"ثُمَّ إِنَّ يُوسُفَ الَّذِي مِنَ الرَّامَةِ، وَهُوَ تِلْمِيذُ يَسُوعَ، وَلكِنْ خُفْيَةً لِسَبَبِ الْخَوْفِ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ، سَأَلَ بِيلاَطُسَ أَنْ يَأْخُذَ جَسَدَ يَسُوعَ، فَأَذِنَ بِيلاَطُسُ. فَجَاءَ وَأَخَذَ جَسَدَ يَسُوعَ." (يو 19: 38)
Day 15 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Baramoudah, may God make it always received, year after year, with reassurance and tranquility, while our sins after forgiven by the tender mercies of our God my fathers and brothers.
Amen.
The Fifteenth Day of the Blessed Month of Baramoudah
Commemoration of the Consecration of the first altar for St.Nicholas, Bishop of Mora for Jacobite Christians
On this day, the church commemorates the consecration of the first altar that was built by the Jacobite Christians, who were residing in the land of Egypt for St.Nicholas, bishop of Mora. St.Nicholas was one of the fathers of the council of Nicea, the Three Hundred and Eighteen. This altar was built in the church of the saint Anba Shenouda, to the east of the city.
May His prayers be with us. Amen.
Commemoration of the Consecration of the Church of St.Agabus, the Apostle
This day also, marks the commemoration of the consecration of the church of St. Agabus, one of the Seventy Apostles. He prophesied about the events that afflicted St. Paul saying: "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'" (Acts 21:10-11)
May His prayers be with us. Amen.
Departure of St.Alexandra, the Empress
On this day also, St. Alexandra, the Empress, Emperor Diocletian's wife, departed. When the great martyr, St. George deluded Emperor Diocletian that he would worship his idols, the Emperor embraced his head and brought him into his royal palace. The Saint prayed and read some of the Psalms before Empress Alexandra and interpreted to her what he read. He explained to her the Divinity of the Lord Christ. His words entered her heart and she believed in the Lord Christ, to Whom is the glory. When the Saint stood before the idols, he called the Name of the Lord Christ, and the idols were destroyed. The Emperor and those with him were humiliated. When the Emperor returned to the palace and told the Empress what had happened, she told him: "Did I not tell you not to set yourself against the Galilean, for their God is strong and powerful?" Diocletian became extremely raged, tortured her severely, then threw her in prison where she departed in peace.
May Her prayers be with us. Amen.
Departure of Pope Mark, (Marcus) VI, the 101st Patriarch
On this day also, of the year 1372 A.M. (April 20th., 1656 A.D).), Pope Mark (Marcus) VI, 101st Patriarch of Alexandria, departed. He was known as Marcus El-Bahgoury. He was from Bahgourah, and became a monk in the monastery of St. Antonios. When Pope Matteos III, 100th Pope, departed, the archon Beshara, the lay leader of that time, agreed with the people on ordaining this father. Anba Khristozolo, Bishop of Jerusalem, headed the celebration of the enthronement, on Sunday, the fifteenth of Barmoudah, 1362 A.M. (April 20th. 1646 A.D.), and was called Marcus VI. After his ordination, a vast dispute took place between him and the archon Beshara. From his famous achievements, he issued an order preventing the monks from living in the world, ordering them to return to their monasteries. The monks were raged because of this order, did not consent to it, and refrained from obeying it. Satan, the enemy of the good, moved one of the monks called Kodsy, to write a petition to the Governor (Basha), accusing the Pope that he tortured the people and killed them. The Governor ordered an investigation to uncover the truth. During the inquiry, the monk denied writing the petition. The Pope was exonerated from the accusations that were in the complainant petition, but he was ordered to pay a heavy fine which was paid by the lay leaders of the country.
On the 21st of Tubah, 1365 A.M., an order was issued to prevent Christians from riding horses, wearing red caftans (A long sleeved outer garment), and red broadcloth skull caps. However they were to wear blue caftans thirty feet long. The Patriarch went to Upper Egypt and stayed there for four years, during which he collected much money and was foolish in his conduct, to the point that all the people, bishops, priests, and lay leaders, were exasperated. The dispute, existed between him and the archon Beshara, went on until he returned to Cairo. He then reconciled with him, and his behavior was straighten after that. He built the prayer hall in the convent of the church of the virgin in Haret Zeewaila in Cairo. Pope Marcus departed on the fifteenth of Barmoudah, 1372 A.M. (April 20th. 1656 AD.). He was buried in the church of Abu Saifain in Old Cairo, after he stayed on the Chair for ten full years. He was a contemporary to El Sultan Ibrahim I and El Sultan Mohammed IV, and the Chair was vacant for four years, seven months and sixteen days after him.
May His prayers be with us and Glory be to our God forever. Amen.
Readings for Thomas Sunday
Vespers
Vespers Psalm
From the Psalms of our teacher David the prophet.
May his blessings be with us all.
Psalms 33 : 3,4
Chapter 33
| 3 | Sing to Him a new song; Play skillfully with a shout of joy. |
| 4 | For the word of the LORD is right, And all His work is done in truth. |
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Our Lord God, Savior, and King of us all, Jesus Christ, the Living Son of God to whom be glory forever.
Amen.
Vespers Gospel
Stand in the fear of God and listen to the Holy Gospel.
A reading from the Gospel according to our teacher Saint Luke the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all.
Luke 5 : 1 - 11
Chapter 5
| 1 | So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, |
| 2 | and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. |
| 3 | Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. |
| 4 | When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." |
| 5 | But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net." |
| 6 | And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. |
| 7 | So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. |
| 8 | When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" |
| 9 | For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; |
| 10 | and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men." |
| 11 | So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him. |
And Glory be to God forever.
Matins
Matins Psalm
From the Psalms of our teacher David the prophet.
May his blessings be with us all.
Psalms 96 : 1 - 2
Chapter 96
| 1 | Oh, sing to the LORD a new song! Sing to the LORD, all the earth. |
| 2 | Sing to the LORD, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. |
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Our Lord God, Savior, and King of us all, Jesus Christ, the Living Son of God to whom be glory forever.
Amen.
Matins Gospel
Stand in the fear of God and listen to the Holy Gospel.
A reading from the Gospel according to our teacher Saint John the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all.
John 21 : 1 - 14
Chapter 21
| 1 | After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself: |
| 2 | Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. |
| 3 | Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We are going with you also." They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. |
| 4 | But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. |
| 5 | Then Jesus said to them, "Children, have you any food?" They answered Him, "No." |
| 6 | And He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish. |
| 7 | Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea. |
| 8 | But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from land, but about two hundred cubits), dragging the net with fish. |
| 9 | Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread. |
| 10 | Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish which you have just caught." |
| 11 | Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not broken. |
| 12 | Jesus said to them, "Come and eat breakfast." Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, "Who are You?"--knowing that it was the Lord. |
| 13 | Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish. |
| 14 | This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead. |
And Glory be to God forever.
Liturgy Gospel
Paulines Epistle
Paul, the servant of our Lord Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, appointed to the Gospel of God.
A reading from the Epistle of our teacher Paul to the Ephesians .
May his blessings be upon us.
Amen.
Ephesians 4 : 20 - 32
Chapter 4
| 20 | But you have not so learned Christ, |
| 21 | if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: |
| 22 | that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, |
| 23 | and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, |
| 24 | and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. |
| 25 | Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another. |
| 26 | "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath, |
| 27 | nor give place to the devil. |
| 28 | Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. |
| 29 | Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. |
| 30 | And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. |
| 31 | Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. |
| 32 | And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. |
The grace of God the Father be with you all.
Amen.
Catholic Epistle
A Reading from Epistle 1 of St. John .
May his blessing be upon us.
Amen.
1 John 2 : 7 - 17
Chapter 2
| 7 | Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. |
| 8 | Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. |
| 9 | He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. |
| 10 | He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. |
| 11 | But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. |
| 12 | I write to you, little children, Because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake. |
| 13 | I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father. |
| 14 | I have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one. |
| 15 | Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. |
| 16 | For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. |
| 17 | And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. |
Do not love the world or the things in the world.
The world passes away, and its desires; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
Amen.
Acts of the Apostles
The Acts of our fathers the apostles, may their blessings be with us.
Acts 17 : 16 - 34
Chapter 17
| 16 | Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols. |
| 17 | Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with the Gentile worshipers, and in the marketplace daily with those who happened to be there. |
| 18 | Then certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, "What does this babbler want to say?" Others said, "He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods," because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection. |
| 19 | And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, "May we know what this new doctrine is of which you speak? |
| 20 | For you are bringing some strange things to our ears. Therefore we want to know what these things mean." |
| 21 | For all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing. |
| 22 | Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; |
| 23 | for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: |
| 24 | God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. |
| 25 | Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. |
| 26 | And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, |
| 27 | so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; |
| 28 | for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, "For we are also His offspring.' |
| 29 | Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man's devising. |
| 30 | Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, |
| 31 | because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead." |
| 32 | And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, "We will hear you again on this matter." |
| 33 | So Paul departed from among them. |
| 34 | However, some men joined him and believed, among them Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them. |
The word of the Lord shall grow, multiply, be mighty, and be confirmed, in the holy Church of God.
Amen.
Divine Psalm
Stand in the fear of God and listen to the Holy Gospel.
A reading from the Gospel according to our teacher Saint John the Evangelist.
May His Blessings be with us all. Amen.
From the Psalms of our teacher David the prophet, and the Good King.
May his blessings be with us all.
Psalms 98 : 1,4
Chapter 98
| 1 | Oh, sing to the LORD a new song! For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory. |
| 4 | Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth; Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises. |
Hallelujah.
Divine Gospel
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Our Lord God, Savior, and King of us all, Jesus Christ, the Living Son of God to whom be glory forever.
Amen.
John 20 : 19 - 31
Chapter 20
| 19 | Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace be with you." |
| 20 | When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. |
| 21 | So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." |
| 22 | And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. |
| 23 | If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." |
| 24 | Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. |
| 25 | The other disciples therefore said to him, "We have seen the Lord." So he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." |
| 26 | And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace to you!" |
| 27 | Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." |
| 28 | And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" |
| 29 | Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." |
| 30 | And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; |
| 31 | but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. |
And Glory be to God forever.
St. John Chrysostom
The Cross, Work of Unspeakable Love Towards Man
The Cross is for our sakes, being the work of unspeakable Love towards man, the sign of His great concern for us. ...
“For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived....” And so let us at least convince you that He is thoughtful for our salvation. ... He then that has shown so much anxiety about our becoming His, as to take the form of a servant, and to die, will He despise us after we have become so? This cannot be so, assuredly it cannot! Nor would He choose to waste so much pains, “For to this end (he says) he also died,” as if any one were to say: Such an one will not have the heart to despise his servant. For he minded his own purse. For indeed we are not so much in love with money, as is He with our salvation. Wherefore it was not money, but His own Blood that He gave as bail for us. And for this cause He would not have the heart to give them up, for whom He had laid down so great a price.
On Romans, Hom II & XXV.