On June 6, 2009, the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church convened on the Glorious Feast of Pentecost to discuss several important issues in the life of the church and its faithful.

The attached file, compiled by Fr. Youhanna Mouris, contains an explanation of all of the Holy Synod’s decrees in Arabic and English.

Decrees of the Holy Synod 2009_E&A (PDF)

English Text of the Summary

The Holy Synod headed by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III in its session on June 6, 2009. agreed on the recommendations of the following Commissions:

Commission on Faith and Education

1. Banning all closed and private meetings at any Coptic Orthodox Church as these meetings could be used to disseminate false teachings against the Orthodox faith.
2. Banning spiritual or educational meetings about faith or Bible study or the like at home, except with a written permission that is clear and of specific objective from HG the Bishop of the diocese.
3. His Holiness the Pope asked that, their Grace the Bishops are warned against ordaining priests without ascertaining their sound Orthodox faith and ensuring that they are not affected by the Protestant and Pentecostal infiltration attempts.
4. Activating and expanding of the membership all the disciplines of the Religious Books’ Audit Committee that were previously approved and formed by the Holy Synod, and the announcement of that in various ways in order to limit the spread of books that are not sound in terms of the education of the Christian Orthodox faith.
5. The film “Christ and the other” by Fayez Ghali has been reviewed and found that it does not agree with the texts of Bible and our Orthodox faith and it includes fictional and inappropriate scenes that are not consistent with the teachings of Christ and the texts of the Bible. These matters have been reported to the Oversight Committee on the Artistic Works. The Commission on Faith, Education and Legislation stresses the importance of the follow-up on this matter, in order to stop any material that offends the person of Jesus Christ and the Holy Family, as well as the sacred texts of the Bible and Christian teachings.

Commission on the Dioceses’ Affairs

1. Regarding the medical examination before marriage: Do not bring up the examination of semen for young people or the external genital examination of the girls or anything that could cause embarrassment to both parties.

Commission on the Monasteries’ Affairs

1. Recognition of Anba Shenouda Monastery of Sydney – Australia
2. Recognition of Anba Antonios Monastery of Melbourne, Victoria – Australia Commission on Satellite Channels 1. Their Grace the Bishops and Their Reverent the Priests to decline the participation in non- Orthodox Christian channels and those that are not subject to the supervision of the church.

Commission on Rituals’ Affairs

1. Anyone of priesthood ranks is forbidden to pray special prayers aloud during the holy liturgy, except as indicated in the audible and inaudible liturgy prayers.
2. Regarding the Synaxarium on The Assumption of the Body of the Holy Virgin St. Mary:

Delete the following lines from the currently used Synaxarium:

[They saw her sitting on the right hand of her Son and her Lord, surrounded by the angelic Host, as David prophesied and said, "At your right hand stands the queen." (Psalm 45:9)].

Also, delete the following text:

[She spent twelve years of them in the temple, thirty years in the house of the righteous St. Joseph, and fourteen years in the care of St. John the Evangelist, as the Lord commanded her saying, "Woman behold your Son," and to St. John, "Behold your Mother."]

And replace it with the sentence: “St. Mary’s life on earth was sixty years”.

Add the underlined words in the following text:

“St. Thomas was absent at the time of St. Mary’s departure, but he came after the burial. On his way back from India to Jerusalem, St. Thomas saw in a vision angels carrying St. Mary’s pure body and ascending with it to heaven.”

3. Delete the insults against Pope Theophilos (23), and St. Epiphanius the Archbishop of Cyprus and against Queen Odoxia from the book of “Defnar”.
4. Correct as stated in the issuance in the “A Guide to (Dallal) the Holy Week” (the issuance of Anba Takla Church, the St. Mina Monastery, and St. George Church in Sporting, and others) regarding Isaiah 53: 10, in the prophecies of the Eleventh Hour of the Great Thursday and Sixth Hour of the Great Friday, as follows: “the Lord wanted to heal Him of the wounds and if you offer yourself a sacrifice for sin you will see a harvest of many blessings” Following is the recommended text to be published in the Dallal: “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand” (Isaiah 53: 10).
5. If the feast of the Entry of Jesus Christ into the land of Egypt comes during the Holy Fifty Days, the readings of the Holy Fifty Days are read as usual, the responses of both Resurrection and Entry of Christ into the land of Egypt are chanted, and that this blessed feast is referred to in the sermon.
6. Regarding the Prostration Prayers, the first Prostration Prayer is prayed in joyful tune; the second prayer starts in joyful tune then turns to annual tune starting with the gospel response; the third prayers is prayed in annual tune.

The Reception of His Grace Bishop Michael

The reception of His Grace Bishop Michael took place as stated below.  Here is the link for some pictures of the event:

http://www.amsacopticchurch.org/photo/082309/index.html

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Below are details concerning the welcome reception for His Grace Bishop Michael, Bishop of Virginia and its districts (Sorry I still don’t know the official title).  May God preserve him on his seat for many years and peaceful times.

Saturday, August 22: Vespers at St. George Coptic Orthodox Church at 5:00 pm. The Vespers will be attended by:

• H.G. Bishop Isidoros, Abbot of El Baramous Monastery, Egypt
• H.G. Bishop Youssef, Bishop of the Diocese of the Southern States, USA
• H.G. Bishop David, General Bishop (Papal Residence, Cedar Grove, NJ)

Sunday, August 23: Following the 8:30 am Divine Liturgy at St. George Coptic Orthodox Church, a reception will be held at Saints Peter and Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church** at 4:00 pm. The reception will be attended by:

• H.G. Bishop Isidoros, Abbot of El Baramous Monastery, Egypt
• H.G. Bishop Youssef, Bishop of the Diocese of the Southern States, USA
• H.G. Bishop David, General Bishop (Papal Residence, Cedar Grove, NJ)
• H.G. Bishop Serapion, Bishop of the Diocese of Los Angeles, USA
• H.G. Bishop Apollo, Bishop of Southern Sinai, Egypt

**Saint Peter & Paul Anitochian Orthodox Church: 10620 River Road Potomac, MD 20854.

For more details visit www.stgeorgemd.org

The ECCYC 20th Anniversary Video

This year was the 20th Anniversary for the East Coast Coptic Youth Convention (ECCYC).  This video commemorates the 20 years of ECCYCs. It is a compilation of pictures and clips from throughout the years. Congratulations to the ECCYC!

Coptic Ordinations Pentecost 2009

On June 7, 2009, the Feast the Pentecost, H.H. Pope Shenouda III, the gathered Metropolitans, and Bishops ordained many bishops and priests.

They enthroned 2 existing bishops for dioceses as follows:

H.G. Bishop Timothaeus (Timothy), on the Diocese of El ZaaZeh, Egypt

H.G. Bishop Abakir, on the Diocese of Sweden and all Scandinavia

They also ordained 7 new bishops as follows:

H.G. Bishop Michael, on the Diocese of Virginia, United States

H.G. Bishop Daniel, on the Monastery of St. Shenouda, Australia

H.G. Bishop Theodosius, a General Bishop in the Diocese of El Giza, Egypt

H.G. Bishop Salib, a General Bishop in the Diocese of Meet Gamr, Egypt

H.G. Bishop Marcorios. on the Diocese of Girga, Egypt

H.G. Bishop Botros (Peter), on the Diocese of Shebeen El Anater, Egypt

H.G. Bishop Mina, a General Bishop

While ordaining the bishops,  As he places the bishops crown on every new bishop, H.H. breathes onto their faces and recites, “…  He said to them, As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.  And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 20:21-23)

They also ordained 37 new priests:

1. Father Daniel to serve Virgin Mary & St. Abraam’s Church in Ajax, Canada
2. Father Antonios, known as Nader Salib of East Brunswick, NJ to serve Virgin Mary & St. Kerolos’s Church in Pennsylvania, USA
3. Father John, formerly known as John Rizkalla of East Brunswick, NJ to serve Virgin Mary & St. Athanasius’ Church – Raritan, New Jersey, USA
4. Father Bishoy, known as Bishoy Lamie Mikhail to serve St. Antonios & St. Mina’s Church in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA
5. Father Mina, known as Mina Attwa to serve St. Mark’s Church in Nairobi, Kenya
6. Father Steven to serve St. Moses the Black’s Church in Lusaka, Zambia
7. Father Antony to serve St. Antonios’s Church in Lambo, Congo
8. Father Kerolos (Cyril) to serve St. Mark’s Church in Shoubra, Cairo, Egypt
9. Father Antonios (Anthony) to serve St. Mark’s Church in Shoubra, Cairo, Egypt
10. Father Mikhail (Michael) to serve St. Mark’s Church in Shoubra, Cairo, Egypt
11. Father Martiros to serve St. George’s Church in El Bortoeya, Egypt
12. Father Kerolos (Cyril) to serve St. George’s Church in El Bortoeya, Egypt
13. Father Mina to serve St. George’s Church in El Bortoeya, Egypt
14. Father Agnatios (Ignatius) to serve Vrigin Mary’s Church in Haret Zooela, Egypt
15. Father Polycarpos to serve Virgin Mary’s Church in Garden City, Egypt
16. Father Yostos to serve St. Mark’s Church in Cleopatra, Cairo, Egypt
17. Father Antonios (Anthony) to serve St. Mark’s Church in Cleopatra, Cairo, Egypt
18. Father Mina to serve St. Mark’s Church in Cleopatra, Cairo, Egypt
19. Father Yousef (Joseph) to serve Virgin Mary’s Church in Ard El Golf, Egypt
20. Father Youhanna (John) to serve Virgin Mary’s Church in El Sherooh, Cairo, Egypt
21. Father Angelos to serve Virgin Mary & St. Shenouda’s Church in Ard El Berka, Egypt
22. Father Gabrial (Gabriel) to serve Virgin Mary’s Church in El Uptamia, Cairo, Egypt
23. Father Rafael to serve Virgin Mary’s Church in Deriaz, Cairo, Egypt
24. Father Ibraam (Abraham) to serve Virgin Mary’s Church in Deriaz, Cairo, Egypt
25. Father Shenouda to serve Virgin Mary’s Church in Deriaz, Cairo, Egypt
26. Father Moussa (Moses) to serve Virgin Mary’s Church in Ezbet El Nakhl, Cairo, Egypt
27. Father Andrwais (Andrew) to serve Virgin Mary’s Church in Ezbet El Nakhl, Cairo, Egypt
28. Father Philopateer to serve Virgin Mary’s Church in Ezbet El Nakhl, Cairo, Egypt
29. Father Mina to serve St. George’s Church in Sawael, Luxor, Egypt
30. Father Ibraam (Abraham) to serve St. George’s Church in Sawael, Luxor, Egypt
31. Father Philopateer to serve Archangel Michael’s Church and Monastery in Kamoola, Luxor, Egypt
32. Father Moussa (Moses) to serve Archangel Michael’s Church and Monastery in Kamoola, Luxor, Egypt
33. Father Elia (Elijah) to serve St. Pachomios’s Church in Luxor, Egypt
34. Father Hedra to serve St. George’s Church in Armant, Egypt
35. Father Boules to serve Sinai, Egypt
36. Father Bishoy to serve St. Doolagi’s Church in Isna, Egypt
37. Father Gerges (George) to serve Virgin Mary’s Church in Mahat El Fatekat, Egypt

They also elevated 2 priests to the rank of Hegomen:

1. Father Youhanna to serve St. Mark’s Church in Cleopatra, Cairo, Egypt

2. Father Antonios to serve Virgin Mary & John the Beloved’s Church in El ZaaZeh, Egypt

May the Lord continue to bless His Church and increase her service. We congratulate His Holiness Pope Shenouda III on the ordinations of these new servants of Christ. We also congratulate the newly ordained fathers the bishops, hegomens, priests, their families, and the congregations of these blessed churches.

Bishop Ordinations Video

Priest & Hegomen Ordinations Video

Coptic Priest Ordinations – March 2009

Today, March 3, 2009 at 1:45 am eastern standard time, His Holiness Pope Shenouda III ordained 19 new priests.  One priest to serve in North America and eighteen to serve in Egypt.  Here is what information I could gather:

1. Father Paul formerly known as Michael Girguis of Los Angeles, CA to serve St. Mark’s Church – Fairfax, Virginia, USA
2. Father Matta (Matthew) to serve St. Demiana’s Church in Baba Doblo, Shoubra, Egypt
3. Father Markos (Mark) to serve St. Demiana’s Church in Baba Doblo, Shoubra, Egypt
4. Father Salib (Cross) to serve Archangel Michael’s Church in Sheraton, Egypt
5. Father Marcorius to serve Archangel Michael’s Church in Sheraton, Egypt
6. Father Antonious (Anthony) to serve St. Abu Sefin’s Church in Hadayek El Kobba, Egypt
7. Father Samoeel (Samuel) to serve Virgin St. Mary’s Church in Maleeha, Egypt
8. Father Philemon to serve Virgin St. Mary’s Church in Maleeha, Egypt
9. Father Mikhail (Michael) to serve Virgin St. Mary’s Church in Maleeha, Egypt
10. Father Boules (Paul) to serve Virgin St. Mary’s Church in Amiriya, Al Iskandariyah, Egypt
11. Father Yostos to serve Virgin St. Mary’s Church in Amiriya, Al Iskandariyah, Egypt
12. Father Gawargios (George) to serve Virgin St. Mary’s Church in Amiriya, Al Iskandariyah, Egypt
13. Father Armia (Jeremiah) to serve St. Demiana’s Church in Bel Wayli, Egypt
14. Father Mousa (Moses) to serve St. Demiana’s Church in Bel Wayli, Egypt
15. Father Philopateer to serve Pope Athanasius the Apostolic and St. Pishoy’s Church in Belkosous, Egypt
16. Father Youssef to serve Pope Athanasius the Apostolic and St. Pishoy’s Church in Belkosous, Egypt
17. Father Athanasius to serve Pope Athanasius the Apostolic and St. Pishoy’s Church in Belkosous, Egypt
18. Father Angelos (Angel) to serve Virgin St. Mary and St. Abu Sefin’s Church in Esbeet El Hagana, Egypt
19. Father Mikhail (Michael) to serve Anba Balamon’s Church in Egypt

May the Lord continue to bless the Church and increase her service. We congratulate His Holiness Pope Shenouda III on the ordination of these new servants of Christ. We also congratulate the newly ordained fathers, their families, and the congregations of these blessed churches.

Full Video of Ordination

The Ordination of Fr. Paul Girguis

March 3, 2009 - Father Bishoy (right) with newly ordained Father Paul (left).

Coptic Priest Ordinations – November 2008

On November 11, 2008 His Holiness Pope Shenouda III ordained 11 new priests. Ten priests to serve in North America and one to serve in Austria. Here is what information I could gather:

1. Father Kyrillos formerly known as Bassem Gobran to serve St. Mark’s Church – Boston, MA, USA
2. Father Samuel formerly known as Alex Hanna to serve St. Mark’s Church – Boston, MA, USA
3. Father Mark formerly known as Maged Iskander (a servant from Virgin Mary & St. Pachomius in Stoney Point) to serve St. Mary and St. Moses’ Church – Buffalo, NY, USA
4. Father Andrew formerly known as Ayman Awad to serve Virgin Mary & Archangel Michael’s Church – Hamden, CT, USA
5. Father Tadros formerly known as Sami Bishara to serve St. Mary & St. Demiana – Westchester, NY, USA
6. Father Anthony formerly known as Magdy Zaki to serve St. Mark’s Church – Myrtle Beach, SC, USA
7. Father Joseph to serve St. George & St. Rueiss’ Church – Toronto, Canada
8. Father Luke formerly known as Uncle Michail to serve Virgin Mary & St. Athanasius – Mississauga, Canada
9. Father David formerly known as Uncle Baheeg to serve Virgin Mary & St. Athanasius – Mississauga, Canada
10. Father Antonious to serve St. Mark’s Church – Montreal, Canada
11. Father Shenouda to serve our churches in Austria

May the Lord continue to bless the Church and increase her service. We congratulate His Holiness on the ordination of these servants in Christ.

Photos courtesy of Coptic.net

H.H. Pope Shenouda III Returns to Egypt

H.H. Pope Shenouda III

Coptic News Bulletin…

After fully recovering from the injury to His Holiness’ femur, H.H. Pope Shenouda III will be returning home to Egypt on Monday,  October 20, 2008.   On the way His Holiness will stop briefly at the Papal Residence in Cedar Grove, New Jersey.  Those who wish to take the blessing of His Holiness may do so when His Holiness arrives around 1:30pm on Saturday, October 18, 2008.  The address for the Papal Residence is:

5 Woodstone Drive
Cedar Grove, New Jersey  07009

Let us all pray for the continued health and well being of our honored father, H.H. Pope Shenouda III. May the Lord grant him continued good health and may the Lord keep him for us for many more years and peaceful times. Amen. Amen. Amen.

(Click here for story)

West Point Cadets Visit St. George and St. Shenouda Coptic Orthodox Church

West Point Cadets listen to General Bishop David at St. George and St. Shenouda Coptic Orthodox Church

On Thursday, September 25, 2008 our church, St. George & St. Shenouda Coptic Orthodox Church, welcomed some cadets from West Point Academy as they came to learn about our religion and the ethnic customs of its members.  The cadets enjoyed an Egyptian lunch at Bethany then went to the Church for presentations about the Coptic Church.  H.G. Bishop David, general bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church, was present, he addressed the cadets, and answered their questions about the church and its members.

Full Story at NJ.com – West Point cadets come to Jersey City for Ramadan – Hudson County