Happy Birthday, Mom! Not much has changed. I’m still directing how those around me sing, and I will still kiss your hands, when I get the chance.
The Psalms of David & the Gospel of Jesus Christ The psalms of David and the gospels of the New Testament are cornerstones of the Christian faith. The Orthodox Church considers them an essential part of all liturgical services. The Coptic Orthodox Church, in particular, has an intricate rite for the chanting of the psalms …
For those interested in some information on the Fast of the Advent in the Coptic Church: (The reason I’m writing this is because I’ve received several questions over the past two weeks, some about the fast itself and others about the hymns of the fast. Hopefully this brief summary will answer some questions. Also, to …
Ⲁⲙⲱⲓⲛⲓ ⲙⲁⲣⲉⲛⲟⲩⲱϣⲧ⳾ ⲛ̀ϯⲧⲣⲓⲁⲥ ⲉⲑⲟⲩⲁⲃ ⳾ ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉⲛϯⲱⲟⲩ ⳾ ⲙ̀ⲡⲉⲛⲓⲱⲧ ⲙ̀ⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲟⲥ ⳾ Come, let us worship • the Holy Trinity, • and venerate • our father, the martyr, • Ⲫⲏⲉⲑⲟⲩⲁⲃ ⲁⲃⲃⲁ ⲥⲓⲙⲱⲛ ⳾ ⲡⲓⲑⲙⲏⲓ ⲙ̀ⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲟⲥ ⳾ ⲡϣⲟⲩϣⲟⲩ ⲙ̀ⲡⲓⲗⲁⲟⲥ ⳾ ⲛ̀ⲣⲉⲙⲛ̀ⲭⲏⲙⲓ ⲛ̀ⲟⲣⲑⲟⲇⲟⲝⲟⲥ ⳾ the saint, Abba Samaan, • the righteous martyr, • the pride of the Coptic …
Holy Tradition determines doctrine and practice in the Orthodox Church. It is the authority of Orthodox belief and consists of, among other things, scripture, ritual theology, hymnology, iconography, the writings of the Church Fathers, the liturgical texts, and other forms of liturgical communication. Through these varied, interconnected sources, the realities of the Orthodox faith are expressed, celebrated, …
The pinnacle of Orthodoxy is the Eucharist. The Eucharist was established by Christ himself and it is the fullness of our unification with God. It is therefore only fitting that the time in which we partake of the Body and Blood of our Lord is filled with praise and hymns. The Coptic Church has a …
Anything I write will fall short of truly capturing the essence of who my brother Jonathan is. That being said, I’m going to try describing the extent of love he expressed for others and the impact that he has had on so many. Jonathan makes everyone feel at home I met Juna about six years ago through …
Since the creation of man, sin caused the Lord to curse the earth. When Adam sinned and disobeyed God, the Lord condemned him saying: “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the …
The crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ is an event that can never be adequately described by mere words. It defies all human understanding and is itself a paradox. The Almighty God, who is justice itself, was made to be criminal. He who clothes the world and its inhabitants was stripped naked. Life died for His …
A blessed and fruitful fast, filled with spiritual and physical nourishment from our Lord, to you all! Holy Week in the Coptic Orthodox Church is filled with beautiful hymns that lead us through the events recorded in the gospels. The hymns of the Holy Paskha are emotionally evocative, expressive, and comforting. They truly create a spiritual environment …