Date: Sun, 7 Jan 96 Subject: Copt-Net Newsletter: Issue #14 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ___ ___ /___\ ___ IHC | | nXC ______| |______ /______| |______\ | _|_ | |______ | ______| | | | ______ ______ ______ | | __ _____ _______ /_____/\ /_____/\ /_____/\ | | /\_\___ /\____\ /\______\ \ ___\/ \ __ \ \ \ __ \ \ | | / / /___\ / / ___/ \/__ __/ _\ \ \_____\ \ \ \ \_\ \_\ \ \___| |____/ / ___ /_/ / /_\___ / / / / \ \ \____ \ \ \ \ \ \ ___\/ | | / / // / / / / ___/ / / /\ / \ \/___/\ \ \_\ \ \ \ \ \ | | / / // / / / / /_\ / / / \ / \_____\/ \_____\/ \_\/ | | \/_/ \/_/ \/____/ \/_/ \ / \ /____________________________________________________________________________\ \ / \ An electronic newsletter about the Coptic Orthodox Church / \ / \ "Blessed is Egypt My people" / \____________________________________________________________________/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Table of Contents ----------------- 1. The Song of My Life: An Advent Prayer 2. A Preface to the History of Coptic Patriarchs, by Severus of Al-Ushmunain 3. Saint John Chrysostom 4. The Praising of The Virgin St. Mary During The Advent Season 5. Excerpts from the Paradise of the Desert Fathers (Part 3) Readers' Corner --------------- 1. On portraying saints in Coptic icons versus non Coptic icons. 2. Common Coptic prayers ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---------------------------------------|--------------------------------------- "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!" [Luke 2:14] The Editorial Board of Copt-Net Newsletter wishes to extend warm Advent and New Year Greetings to all its readers. May the peace and joy of this blessed season be yours this Christmas and always. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---------------------------------------|--------------------------------------- THE SONG OF MY LIFE An Advent Prayer Deep into the night, a passerby stopped and whispered: ``Here I am, knocking on your door,... If you hear My voice, and open the door... I will come in, dine with you, and you with Me...'' My soul asked Him, ``Who are You stranger ?'' He said: ``I am a manger's babe, a Nazareth's resident, a carpenter from Galilee! A King... without an earthly kingdom... I am He... Jesus is My name... I gave My bread to the hungry... My water to the thirsty... and My blood for forgiveness!'' I called Him from inside... Come in... O King of Glory! For You, under my roof will sleep... and in my heart will rest your head... My beloved. --------- By deacon Naguib Azer Bestavros (1926-1957). Translated from Arabic and published in Copt-Net Newsletter with permission. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---------------------------------------|--------------------------------------- THE HISTORY OF THE PATRIARCHS OF ALEXANDRIA SECOND PREFACE by Severus, Bishop of Al-Ushmunain (fl.ca. AD 955 - 987) Translated from the Arabic by B. Evetts (from _Patrologia Orientalis_, first series) In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, the One God. Praise be to God, the origin and source of learning, the maker and creator of all things, who forms and brings into being all that exists: who guides and elects those whom he pleases, and raises those whom he desires among his servants to be his chosen ones and his holy people, whom he picks out and in whom he takes pleasure; who lifts up the poor from the ground, and the needy from the dunghill, that he may make him ruler over his people, and a prince to govern his servants and his land, and gives him as his inheritance the throne of power, that he may rule over the earth with justice, and among men with truth; that he may deliver the weak from the mighty, and save the oppressed from the oppressor. This is the judgment and wisdom of God which none of his creatures can comprehend, for his mysteries are hidden from the wise and learned; and he raises up at all times those who shall gently guide his people. The merciful, the compassionate one, the Lord Christ, who gave himself by the mystery of his Incarnation to save his creatures, and vanquished the mighty by humility and weakness, who speaks through the mouth of his prophets by the Holy Ghost; when it pleased him to manifest himself on earth and become incarnate, that he might save his creatures whom he had created after the likeness of the image of his majesty, appeared among them in a human body, born of the Virgin Mary, most excellent of women in creation. For he had elected her from among the offspring of Adam, the sinner and rebel against his Lord, who obeyed his enemy and broke the commandment of his Creator, so that it was necessary that he should die, as God had said to him when he warned him not to disobey; but Adam would not listen, desiring to be a god and similar to his Creator, and so was caught in the net of stumbling. Yet even then God the Word had mercy upon him in pity for him, and became incarnate, - He, the uncreated in respect of his Godhead, the Man in respect of his Humanity, the pure from all sin. And the Virgin Mary bore him in her womb and brought him forth, by a mystery to which the intelligence of creatures cannot attain, and by which he exalted her above all other created beings in heaven or on earth; above the Angels, the Powers, the Principalities, the Cherubim and the Seraphim, and all whom God has made in heaven or on earth. For she became the throne of him who is Lord of the first and the last, without division or change, - of him whom no space can enclose, and no time contain. And when, in his unattainable wisdom, he established his dispensation, the Union of his Humanity with his Divinity, the mystery of which is hidden from all in heaven or on earth, he chose his disciples, the apostles, gave them the great commission, authorizing them to bind and to loose. And so likewise their successors after them inherit this gift in all regions of the world, each one following his predecessor. Thus the inheritance of this power, which Christ gave to the great father and evangelist, Mark, the apostle, is carried on to his successor, the patriarch who sits upon his episcopal throne in the great city of Alexandria, in the midst of the regions where he preached. Saint Mark, then, was the first patriarch who fed the flock of Christ; and in after times he was followed by the inspired fathers and patriarchs, generation after generation. This see of his is independent, and separate from all other sees. And no patriarch is promoted to it, nor does any obtain from God this glorious station and this high and sublime degree, save one whom he has proved and tried, and who has experienced such trouble and adversity and resistance of enemies and attacks of heretics that by these things he resembles Christ's disciples and apostles, who were assisted by his Holy Spirit, - those pure ones, those preachers of good tidings, who suffered contempt and blows and scourging and stoning and crucifixion and shipwreck, and burning by fire, and wounds, and casting down from high places to the ground, and death by the sword, and all kinds of torment, which if we were to relate in detail, our narrative would be too long and the description of it would be too copious, and listeners would tremble at the hearing of it, and books and volumes would not contain even a small part of the history. Yet they lived in patience, enduring all these sufferings, and imitating their Lord, their Master and their Christ, who sent them to baptize all men and all nations, and draw them to faith in him. They taught men that by which they might profit through all ages and generations and times to the end of the world, namely the means of saving their souls in this world and the next; and they bequeathed their doctrines to their successors, the fathers and patriarchs, in every region to which their preaching was extended; for the patriarchs are indeed their successors and their followers. So they laid down their lives to preserve their trusted ones among the baptized, the faithful and orthodox. As the great apostle and excellent teacher Paul, the elect one and lamp of the Church of God, says, "Rather we glory in the tribulation that we suffer; for we know that tribulation perfects patience in us, and patience trial and probation, and hardships call forth hope, and hope disappoints not, because it pours into our hearts the love of God by the Holy Ghost" [Rom. 5:3-4]. As he says in another place, "Verily if ye be allowed to wander free, and be left without chastisement, and be not branded as the elect friends of God were branded before you, then are ye become strangers to God and are not near to him" [Heb. 12:8]. And there are many similar testimonies in the books of the Church, from Paul and from others of the inspired apostles and fathers and teachers, since the venerated prophets. The patriarchs did not cease to repel the doctrines of the heretics, striving to refute them, resisting them, overthrowing their false tenets, revealing to men their misbelief and the corruption of their creeds. And they composed a homily on every text, until they filled the Church of God with their homilies and sermons and spiritual learning. They never abandoned the study of the scriptures and writings and commandments of God, reading all the ecclesiastical books and other works which they needed for the composition of their homilies, and searching out every jewel of the Divine Word and of other literature. So at last they attained their desire and obeyed the summons of their Creator who called them, saying, each one of them, "Here am I with the sons whom thou gavest me, for not one of them has perished !" [cf. John 17:12, 18:9]. Thus they obtained their high degrees, and the mansions, brilliant with happiness and light, the blessings of which are eternal and imperishable. They did not in the time of their pastorate fear haughty princes. Their hearts and purposes never faltered in the love of God, nor in teaching men, both secretly and openly, the means of saving their souls. And while they governed the Church, they were never careless nor frivolous, nor did they acquire aught belonging to this transitory world; but they were obedient to their Lord's commands, and applied themselves to their duties of instruction and imparting discipline, and observed the canons and precepts of God. So in the eyes of their flock they were great and learned; and when one of their disciples, or one of those who resisted them and their doctrine, beheld them and their deeds, he glorified God for their works, because the words of the Gospel which Christ uttered were now fulfilled: "You are the light of the world. A city when it is placed upon a hill, cannot be hidden, and a lamp, when it is lighted, is not set under a bushel, but on a candlestick, to enlighten all that are in the house. So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven" [Matt. 5:14-16]. As one of the wise men says: "He who mounts the steps of learning and public affairs becomes great in the eyes of the multitudes, and he whose nature is noble has his rights acknowledged; to him who despises money men's hopes are directed; he who is reasonable ceases to be unjust; the just man's judgements are carried out; the leader is he who defends his faith with his possessions, and does not defend his possessions by means of faith." But the best is what is said in one of the jewels of literature as follows: "The good shepherd does good to his flock and with justice rules creation. He who is just in his government is independent of his assistants. He who excels among men by his rank of governor and his superiority as ruler is bound to guard his rank by his good administration, so that his property may continue and that he may be fortunate both in spiritual and temporal matters. He whom God has put into possession of his land and territory, and entrusted with his people and servants, and whose place and rank he has exalted, ought to give thanks to God in faith, and to preserve his religion, and embellish his life and purify his thoughts, and make virtue his constant habit, and salvation his aim and object. But injustice slips on its feet, and draws down vengeance, and destroys happiness and makes the nations perish. The hasty man fails even when he gains; but the deliberate man succeeds even when he loses. He who relies on his own opinion falls into the net of his enemies. He who rides on haste comes to a fall. He who does what he pleases gets what is evil. The fall of dynasties is caused by the employment of the lowest of the people. He who asks help of the wise gains what he hopes for. He who asks the advice of the prudent walks in the right path. Good government is the light of sovereignty, but evil administration is the source of destruction. To favor the fool is the worst of baseness, but to employ the wise is the best of merits; for the employment of the wise leads to the establishment of wisdom, but the employment of the fool to the maintenance of folly. Every man inclines to his like, and every bird roosts with its fellow. Learn that the cause of the ruin of princes is to be found in the rejection of the virtuous and the employment of the base, and in making light of the counselor's advice, and in the deception that arises from placing the trust in the flatterer. But God assists the right by his bounty and glory and power and majesty. Verily, he can bring to pass all that he pleases. To him be glory for ever!" -------- The above article was made available thanks to the Saint Pachomius Orthodox Library. This document is in the public domain. Copying it is encouraged. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---------------------------------------|--------------------------------------- SAINT JOHN CHRYSOSTOM Doctor of the Church (A.D. 407) Introduction ------------ Saint John Chrysostom's life gives us a sense of the awesome cost of Christian discipleship and of the truth that with God all things are possible. This incomparable teacher, on account of the fluency and sweetness of his eloquence, obtained the surname Chrysostom, or Golden Mouth. His Earlier Life ---------------- He was born in the year 347 A.D. at Antioch in Syria, the only son of Secundus, commander of the imperial troops. His mother, Anthusa, who was left a widow at twenty, divided her time between the care of her family and her exercises of devotion. Her example made such an impression on her son's master that he could not forbear crying out, ``What wonderful women are found among Christians!'' Anthusa provided for John the ablest masters. Eloquence was esteemed the highest accomplishment, and John studied that art under Libanius, the most famous orator of the age; and such was his proficiency that even in his youth he excelled his masters. Libanius being asked on his deathbed who ought to succeed him in his school, ``John'', he said, ``would have been my choice, had not the Christians stolen him from us.'' Saint John Chrysostom, having turned against the teachings of Libanius, decided to become a monk. He attended a school for monks under Diodorus; and in 374 he joined a community of hermits among the mountains south of Antioch. He passed four years under the direction of an old Syrian monk called Hesychius (quietness); and it was quietness that he wanted to deaden the pain of his mother's death, to put away the temptations of Antioch, to bury forever his love of physical pleasure. Later, he decided to practice self-mortification in a cave as a solitary. He denied himself sleep, read the Bible continually and spent two years without lying down. The result was inevitable; his stomach shriveled up and the dampness of this abode damaged his kidneys. His digestion permanently impaired, unable to doctor himself, he was obliged to come down the mountain and walk to Antioch in 381. Shortly afterward he was appointed as an acolyte and then received priesthood. His Early Service at Antioch ---------------------------- The aged Bishop Flavian constituted him his preacher when he was about forty, and he remained in this office for twelve years. The instruction and care for the poor he regarded as the first obligation of all, and he never ceased in his sermons to recommend their cause and to impress on the people the duty of almsgiving. Antioch, at the time, had 100,000 Christians and as many pagans; these he fed with the word of God, preaching several days in the week, and frequently several times on the same day. He had no care in the world except that Antioch should be brought to Christ, but in the middle of his preaching came the crash of tragedy. In the tenth year of the reign of Theodosius (the fifth of that of Arcadius his son, the same year that Saint Augustine received baptism from the hands of Saint Ambrose in Milan) Antioch rioted against a newly levied tax. The mob revolted, tore down the statues of the Emperor and waited breathless for the punishment -- the destruction of the city. In spite of his age, Bishop Flavian, a man of eighty years, set out in the worst weather and made his way through eight hundred miles of snow to Constantinople, to implore the imperial clemency for his flock and the Emperor was touched by his appeal; an amnesty was accorded to the delinquent citizens of Antioch. During the absence of Bishop Flavian, during the Lent of 387, Saint John could not contain himself seeing the executions of the Antiochenes. He began to deliver a long series of sermons known as ``On the Statues'' in which he said very little about the statues. In those twenty one homilies, he spoke of God's mercy, how there are things far more dreadful than death or slavery, and his hope that the people should embrace death, if they had to, or life, with equal courage. He says of Flavian ``God will not suffer this errand to be fruitless. This is the holy season. This is the season when we remember how Christ died for the sins of the world. Flavian will remind the Emperor of the prayer `Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them who trespass against us.' He will bring to his memory that in this city the faithful were first called Christians by name. Let us assist him with our prayers; let us supplicate; let us make an embassy to the King who reigns above, an embassy of tears. And remember how it is written of repentant Nineveh, `God saw their works,' `They turned every one from their evil ways, and the Lord repented of the evil that he had said he would do unto them.''' Saint John kept excoriating the people for their past vices, their addiction to wealth, their love of the theater, their sensual enjoyments. If they had lived more strictly, they would not have behaved like wild beasts, and if they were true Christians they would have not possessed this abject fear of the Emperor. These staggering homilies delivered daily kept the flock together and hope filled the air despite the continuing tortures and imprisonment. After the storm he continued his labors with unbeaten energy, but before very long God was pleased to call him to glorify His name upon a new stage. Archbishop of the See of Constantinople --------------------------------------- Nectarius, Archbishop of Constantinople, died in 397, and the Emperor Arcadius, at the suggestion of Eutropius, his chamberlain, elected Saint John for the see of the city. He therefore dispatched an order to the count of the East, enjoining him to send John to Constantinople, but to do so without making the news public. The count repaired to Antioch and desiring the Saint to accompany him out of the city to the tombs of the martyrs, he there delivered him to an officer who conveyed him speedily to the imperial city. Theophilus, Archbishop of Alexandria, had come thither to recommend a nominee of his own for the vacancy; but he was forced to enthrone Saint John on February 26 in 398 as Patriarch of Constantinople. He who hated power was now in the seat of power. He who fought against luxury and despised the kings of this world lived in a luxurious palace close to that of the Emperor. It was from that time that he was the unwilling victim of all those who feared his power. From this point onward he assumed the fiercer colors of Constantinople. He began to sweep Constantinople with his broom. He emptied the episcopal palace of the costly plate and furniture and sold the newly purchased marble columns and built a hospital with the money. He reformed the life of the clergy who, within three months, were up in arms against him. After a tumultuous horse race held on Good Friday, attended by many Christians, he delivered a sermon ``Against the Games and the Theaters.'' He ridiculed the wealth of Constantinople: the marble floors dusted with gold, the rich carpets, the silver couches, the ivory doors and the golden horse bits. He objected strongly to dancing girls and singers who accompanied the bride and the bridegroom home after a Christian marriage, singing indecent songs. He objected as firmly to female mourners at funerals, wailing dirges. He spoke against slavery and on behalf of the equality of women. He must have known that the weapon would one day be turned against him for his exhortations seemed in their severity to have been lacking tact. The Empress Eudoxia, who previously sent magnificent gifts to the churches and the poor and spent long hours listening to Saint John, turned against Saint John when he was wrongly accused of referring to her as ``Jezebel''. Knowing the sense of grievance entertained by Theophilus of Alexandria, Eudoxia, conspired with him to depose Saint John Chrysostom in 403. For three days Constantinople was in uproar, after which Saint John surrendered himself and was exiled but soon to return after an earthquake shook the city. Then again, a silver statue of the Empress was erected before the great church of Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom), to which Saint John objected and spoke loudly against. He was deposed again two months after Easter and was banished. He spent the last three years of his life from exile to exile where his health suffered from many illnesses. He uttered his last words, ``Glory be to God for all things'', and gave up his soul to God on September 14, 407. His body was returned to Constantinople in 438 with great glory, while the Emperor Theodosius II and his sister were begging forgiveness of their parents who had so blindly persecuted the servant of God. Samples of His Homilies ----------------------- On the resurrection of the flesh he says: ``If God had not intended to raise up us again, if it was His desire that we should all be dissolved and blotted out in annihilation, He would not have wrought so many things for us. He would have not spread the heavens above, or stretched out the earth beneath. He would have not fashioned this whole universe, if it were only for the short span of our lives. The heavens and the earth and the sees and the rivers are more enduring than we are; ravens and elephants live longer, and they are more free from griefs and cares. What then? you ask. Has God made the slaves better than the masters? I beseech you, do not thus reason, O man; nor be so ignorant of the riches God spread out before you. From the beginning God desired to make thee immortal. Ah, but thou wert unwilling!'' And about the monastic life and monks he says: ``They do not demand a few hours in which to shake the sleep from their eyes. As soon as they have opened their eyes, they are like people who have been immersed in contemplation for many hours; for their brains are not chocked by an excess of food, and their hands too are pure, being composed in sleep and quietness. Among the monks, none snores or breathes hard or tosses in his bed or lies with his body exposed, but they sleep as decently as those who are awake, and all this is due to the orderly progress within their souls. These men are truly saints and angels. And do not wonder when you hear these things: their fear of God is so great that they do not suffer themselves to lose themselves in the depths of sleep and drown their minds. Sleep falls gently on them, giving them only a peaceful rest.'' ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---------------------------------------|--------------------------------------- The Praising of The Virgin Saint Mary During The Advent Season Koiahk Celebration, The Marian Month ------------------------------------- The Virgin Mary, the Mother of Light, is celebrated all through Koiahk, the Advent month of the Coptic Calendar. Koiahk starts on December 11 and ends with the celebration of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ on the 28th of Koiahk, the 7th of January. During this Month which is part of the 43 days of Advent Fasting, the Church changes the tone of singing into the Advent/Koiahk tone, a joyful tone that underlines the Church's feelings about the importance of Christ's incarnation, as the first step in the story of salvation. God chose St. Mary to bear His Incarnate Word. Thus she is rightly, as the Church Fathers called her from the early centuries of Christianity, the Mother of God (Theotokos). During the month of Koiahk, we celebrate Advent by special praises called the Koiahk Praises, or the Marian Month Praises. These praises consist of 4 Hoses (Psalms) and 7 Theotokias (Praising the Virgin Mary), so in the common language the Marian Month is referred to in Arabic as "sab3a wa-arba3a" (Seven and Four). These are praises handed down from generation to generation, with some of them (especially the 4 Hoses) dating back (at least) to the 10th century. The 4 Hoses are repeated every day of the week, but there is one Theotokia for every day of the week. In Egypt, it is common to have praises services 2 or 3 nights every week during the Marian Month. The most popular are the ones on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday nights. These praises go for 5 or 6 hours, and often start in the late evening and conclude at sun rise with liturgical service. Why do we praise Mary? --------------------- It is good to praise God in His Saints. For God Himself delights in praising His saints as the Psalm says: "And He has raised up [...] the praise of all His saints". By giving praise to St. Mary and to other saints as well, we are praising God. Besides, whenever we praise St. Mary or other saints, we always start and end by praising God. For example, during Seven and Four, we sing the hoses (Psalms to the Lord) before we sing the Theotokia (praise to Mary) or the Doxologia (praise to other Saints). Also, we sing the "magma3" (congregation of the Saints), imploring the Lord to have mercy on us, hear us, and help us by saying "Ya-allah Erhamna", or Lord Have Mercy. Mary is the Mother of God, for the Holy Spirit descended on her and the power of The Most High endowed her and made her worthy to carry the Incarnate Word in her womb. To deny the Virgin Saint Mary the title "Theotokos" is to deny the Divine Nature of her Child. This is why the Fathers of the Church insisted on calling her the Theotokos (The Mother of God). That is also why the introduction to the Creed of faithi was added in the Council of Ephesus: "We magnify youi, O Mother of the True Light, and Glorify you O Virgin Saint Mother of God. Because you bore for us the Savior of all the world. He came and saved our souls." Mary was born like us, a human condemned to eternal death because of sin. The fact that Saint Mary was saved through the grace of God is clear in Mary's own proclamation of the Lord as her Savior: "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior." [Luke 1:46-47]. The Lord chose Mary and favored her above all His saints and faithful people, for His Angel declared in truth: "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women! [...] for you have found favor with God." [Luke 1:28,30]. And without hesitation, when the Angel told Mary the Gospel (Good News) of Salvation, she accepted what God chose for her: "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." It is this belief that makes her deserve our blessings and praise, so we join Elizabeth who with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit said: "Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord" [Luke 1:45]. And, when we bless Mary we are indeed fulfilling her own prophesy that she spoke by the Holy Spirit who "came upon her" [Luke 1:35], for she said: "for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed." [Luke 1:48]. To conclude, let us always remember that God is glorified in His saints, and that Mary is the first among all of those on earth and in heaven to become worthy of praise. St. Mary, The Theotokos, please intercede on our behalf to the Lord, so He may forgive us our sins. Amen. ---------------- The above article is adapted from a longer article by William A. Hanna of Saint Mary and Saint Abraam Coptic Orthodox Church, St. Louis, Missouri, USA. The original article is available from Copt-Net Archives at the following URL: ftp://pharos.bu.edu/CN/lessons/KoiahkPraisingOfMary.txt ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---------------------------------------|--------------------------------------- THE PARADISE OF THE DESERT FATHERS (Part 3) Foreword: -------- The following are excerpts from what is widely known in the Coptic Church as "bustan al-rohbaan" (The Monks' Garden), also referred to in English as the "Paradise of the Desert Fathers". Bustan al-rohbaan is not a single book, rather it is a collection of sayings and accounts written by and about the Desert Fathers of Egypt. The excerpts presented here are adopted from an abbreviated book edited by Dr. Benedicta Ward. --Copt-Net Editorial Board JOY --- Sayings: ------- Amma Syncletica said, "In the beginning there are a great many battles and a good deal of suffering for those who are advancing towards God and, afterwards, ineffable joy. It is like those who wish to light a fire. At first they are choked with smoke and cry, until they obtain what they seek. As it is written, "Our God is a consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:24); so we also must kindle the divine fire in ourselves through tears and hard work." Abba Hyperichius said, "Praise God continually with spiritual hymns and always remain in meditation and in this way you will be able to bear the burden of the temptations that come upon you. A traveler who is carrying a heavy load pauses from time to time and draws in deep breaths; it makes the journey easier and the burden lighter." Story: ----- When Abba Apollo heard the sound of singing from the monks who welcomed us, he greeted us according to the custom which all monks follow. He first lay prostrate on the ground, then got up and kissed us and having brought us in he prayed for us; then, after washing our feet with his own hands, he invited us to partake of some refreshment. One could see his monks were filled with joy and a bodily contentment such as one cannot see on earth. For nobody among them was gloomy or downcast. If anyone did appear a little downcast, Abba Apollo at once asked him the reason and told each one what was the secret recesses of his heart. He used to say, "Those who are going to inherit the Kingdom of heaven must not be dependent about their salvation, we who have been considered worthy of so great a hope, how shall we not rejoice without ceasing, since the Apostle urges us always, "Pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks"?" LOVE ---- Sayings: ------- Abba Poemen said, "There is no greater love than that a man lays down his life for his neighbor. When you hear someone complaining and you struggle with yourself and do not answer him back with complaints; when you are hurt and bear it patiently, not looking for revenge; then you are laying down your life for your neighbor." One of the beloved of Christ who had the gift of mercy used to say, "The one who is filled with mercy ought to offer it in the same manner in which he has received it, for such is the mercy of God." Abba Antony said, "I no longer fear God, I love him; for love casts out fear." Stories: ------- Abba Agathon said, "If I could meet a leper, give him my body and take his, I should be very happy." That is perfect charity. It was also said of him that when he came into the town one day to sell his goods, he met a sick traveler lying in the public place with no one to care for him. The old man rented a room and lived with him there, working with his hands to pay the rent and spending the rest on the sick man's needs. He stayed there four months until the sick man was well again. Then he went back to his cell in peace. A soldier asked Abba Mios if God accepted repentance. After the old man had taught him many things, he said, "Tell me, my dear, if your cloak is torn, do you throw it away?" He replied, "No, I mend it and use it again." The old man said to him, "If you are so careful about your cloak, will not god be equally careful about his creature?" GOD IS FOR ALL -------------- Sayings: ------- God is the life of all free beings. He is the salvation of all, of believers or unbelievers, of the just or the unjust, of the pious or the impious, of those freed from passions or those caught up in them, of monks or those living in the world, of the educated and the illiterate, of the healthy and the sick, of the young or the old. He is like the outpouring of light, the glimpse of the sun, or the changes of the weather which are the same for everyone without exception. Abba Pambo said, "If you have a heart, you can be saved." Story: ----- There was an old man living in the desert who served God for so many years and he said, "Lord, let me know if I have pleased you." He saw an angel who said to him, "You have not yet become like the gardener in such and such place." The old man marveled and said, "I will go off to the city to see both him and what it is that he does that surpasses all my work and toil of all these years." So he went to the city and asked the gardener about his way of life. When they were getting ready to eat in the evening, the old man heard people singing in the streets, for the cell of the gardener was in a public place. Therefore the old man said to him, "Brother, wanting as you do to live according to God, how do you remain in this place and not be troubled when you hear them singing these songs?" The man said, "I tell you, Abba, I have never been troubled or scandalized." When he heard this the old man said, "What, then, do you think in your heart when you hear these things?" And he replied, "That they are all going into the Kingdom." When he heard this, the old man marveled and said, "This is the practice which surpasses my labour of all these years." PRAYER ------ Sayings: ------- They asked Abba Macarius, "How should we pray?" And the old man replied, "There is no need to speak much in prayer; often stretch out your hands and say, "Lord, as you will and as you know, have mercy on me." But if there is war in your soul, add, "Help me!" and because he knows what we need, he shows mercy on us." Abba Lot went to see Abba Joseph and he said to him, "Abba, as far as I can, I say my little office, I fast a little, I pray and meditate, I live in peace and as far as I can I purify my thoughts. What else can I do?" Then the old man stood up and stretched his hands toward heaven; his fingers became like ten lamps of fire and he said to him, "If you will, you can become all flame." Abba Paul said, "Keep close to Jesus." Story: ----- Some monks came to see Abba Lucius and they said to him, "We do not work with our hands; we obey Paul's command and pray without ceasing." The old man said, "Do you not eat or sleep?" They said, "Yes, we do." He said, "Who prays for you while you are asleep? Excuse me, brothers, but you do not practice what you claim. I will show you how I pray without ceasing, though I work with my hands." "With God's help, I collect a few palm-leaves and sit down and weave them, saying, "Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness; according to the multitude of thy mercies do away with mine offenses." He said to them, "Is this prayer or not?" They said, "Yes, it is." And he continued, "When I have worked and prayed in my heart all day, I make about sixteen pence. Two of these I put outside my door, and with the rest I buy food. And he who finds the two coins outside the door prays for me while I eat and sleep. And so by the help of God I pray without ceasing." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ _|_ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ---------------------------------------|--------------------------------------- Readers' Corner --------------- This corner of the Copt-Net Newsletter is dedicated to answering questions regarding the Christian faith and teachings in general and the Coptic Orthodox Church's beliefs and traditions in particular. As much as possible we will try to avoid using any terminology that will not be accessible to the common reader. Also, it must be noted that the opinions expressed here are those of members of Copt-Net Editorial board and do not (and should not be taken to be) the official opinions of the Coptic Orthodox Church. The Readers' Corner of this issue addresses two questions. The first question is regarding the symbolism implied in Coptic Icons. The second is regrading Common Coptic Prayers. We thank the readers who sent these questions, and we invite all readers to send to us their comments or questions. Question -------- In the archive of Copt-Net, I found one picture of the Lord Jesus Christ holding two fingers up. My understanding is that Holy figures, when represented in Coptic art are always portrayed with only the index finger up, to emphasize the unique nature of the Incarnate Word as opposed to the dual nature of Christ as embraced by Western Churches. Please explain. Answer ------ Icons are expressions of art. They represent the perception of the artist, which is influenced by dogma and culture. For example, an Egyptian artist is likely to portray the Lord Jesus Christ or the Mother of God Saint Mary in a way very different than that portrayed by (say) an Italian artist. For example, the Egyptian artist is likely to make the characters in his/her work have Egyptian features and wear clothes that resemble clothes worn in Egypt. Obviously, such details bear little if any resemblance to the original characters. But such discrepancy does not decrease the value of the artwork, or our appreciation to the artist's expression. Coptic icons, however, convey more than the artist's culture and traditions. They convey his/her beliefs. For example, the Coptic Orthodox Church, as an Oriental Orthodox (often labeled as non-Chalcedonian) church believes in a One nature for the Lord Jesus Christ that unites His full Divine nature and His full Human nature (in what St. Cyril called the nature of the "Incarnate Word"). The Chalcedonian churches, on the other hand, believe that Lord Jesus Christ has two natures: a Human nature and a Divine nature, that are united in one "Hypostasis". With the grace of God and the efforts of sincere Christians in both camps, this difference is no more! In 1971, His Holiness Pope Shenouda III agreed with the Vatican on a mutual understanding of the same belief, based on the original formula (phrase) in the Greek language developed by Saint Cyril the first, that the nature of Christ is that of a "God Incarnate". Also the two Orthodox families reached the same understanding. This means that there is no difference now about Christology (Nature of Christ) between the main families of the Apostolic Churches. For centuries, this difference in interpreting the "God Incarnate" nature of Christ ran so deep that it became a major defining criterion---particularly for Copts. Copts felt very strong about their beliefs, especially given the unfortunate persecution that they had to suffer under the Romans in the 6th and 7th centuries. These strong feelings found their way in the works of artists, in their portrayal of the Lord Jesus Christ. In particular, Coptic artists always portray Christ with His index finger held up as a symbol of His one nature of "The God Incarnate." For this reason, Copts consider holding two fingers as UNTRADITIONAL, in the sense that it represents the old western dogma. However, many western artists portray Christ with two fingers held up as a sign of blessing and a symbol of victory. Should Copts "boycott" a portrayal of Christ in which two fingers are held up? If such a portrayal is interpreted as a statement of faith, then YES, but if it is interpreted as an artist's expression of Christ's victory over sin, then the answer is NO. It is that latter interpretation that Copt-Net wishes to embrace, particularly in this twentieth century of reconciliation between the families of the Apostolic families. Question -------- Is there any particular prayer that is widely recited by Copts other than the Lord's prayer and other biblical texts? Answer ------ Yes. In effect, there are many such prayers and they are all listed in the Agpeya---the Coptic hourly book of prayers. One prayer, however, is by far the most popular because it is recited at the beginning of any service and at at the beginning of every hourly prayer. That prayer is the "Prayer of Thanksgiving", which we include below from Copt-Net Archives. The Prayer of Thanksgiving -------------------------- Let us give thanks to the Beneficent and Merciful God, the Father of our Lord, our God, and Savior, Jesus Christ. For He has protected us, helped us, preserved us, accepted us, had compassion upon us and has supported us until this hour. Let us also pray that He, our Almighty God, will keep us in peace throughout this holy day, and all the days of our life. O Lord, Master, and God Almighty, the Father of our Lord, our God and our Savior Jesus Christ. We thank You for all occasions and for every thing and at all times. For You have protected us, helped us, preserved us, accepted us, had compassion upon us, and have supported us until this hour. Wherefore we pray and appeal to Your goodness, O Lord, Lover of Mankind, grant that we may complete this holy day and all the days of our life in perfect peace and fear of God. All envy, all temptation, all the work of Satan, the intrigues of wicked people and the rising up of enemies, hidden and manifest, cast them away from us, and from all your people, and from this holy place. As for the good and useful things, please bestow them upon us, for You have granted us the power to tread on serpents and scorpions and every power of the enemy. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, through the grace, compassion and love of mankind of Your Only-Begotten Son, Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ. Through whom glory, honor, power and worship are due to You together with Him and with the Holy Spirit: the Life-Giving who is consubstantial with You. Now and at all times and forever and ever. Amen. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This and other issues of the Copt-Net Newsletter are available from Copt-Net Archives via anonymous FTP from "ftp://pharos.bu.edu/CN/" or through the WWW Coptic Home Page at URL: "http://cs-www.bu.edu/faculty/best/pub/cn/Home.html" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This Newsletter has been prepared by members of Copt-Net, a forum _|_ where news, activities, and services of the Coptic Orthodox Churches | and Coptic communities outside Egypt are coordinated and exchanged. | For any questions, or comments related to this Newsletter, as well as COP|NET any topics that you would like to be addressed in the next Newsletter please send a message to the Copt-Net server at: cn-request@cs.bu.edu ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (C)opyright 1995 by Copt-Net