CHURCHNEWS an electronic magazine for Immigrant Egyptian Churches in the world _________________________________________________________________________ 'ChurchNews' is a selected translation of the News section in the Coptic Church magazine 'El-Keraza'. The arabic main magazine has Pope Shenouda III Editor in Chief. Suggestions about the main text would be directed to: coptpope@tecmina.com About this Electronic news translation direct suggestions to: cop@idsc.gov.eg To obtain English hard copies with pictures address: elkeraza.stevenage@ukonline.co.uk Old releases dating back from December 1995 on may be retrieved at the CoptNet Electronic Archives http://www.coptic.net/cn/public/news/ _________________________________________________________________________ Keraza No.: 25,26 I | X Date: Friday 14 July 2000 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< -- + -- >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Y | O Read in this issue: ------------------ - Monastisicm: Old days and Recent Time ................................ - Miscellaneous News ................................................... =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Monastisicm: Old days and Recent Time =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Monasticism appeared as life of solitude and prayer far from the world, ministry and priesthood for people who died from the world and never came back... Early fathers were not satisfied with living inside monasteries. They left them on behalf of mountains and deserts. Some of them became anachorites and lived for decades not seeing a human being. Nowadays, the world advanced around monasteries and facilitated their access to the world. Transportation became easy between the city and monasteries as well as telephones and communication means making monasteries access not only cities but reach overseas. Traveling became easy through cars and aeroplanes and many pilgrims and visitors from around the world began coming to monasteries and talking to the monks. Where did solitude and seclusion go?! Where is death from the world? This became scarce but to a handful of monks?! Where are the anachorites among the monks? The life of solitude also changed. Who lives it now? Monasticism was characterised by hard ascetism far from money and ownership. The monk used to vow Chosen Poorness. He inherits not neither is he inherited. Even his cell is poor. His life was all fast. Yet his health was better than people's health in our days. He walked infatiguably in mountains and fasts for long days without collapsing. They were earthly angels or heavenly humans. People were impressed by their virtues and asking for their prayers. They were trained to consistent prayer like inhaling and exhaling breath, watching all night to praise the Lord not stopping and not being bored. Nothing could distract them from prayer, therefore they prefered silence to have the chance to talk with God. That's why it was said: Monasticism is untiying from all to dissolve in the One who is God. Do we live the life of prayer? Or other distractions are attract us away? Do we find satisfaction in God who fills heart and mind that we are disturbed by no one else? Or may be God is reproching us like He said to Martha: You care and worry about many matters yet the need is for One (Lk10:41-42). Does all our care go to this good share? Did the aim for monasticism remain as it was in the fourth century? Is the mean still the same: "Solitude, prayer and ascetism"? or did we substitute and loose our aim? Do the books and biographies of early fathers reproach us? What wrote Pladius, Cassian, Rophinos, Persnophios and Isaiah the hermit? Can the time of the early fathers come back? Do we want it and give it a try? Is it possible to have a new Antonios or Paul in our days or one of the three Macare and their saintly diciples? If we try building a monastry like the ones in the 4th or 6th century would we find any single monk to live there? It is a prayer to the Lord to bring back our past that we love and live it. May our modern urban life not distract us, neither it's aspects deceive us that we forget what the fathers left to achieve when they prefered the desert saying that By only seeing the desert the world movements die in one's heart. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Miscellaneous News =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= - On Tuesday 23 June 2000, Heg Matta El-Meskin phoned Pope Shenouda giving the farm on (Kilometer Nr 70) up after he got sick there (instead of being sold). On that behalf, he sent two letters to Pope Shenouda that were delivered by Heg Kyrollos El-Macary on Tuesday 27 June asking HH to send someone to take charge of the monks and workers there. Therefore Pope Shenouda sent somebody to take care on Thursday 29 June. On the same evening, Pope Shenouda received Heg Elisah El-Macary concerning the farm. On Friday 30 June, Pope Shenouda, accompanied by Bishop Sarabamon Abbot of St Bishoy Monastery, Heg Stephanos Anba-Bishoy and Fr Jeremiah Avva-Mina drove onto the farm where they met with Heg Matta El-Meskin in a nice two-hours chat after which they were entertained to lunch by him. On Saturday morning, Heg Matta El-Meskin left the farm with monks, workers and machinery. - After attending the meetings of the Holy Synod, Bishop Serapion accompanied Bishop Paul to Kenya to witness the social work in Neirobi and the hospital that was expanded there. We also met with American people who were there to participate and experience pastoral and missionary work. Bishop Serapion returned to meet Pope Shenouda in Cairo before flying on Friday 29 July to Los Angeles. - A group of the Syrian Orthodox pilgrims from Sweden visited Egypt. They visited ancient churches in Cairo, attended the Pope's lecture on Wednesday 27 June after which they were received by HH at the Papal Residence, had a spiritual welcoming word and were presented with books. - On Tuesday 27 June 2000, Pope Shenouda received Mr General Flaix Ory the Ambassador of Cote d'Ivoire who shall return back to his country after spending 10 years in Egypt. He has very nice relations with Pope Shenouda. He was received with his wife at the Papal Residence and the meeting was attended by Bishops Joannes and Gabriel. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=