To search this page for a specific word hold down the 'CTRL' key and press 'f'.
THE COPTIC ORTHODOX PATRICHARCATE ST. GEORGE AND ST. RUEISS CHURCH SUNDAY SCHOOL PROGRAM
GRADE SEVEN
Revised Edition 2005
PREPARATION AND WRITING Father Rueiss Awad St. George and St. Rueiss Coptic Orthodox Church Toronto, Canada.
To Order Write To St. George and St. Rueiss Coptic Orthodox Church 141 Bond Avenue Toronto, Ontario, CANADA M3B 1M1 (416) 444-1092 or (416) 447-0108
Copyright © 2005 by St. George and St. Rueiss Coptic Orthodox Church All rights reserved No portion of this book may be reproduced or copied in any form without a written permission from St. George and St. Rueiss Coptic Orthodox Church, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
To my blessed two sons: Hegomain Fr. Marcous Elias Abdel Massih and Hegomain Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty.
Peace and love be with you.
Dr. Mahfouz has visited me and brought with him the suggested Sunday school curriculum for the land of immigration. I have studied with him the basic topics of the curriculum without getting into details. Although that I have pointed out some concerns on the doctrine and dogma curriculum, it is clear that the amount of work spent on preparing the curriculum is huge and worth thanking. Nonetheless, the Bible study part of the curriculum needs to be increased. God willing, I will also send you additional details on this curriculum.
May the Lord bless all the effort that our son Mahfouz has done in preparing the Sunday school curriculum, in collecting the relevant topics, and in performing the translation of subjects. May the Lord also bless all those who have joined him in preparing this project and those who revised the topics.
Let our goal be performing our best to try and arrive at perfection given what we have from abilities. Lastly, I would also suggest the addition of different recognized pictures according to our doctrine, dogma and history to the Sunday school curriculum.
May the Lord be with you. Be in peace.
Signed
Pope Shenouda III 22 August 1986 The feast of St. Mary
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION TO THE SUNDAY SCHOOL PROGRAM EL-NAYROUZ FEAST and The Martyrdom Of St. Demiana THANKSGIVING TO GOD Let us Give Thanks to the Beneficent THE CHURCH THE HOUSE OF GOD (I) The Mystery of the House of God THE CHURCH THE HOUSE OF GOD (II) The Church’s Building and Orientation THE CHURCH THE HOUSE OF GOD (III) The Sanctuary and the Altar THE CHURCH THE HOUSE OF GOD (IV) The Icons THE FRUITS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (I) "Patience" (Long suffering) THE FRUITS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (II) “Kindness, Goodness and Gentleness” THE FRUITS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (III) "Faithfulness" THE FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (IV) “Self-control” Review of the Life of “St. Mena” THE PREPARATION FOR CHRISTMAS IN OUR CHURCH THE FULLNESS OF THE TIME: The Birth of John the Baptist and the Birth of Jesus are Announced MARY’S SONG OF PRAISE The personality of our Lord Jesus THE NEW YEAR (Life of Repentance) THE INCARNATION OF THE WORD OF GOD EPIPHANY “AMONG THOSE BORN OF WOMEN THERE HAS RISEN NO ONE GREATER THAN JOHN THE BAPTIST” CHRIST IN THE EUCHARIST (I) (also Remembering of St. Anthony’s feast) THE LIFE OF ST. PAUL the First Hermit (A.D. 342) SELECTED PERSONALITIES FROM THE HOLY BIBLE (I): Job "The Life of Perseverance" SELECTED PERSONALITIES FROM THE HOLY BIBLE (II): Jacob (Part A) "God has a Plan" SELECTED PERSONALITIES FROM THE HOLY BIBLE (III): Jacob (Part B) "Use of Good Means" Pope Kyrollos VI Pope of Alexandria PALM SUNDAY Hosanna to the Son of David…Hosanna in the Highest CHRIST THE LAMB OF GOD (I): (Maundy Thursday) CHRIST THE LAMB OF GOD (II): The Holy Week and Good Friday in our Church RESURRECTION OF CHRIST is the Source of Hope THE LORD JESUS GRANTED PETER FORGIVENESS at the Sea of Tiberius "God's love for us" “ST. ARSENIUS” The Teacher of the Sons of Kings Christianity and the building up of the personality THE ASCENSION FEAST Between Ascension and Pentecost PENTECOST The Descent of the Holy Spirit and His Gifts THE SEVEN MAGIC WORDS: "I Can Do All Things Through Christ" THE APOSTLES' FEAST (I) You Shall be MY Witnesses THE APOSTLES FEAST (II) "The Twelve Apostles" GOD'S PLAN FOR US (II) God's Plan for Elisha TRADITION AND ORTHODOXY (I) The Holy Tradition in the Apostolic Age TRADITION AND ORTHODOXY (II) The Holy Tradition and: (a) the Gospel, (b) Church Life The Intercession of the Saints
INTRODUCTION TO THE SUNDAY SCHOOL PROGRAMPrincipal Goal of Christian Up-Bringing. The child had and still has, first as a person and second as a child, a special importance to our Lord Jesus Christ. He called the children and considered them models of perfection, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me. But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea" (Matthew 18:3-5). Therefore, children are beloved ones to Christ and are His friends with their simplicity and purity of heart. Christ called them, blessed them and asked His Disciples and Apostles after Him to take care of bringing up children and prepare the suitable environment for their spiritual growth. St. Paul advises parents saying, "Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged", (Colossians 3:21). From a Christian point of view, the general principal goal of religious up - bringing is the formation of the perfect man of God who is following the example of our Lord Jesus Christ, "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect" (Matthew 5:48). Also, our Lord said, "For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you" (John 13:15). Hence, a Christian up-bringing is not merely an education to be given or a curriculum to be taught, but it is rather a life that is given through example and behavior through teaching and discipleship. The saintly Fathers of the church have emphasized this fact. St. John said about his practice of life with the Lord "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life-the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us - that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ" (1 John 1:1-3). The same fact was emphasized by St. Paul when he was talking to his disciple Timothy "But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, love, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium ... But as for you, continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 3:10-15). Also in the letter of St. Paul to the Philippians 3:17, "Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern". Therefore, the principal goal of the Christian up-bringing is to change the life of our children to the life of Christ in them, i.e. to a life based on the work of Christ in them as true Christians and not just religious persons who fear God but deny Him. The Starting Point in Achieving the Goal of Religious Upbringing. The teacher should not start with the student from power Zero. The student comes equipped with many social and religious experiences. His religious experience, although it is limited, it has a strong basis that is ready for spiritual growth. In the Sacrament of Baptism, the student has already obtained the spiritual birth i.e. he became spiritually re-born. After his baptism he was anointed with the Holy Myroun (Chrism) and the Holy Spirit dwelt in him. St. John said "But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you; and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him" (l John 2:27). Therefore, by obtaining these two Holy Sacraments and the Sacrament of Eucharist, the student becomes a member in the body of the Lord and a living part of the body of the Holy Church. This means that religious up-bringing is not something foreign with respect to the student. The student is a temple of God and the Spirit of God dwells in him. This means that it is not the teacher who makes the student live a life for Christ, but it is the inside work of the Holy Spirit that makes the whole difference. The role of the teacher is to make the student aware of the effect and the work of the Spirit. In this sense the student becomes aware of the secret grace inside him and as a result the divine word inside him grows as the seed grows inside the earth. The Difference Between Religious Education and Religious Upbringing. We should not aim at providing lessons in the form of giving information, i.e. a mere religious education. In this case religious experience will never exceed the circle of the mind and will never affect the heart and practice of the student. If we consider religious education as an element in religious bringing-up, we are in this case following Christ's plan in the development and building of the Christian personality. Christ with His example and His perfection gave us a model which should be followed and achieved. As for His teachings, they are meant to clear the way for us in order to follow them as examples and models. The Need of our Church for a Coptic Orthodox Sunday School Program. There is one basic difference between Eastern and Western theology; the latter depends on study, analysis and using scientific means, whereas Eastern theology is based on experience and depth which is mainly lead to true Christian life. The Eastern Church respects the role of the mind but it works under the supervision of faith. The majority of recent Western Sunday School programs follow a pure analytical way of explaining the Bible. For example, miracles are explained through psychological and scientific factors. The man of God must accept miracles and believe them as they are. St. Athanasius said, "Our knowledge must not control (or have authority over) the word, but the word itself must have the control and authority over the mind". Another basic difference is that our traditional Church uses the rites in education as a key in the process of living what is being taught. Over and above what was mentioned before in relation to the basic differences in religious education between Eastern and Western churches, there are also basic differences in the various beliefs and the way Christianity is lived by in actual life. We, as parents, teachers and clergy, are responsible in front of God to bring up our children according to the same spiritual Orthodox principles that we received from our saintly Fathers who shed their blood to perpetuate the perfect Orthodox faith . Therefore, our children must learn from the same source from which we learned before them. The Sunday School program in your hands is a fruit of love granted by our Lord Jesus Christ to our children and a gift from Him to them. This program is purely Coptic Orthodox. All its references without exception are Coptic Orthodox (please review the reference list at the end of the book. In this manner all the information that is in this book (as well as all the books in this series) can be used with total confidence as it is devised according to our glorified church. The spirit of the lessons is indeed the same spirit of the Coptic Orthodox Church. About the Books in Your Hands. These books in your hands are integrated series of books which were written for children from age 4 to 18. With the grace of the Holy Spirit, if the child at age 4 follows this series of lessons until age 18, he will obtain an all-rounded spiritual background. The books (covering the teachings from pre-schoolers to grade 12) cover a study of most of the major Biblical subjects of the Old and New Testaments, the celebrations of the church of our Master's feasts, the life of the Saints and their feasts, the divine liturgy with its rites and spirituality, the true Christian life and Christian behavior, church sacraments, fasting, prayers, the creed and its explanation, the Ecumenical Councils, the difference between the various major Christian sects, the Christian family, the history of our church, the major personalities in the Holy Bible, ... etc. The program is indeed comprehensive and it covers all the key areas of our Orthodox church. If these lessons were given in the spiritual way that was emphasized before, great results will be expected with the work of the Holy Spirit. General Rules and Principles to be Followed by the Sunday School Teachers. 1) The teacher must know the stage and the characteristics of growth of the children that he or she is teaching. A child who is 12 years old is different than a child who is 8 years old. The teacher must know the level of his/her students, their abilities to receive information that he/she is giving and the differences between the various abilities in the same class. 2) The positive participation of the students is very important during the lesson and the effectiveness of teaching. One of the key incentives for the student is to give importance to the lesson and have an effective communication with the teacher and, above all, to define clearly the purpose behind it and present the lesson in the form of problems that attract their attention. 3) The teacher must follow a psychological order of the facts he is presenting. Our Lord Jesus Christ used effectively the psychological method of teaching through His parables. The parables in their simplicity are drawn from the daily life of the people. We must emphasize here that the psychological method is not the only method of spiritual teaching. We should mention this method as one of the methods used. It is quite important to note that spiritual teaching must be imparted with certain goals in mind which are connected with the life of the children and related to the problems they face. We should provide guidance that is mostly needed for them. 4) The teacher must present the lesson and illustrate it with relevant information and present it as a coherent unity without ambiguity or contradiction. He may use illustrations to help him explain what he means. 5) Application of Christian principles to the actual social life must be emphasized in every lesson. The teacher should use stories (from the Old or New Testaments or from church history or church books) to attract the attention of the students and show the Christian principle in an applied manner. The teacher also may divide the subject into stages or small subjects. A good practice is to summarize the lesson or better still, ask the students themselves to summarize it. 6) The manner of expressing the lesson to the students is also very important. A teacher who is living by what he/she teaches will definitely be more effective in giving his/her message across. A teacher who is teaching under spiritual influence with compatible emotions to what he/she teaches will be definitely more effective than a teacher who is giving information.
ACKNOLEDGEMENTS On behalf of the Coptic Orthodox children and youth, who are going to benefit a great deal from this revised Sunday School Program, I would like to express a word of appreciation and gratitude to: His Holiness Pope Shenouda III This program leans quite heavily on the writings of His Holiness Pope Shenouda III. The majority of the contents of the lessons and their attachments are based on His Holiness' writings. This is a very bright and important aspect of this program. In 1986, during the time in which there was no Coptic Orthodox Sunday School program in the land of immigration, His Holiness reviewed the general contents of the program, commented and modified many key subjects, and then authorized the use of this program in all churches outside of Egypt, on a preliminary basis. I can safely say that, if it was not for His Holiness Pope Shenouda III's support, wisdom, and writings, this book would not exist. The whole generation is in debt to His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, not only because of his great teachings and writings, but also because of his love and leadership. His Grace Bishop Reweiss His Grace Bishop Reweiss has been behind us all the way with his love and guidance. He wrote the forward for our previous version of the program in 1986. His Grace Bishop Moussa His Grace Bishop Moussa has provided constant support and encouragement in the completion of the previous program. Of course, His Grace's writings for the youth have been utilized in all the subjects directed towards the youth, in this book. Fr. Tadros Malaty and Fr. Marcos Marcos These Beloved Fathers reviewed thoroughly all of the contents of the first six books of the previous version of the program. Their dedication, experience, and wisdom have been an important factor in the quality of all the material. They contributed greatly towards setting up the lessons, in that sense. Father Tadros Malaty's deep writings, without any doubt, have been a key reference in the majority of the lessons. His latest advice to revise and enhance the previous version of the program has been held in the highest regards. Dr. Fayek M. Ishak Dr. Fayek Ishak (head of the English Department at Lakehead University) reviewed the first six books of the previous version of the program. He contributed, immensely, towards the setup of the lessons. Fr. Gawargious Michael and Fr. Mikhael Armanios These two beloved priests chose the proper songs to match the subjects of the lessons. They also arranged the proof-reading of all the books with a chosen group of youth. Fr. Makary Silwanis This beloved priest made all of the arrangements for revising the previous Sunday School Program. He single-handedly arranged to have the new program available online. His computer skills were a key factor in all areas. Tassoni Ragaa The continuous support and encouragement of Tassoni Ragaa played an essential role in the write-up of the previous version of the program, as well as in this revision. One of the aspects that kept this program centered and on track was her continuous reminder that this program is for generations to come and every effort is worthwhile for the sake of the upbringing of the children and youth. The Youth of St. George and St. Rueiss Coptic Orthodox Church There was a key participation from Heba Khattas in this revised version. She in total love and joy contributed with great efforts in typing, checking, proof reading and commenting. All these things by her own initiative despite all the other responsibilities that she had to do towards her family, her work and her study. There was a key contribution from Marian Awad in this revised version. She proposed that the lessons for Grades 11 and 12 be totally redone in order to prepare the youth to face the challenges at the university level. This idea resulted in a huge change in the curriculum for these two grades, as well as in the writing of the "Contemporary Issues" book. Ninette Bishay sang over 100 songs in order to make sure that all the lessons were accompanied by beautiful songs in a great language and tone. Caroline Yassa typed many lessons for the author, mostly dictated over the phone, at times when his eyes were very sore from reading. Her efforts are greatly appreciated. Comments and proof-readings of many of the youth are greatly appreciated.
Fr. Rueiss Awad
TEACHER'S GUIDELINES: HOW TO USE THIS PROGRAM? 1. The teacher should realize that each lesson has been prepared to cover a specific point; starting from the title of the lesson to the end of it. 2. The teacher should read all the materials referred to in the lesson (i.e. the Holy Bible as well as any articles attached to the lesson), and then proceed by emphasizing all the points. 3. The teacher should enlarge the picture ahead of each lesson and use it as a visual aid as he or she is teaching the lesson. 4. The teacher should discuss the practical applications as he or she proceeds with the lesson. 5. The teacher should summarize the main points of the lesson with the students and give prizes.
FEATURES OF THIS SUNDAY SCHOOL PROGRAM
A COMPREHENSIVE SUNDAY SCHOOL PROGRAM 1. This Sunday School program was the very first program to be written in the lands of immigration. This work was initiated in 1974, and the first version was published in 1986. We thank our heavenly Father, Who has given us the opportunity to extensively revise and improve it, in 2005. 2. In this version of the program, any repetition that was in the previous program, has been removed, all lessons were upgraded in both coverage and depth. Moreover, a whole new book, on contemporary issues, has been added. 3. The contemporary issues book covers subjects that are important for children and youth in today's world. These lessons are optional. For churches with regular youth group meetings, these issues would best be discussed during those meetings. On the other hand, for churches that do not hold regular youth group meetings, those issues could be discussed as part of the Sunday School program. 4. This version of the program also includes lessons, which form a basis for a missionary service, a service that should in the ideal situation be practiced by every member of our congregation. The objective is that each child, every youth, and in the long run each Coptic individual can behave and act in a way, which is an embodiment of the teaching and tradition of the Coptic Orthodox Church. In other words, our congregation would become role models in their communities, who attract people to our Lord Jesus Christ through their good practices: sincerity, commitment, hard work and dedication, tolerance, forgiveness, and all the other good qualities that differentiate a good practising Christian from those who merely have a Christian education. 5. In this Sunday School Program, we depended heavily on the writings of H.H. Pope Shenouda III as a reference for most of the presented material. 6. The lessons in this version of the program have already been tried in Sunday School classes, reviewed, improved and tried again. This ensures that the lessons are relevant and suit the level of the students. 7. In this version of the program, efforts were put forth to ensure that every aspect of the Christian life in the Coptic Orthodox Church is covered. 8. This Sunday School Program is not merely about giving specific education on Christianity to our children and youth but it is rather an attempt to deeply affect their feelings and spirituality. It is believed that such an approach will facilitate the practical application of the various aspects involved so that Christianity becomes a way of life for the individual, with deeply rooted Christian values, that are manifested as behaviour and attitude. 9. All copyrights of other Sunday School programs, and other writers, have been fully respected. 10. In this version, each lesson comes complete with pictures and songs that are suitable for the lesson. 11. This Sunday School program comes in various formats, for convenience. In addition to being available on this website for widespread use, it is also available, upon request, in hard copy format or on CD. 12. It is our strong belief that this Sunday School program will play a vital role in the spiritual upbringing of our children. May the Lord bless this Sunday School program and all other programs, for the growth of His Kingdom in us.
THE PREPARATION OF SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSONS
A. What is a Sunday School Lesson? 1. It is not a record of events that we convey to the students with the hopes of appearing to satisfy the required preparation process in front of other people. Neither is it a lecture that we deliver to our audience or student regardless of their interest in the matter. 2. However, it is, on one hand, a fruit of the live reaction between the servant and the lesson and, on the other hand, between the servant and the students. The Holy Spirit maturates this fruit and directs this service towards the salvation of the students and towards the glory of God. For if the servant who teaches the people does not teach himself, the voice of the Lord rebukes him saying, " You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself ? " (Romans 2:21), and again in James 3: 1: "My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment." Therefore, the servant should engage himself in the lesson through prayers, relevant spiritual readings, and practical application, so that when the servant speaks with his students from experience and true knowledge, he says, with St. John the Beloved, "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life-" (1 John 1:1) If a servant is not aware of the spiritual level of his students, he may burden them with instructions and lessons which they cannot handle nor apply and this, in turn, may cause the students to go astray and lose their eternal life. Therefore, it is crucial for the servant to establish a healthy, trustworthy, and fruitful relationship with his students, as well as to share in their joys and cheers, and their sadness and fears, all towards Jesus Christ. This is what St. Paul refers to in his epistle to the Galatians when he says, "My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you..." (Galatians 4:19). This close relationship with the students allows the servant to choose the most appropriate lesson that applies to their needs.
Hence a Sunday School lesson is: A live mixture between the personal lives of the servants and the students through the lesson; the Holy Spirit creates this mixture and allows it to result in the bearing of fruit. B. The Requirements for Sunday School Lessons 1. Humility in prayer before God. God said, "...for without Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5) My beloved brethren, sit down in peace and tranquility with the Lord and talk to Him about your personal need for Him in your service. Ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit and pray saying, " Guide me dear God. What would you like my students and I to learn this week ? " Be obedient to His voice. It would be suitable to maintain a prayer time which equals that of the lesson. 2. Accurate knowledge of the meanings contained within the lesson. This is achieved through: a) Occupying yourself throughout the week with understanding the new lesson, beginning from the end of the previous lesson until the beginning of the new one. It is wise to use your free time, time before sleep, and time with fellow servants to increase and enhance your understanding of the lesson. b) Resorting to spiritual and religious references and literature to help you develop the right understanding and concepts behind the lines. c) Resorting to general educational references and literature to embody this understanding and these concepts, making them clear in the minds of your students. 3. Aids of presentation. It is important that you transform your understanding of the lesson into a simple and clear presentation. It has been stated and proved that 85% of knowledge acquired is acquired through the sense of sight and visual learning as opposed to the 10% that is acquired through the sense of hearing. The rest of the knowledge acquired is done so through the other three senses. In reality, the least effective way of transmitting knowledge to others is by merely talking; this has the weakest influence on the students. In contrast, the most effective way to teach is to use the "Learning by Doing" method, which requires enough time as well as sound experience. What differentiate between the effectiveness of the two means of presentation are the tools used in the presentation. These tools aid the students in effectively understanding and retaining the purpose of the lesson by engaging both senses of sight and sound. These tools may include audio-visual devices such as pictures and movies, spiritual trips and outings, role playing during class, intellectually stimulating games, etc. C. Recording the lesson. It is recommended that the servant records the following during the preparation of the lesson:
Purpose of the lesson: It is necessary for the servant to clearly understand the purpose of the lesson at the beginning of his preparation. It is also necessary that the purpose of the lesson should agree with the maturity level of the students. For example, it is more appropriate for children to learn about God's love; on the other hand, learning about the power of God in their lives and in the lives of the saints is more appropriate subject matter for youth. As for young adults, learning about Christian virtues and spiritual practices is most appropriate. Most importantly, the purpose of the lessons should agree with Coptic Orthodox Christian teachings, whether in specific occasions or in general. References: References could include: a. Stories, examples, verses, etc. from the Holy Bible. b. Spiritual books and literature. c. General educational books and literature. Recording the references is very useful for the servant because it helps the servant to refer back to them, if forgotten. Preface: The preface is the background of the lesson. It cultivates the thoughts of the students and directs their thoughts towards the lesson. This allows the lesson to be implanted in their minds and to, eventually, bear fruit. It is important that the preface remain simple, short, and concise. The introduction could be in the form of focused questions, but should not be in the form of stories. Several stories in one lesson may deteriorate its effectiveness. The Lesson: The lesson could be divided into the following sections: 1. Introduction - it should be quick and concise and related to the preface. It should introduce the lesson smoothly without interrupting the chain of thoughts. 2. Body of the lesson - it contains the principle subject of the lesson, and follows these guidelines: a. You must be accurate and careful when explaining theological concepts. b. You must be careful when relating events and examples to elucidate the subject of the lesson, in order to properly guide the students' imagination without restricting it. c. You must diligently expose the Coptic Orthodox doctrine in the lesson. d. You should not use more than one story during the lesson and the story used should be relevant to the subject matter. 3. Focal Point - the point during the lesson at which the purpose of the lesson is clearly defined. (Examples: The Lord responds to the prayers of a needy person, or the angels come to give the saints their heavenly crowns and take them to heaven after many trials and persecutions.) 4. Conclusion - it should be, like the introduction, short and concise. It can summarize the purpose of the lesson, without introducing any new concepts.
Inferences: Inference is a method used to determine how much the students have absorbed and retained from the lesson. It should be in the form of questions with the following guidelines: a. They should clearly show the purpose of the lesson. b. They should suit the maturity of the students. c. They should be simple and direct. d. They should link to each other. e. They should not be `Yes' or `No' questions. f. They should each have one correct answer. Bible Verse: The memorization of a Bible verse is an excellent way to help the students remember the purpose of the lesson. The chosen Bible verse should meet the following guidelines: a. It should show the purpose of the lesson clearly. b. It should be short which allows it to be easily memorized. c. Children can easily memorize, as well as understand it. Homework: The height of your diligence in preparing the lesson is in choosing the proper and effective homework or application. The homework should have the following characteristics: a. It should contain practical applications that apply to everyday life. b. It should suit the maturity level of the students. c. It should help in mastering the comprehension and retention of the lesson. d. It should not include more than one instruction, in order to simplify the application of the lesson.
INTRODUCTIONTeaching in Grade 7 (age 13 to 14 years)
(1) This age is characterized by an important mental development. A sense of cause and effect is developed, an ability to organize and classify and an interest in simple planning and carrying out a plan. We can see this reflected in their play. (2) There is now a far more clear consciousness of "justice" than there has been before. The instinct of ownership was already present at an earlier age, but now there is a fairly clear understanding of what is "mine" and "not mine". Along with the sense of "law" and consciousness of "law breaking" there is a growth, a development of finer feelings: compassion, desire to protect someone weaker than oneself and acceptance of certain moral standards. (3) Children in this age will show interest in cause and effect and, in listening to Bible stories, will show interest in God's plan for the world. (4) The story must be given as a story without too many comments. Lessons should be accompanied by hymns and class activities as colouring, cutting and pasting pictures ... etc. (5) Though it is too early to discuss with children the problem of suffering, and especially the suffering of the innocent, it is sometimes unavoidable. We can establish in their minds the image of the Lord Jesus Christ as the one who was innocent and accepted suffering, but His suffering and death were not the end, but He rose from the dead. If the children have really assimilated the Passion and the Resurrection, we have provided them with a basis for a Christian. Approach to the problem of suffering and they will have to deal intellectually with it at a later age. 6) In addition to the above, the teacher should: start from simple to the more difficult facts, from known to the unknown and from general to specific and going back to the bigger picture. Children should love the teacher, the class, and the lesson and come very anxiously to class.
LOT CHOSE FOR HIMSELF
Please read Genesis chapter 13, the attached material entitled "The effects of companionship," and give the lesson with emphasis on the points below.
PURPOSE OF THE LESSON: To show: U When we have a choice to make, we should pray and ask God to choose for us. U When we are given the opportunity to share things with people, we have to be fair and not select the best for ourselves. U We have to be very choosy when it comes to friendship or companionship.
MEMORY VERSE:
“and built an altar there to the Lord” (Genesis 13:18)
PLEASE EMPHASIZE:
U The Call to Abram:
Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. Abram is one of the descendants of Shem. The word Abram means "the honoured father" and God changed his name to Abraham which means, "Father of many nations" (Genesis 17:5). Abram lived in Ur of the Chaldees where people were worshipping idols. Abram migrated along with his father, Terah, his wife, Sarai, and his nephew Lot. They got as far as Harran when Terah died. Then the Lord spoke to Abram "Get out of your country ... to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you ... you shall be a blessing" (Genesis 12:1-2). So Abram took his wife, his nephew, all their servants and possessions and came to the land of Canaan. Then the Lord said to Abram "To your descendants I will give this land." And there he built an altar to the Lord, Who had appeared to him.
U Abram Separated from Lot:
As time went by, both Abram and Lot found that their herds increased so much that there was not enough pasture. Their herdsmen began to quarrel, so Abram said to Lot, "Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren" (Genesis 13:8). Lot had accompanied Abram in his faithful trips. But there was a great difference between their hearts. Abram had a simple heart, full of love to God and people. Lot's heart had the love of self and the love of the world. In appearance Lot was accompanying the greatest father who was full of faith and obedience to God. But Lot's heart was closed. The time came that the weakness of Lot surfaced when he had the conflict with Abram. Both were rich, but Abram's heart was with God while Lot's heart was with the possessions. Abram wanted peace. Even though he was the elder, he left the right to choose to Lot. Lot accepted to choose first. This shows the faithful heart of Abram and the materialistic heart of Lot. "And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere, like the garden of the Lord". (This was the status of Sodom and Gomorrah before the Lord destroyed them.) Lot did not examine what kind of people were living in this land that looked like "the garden of the Lord". The Bible said, "But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord" (Genesis 13:13). This was a grave mistake that Lot did. We must examine what type of people we mingle with. We must keep away our friendships from people who have no faith in God. If we were preaching then it would be different. But in our daily lives we must be careful not to mix with wicked people. The precious reward went to Abram who let the Lord choose for him. "Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are - northward, southward, eastward and westward ... Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you. Then Abram moved his tent, and went and dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to the Lord." (Genesis 13:14-17) Everywhere, Abram was building two things: the tent to live in and the altar to present his offerings and prayers to God. In this same place "terebinth trees of Mamre", God and two angels visited Abram and promised him the birth of a son (Genesis 18). Lot departed to Sodom and Gomorrah to live in the rich land with the wicked people. He lost all his belongings as God destroyed these cities because of the wickedness. Lot also lost his wife who became a pillar of salt because she looked back at the wicked area as the angels were rushing them out. Abram went to the terebinth trees of Mamre to welcome God and two angels and to enjoy a life of sharing with God.
WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM THIS LESSON? (1) Our lives are in continuous motion: either towards Sodom where there is destruction or towards the terebinth trees of Mamre where God the Giver of Life exists. (2) We must watch for the improvement of our lives.
(3) We must also be very selective when we choose our friends as they affect our lives to a great extent.
SONGS
JESUS I HAVE PROMISED
Jesus I have promised to serve Thee to the end Be forever near me, my Master and my friend. I shall not fear Satan, if Thou art by my side, Nor wander away, if Thou wilt be my guide.
REFRAIN Guide me, lead me, every day Let me follow all the way My rock of Salvation, Thou shalt always be I make haste and always take refuge in Thee
Let me hear Thee speaking in words clear, and still All the storms of passion and murmurs of self-will Speak to reassure me whenever I fall Speak and make me listen, O Guardian of my soul
Jesus Thou hast promised all who follow Thee That in Thine own glory Thy servants shall be Jesus I have promised to serve Thee to the end So give me grace to follow, my Master and my friend
Let me see Thy footprints, in them plant mine own My hope of salvation’s in Thy strength alone Guide me, call me, draw me , hold me to the end And in heaven receive me, my Master and my friend.
Recitation Curriculum:Please look at the recitation curriculum at the end of this book.
Effects of Association with Others By H.H. Pope Shenouda III
A person is greatly affected by those whom he associates with....
How easy it is for a person to absorb their attitudes, thoughts and psychological condition. If you associate with a person who always suspects, suspicion would soon get to your heart. The opposite happens if you associate with one who has deep faith; he might be able to plant this faith in your heart. The one who has many fears, who always expects harm and evil, could easily spread fear among those who associate with him. But the courageous, who has a strong heart, strengthens their hearts and his courage and firmness flow to them... It is enough for a group of people to have one person among them who very often complains, curses and grumbles from everything to live with hearts full of complaints and grumbling!!
This shows the effect of rumors and news on people.... These are also a kind of effective association whether through thoughts, opinions, news or feelings. That explains the effect of friendship, kindness and marriage... add to that fellowship and neighbourhood. As the saying goes:
Ask about the neighbour before you ask about the house. And ask about the companion before you ask about the way. Therefore, you ought to be careful in choosing your friends. Outline the limits of your relationship with friends, neighbours and those you associate with...
It would be even better if you associate with those who are better than you... You will be able to benefit from them, as they could lift you up with them... Do not think that you are too clever to be affected. Very few are those who do not get affected by people surrounding them... Many a time one talks to you and you understand from his way and thought that it is carried from another friend that you know... !
Many are like a mirror that gives you a reflection of the one who sits in front of it.!
Others get affected in a hidden way which can only be discovered after a while. Some distinguished characters could be affected by their own attendants and helpers. One of those may be so influencing on that character that he becomes the key to him.
Poor is the man, for he is a sensitive apparatus picks up quickly...
SEPTEMBER
EL-NAYROUZ FEAST Taking Our Spiritual Life Seriously
Please talk about martyrdom, the Coptic year that the blood of the martyrs was the seed of our faith. Also, please see the attached sheets entitled "In the Memory of our Martyrs, El-Nayrouz Feast", "The martyrdom of St. Demiana", "Seriousness" and give the lesson with emphasis on the points below.
PURPOSE OF THE LESSON: To learn: U That the blood of the martyrs was the seed of the faith and life of the Church. U That we must honour our martyrs, follow their footsteps and ask for their prayers and intercessions.
MEMORY VERSE:
"while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen" (2 Corinthians 4:18)
PLEASE EMPHASIZE:
U Please review the information about El-Nayrouz Feast. For example, the Coptic Year and number of months, the Church system (or rounds) during the Coptic Year, and the names of some of the martyrs that the children know. The age of martyrdom: "For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake" (Philippians 1:29). The establishment of Christianity in Egypt was not an easy task. But it came to be as a result of the love of many Christians who gave up their earthly lives in return for the crown of martyrdom in heaven with Jesus, whom they loved more than their lives. Martyrdom started when idolaters attacked the church in Alexandria in 68 A.D. and killed St. Mark the Apostle. This was followed by persecutions and sufferings of Christians all over Egypt. They faced all these tortures with joy and courage ever since.
U The Conflict between the Romans and the Copts:
Since the first century, the conflict between the Romans and the Copts started because of a conflict between two religions: Christianity and paganism. The majority of the Egyptians were Christians while the Roman rulers and their followers were pagans. The Roman emperors became enemies of the Christians who loved God more than anything else and adhered firmly to their Christianity. When Christianity was spread among the Romans themselves, the rulers and the emperors, the conflict continued because these new Christians had a different belief than the Copts of Egypt. They continued to persecute the Copts. Therefore, we can classify two periods of persecutions that the Copts in Egypt were exposed to:
(A) Persecutions at the Hands of the Gentile Emperors: The Roman emperors viewed Christians in general as a threat to them. So, they persecuted Christians everywhere but particularly the Copts of Egypt. Because of their solid faith, the Copts were exposed to the most severe torture in the Christian world at that time.
U The Years of Diocletian:
The persecution of Christians reached its peak in the years of Diocletian (284-305 A.D.). In the year 302 A.D., he ordered the destruction of all churches, the burning of all church books and the confiscation of all the possessions of the Christians. When the Christians rejected these unfair laws, they were jailed, tortured and killed. The Copts showed the depth of their faith, love of the Lord Jesus and love of heavenly life. They were joyful to be worthy to suffer for the name of the Lord Jesus. Because of the severity of the persecutions in the years of Diocletian, the Copts considered the year 284 (when Diocletian took over the government) as the beginning of the Coptic calendar. The Church celebrates the martyrs’ feast (El-Nayrouz) annually. U St. Demiana is an Example of a Martyr: Please read the attached sheet. St. Demiana gained the crown of martyrdom and helped her father to win the crown of martyrdom as well.
(B) Persecutions at the Hands of the Christian Emperors: The Roman emperors were not able to face the spread of Christianity and a lot of them became Christians. Emperor Constantine the Great became a Christian and his reign was a quiet period for the Christians. But it did not last long. The Roman emperors took sides and accepted the several heresies that the Church in Egypt rejected. Then they started to persecute the Copts. For example, in the years of St. Athanasius the Apostolic, the Romans tried to impose the Arian principles. The pope and the people after him rejected the Arians; St. Athanasius was exiled five times from his position as pope. The Christian Romans continued to persecute the Copt until the Arabs invaded Egypt in 641 A.D. A new era and a new trouble started. The faith that we have now has reached us through the, bloodshed of our ancestors. They believed that heavenly life is more important than earthly life: "It is better for me to depart and be with Jesus." Many people would like to reach Christ through easy ways. This is impossible. We must exert effort and suffer a lot for the sake of the Lord Jesus. We must carry the cross as our ancestors did and then succeeded through the narrow road.
WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM THIS LESSON? (1) We must be ambassadors of our Lord Jesus: "When they see your good work, they will glorify your father in heaven." (2) We must never shy away from declaring our principles and adhering to them as children of God. (3) We have to adjust our expectations. If we think that gaining a place in heaven is easy, we are wrong. (4) We must take it serious and adhere to our faith no matter what the difficulties are. (5) We have to do our part and God will help us to have a place in heaven.
SONGS
SAINT
DEMIANA
This is the story of Demiana a pretty girl called Demiana Her heart filled with Lord Jesus and she knew that He loved her
Her father governor Morcos over the city of Borollos Told her I wish you happiness I want to see you soon married
Demiana said: "Dad, please hear me, please try to understand me I want the One Who created me I love Him and He loves me”.
Morcos then listened to Her as she asked him to build her A great castle he gave her forty virgins living with her.
Demiana heard that her father worshipped idols and left God. She quickly went to her father asking him about this rumor
How often Jesus guarded you? Jesus never forgets you. Think how much He has loved you and what did you offer in lieu?
Morcos cried and regretted and with courage admitted Of his faith to our God and was crowned in martyrdom.
After three years Demiana received the crown of martyrdom Blessed are you O Demiana Help us, to reach His Kingdom.
Recitation Curriculum:
Please look at the recitation curriculum at the end of this book. The El-Nayrouz feast is the beginning of the Egyptian Year. The Egyptian Calendar is an ancient one. The Pharaohs created this system 5000 years before the birth of Jesus, naming its months after their ancient Egyptian gods. The Egyptian year has 13 months: Tout, Baba, Hatour, Kyahk, Touba, Amshier, Baramehat, Baramouda, Bashense, Baouna, Abiba, Messra and El-Nassey. Each of these months is 30 days long except the last month, El-Nassey, which is only 5 days long or 6 days. Up until now, the Egyptian farmers use the Coptic calendar in their timing for agriculture. The Egyptian calendar was only used until the French came to Egypt in the era of Ismaile Basha and introduced the Julian calendar (January, February, etc.). During the region of Diocletian, in which the number of martyrs increased dramatically, the Egyptian Calendar adopted the name of the "Martyrs' Year" or the "Coptic Year". These days, the Church celebrates the NAYROUZ FEAST which is also called the "MARTYRS' FEAST". This celebration continues for 17 days until the CROSS FEAST. During the Coptic Year (which is the Egyptian Year), the Church system (i.e. feasts, fasting and readings in the church), are divided into the following rounds: Round #1: This is the Nayrouz round in which the church celebrates the memory of the martyrs who established the Church on the basis of their faith and blood. (Tout) Round #2: The Church celebrates advent (Kyahk), which terminates at Christmas. Round #3: The Church celebrates the Baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ and the manifestation of the Holy Trinity (the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit). (Touba) Round #4: This round is for Jonah's fast and in preparation for the Great Lent. (Touba) Round #5: This round is for the Great Lent. (Amshier - Baramehat) Round #6: The Church celebrates Easter in this round. (Baramouda - Bashense) Round #7: This is mission month and the Disciples' fast. (Abib) Round #8: This round is for St. Mary's fast. (Messra) Round #9: This is the short month (Nassey), which contains the last few days of the Coptic year. I hope you live these Feasts during the year as the Church celebrates these 9 rounds. Hence, you live in the system; remember it, learn from it and reap its blessings.
The Martyrdom of St. Demiana
A governor of one of the cities in Lower Egypt named Mark, had a daughter whose name was Demiana. When she was 15 years old she decided to dedicate her life to Jesus and not get married.
Her father built a palace for her to live in with 40 virgins spending the majority of their time praying. The king sent to her father Mark to come and worship idols. Her father was scared and kneeled to the idols. When his daughter Demiana discovered this, she went to her father and said: "I would have preferred to hear that you are dead, rather than hear that you kneeled to idols." She convinced her father that it would be better for him to be a martyr and live with Christ than live there worshipping idols and living with the devils.
Her father went to the king and declared his Christianity, then he gained the crown of martyrdom. When the king found out that Mark's daughter was the cause of his re-conversion, he sent soldiers to arrest her at her house. He began torturing her and cutting parts of her body. An angel used to come and heal her wounds. At the end, they beheaded her and she won the crown of martyrdom. There are churches in Egypt named after St. Demiana and many miracles are performed through her prayers.
Earnestness By H.H. Pope Shenouda III
Perhaps our relationship with some people could be described as earnest. But would our relationship with God have the same seriousness?
Are our promises to God
earnest? Are our personal decisions about our spiritual life serious
decisions? Or do we promise and never keep our promise, decide and
Are our vows to God firm
and serious? Or do we take important pledges with God at critical
moments of our life and when the crisis is over, we cancel these pledges
When we proceed to receive the Holy Communion, with wholehearted intentions to lead a holy life with God, do we keep this feeling or do we forget the undertakings of our hearts and seriously neglect the life of repentance?!... Do we have a clear cut line that we firmly follow or are we like a feather that the wind shifts without seriousness? Is this seriousness in the spiritual life bound to certain principles of purity without going astray and no slackness in the means of grace and serving without being slothful?
The Saints who repented,
like Moses the Black, Augustine and Mary the Egyptian, were serious
about their repentance. They never turned back to their old
Those who formed friendship
and companionship with God never betrayed this friendship. They
seriously remained loyal to Him, feeling an emotional and Those who are serious in their spiritual life are never moved by tribulations or temptations. They never forget that they are the temples of God and His Spirit dwells in them. They never forget that they are the children of God and they must keep His image and example... Those who are serious in their spiritual life show this seriousness in each aspect of their life: in their talk, their behaviour their service, their worship, their relationship with others and their firm stand towards the thoughts and feelings that fight the heart. They have principles and they are committed to these principles. Let us all then live in earnestness... It is one of the qualities of God's children. It is an evidence of steadfastness...
SEPTEMBER
Please read Luke 18:10-14 and the attached material entitled "Righteous in his own eyes."
PURPOSE OF THE LESSON: To learn how to be humble, since humility is a requirement for spiritual growth. We must not feel that we are righteous in our own eyes. But rather we feel we are weak and in need of God's help.
MEMORY VERSE:
“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles will be exalted” (Luke 18:14)
PLEASE EMPHASIZE:
U Humility was Key to our Redemption:
U Since man fell through the sin of pride, it was fit for humility to prevail in the events of salvation. Man wanted to become equal to God (Genesis 3:5). Therefore, God became Man to overcome and heal man's pride: "but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond servant, and coming in the likeness of men, and being found in appearance as a man, He fumbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross." (Philippians 2:7-8). U Our Lord Jesus was born of a poor girl, in a manger, and in village that was considered minor in Israel. He taught a lesson in humility. U Our Lord Jesus also selected a humble prophet to prepare the way before Him. St. John the Baptist was born of a humble mother who said, "But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" (Luke 1:43). U St. John the Baptist was very humble in his behaviour and his words. He was the greatest born of women; people crowded around him in awe. But he said: "I am not the Christ ... I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal straps I am not worthy to loose .... He must increase, but I must decrease."
U In the baptism of our Lord Jesus, there are two acts of humility:
1) Christ the Lord came to be baptized from one of His creatures. And what kind of baptism? It is the baptism of repentance. Christ did not need repentance because He "is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens" (Hebrews 7:26). But Jesus said, "for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness". (Matthew 3:15). 2) Jesus told John to "permit it to be so now". John replied, "I have need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?" We must emphasize here that there is an essential difference between the humility of the Lord and the humility of St. John the Baptist. The humility of the Lord was that He: "made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant". This is true humility. The humility of humans is different. We are not as great as Him, to degrade ourselves and to give up our greatness. We are sand and dust, and what is lower than that? One of the saints: was asked about the meaning of humility and he said, "True humility means that man knows the reality of his being". That was what St. John the Baptist expressed when he told the Lord, "I have need to be baptized by You."
U The Practical Meaning of Humility:
U A humble person feels weak, sinful and unworthy of any praise from people. On the other hand the proud will say as the Pharisee did, "God, I thank You that I am not like other men - extortionists, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector" (Luke 18:11). Please tell the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18:10-14). U Many saints overcame Satan's temptations with humility. The Devil told Saint Makarius, "You overcame us with your humility". Humble people do not fall easily into sin because they feel their weakness and become careful; they always seek God's help to protect themselves. Therefore, they are always surrounded by the special grace of the Lord and He is very near to them. U Our Lord Jesus invites us to be similar to Him in His modesty. He started the Sermon on the mountain by saying, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven". To be poor in spirit is to be internally modest and not just modest in words while the heart is proud. U In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus also taught us to be humble. Every time we say this prayer, we remember that we are sinners and that we need God's forgiveness when we say "And forgive us our trespasses."
WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM THIS LESSON? (1) "God, be merciful to me a sinner." I must put this statement in front of my eyes at all times so that I never forget that I am weak and that I need God's help. (2) Any talent or gift that I have is from God, and in order for this talent or gift to stay with me, then I must be humble. (3) We must truly obey our parents, our fathers of confession and our teachers. This will be an evidence of our humility. (4) Do not feel you are righteous in your own eyes.
SONGS
O TAKE MY
HAND DEAR SAVIOUR O take my hand Dear Saviour and please lead me Till at my journey’s ending I’ll dwell with Thee
REFRAIN I need Thee, O Lord I need Thee O bless me, my Lord I come to Thee
Thou Mighty God of ages O be Thou near When the tempest rages I need not fear
When evening shadows lengthen the night has come My faith heart Saviour strengthen and bring me home
Recitation Curriculum:Please look at the recitation curriculum at the end of this book.
Righteous in His Own Eyes By H.H. Pope Shenouda III
+ The problem of Job was his being a righteous man and knowing that fact about himself. The Bible said about him that, "... he was righteous in his own eyes. " (Job. 32:1). So, perhaps for this reason, he underwent the known trials.
The trial continued with Job so long as he felt righteous in his own eyes, but it was taken away when he said to the Lord, "Behold I am vile: what shall I answer you? I lay my hand over my mouth.. " (Job. 40:4) Also, "Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know... therefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes. " (Job. 42:3 & 6)
And when he repented in dust and ashes, the affliction was removed.
+ Therefore it is stated in the Bible, "And lean not on your own understanding." (Prov. 3:5).
It is also said, "Do not be wiser than you are. " (Rom. 12:16). And "Answer a fool according to his folly. lest he should be wise in his own eyes." (Prov. 26:5)
+ God wants us not to be wise in our own eyes, therefore he asked us to benefit from discipleship and counseling. It is said,
"Those who are without guide, fall like tree leaves. "
He also asked us to. obey and consult the grown-ups, the parents, the spiritual guides, the father confessors in particular and the elderly who have experience due to maturity of age.
In order not to be wise in your own eyes, consult others, and in order not to be righteous in your own eyes, remember your sins.
The upright in his own eyes does not accept blame from anyone and sees himself always right. He tries to justify or find excuses for all his mistakes and never admits that he made a mistake. Therefore he faults in pride, stubbornness, obstinacy and boasting.
He abides by his mistakes, does not change his conduct because he does not admit he is at fault. In the meantime, he loses God's help and might be forsaken from God's grace and falls down to feel his weakness...
SEPTEMBER
"Strive to enter through the narrow gate"
Please read the attached sheets entitled "The Appearance of the Cross in the Sky", "The Cross-Day Feast", "The Cross in our life", and give the lesson with emphasis on the points below.
PURPOSE OF THE LESSON: To realize: U The importance of the Cross in our lives. U Nothing good can be achieved except through efforts and struggle. U The narrow gate leads to glory.
MEMORY VERSE:
"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me" (Matthew 16:24)
PLEASE EMPHASIZE:
U General Review about the Cross: 1. Describe the apparition of the shining Cross in the sky three times (see attached sheets). 2. Describe the finding of the Cross (on which the Lord was crucified) by St. Helen (see attached sheets). U The Cross is a sign of strength and glory. When a person crosses himself or herself, Satan cannot hurt him or her in any manner. U Our Church celebrates two feasts for the Cross every year. The first feast is 16 days after the Nayrouz feast on the 16th of Tout. (Tout is the first month of the Coptic Year). The second Cross Feast is on the 10th of Baramhat, (the latter being the seventh month of the Coptic Year). U The Cross is taken from a tree. The sin of Adam and Eve was related to a tree. Hence, salvation was gained by Jesus' crucifixion on the Cross. Therefore, the Cross is a sign of love. U The Cross was what bridged the gap between Heaven and Earth U Everyone should carry or wear a Cross, and always keep a Cross in his or her room and look at it during prayer.
U Carrying the Cross is Taking the Narrow Road: U St. Paul said, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18). U The way to which we were invited is the way of sufferings. So many people like to reach Christ by the simple route. This is impossible because it is necessary to work and suffer for the sake of God. Our Lord Jesus said "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his Cross, and follow Me" (Matthew 16:24). U Everyone has a Cross that must be carried without complaint. Whoever does not carry his Cross and follow Christ cannot be one of His disciples. U The Cross takes several forms: persecutions, sickness, struggles in spiritual life, suffering from enemies, or wars of Satan. U Our Lord Jesus Christ faced the Cross during His life on Earth. He was good to everyone and received wickedness in return from many people. They said about Him, "He is a Samaritan and has a devil's spirit", "He eats and drinks wine", "He loves the tax collectors and the sinners and He is against the Laws of Moses and against the authorities". Our Lord Jesus Christ carried this Cross and did not defend Himself. He was insulted and met the insults without even opening His mouth. U What about us? If we feel injustice in our lives, are we quick to complain? We should not. If people called us names in school because we are not participating in their wicked actions (if any), are we going to give up and follow them? We should not. Are we going to complain that the Cross is so heavy in our lives? We should not. We should only thank the Lord for making us worthy to carry the Cross with Him. We must also seek God's help and strength. U Our Lord Jesus Christ chose the narrow way; He carried His Cross not only at the time of Golgotha but also during His life on earth. Despite all of that, He was content enough to spread his joy to others.
U The Cross is the External Appearance of True Internal Glory: U St. Paul said, "If indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together" (Romans 8:17). U Behind the cross there is Resurrection. Without the Cross there cannot be Resurrection and victory. U As we walk with our Lord Jesus in the narrow road, He gives us internal blessings, joy and all the gifts of the Holy Spirit, namely: "love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control" (Galatians 5:22). Remember, Peter and John were jailed and beaten because they healed a lame man and were preaching to people about Jesus (Acts 4:1-37). U After all those sufferings, " they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name". (Acts 5:41). U We must never forget that behind the cross there is glory; in other words, the Cross is the external appearance of internal glory. A good example for this is a student who studies hard and is then rewarded at the end of the year. U If the Cross is not beneficial for us, our Lord Jesus Who loves us, would not have given it to us. Christianity does not exist without a Cross. Hence, there is no Christian without a Cross.
WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM THIS LESSON? (1) Let us search for the cross in our lives. When we find it, we should carry it thankfully and then we will receive all the blessings of the Resurrection in our lives. (2) We must resist peer pressure, maintain our values and do our best to stay out of the World's temptations. (3) We must say no to devil. We have to be strict with ourselves, our sexual desires, our pride, our actions and our thoughts.
SONGS
SHERE PI
ESTAVROS
Christ has come to us from heaven to save us With His blood He redeemed us Shere pi estavros
Because Jesus loves us He came and lived with us He died for us Shere pi estavros
He was crucified and obtained victory With wondrous authority Shere pi estavros
The cross is my life my strength and my hope The starting of my prayer Shere pi estavros
A lot of the saints with the sign of the cross Conquered the devil Shere pi estavros
They moved many mountains and the dead arose Exactly as He said Shere pi estavros
And I am their son proud of the cross I will follow them Shere pi estavros
Recitation Curriculum:
Please look at the recitation curriculum at the end of this book.
This happened THREE times: 1. The FIRST time the Cross appeared, it did so in the sky for Emperor Constantine the Great to encourage him before he set out to war. He and his officers saw the Cross like a pillar of light in the sky surrounded with the following words: "With this [the Cross] you will conquer." Constantine was encouraged, became a Christian, went to war and was victorious. 2. The SECOND time the Cross appeared, Julius Caesar saw it on the doors of the city of Antioch. It appeared in the East like a pillar of light, startling all those who saw it. 3. The THIRD appearance was to all the people of Jerusalem. This occurred during the sacred days of the Fifties' Feast. To be exact, it happened on the 8th of May, 351 AD, at 3:00 PM. A huge Cross appeared in the sky on Golgotha stretching to the Mountain of Olives. It was very clear and was seen not only by one or two, but by all the people of the city. It remained visible for many hours, shinning brighter than the sun's rays. All of the city came out to behold the apparition; they were astounded and scared, but with great joy witnessed the heavenly scene. The old and the young, men and women, Christians and non-Christians, people from all places were praising Jesus Christ, Our Lord.
The Cross-Day Feast On the Cross-day Feast we celebrate the appearance of the glorious Cross of Jesus Christ our Lord. When the Jews discovered the numerous miracles occurring at Jesus' tomb, they were infuriated and asked everyone in the Jewish country to collect all of their waste and put it on top of the tomb. They continued to do that for over 200 years until a huge pile of filth was formed. Saint Helen, the mother of King Constantine, journeyed to Jerusalem and asked about the location of the Cross. Nobody could tell her. That was until she met an old man who told her that the Cross was underneath the pile of dirt. She then ordered the removal of the dirt and cleared out the holy cross of Jesus Christ. Then she built a church on that Cross and all the Christians went to visit the Cross and the church. St. Helen did that because she loved the Cross since it had appeared to her son, King Constantine, before he went to war and he won.
The Cross In Our Life
On the occasion of the feast of the Cross, we mention the following points: + Our first relationship with the Cross starts by baptism, where our old Adam is crucified so that sin will never enslave us.
+ The Church has carried the Cross during the martyrdom period and in all the persecutions that followed it during the lapse of time...
+ The beauty of the Cross is that the Church carried it with joy and patience,... without any complaint or grumbling...
The Cross changed into a longing that the Church desires and proceeds towards.
The way in which the Christians received death puzzled the pagans. It was a reflection of the Christians' faith in eternal joy and disdain of the world, with all its pleasures and enjoyments...
The prisons turned into temples, where hymns and prayers echoed from the Christians who were joyful to receive death...
+ The third field where we carry the Cross is a narrow gate...
A person might constrain himself for the sake of God. He isolates himself from the world and all its desire. He disclaims everything for God's sake... by fasting, devoutness, self control and enduring others' offences.
+ The Cross of weariness could also be included in this field...
One toils in one's services for God and labours in (crucifying the flesh with its passions), as the Apostle says, "He toils in struggling and crucifying the thought and overcoming oneself, knowing all the time that he will receive his own reward according to his own labour. " (I Cor 3:8)
Christianity could never be separated from the Cross....
The Lord Jesus told us plainly that "... In the world you will have tribulation" and he also said, "and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. " (Mt 10:22) + We welcome and rejoice with the Cross, and see our strength in it. As the Apostle said, "For the message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God (I Cor. 1:18)
THANKSGIVING TO GOD at all times
Please read Luke 17:11-19, Psalm 103, the attached sheets entitled "The Prayer of Thanksgiving" and "The Lord Takes Care of Paul in the Ship and the Island", and give the lesson with emphasis on the points below.
PURPOSE OF THE LESSON: Let us be thankful to God at all times because He is beneficent. Even when we go through problems we should continue to thank God because He can change bad things to good things for us.
MEMORY VERSE:
"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits" (Psalm 103:2)
PLEASE EMPHASIZE:
U Let us Thank, not Complain:
U Our Lord Jesus Christ established Thanksgiving, as an element in our relationship with God. As He established the Lord's Prayer (Luke 11:2-4), He also established thanksgiving when He said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me" (John 11:41). U Please read here Luke 17:11-19 and Psalm 103. U In our Church, the Thanksgiving Prayer commences every service: Vespers, Matins, Divine Liturgies, Weddings, Baptisms, etc.
U We Thank the Beneficent:
U God is the Beneficent, therefore, we thank Him. Whoever does not believe that God is the Beneficent cannot be thankful. Therefore, it is necessary for us to live a life of thanksgiving to believe that God is the Beneficent. U God always does good. He does not do anything except good. St. Paul said: "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God" (Romans 8:28). A person, who lives in the love of God, sees, meets and accepts everything for good. U We thank the Beneficent. He did good with us in the past, He is doing good with us now and He will do good with us in the future. He does good with us in our righteousness and in our sinfulness. He does good because of His love and mercy, not because we deserve goodness. U The goodness that God works for us is emanating from Him even if it does not appear to be so. If you go to a doctor and he/she prescribes medicine that tastes sour, you accept it, believing that it is good for you because it is given by the doctor. In the same manner, there are things that appear difficult or bad, but in fact God turns it to be good. Remember Jonah inside the great fish. Who can believe that while Jonah was inside the great fish that that was good? But it turned out to be good for Jonah and for the people at Nineveh (Please mention the story in more detail). U We may often have experiences in our lives that do not agree with what we like. We become sad and frustrated. But if our lives are with God, He will turn everything to be for the good of us. U Let us be thankful to God because He gave us the Holy Spirit: "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you" (John 14:26).
WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM THIS LESSON? (1) In our daily lives we must be thankful to God at all times. The worst thing is for a person to be a complainer about anything good or bad, large or small. If we love God, we must trust that He will do good for us, as He has been doing all along. (2) We must never lose hope and thank God even at difficult times. During the difficult times we should look ahead that God will change these difficulties for our goodness sake. Thus we should rejoice and be thankful at all times. SONGS AMEN AMEN AMEN
Amen Amen Amen; Ton Thanaton so kyrie Katangelomen: Ke teen Agiian soo anastasin: Ke Teen ana lee epsin so Entees oo ranis se e molo Goomen. Se e noo men Se evlo goomen se ev Kharis tomen kirie; ke theo Meta soo o theos emon.
Amen Amen Amen : Your death O Lord we proclaim. Your holy resurrection and Ascension we confess. We praise You, we bless You We thank You, O Lord, and we Entreat You, O our God.
Recitation Curriculum:Please look at the recitation curriculum at the end of this book.
The Prayer of Thanksgiving
Let us give thanks to the beneficient and merciful God, the Father of our Lord, God, and Saviour, Jesus Christ, for He has covered us, supported us, preserved us, accepted us unto Him, had compassion on us, sustained us, and brought us to this hour. Let us then ask Him, the Almighty Lord our God, to keep us in all peace this holy day and all the days of our life. O Master, Lord, God Almighty, Father of our Lord, God, and Saviour, Jesus Christ, we thank Thee upon every condition, for any condition, and in whatever condition, for Thou hast covered us, supported us, preserved us, accepted us unto Thee, had compassion on us, sustained us and brought us unto this hour. Wherefore, we pray and entreat Thy goodness O Lover-of-Mankind. Grant us to complete this holy day and all the days of our life in all peace with Thy fear. All envy, all temptation, all the workings of Satan, the intrigue of wicked people, the rising up of enemies, hidden and manifest, do Thou cast away from us and from Thy people, and from this, Thy holy place. Whereas of things that are good and useful do Thou grant unto us, for Thou art He who gave us the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions and every power of the enemy: and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Through the grace and mercies and love-of-man of Thine only Begotten Son, our Lord, God, and Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom is due unto thee glory and honour power together with Him and the Holy Spirit, the Life-Giver, who is consubstantial with Thee now and ever, and to the age of all ages. Amen
The Lord Takes Care of Paul in the Ship and the Island
St. Paul because of his love to the Lord Jesus suffered a lot in travel, in facing persecution, and the Lord saved him from all other dangers. · On the Ship: While St. Paul and the people travelling with him by sea had lots of troubles for fourteen days, Paul was praying to God to save their lives. After fourteen days, he asked them to eat and feel good because the Lord showed him through an angel that He will save them. So the Lord saved everyone in the ship because of Paul. · On the Island: After they arrived at the island, Paul gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on fire when a viper came out and was fastened to his hand. When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another: No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live. He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.
OCTOBER
THE CHURCH THE HOUSE OF GOD (I)
Please read Psalm 84:1-7, Genesis 28:10-19, the attached sheets entitled "The Mystery of the House of God", and "The respect required in attending the church," and give the lesson with emphasis on the points below.
PURPOSE OF THE LESSON: To illustrate the glory of the house of God and that it is a very unique place from all other places in the world.
MEMORY VERSE:
"How lovely is Your tabernacle, O Lord of Hosts" (Psalm 84:1)
PLEASE EMPHASIZE:
U Introduction:
U Please read Genesis 28:10-19. U In this reading we note that it is the first mention of the expression "House of God" in the Holy Bible: "Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, 'Surely the Lord is in this place ... How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the Gate of heaven" (Genesis 28:16-17). From this we can realize the meaning of the church: 1. This is the house of the Lord. 2. This is the gate to Heaven. U In Psalm 48, David describes the blessedness of dwelling in the House of God "Blessed are those who dwell in Your house". U Then David describes the feeling of a person going to church "My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the Lord". Are we anxious to go to church? What do we feel while we are going to the house of God? Are we glad and thankful that the Lord is opening His house for us? David says, "I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go into the house of the Lord"' (Psalm 22:1). U The church is a source of joy, peace and comfort when we come to meet God. U When we worship God, it should not be out of duty or routine, it should be our voluntary action to gain the free gift of the Holy Spirit given to us by God. U In the House of God, we assemble with the angels and participate with them in praising the Lord. U In the House of God we treasure the benefits of the Holy sacraments. For example, in the sacrament of the Holy Communion, we are united with the Lord Jesus through His Body and Blood. Please mention other examples of the sacraments' blessing that we receive from the Church. U We must respect the House of God and understand the meaning of the various liturgies prayed in it. U The Secret behind the Glory of the House of God is the Work of the Holy Spirit.
U The Establishment of the Church:
The first church was established on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles and the Disciples who met in the Upper Room, praying in one spirit. Three thousand people were converted on that blessed day after the sermon of Saint Peter. The number of the faithful increased day after day; so many Jews and Gentiles believed in Christ and accepted the preaching of salvation. So, the birth of the Church was dependent on the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and the Disciples. It was then natural that the Holy Spirit affected the church, as a whole just as the Apostles and Disciples were affected.
U The Effect of the Holy Spirit on the Church
This effect appeared in many forms, some of which are mentioned below. a) Life of Sharing: "Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common" (Acts 2:44). U Spiritual Sharing: "And they continued steadfastly in the Apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers" (Acts 2:42). Jesus taught us "Take, eat; this is My body ... Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant" (Matthew 26:26-28). U Materialistic Sharing: "Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common" (Acts 4:32).
b) Strength During Persecutions: "In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).
c) Preaching to the Whole World: "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15).
U Sayings of the Fathers about the Mystery of the House of God: + Please read the attached notes in the class.
WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM THIS LESSON? (1) We must be thankful to have a church where we gather around God who loves us and whom we love. (2) In the church, we present to God all our prayers and receive from Him, through the Holy Sacraments, all our needs. (3) We must take all the necessary steps to maintain full respectability to the house of God.
SONGS
PSALM 150 (regular tune)
Praise God, in all His saints Praise Him, in the firmament of His power. Praise Him, for His mighty acts. Praise Him, according to the multitudes of His greatness. Praise Him, with the sound of the trumpet Praise Him, with psaltery and harp Praise Him, with timbrel and chorus Praise Him, with strings and organs Praise Him, with pleasant-sounding cymbals Praise Him, upon the cymbals of joy. Let every thing that has breath praise the name of the Lord our God. Alleluia Glory be to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Now and forever and to the ages of ages, Amen Alleluia, Alleluia Glory be to Thee, our God . Alleluia. Glory be to our God. Alleluia O Jesus Christ, the Son of God, hear us and have mercy upon us.
Recitation Curriculum:Please look at the recitation curriculum at the end of this book.
The Mystery of the House of God How lovely is Your tabernacle, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh cry out for the Living God. Even the sparrow has found a home, and the sparrow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even Your altars, O Lord of hosts, My king and My God. Blessed are they who dwell in Your house. For better is a day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere.
PSALM 84 Amidst the violent storms of the world, and under the pressure of ceaseless temptations, the Psalmist pauses to think. The sparrow has found a home to settle and the swallow a nest to protect its young but where would she find a place to dwell, and shelter to inhabit! No other place can compete with the altars of God, the Lord of hosts, to please the heart and comfort the body. There, the ground beneath one's feet escapes; the materialistic world in its total disappears from sight, and the soul emerges to Heaven, her abode. As if by the wings of the Spirit, one is lifted up to the Divine Throne to visualize God, the King and beloved confidant. Embracing Him and leaning across His chest, one casts all burdens and whispers all secrets, communing with Him, kindly approaching Him, hearing His voice and participating in His glories. Tertullian expresses such a magnificent liberty that is utilized by the assembled church, by saying: "We assemble in a meeting ... so that we might surround God with our prayers, as if by force arms. Such violence is pleasing to God." Indeed, worship in the House of God is far from a duty or routine exercised by a group of believers. It is, in fact, an urge to practice their own right to accept the free gifts of the Holy Spirit. Worship is entrance into the Lord's green pastures, immersed in the spring of life giving water. There, believers eat of the heavenly banquet, drink from the chalice of salvation and enjoy the mysteries of God's everlasting love. The Spirit gratifies them so that they desire nothing but to be in God's presence. In their state of content, they no longer seek for themselves as much as they do for others. They ask for presidents, ministers, councillors, bishops, presbyters, deacons, monks, all ministers of the Church, the sick, travelers, prisoners, the distressed, the dead and so on. They even pray for animals, plants, waters and the winds! How remarkable! There, in the House of God, all hearts are drawn up to heaven; instead of focusing on their personal needs, believers are, broadened with love, requesting salvation, peace and renewal for every existing creature. In the church, also called the "House of Angels", believers join the angels in their heavenly liturgies, prayers and hymns. They remain permanently in their company, rehearsing the praise of the new hymn in angelic wording. In his book ‘the Shepherd 2’, Hermans writes that angels rejoice at the sight of the heavenly tower of God being completed in us, offering praise to God for the consistency of establishing the spiritual church body. Undoubtedly that the secret behind the glory of the House of God lies in the guidance of the Holy Spirit, which is active in people's lives. St. Augustine calls Him "The Spirit of the Church who overflows with every gift upon her members". This is also expressed by the words of St. Irenaeus: "Where the church is, there is the Spirit of God, and where the Spirit of God is, there exists the Church and every grace". The prime function of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church is to shape Her in the image of Christ, Her Creator, so that, ultimately she can become an exact copy of Him. Hence, the Holy Spirit prepares Her for eternal marriage and qualifies Her for the eternal glories ... In other words, the risen Christ is transfigured in Her life and His qualities are revealed in Her. Along these lines, we present some sayings of the holy fathers: "It is solely through the Holy Spirit that Christ is formed in us and imprints on us His own features and, so, makes the beauty of the Godhead come alive again in the nature of man."
ST. CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA IV "The Holy Spirit is the Life-giving odour of Christ, a living and effective odour, superior, attracting all creations to Him in order to take part of God's superior nature." ST. CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA V "When we drink of the Spirit, we are substantially drinking Christ."
ST. ATHANASIUS VI In effect, when Christ, the Son of Righteousness, shines on us with His Spirit, we no longer live in the shadow of darkness, but abide in His luminous ways. As a productive start, we must overflow love to others, serve them in humility and yearn for their salvation! By the Spirit we are brought to the cross so that everybody longs to die with Christ on behalf of all mankind.
Lastly, in the House of God, we do not just get in touch with God and the heavenly and earthly creatures. We are granted additional insight even into non-living materials, and, as a result, we recognize all surroundings as holy and blessed. The wheat is no longer bread, but it is transubstantiated into the Lord's Body through the Holy Spirit, and likewise, wine becomes the Lord's Blood. The rising incense represents pure prayers ascending to the divine throne by angels, and the Spirit sanctifies the oil. Furthermore, the gold, silver, precious stones, wood, paper, textiles and even the bricks and sand become holy when they are used to construct and furnish the holy House of God. Thus, physical materials are also utilized to be in the service of heavenly things.
So far, we have introduced the mystery of the House of God, which we aim to understand through our study of the church building.
The emphasis is, however, not the abstract ritual concepts or architectural developments as much as it is to cover the true spiritual aspects of the House of God. This way, we can practice them in our daily lives.
Manners At Church By H.H. Pope Shenouda III
+ You come to church with a special spiritual readiness:
In olden times they used to come reciting the psalms on their way, as for example, "I was glad when they said to me: Let us go into the House of the Lord. " (Ps. 122:1); "How lovely is your tabernacle, O Lord of hosts. " (Ps. 84:1); "My soul longs for the courts of the Lord. " (Ps. 84:2), "One thing I desired of the Lord that I will seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. " (Ps. 27:4); "Blessed are those who dwell in Your house. They will still be praising You. " (Ps. 84:4).
+ A person enters the church saying, "But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy; In fear of You I will worship towards Your holy temple. " (Ps. 5:7); so he worships and sits in reverence...
+ Among the rules of respect of the church, it is not permissible to sit at the time when you must be standing...
+ It is not allowable to enter the church with newspapers or magazine's in your hand; and a worse thing is to keep yourself busy with them...
+ It is not permissible for anyone to raise his voice, but for necessity, he may speak in a faint or whispering voice.
+ No one can engage himself looking here and there but ought to concentrate his senses and mind on the prayers, contemplations and listening as if he were standing before God.
+ In reciting the chorus and the tunes, it is not allowable to raise one's voice over the others or be different from them in the tune.
+ It is appropriate to come to church in decent clothes worthy of the house of God. Also, those who are partaking of the holy communion, must take off their shoes, and women cover their hair and do not put make up.
+ It is not permissible to leave the church except after hearing the final blessing and dismissing from the priest, especially on the days of the Holy Mass. + One ought to come early to the church, for the Lord says, "And those who seek Me diligently will find Me. " (Prov. 8:17).
+ A person who will partake in communion is supposed to attend the early raising of incense (Matins) or at least at the presentation of the offertory and hearing of the absolution of the servants. + It is improper to crowd together during communion or when taking (BARAKA)... but to go forward in order, giving preference to one another...
NOTES _________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________
OCTOBER
THE CHURCH THE HOUSE OF GOD (II)
Please read the attached sheets entitled “Orientation in the Early Church”, “So that we remember”, and give the lesson with emphasis on the points below.
PURPOSE OF THE LESSON: U To understand why we pray towards the East and why our church is built with its sanctuary in the East. When we pray towards the East we remember many things that are beneficial for our spiritual life.
PLEASE EMPHASIZE:
U Introduction:
Our God likes discipline, not disorder. In the feeding of the multitude, our Lord Jesus asked His disciples to let the people sit down in groups of fifty so that the food could be distributed in an organized way. Therefore, although prayers can (and should) be from the heart to God, Who dwells in our hearts, and are independent of time or place, whether at church or at home, while worshipping we are expected to observe order and discipline. One of these orders is the way that the Coptic Church is built facing the East; the worshippers also face the East.
U Orientation in the Church: Coptic churches are usually built in the form of a basilica, but, in the case of the ancient churches of Cairo, rebuilding, additions and alteration have often considerably modified the original structure. A Coptic church comprises our distinct parts: the narthex located at the west end; the nave, the chancel, and finally at the east end; the sanctuary. Orientation is not only observed in liturgical services, but also in private prayers. In the Liturgy of Baptism, the candidate for baptism renounces Satan and all his works; then the candidate is asked to face the East to profess his/her belief in the Holy Spirit.
U The Theology of "Orientation": 1) Christ is our East: (see attached sheets) Our Christ is called "the East" (Zak. 6:12).
2) Reminds us of the Lost Paradise: (see attached sheets) "We are seeking the ancient homeland, the paradise that God planted in Eden, towards the east".
3) Waiting for the Parousia (Advent) of Christ: (see attached sheets) Orientation is correlated with the last advent of Christ in which He will escort us to His heavenly kingdom.
4) A Symbol of Rebirth, Hope and Light: (see attached sheets) Every time we stand towards the east to pray, we remember the beginning of our new life in baptism.
5) Looking Towards the Cross: (see attached sheets) Christ was facing the west while hanging on the cross. We meet Him when we look to the east.
6) Orientation of Graves: (see attached sheets) It is interesting to note that orientation was not only observed in worship and church buildings, but also in the old Christian graves. The dead, therefore, are like a large army looking at Christ.
WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM THIS LESSON? (1) Every time we pray, we should look towards the East. This reminds us, among several things, that our true homeland (Paradise) awaits us; we must make every possible effort to reach Paradise. (2) God wants us to remember certain things. Forgetting those things will be harmful for us. Similarly the church would make us remember certain things for our spiritual benefits.
SONGS
Psalm 150 (regular tune)
Praise God, in all His saints Praise Him, in the firmament of His power. Praise Him, for His mighty acts. Praise Him, according to the multitudes of His greatness. Praise Him, with the sound of the trumpet Praise Him, with psaltery and harp Praise Him, with timbrel and chorus Praise Him, with strings and organs Praise Him, with pleasant-sounding cymbals Praise Him, upon the cymbals of joy. Let every thing that has breath praise the name of the Lord our God. Alleluia Glory be to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Now and forever and to the ages of ages, Amen Alleluia, Alleluia Glory be to Thee, our God . Alleluia. Glory be to our God. Alleluia O Jesus Christ, the Son of God, hear us and have mercy upon us.
Recitation Curriculum:Please look at the recitation curriculum at the end of this book.
To Keep In Mind By H.H. Pope Shenouda III
God wants you to keep in mind certain matters, which are important and not to be forgotten.
+ His commandments: He said to Joshua, the son of Nun, "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. " (Josh. 1:8) He therefore, summed up the Law in the book of Deuteronomy. The Old Testament was divided to be read in the Synagogues on Saturdays, in order to be remembered by the people. A copy of the Law was to be given to the new king to remind him.
+ In order to remind us, God set down feasts and festivals to remember Him, as in the Feast of the Passover.
+ God does not want us to forget the salvation which was completed by the blood of the Lamb, so He made it a yearly feast.
And in order not to forget His help in sending the Manna, He kept some of it in the Ark of the covenant in the tabernacle.
And in order not to forget the crossing over the Jordan, Joshua took twelve stones and laid them down there, in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests stood. (Josh. 4:8-9).
The High priest also had to bear the names of the people in the breast piece on his heart in order not to forget them.
+ Also the church puts some facts before us to make us remember and to learn for them; for example:
The benefit of remembering God's love for us, which appeared in giving Himself for us on the Cross. The church performs a yearly commemoration in the Passion Week. Moreover a weekly commemoration is made on Fridays to remember the sufferings of Christ and His Crucifixion besides the daily prayer of the sixth hour which reminds us of His crucifixion for us.
+ Also, because remembering death is beneficial, the Prophet David says, "Lord, make me to know my end, and what the measure of my days, that I may know how frail lam."(..)
+ For the benefit of its children, the church reminds them of the death in the Compline, and of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ for judgment, in the midnight prayer.
+ Besides, in the canonical hours, in the readings as well as in the Holy Mass, the church reminds us of many things which are profitable to our life.
+ Sermons are reminders of matters previously known by us.
+ I wish we would remember, otherwise, we will be lost through forgetfulness and unawareness.
The Church Building and Orientation Orientation in the Early Church: No doubt, communicating with God is distinguished by its intimate nature. It takes place right within our hearts, where we meet our closest and hidden Friend Who dwells in our inner souls. It is, by nature, a ceaseless contact that is not bound by time or place, whether at home, on the road, at work, at church, etc. However this reality must also be coupled with the fact that our God likes discipline and hates disorder. Thus, during our worship, whether at His church or at home, we are expected to observe order and discipline. This explains the reason for orienting worship towards a certain direction, both in the Old and New Testaments. Before Christianity came into being, prayers were offered towards the Temple of Jerusalem as the place of the "Presence of God". On the other hand, the Church of the New Testament oriented its liturgical as well as private devotions towards the East. According to the apostolic constitutions, "the church must be oblong in form and pointing to the East". Such a tradition was mentioned in the writings of many early Fathers such as St. Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Tertullian, and was almost invariably observed in early churches. Churches of the second century in Syria, for example, used to point out the direction of East to their worshippers by hanging or inscribing a cross on the wall facing them. The apocryphal documents also refer indirectly to this early tradition. We read in the apocryphal 'Acts of Apostles' that St. John of Zebedee "took a cross of wood and placed it up towards the East and kneeled and was praying". The same document continues to relate a story of the conversion of a multitude of people by the same Apostle, which was followed by a prayer towards the East. The people turned their backs to the West and fell down on their faces before the cross to the East. They wept and said, " We worship You, Son of God, who was suspended on the Tree". Furthermore, in the Liturgy of Baptism such a tradition was observed in the Early Church. First, the candidate renounced Satan and all his works; then he/she would be asked to face the East to profess his/her belief in the Holy Trinity. Orientation, towards the East during prayer was very common and apparently confused the pagans, who misunderstood it. To that effect, Tertullian said: "Some assumed that the sun is the God of Christians, because it is a well-known fact that we pray towards the East, or perhaps we make Sunday a day of festivity". Orientation was not only observed in liturgical services but also in private prayers. We read about St. Arsanius; he was accustomed to commence his prayer at sunset on Saturday and finish it when the sun rose opposite him on the following morning. The Acts of Martyrs and Saints recorded that whenever possible martyrs and saints oriented themselves towards the East on their departure from this world. Now it is probably the time to query the significance of orientation in our worship and constructing our churches.
U The Theology of Orientation: 1. Christ is our "East": It is not unreasonable for us to pray towards "the East", for our Christ is called 'the East' (Zechariah 6:12) and the "Sun of Righteousness and Justice"; He shines continuously upon us to destroy darkness (Matthew 4:2). In addition, the early fathers had some interesting thoughts on this point. For example, Origin says that we should pray eastward in order to indicate that the soul is oriented towards the dawn of the Light, the Sun of Justice and salvation, the Sun who shines upon the New World, i.e., the Church. St. Ambrose also says that during baptism, candidates should look towards the East to see Christ face to face. In brief, we can say that our persistence in orientation during our worship is a sign to indicate our eagerness to face the Lord, giving our backs to the darkness of sin and earthly pleasure. Thus, whenever we celebrate the liturgy, we hear a deacon exhorting us to look towards the East to see Emmanuel, our God, present upon the altar. 2. Reminds us of the Lost Paradise: St. Basil the Great says: "It is according to an unwritten tradition that we turn to the East to pray. But little do we know that we are thus seeking the ancient homeland. The Paradise that God planted in Eden, towards the East". To the same effect, St. Ephram the Syrian says: "The Jews looked to Jerusalem in their prayers, for it was their holy country. As for us, Paradise is our country, which was in the East. Therefore we are ordered to look towards the East during our prayers". Thus, in orienting our churches towards the geographical east and not towards Jerusalem, we have definitely substituted the heavenly Jerusalem for the earthly one. The words of Fr. John Damascus carry the same meaning that orientation refers to looking forward - towards our eternal country. Lastly, St. Gregory of Nyssa assures us that such a notion of orientation helps the soul to repent and to seek the kingdom of God in her worship. 3. Waiting for the Parousia (Advent) of Christ: Orientation is distinctly correlated with the Parousia of the Lord, or His last Advent, in which He will escort us to His heavenly kingdom. The Lord declared that His advent looks like the lightning; appears from the East and shines upon the west (Matthew 24:27). Also, on the day of the Lord's Ascension, the angel informed the disciples that the Son of Man will come again from the East as He did in His Ascension (Acts 1:11). It should not be surprising, then, that the Didascalia Apostolorum states: "For it is required that you pray towards the East, as you know that it is written: 'Give praise to God, who rides upon the heavens of heavens towards the East' (Psalm 68)". Fr. Methodius of Olympia describes the state of the church, oriented towards the East and waiting joyfully for the coming of her Bridegroom by saying: From the Brightness of heaven, O virgins, the sound of a voice makes itself heard, awaking the dead. Towards the Bridegroom it says, Let us all go in haste, clad in our white garments, our lamps in our hands, to the EAST. A similar hymn was also written by St. Ephram the Syrian. He says: When Christ appears from the East, His Cross will appear before Him like a standard before the King! 4. Symbol of rebirth, hope and light: St. Clement of Alexandria links the East to our spiritual day of rebirth. He comments that every time we stand up for prayer towards the East, we remember the beginning of our new life that we have obtained in baptism. As a result, by every sunrise believers' hopes are renewed so that they pray to their God the following words: “Let us enjoy a fresh start…May the light of Your face shine upon us, and enlighten us with the light of Your divine knowledge. Make us children of Light, children of daytime…Enlighten our minds, hearts and our understanding, O Lord of all…" MORNING PRAYER
5. Looking Towards the Cross: Another point of interest that has been raised by St. Athanasius is that Christ was facing the West while He hung on the Cross. Thus, by looking towards the East in our prayers, we meet the Crucified Lord face to face. Perhaps this reasoning is behind the tradition of fitting Icons of Christ on the eastern wall of our churches.
U Orientation of Graves: It is rather interesting to note that orientation was not only observed in worship and church buildings, but it was also introduced in the old Christian graves. On this phenomenon Jungmann remarks that, in the majority of the old cemeteries in the villages of his country i.e. in Tyrol and Austria, graves were built to orient the dead bodies to face the East. He comments: "The dead, therefore, are like a large army looking out for Him, Who was risen, and waiting for His call when He will summon them also to the Resurrection." It is certainly a meaningful symbolism. This symbolism was expressed over the entrance of one of the larger cemeteries in Tyrol; by one single word "RESURRECTURIS". It may well be that orientation of the dead was copied from the preceding martyrs and saints, upon departing from the world. It was said that St. Mary on her departure, "turned to the East and prayed in a heavenly language and then lay down, still facing Eastward". Once again, the apocryphal "Acts of St. Paul" records: "Then Paul stood with his face to the East and lifted up his hands unto heaven, and prayed for a long time ... and then stretched forth his neck without speaking." Now we are acquainted with the factors that led to the orientation of early church buildings, particularly in Egypt. Evidence is readily accessible in the ancient churches of Egypt, upon which Butler remarks that there in every case, the orientation of the altar towards the East, is evident beyond any shadow of doubt. However, the conditions of the site could deviate the building slightly from the true East.
OCTOBER
THE CHURCH THE HOUSE OF GOD (III)
Please read the attached material and give the lesson with emphasis on the points given below.
PURPOSE OF THE LESSON: To understand the meaning of the Sanctuary, the altar and all related things in them. That we would like to explain the relationship between the altar and the Sanctuary and also between the Sanctuary and heaven.
PLEASE EMPHASIZE:
U The Plan of a Coptic Church: U Coptic churches are usually built in the form of a basilica, but, in the case of the ancient churches of Cairo, renovations have often considerably modified the original structure. U A Coptic church comprises four distinct parts: at the west end the narthex, the nave, the chancel and, finally, the sanctuary. U In the narthex of some ancient churches there is a deep oblong tank, sunk in the floor, and now covered over with boards. This tank was formerly used for the Service of the Blessing of the Water on the Feast of the Epiphany; now, a portable basin is used for this service. U The nave is normally divided into three parts by a double colonnade, the northern aisle being reserved for women. In ancient churches, at the western end of the nave, there is usually a Mandatum Tank, a shallow rectangular basin, sunk in the floor, and now covered by boards. This tank was formerly used for the Foot Washing Service on Maundy Thursday and on the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul. Today, again, a small portable basin is used for this service. Near the eastern end of the nave is the ambon or pulpit, which is usually set against the colonnade of the northern aisle. U At the east end of the nave is the choir which was formerly separated from the nave by a screen. The choir extends across the whole breadth of the church. It contains seats for the singers and also two candelabra and lecterns, from which the readings are read. One or more steps lead from the chancel into the sanctuary. U Only men who are serving in the Liturgy are allowed to enter the sanctuary, and then only after having removed their shoes. The sanctuary is separated from the rest of the church by a solid wooden screen, in the center of which is a door before which a curtain hangs. U Along the top of this screen there is usually a row of icons. In ancient churches these screens are beautifully carved and inlaid with ebony, ivory and cedar wood. On each side of the door there are two small windows. In some churches, sanctuary lamps are hung before this screen, and sometimes ostrich eggs are suspended between them. In front of the sanctuary door, which is opened for Divine Service, is hung a richly embroidered curtain. U The sanctuary usually has three domed chapels, each with its altar. The altar is placed in the east. The central chapel is dedicated to the saint after whom the church is called, and contains the main altar. The northern and southern chapels are used on the saint's feast day, or whenever there is more than one celebration of the Divine Liturgy on the same day, since, according to the canon law of the Coptic Church, neither the altar nor the eucharistic vessels and vestments may be used twice on the same day for the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. U Behind the main altar there is a tribune with a throne for a bishop and seats for the officiating clergy. In the niche behind the throne there is usually a sanctuary lamp, known as the perpetual lamp. U The altar, which invariably stands clear in the middle of the chapel, is a four-sided mass of either brickwork or stone. U The top of the altar contains an oblong rectangular sinking, about 2.5 cm. deep, in which there is a loosely fitted consecrated altar-board. The latter is a plain piece of wood carved with the device of a cross in the center, and the Coptic letters A and W below it. The Greek initials IH.XP.YC.-OC., i.e. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, are carved at the four corners. U Above the altar there is a lofty wooden canopy resting on pillars. Beneath the dome of this canopy there is usually a painting of Christ as Pantocrator, surrounded by the Cherubim, the Seraphim and emblematic figures. U The altar has three coverings. The first is a tightly-fitting case of linen or cotton, which reaches down to the ground; the second is a red silk covering likewise reaching the ground, with an embroidered cross on each side; the third is a white linen cloth placed on the table of the altar and hanging down about 15 cm. On all four sides. At each of the four corners of the altar there is a candlestick, those on western side being shorter than the ones on the eastern side. U In the middle of the altar is the ark, a cubical box of about 28 cm in height and 25 cm in width, the top of which is closed with hinged flaps. On the sides of this ark are paintings, the usual subjects being the Last Supper, the Holy Virgin Mary, an angel, and the saint to whom the church is dedicated. The chalice is placed in this ark from the beginning of the Divine Liturgy until the end of it. The only other objects that may be placed on the altar are: a copy of the Gospels (which is enclosed in a silver case) a manual cross used for pontifical blessings, and the incense-box. U The baptistery is normally situated at the upper end of the northern aisle now. But in many ancient Coptic churches, it was situated near the main entrance to the church. Its form is either square, round or octagonal. In olden times three steps had to be descended to reach the baptistery from the church aisle. The font is a circular basin sufficiently deep to allow the priest to immerse the infant in water, while pronouncing the baptismal formulary.
U The Sanctuary Represents Heaven: U In the third hour of prayer of the Agpeya, we say "whenever we stand in Your holy sanctuary, we consider ourselves as they who abide in heaven". So, the sanctuary represents heaven itself or God's residence among His heavenly creatures and saints. U In our Coptic church the sanctuary is related to the altar to such a degree that the words, "sanctuary" and "altar" are interchangeable.
U The Niche: U The Niche is the apse that represents the eastern wall of the sanctuary, which surrounds the tribune. It is often occupied with the icon of the Lord Jesus Christ coming on the cloud, carried by the Cherubim and the Seraphim, as well as the four living creatures with the twenty- four heavenly Presbyters offering incense. Thus, in this sense, the Niche represents the bosom of God for the Lord longs for His church, and she waits for His coming.
WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM THIS LESSON? (1) We must be spiritually well prepared to enter the sanctuary because it represents heaven. (2) All the arrangements inside the church building is organized by the church which is inspired by the Holy Spirit. We must abide with it.
SONGS I LOVE MY BEAUTIFUL CHURCH
I love my beautiful church the house of our Lord Where I find my joy and everything I need
Jesus comes to stay with us granting us His help Giving everyone His blessings and the heavenly peace
We see the holy saints and the martyrs gather around Praying always for those here who are asking for their help
In front of the altar Abouna is praying there Together with the deacons and it will be then in Heaven
In the liturgy we pray and the angels are there The Holy spirit also comes blessing us in His power
We share the feast of His Body drink His Blood given for us And before we leave the Church everyone takes Orbana
Recitation Curriculum:
Please look at the recitation curriculum at the end of this book.
U Heaven of Heavens The Sanctuary, as viewed by the Orthodox Church, represents heaven itself or God's residence place among His heavenly creatures and saints. It was defined by Fr. Germanius as "the dwelling of Christ, the King of all, sitting on the throne with His Apostles". Moreover, and specifically, in the Coptic Church, the sanctuary is related to the altar to such a degree that the sanctuary can sometimes be called "altar". Such a correlation reveals a vital aspect in our faith; namely, the inter-correlation between heaven and the cross. Simply, it would not be possible to be acquainted with heaven without the altar. This reality was symbolically declared in the old Testament. Ever since their entry to the promised land and the establishment of the Temple in Jerusalem, the symbol of heaven, the Jewish people were committed not to erect, nor offer a sacrifice outside Jerusalem. Offenders were excommunicated from the congregation and consequently lost their heavenly crowns! As if it was the wish of God to emphasize the inseparable nature of the sanctuary and the altar, or heaven and sacrifice. Through the altar's sacrifice the gates of heaven were opened and the cross became part of the Eternal life. In the light of this understanding, we are bound to realize that our heavenly life cannot be isolated from crucifixion with Christ, and our joyful hope is coupled with our spiritual struggle.
U The Need for Altars It may be logical for somebody to raise the question: Why do we need an altar now, since all animal sacrifices have been substituted by the ultimate and unique sacrifice of Christ upon the cross? The answer of this question is readily extracted from both the Old and New Testaments: U Prophecies of the Old Testament clearly pointed out to the future establishment of the altar of the New Testament, which is not solely related to Jerusalem, nor confined to a certain nation.
For example: A. The words of Malachi the prophet assure from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the sun, My Name shall be great among the Gentiles, and in every place incense shall be offered unto My Name, and a pure offering... Surely, that would not apply to incense and oblation offering as practiced in the Old Testament, since it was only permitted in Jerusalem, and conducted by Hebrew priests alone. B. To the same effect, but more specifically about the Lord's altar in Egypt, Isaiah the Prophet foretold: “In that day shall there be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt...The Lord will be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know the Lord in that day, and will make sacrifice and offering.” (Isaiah 19:19-22) U The Lord Himself spoke about the altar in the New Testament when He stated, "If you bring your gift to the altar..." (Matthew 5:23). U In a comparison between the Christian worship and that of the pagans, St. Paul the Apostle warned, "You cannot partake of the Lord's table and of the table of demons" (1 Cor. 10:21). Undoubtedly, referring to the pagans' altar as the "table of devils" can only suggest that 'the Lord's table is the Christian altar.
U The Altar and the Sacrificial Act The Christian altar has been subject to attempts, which aim to deprive it from the sacrificial act. They furnish their reasoning on the ground that early Christian altars were made of timber, and were generally known as Tables as if the Christian altar was just an ordinary table and no real sacrifice was involved. We have already verified the sacrificial act in our Christian worship, bearing in mind that the Sacrifice of Eucharist is but a spiritual and bloodless one. The sacrificial act was known to the church ever since the apostolic age, as the apostle says, "We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat" (Heb. 13:10).
The Coptic Altar (1) The Coptic altar takes the shape of approximately a cube, which resembles the Tomb of the Lord. In that, it varies considerably from western altars that till recently consisted of a plate fitted upon one pillar, and sometimes four or five pillars. (2) It is invariably detached and stands clear in the middle of the Sanctuary, a practice that had been copied from the heavenly altar as mentioned in the Book of Revelation. St. John says, "And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God" (Revelations 9:13). During the service, the presbyter walks around it, offering incense and secretly praying the litanies of peace, fathers and gatherings, as if he asks for the church, her ministers and congregation before the Divine Throne, or as if the Divine Throne descends among the assembled church to receive her persistent supplications about the fulfillment of her message, namely bringing the entire world unto Him. On the contrary, western altars are often placed directly adjacent to the eastern wall; a tradition that came into light towards the second part of the middle centuries. (3) Often it is made of stone, marble or brick, but exceptions exist. For example, in the new Cathedral of St. Mark at Cairo, a bronze altar is in use, which was presented to our church from the Russian church. Other wooden altars appear in overseas and in some temporary churches within Egypt. (4) It must be hollow so that relics of saints can be kept inside or beneath it. Nevertheless, recent trends tend to keep these relics in a container next to the icon of the saint to enable the people to kiss it and receive their blessing. On the eastern side of the altar there exists a small opening showing an interior recess or cavity, which was used during persecution to hide the Holy Gifts when necessary. (5) In the Coptic Church, the choir is usually raised three steps above the rest of the Nave, while the sanctuary is often raised one step above the choir. Yet the altar is never raised above the sanctuary, but is fitted directly on its ground, as directed by the divine commandment (Exodus 20:26). Exceptions to this were found in the desert churches, where the altar is constructed on a step or a platform above the floor of the sanctuary. The philosophy behind this rule seems to be that the gates of heaven are opened before the presbyter upon his entry to the sanctuary. Hence there is no need to ascend on a platform to offer the sacrifice lest he should fall into vainglory, counting himself above his spiritual brothers and children. (6) It is known that Coptic altars are bare of any form of engravings, even shapes of the cross, following the divine commandment that the use of tools in the formation of the altar will pollute it (Exodus 20:25). All relevant ornaments appear at the canopy that surmounts the altar.
The Niche The Niche is the apse that represents the eastern wall of the sanctuary, which surrounds the tribune. It is often occupied with the icon of the Lord Jesus Christ coming on the cloud, carried by the Cherubim and the Seraphim, the four Living creatures, with the twenty-four heavenly Presbyters offering incense. The Lord appears holding the planet earth with one hand, for He is the Almighty one, and the pastoral rod with the other hand, for He is the Shepherd and Redeemer who liberated men from the captivity of sin. Thus in this sense, the Niche represents the bosom of God, for the Lord longs for His church, and she waits for His coming. In front of this icon, a sanctuary lamp that is permanently lit, is fitted. It is known as 'the Perpetual lamp' and represents the star which appeared to the wise men and guided them to where the Lord was born. Directly above this icon, in most cases, there is a small window (aperture), from which the sun beams enter at sunrise.
NOTES
_________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________
OCTOBER
|
