Forthcoming Publication “The Great Lent” Available for Ordering
January 30, 2010 by Archdeacon Moses Samaan
Filed under Diocese News
The diocese joyfully announces pre-order availability of its forthcoming publication, The Great Lent, part of the popular Treasures of the Fathers series.
The Great Lent is Volume II of the series, and it offers readers a rich treasure of patristic writings from St. Athanasius, St. Cyril of Alexandria, St. John Chrysostom, St. Gregory Nazianzen, the Scholar Origen, and many others. Also included in this volume is a series of three articles containing an introduction to the spirituality of the Great Lent, a history of the Great Lent fast reflecting the most recent scholarship as to the origins of this fast, and a general overview of its Sunday gospel readings.
The book is available from our online store today at the following link:
You can review the content of the book by downloading a PDF of the Table of Contents.
Orders placed this week will ship on or before February 2 in time for Preparation Week of the Great Lent.
The diocese encourages every believer–and especially the youth and servants–to obtain a copy of this book and use it throughout the coming Great Lent season to enhance the spirituality and benefit of this holy fast.
Diocese Great Lent Lecture Series
January 30, 2010 by Archdeacon Moses Samaan
Filed under Diocese News
The Saint Athanasius and Saint Cyril Theological Library joyfully announces its first annual Great Lent Lecture series, “Fasting in the Desert: A Historical and Spiritual Examination of the Desert Fathers and the Applicability of Their Lives Today.”
God willing, the Library has organized a series of six lectures on the Sunday evenings of the Great Lent at various churches throughout the diocese, following the Sunday evening prayer. The schedule of these lectures is as follows:
All of the lectures are offered freely with no admission fee. The diocese welcomes and encourages everyone to attend as many of these lectures as possible.
We pray that the Lord may bless this lecture series that it may be a source of spiritual nourishment and blessing to all who attend.
The Greatness of Church Music
January 26, 2010 by Archdeacon Moses Samaan
Filed under Diocese News
Our Coptic Church has a very rich musical heritage, for music has its deep effect on the soul, as mentioned before. Saint Paul said; “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19).
Music is used, since old, to move the believers’ desires and emotions for praying and worshipping.
When one hears a sad hymn or song, it moves the tender emotions, thus, elevating the human feelings, and subliming the human thought. This causes one to come to one’s self — wake one’s senses, and remember the Lord and seek repentance and reform.
By the same token, the joyful tones-the festal hymns, gives one’s soul peace and spiritual happiness.
This is the nature of the Church hymns and songs, which present special words with theological meaning, and specific dogma, for certain occasions .
Music and songs affect the believer; where the tone of music affects the intuition, while the meaning affects the mind and thoughts.
Coptic Hymns
The Coptic Orthodox Church has been blessed by this wonderful treasure and precious gift, not only for the Church but for the whole Christendom.
We feel proud in the different Ecumenical councils; whether it be the Middle East Council, the African, or the World Council of Churches, as all members appreciate highly our hymns and songs, which carries an authentic and true theological teachings .
It is of vital interest that our children and youth learn the Church hymns and the many replies of the Divine Liturgy, so they will not feel strangers in their Church.
For when they participate they become part of the Liturgy, interacting with the words which have been divinely put , knowing the Church theology and dogma, through the Church rites and the beautiful tones and tunes.
Composition of Church Hymns
The words carry a deep theological, dogmatic, and spiritual meanings. Looking at the Four Canticles (Ode), the Psali’s, the Theotokia’s, give us an assurance that the holy Church uses it in:
- Presenting Theology and Dogma to the believers
- Explaining it in suitable words,
- Using words to give precise meanings,
- Pointing its importance for salvation,
- Composing a tune which fits the meaning, reciting it .
As for the Doxologies, meaning glorifying God in the life of the martyrs and saints, it is to attract us to their lives, so they can be our guide, source of strength, and intercessors, through the poetic words and its tunes.
The hymns and songs of the Divine Liturgy, whether it be the Priests words or the deacons response along with the congregation, it has its theological depth, dogmatic meanings, biblical evidences, and intuition ..which prepares the believers for partaking of the Body and Blood of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ, leading us throughout the path of life into the Kingdom of Heaven .. to Eternity.
As for Passion Week, The Holy Pascha Week, with its rich readings, and expositions, it all invites us to feel sorry and be deeply saddened for our sins caused our Redeemer to suffer on our behalf. It also calls on us to have hope and rejoice for the glorious act of Redemption , which our Lord offered to us through the Cross .
As for the month of December, better known in the Coptic calendar as : The Month of ‘Kiahk’, were the believers stay up late in joy, were its prayers prepare us for the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ ‘in our hearts’, celebrating The Glorious Nativity.
Also the other Church events, such as; Baptism, Matrimony, Funerals, etc. were the Church teaches the believers the deep meaning of its teachings, along with the spiritual and intuitive effects, accordingly.
We Must be Alert
Non Ecclesiastic chants and songs are superficial in the meaning of its words, compared to the rich level of the Church hymns and the Psalmody. These type of chants or songs have to be checked before publicizing it.
Those who use it and listen to it have no sense for the Coptic music beauty, and degrade their sense of listening by their ears by stooping low to replace a seven star music, down to a one star or even no star!
These chants and songs do not coincide and/or coördinate with our rich; heavenly music expressing theological, dogmatic and musical heritage.
Using the ‘dancing music’ of the world, to compose these chants are not spiritual, but fleshly, the least to say. This type of music is not to be used in the Church.
Not any one should compose chants and songs and deliver to the public … This type of songs have no theological or dogmatic depths in its meaning, beside the weak wording of the composure.
Utilize the musical and vocal efforts of the youth by teaching them the rich and satisfying Coptic heritage, and presenting it in the various occasions, in a spiritual manner, and a humble and edifying way, pleasing the people and to give the youth satisfaction.
Praising in the Coptic Church
The nature of chanting and praising in the Coptic Orthodox Church, as delivered to us from the early fathers, is by VOCAL MUSIC only, meaning the human voice is the source for depicting the Church’s rites through its Liturgy, prayers and praises.
As Ms. Margaret Duke wrote in her book; The Coptic Church, 1978, that;
The human voice only offers glory to God.
She also said that the instruments stands between God and man.
The ‘cymbals’ and the ‘trianto’ are allowed to be used in Church only to control the tune.
As these instruments are used calmly and in a quite way, the beauty of the hymns prevail .
Some prefer not to use these instruments during Great Lent.
As for Passion Week, their usage are forbidden, for the reverence and awe of the occasion.
Nowadays, the Church uses the ‘cymbals’, known in Greek as ‘Kimvalon’, while in Arabic they mistaken it for ‘timbrel’.
The word ‘cymbals’ was mentioned in Psalm 150 twice; Praise Him with pleasant sounding cymbals. Praise Him, upon the cymbals of joy.
The cymbals in the old, are huge and heavy, and causes a loud sound when used to play music constantly. Which proves that it was used only to control and adjust the beginning of the chant or when needed to change tunes, to alert the chanters to harmonize their voices.
They are kept in our Coptic Monasteries.
Conclusion
May the good Lord grant us to “sing unto Him a new song” (Psalm 149:1), and chant with understanding, from the depth of the heart in the spirit of prayer and worship. May He accept the service of praising, which is for the Seraphim, from our mouths as a sweet savor before Him.
Through the intercessions of our blessed Mother of God, the holy Virgin Mary, and the great chief of the heavenly hosts Archangel Michael, and our beloved Evangelist St. Mark the Apostle, martyr, and beholder-of-God, and our beloved father, the great among the Patriarchs H.H.Pope Shenouda III, and his partner in the Apostolic ministry His Grace Bishop Serapion. Amen.
A Sign for Change
January 26, 2010 by Archdeacon Moses Samaan
Filed under Diocese News
The month of Tubah is a month celebrating the salvation of our Lord which has come to all the earth. He was born for the specific purpose of saving all of humanity, both Jew and Gentile. During this month we celebrate the Nativity, the Circumcision, the Epiphany, and the Miracle at the Wedding of Cana of Galilee. It is a month of blessings.
You would never know it if you opened the news. We know of our brothers who were shot to death in Egypt. We know of the now 100,000 people that were killed in the earthquake in Haiti. We know of churches being burned in Malaysia by Muslims. There is violence and death everywhere. So how do we rejoice?
To receive blessings, does not necessarily mean only “Joy.” It means joy, but today I want to focus on the responsibility that comes with this blessing. We as individuals and the Church collectively has been called upon to proclaim and show the Joy found in Christ, and the salvation found in the Church to the world. I am well aware that I am not saying anything new. No one here would ever deny the statement I just made: We as individuals and the Church collectively has been called upon to proclaim and show the Joy found in Christ, and the salvation found in the Church to the world.
But now is a time of reckoning. Today we must judge ourselves, by placing ourselves in the words pronounced by Christ in today’s Gospel message: Luke 11:29 And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, “This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. 30 For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation. 31 The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.
What is a sign? A sign points you in the right direction. A sign helps those who are lost. The sign is not the point. If you stopped at a sign and sat under it, you would never get to your destination. Our Lord Jesus Christ, with his actions and his words, was enough for the Jews to believe. At the words of Jonah, the Ninevites repented, and yet the Jews refused to repent at Christ’s words. The queen of the South came for the ends of the earth to hear Solomon, and the Jews could care less about Christ’s words.
With these words, let us first condemn ourselves. Christ is still present on earth. The Church is his body. He is in our midst, teaching us and guiding us. Have we offered a true repentance, or has Sunday liturgy become our entertainment. Do we come to church eagerly to hear the word of God or do we come out of habit or boredom or fear? We too are in danger of being judged and condemned by the Ninevites and by Jonah. We too sometimes seek a sign—God help me in this and I’ll be a stronger believer; God if you exist, heal that person; God do a miracle and I’ll believe in you—and if God doesn’t do what we command him to do, we blame him and not ourselves.
After we condemn ourselves, let us condemn ourselves some more. Christ called us to be a light to the world, how have we shown that light? Luke 11: 33 “No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light.” You’re lamp was lit long ago, but have people seen the light of Christ in you? If you were put on trial for being a Christian, would they find enough evidence to find you guilty?
We have to again come back to the basics and start from the beginning and make a real start. Let us again begin to grow in the right way and complete our healthy growth. If one part of any person did not form right on his body, we would say he is deformed. Let us recognize our deformity and let us be quick to fix it.
Let me pause, and state that I just came back from a four day Evangelization Conference in Seattle Washington. This conference was attended by Orthodox, Protestants, and Catholics from all over the world. The group is called Christian Churches Together, and I came home with at least two distinct lessons. 1) I am deformed spiritually, and I personally must increase my work toward evangelizing and preaching God in my community. 2) It is the responsibility of the church to teach you how to evangelize. Every Christian is a missionary, and the essential mission of the Church is to evangelize to all people. The Church exists in order to evangelize. Now look to your right and look to your left and see how many non-Egyptians are seated next here. (Incidentally, there are 3 individuals who have been coming to our church for over a year, seeking baptism. Please seek them out and make them feel welcome here.)
Now evangelization is not easy. It must be done with the Church as a goal, and must be done by remaining completely faithful to the teachings of the Church, because this command to preach the word of God cannot be accomplished without her, and even more so, it can’t be done against her. There is no way to belong to Christ and not belong to the Church. Christ says, “Anyone who rejects you, rejects me” (Lk10:16). The “you” in that verse is the Church, as seen in the Apostles. Also, St. Paul makes it clear that “Christ loved the Church and sacrificed himself for her” (Eph 5:25).
Now the process of evangelizing is long, but will you begin it with me. Will you allow yourselves to be evangelized, and learn the true teachings of the Christ and the Church, and then will you bring this message to the world? Now I’m not saying preach, I’m saying being a Christian. Let us recall St. John Chrysostom’s famous words, let’s tattoo them in our minds: “There would be no need for sermons if our lives were shining; there would be no need for words, if we witnessed with our deeds; there would be no pagans if we were true Christians.”
St. Paul tells us today that nothing matters to Christ except our faith working through love. St. John commands us not to love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. My brothers and sisters, something has got to change. We as individuals must change ourselves, and the congregation of St. John collectively has to begin to change itself. Christ did not come, give us signs, die and rise and give us a new life so that we can sit in pews every Sunday, becoming spiritually fat and malnourished in virtues that come from works.
He came to preach his message to the world, and we have been called to continue that message today. I fear these verses today. I fear them because we neither seek a sign nor do we seek to offer signs to others. We are supposed to be the sign. People are supposed to look to us and then desire Christ. Do you want people to yearn for Christ after coming in contact with you? If you want this, then the Church can help you, but if you do not want this, then think twice before taking communion, because that is the entire point of communion. We consume Christ so that He can consume us. We eat Him to become a part of us, so that He will make us a part of Him.
What are we doing for our brothers and sisters in Egypt? Sending them money? Signing some petitions? Great. Now what are we doing about Haiti? 100,000 people dead, and are we going to pretend like it is someone else’s problem? What are we doing? Let us take this opportunity to take blessings from God and help our neighbors who are in need. The Good Samaritan helped the one who was robbed and beaten, let us enter into this work and help this country in the name of God. Now give your tithes to the church as is customary and proper, but above and beyond, let us give to help rebuild this country and these people. The youth have committed $1000 to getting supplies and water to the people of Haiti, if anyone would like to make a special offering, please see me after Liturgy. Every dollar counts.
It all starts here. It all starts at this table. It all starts with a decision. Something has got to change.
Pastoral Message of H.G. Bishop Serapion for the Fast of Jonah 2010
January 24, 2010 by Archdeacon Moses Samaan
Filed under Diocese News
From Monday, January 25 through Wednesday January 27, the Coptic Orthodox Church observes the Fast of Jonah, a three-day fast commemorating the fast of Jonah the Prophet in the belly of the great fish and culminating in the Feast of Jonah the Prophet on Thursday, January 28, 2009.
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To commemorate this holy period of fasting, our beloved father, His Grace Bishop Serapion has issued an audio Pastoral Message concerning the observance of the Fast of Jonah this year and its deep spiritual meaning in our lives.
You may listen to or download His Grace’s audio message here:
The Fast of Jonah and the Remembrance of Our Martyrs
Trip to St. Antony’s Monastery re-scheduled for March 13, 2010
January 19, 2010 by SamG
Filed under Church News, Featured
Due to forecasted rainy and windy weather conditions at the monastery, the church has decided to re-schedule this weekend’s trip, to take place on Saturday, March 13, 2010.
For those of you who already reserved seats, your reservation will be valid for the 3/13/10 date, but if you will not be able to make it on […]
Christianity and Martin Luther King’s Dream
January 19, 2010 by Archdeacon Moses Samaan
Filed under Diocese News
On Monday, January 18, millions in the United States and around the world observed the Martin Luther King holiday, which commemorates the life of Dr. King and the struggle of the African-American community seeking freedom, equality, and justice in the United States.
The significance of this holiday should not be lost on Orthodox Christians. The experience of African Americans persevering in their pursuit of freedom, equality, and justice has many parallels for modern Christians around the world today who are likewise pursuing equality, justice, and religious freedom in countries such as Egypt, Iraq, Malaysia, and China.
For both African Americans and Christians generally, these campaigns for freedom, equality, and justice have a single goal, the perfect example of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who taught us: “A new commandment I give unto you: that you love one another, as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34, 35).
To commemorate this holiday and its significance for Christians, His Grace Bishop Serapion has issued a pastoral message on the commemoration of the Martin Luther King holiday and the lessons we can learn from it.
You may listen to or download this message here:
Martin Luther King’s Dream is Our Dream
Festal Message of H.G. Bishop Serapion for the Feast of the Theophany 2010
January 18, 2010 by Archdeacon Moses Samaan
Filed under Diocese News
The Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Los Angeles, Southern California, and Hawaii wishes you all a blessed and joyous Feast of the Theophany 2010, commemorating the manifestation of the Holy Trinity to humanity and the baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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His Grace Bishop Serapion has posted a festal message in audio format. You may hear or download it here:
Festal Message of H.G. Bishop Serapion for the Feast of the Theophany 2010
May our Lord Jesus Christ grant us the blessings and joy of this Feast that we may serve Him in purity and righteousness all the days of our lives.
Official Statement from Christian Churches Together in the USA on the Earthquake in Haiti and the Nag Hammadi Martyrs
January 17, 2010 by Archdeacon Moses Samaan
Filed under Diocese News
At the recent annual meeting of Christian Churches Together in the USA, a fellowship of 36 churches and religious organizations in the United States, from January 12–15, 2010, church leaders gathered to deepen their fellowship with one another and present a united front in the face of recent events and tragedies that have affected the Christian community, as St. Paul says, “And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it” (1 Cor. 12:26). The Coptic Orthodox Church was represented by His Grace Bishop Serapion and the Reverend Father Daniel Habib.
At the conclusion of the annual meeting, Christian Churches Together in the USA issued an official press release discussing the devastating earthquake in Haiti and the martyrdom of seven Coptic Orthodox Christian parishioners in Nag Hammadi, Egypt.
Concerning the devastating earthquake in Haiti, the press release states:
We grieve the devastation and loss of life caused by the January 12, 2010, earthquake in Haiti. We mourn the death of brothers and sisters, including Archbishop Joseph Serge Miot of the Catholic Church and other faith leaders. In the face of devastating scenes of the “living walking among the dead,” we seek to be icons of the living Christ. We pray that our affected brothers and sisters will be comforted and encouraged by our pastoral presence that includes prayers, visitation and physical aid that our churches have rushed to provide. Such a presence seeks to give witness to Christ’s work of healing and hope.
Concerning the martyrdom of Coptic Orthodox Christians in Nag Hammadi, it states:
Likewise, as we “mourn with those who mourn” (Romans 12:15), we are one with our brothers and sisters in the Coptic Orthodox Church who have suffered when parishioners were gunned down in Nag Hammadi, Egypt, after Christmas Eve services. We lament the use of violence in the name of God.
In response to these profoundly tragic events affecting the Christian community in the United States and throughout the world, Christian Churches Together in the USA offers the following prayer based on the Litany of the Sick from the Coptic Liturgy of St. Basil the Great:
We bow our heads in prayer to Him “Who loosens the bound and uplifts the fallen, the Hope of those who have no hope and the Help of those who have no helper, the Comfort of the fainthearted and the Harbor of those in the storm”, to look, with a compassionate eye, on those who are suffering, and to be as He is, full of mercy, full of compassion, full of love. For He grants us more than we ask for, and more than we need, and more than we understand.
To read the full press release, please click here.
Church Leaders Condemn Violence Against Copts in Egypt
January 10, 2010 by Archdeacon Moses Samaan
Filed under Diocese News
In response to the recent attack and violence against Coptic Orthodox Christians in Nag Hammadi in which six Coptic Christians were martyred, church leaders from around the world have expressed their solidarity with the Coptic Orthodox Church in various ways.
His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI of the Roman Catholic Church spoke out against the violence in his weekly blessing on Sunday, saying, “Violence against Christians … has caused indignation among many people, particularly because it has taken place on the most sacred days of the Christian tradition.” The Pope expressed a desire for increased accountability from the government and religious leaders. “It is necessary that both political and religious authorities do not fail to live up to their responsibilities,” the pope said. “We cannot have violence in the name of God.”
Meanwhile, the chief ecumenical officer of the Roman Catholic Church, Cardinal Walter Kasper, the president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, wrote a letter to His Holiness Pope Shenouda III expressing his sadness and closeness to the Coptic community after the recent tragic assault in Nag Hammadi. “With sadness I have heard the tragic news of the death and injury of several Coptic Christians after a Christmas midnight Mass in Nag Hammadi,” the cardinal wrote. “Please know that I am united in prayer with Your Holiness and with the Coptic Christian Community at this time.”
His Grace Bishop Serapion received a kind letter from Michael Kinnamon, the General Secretary of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, expressing his solidarity and prayerful wishes on behalf of the National Council of the Churches:
On behalf of your brothers and sisters in the National Council of Churches, I want to assure you of our prayers following the death of Coptic Orthodox Christians this week in Egypt. May God receive them into glory, and may God grant peace to our violent and fragmented world.
Finally, the Right Reverend Alexei Smith, Ecumenical Officer of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, sent a kind message expressing the sincere sorrow of the Catholic community in Los Angeles over the recent tragic events in Nag Hammadi.
We express our sincere gratitude to these church leaders and all those who have stood with the Coptic Orthodox Church community during this difficult time in which Christians must stand up together and work for peace and justice.