His Holiness Pope Shenouda III
Pope of Alexandria & Patriarch of the See of St. Mark
The 2008 Papal Feast of Resurrection Message
My children and brethren in the lands of immigration, clergy and laity. My sincere greetings to you on the occasion of the Glorious Feast of Resurrection.May God make it a blessing to you all and a continual source of spiritual joy.
The resurrection of the Lord Christ was a glorious and joyous resurrection.It was with a glorified Body, with which He was able to exit from the tomb while it was shut; and He was able to come out of the grave-cloths while leaving them organized.With this Body, He entered the upper room, where the disciples were, while the doors were shut; and He granted them peace and blessing.With this glorified Body, He ascended to heaven and was not over-powered by the gravitational force.
We rejoice in the resurrection of the Lord Christ for He abolished death, and gave us the promise to be like Him, having life after death and an eternal life also with a glorified body similar to His resurrection, as St. Paul the Apostle said about the Lord: “…who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body…” (Philippians 3:21)He also said that it is raised in glory … it is raised in power … it is raised a spiritual body … (I Corinthians 15: 43-44).Truly, the resurrection of the Lord Christ was a deposit towards our resurrection and the first-fruits of it (I Corinthians 15:20).
While we rejoice in the glory of His resurrection, we also rejoice for what will be ours in likeness of this glory, but each one according to his order.Let us all then live the life that qualifies us for this glory, knowing that as we get deeper in the spiritual life, the more our glory increases in the eternal life.For all people in eternity will not be of the one rank, but as the Apostle said, “for one star differs from another star in glory.” (I Corinthians 15:41)Therefore, we must live – as befitting us – in the life of righteousness, and grow in it day after day, making perfection our aim, which can be reached according to the commandment of the Lord “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48)
May the Lord grant you grace so that you walk in the life of righteousness, holiness, perfection and be an example to many.
Be well in the Lord, absolved by His Holy Spirit, and remember me in your prayers.
Coptic Presentations (CP) presents the complete PowerPoint Presentations package for the services of the Pascha (Holy Week) according to the rites and traditions of the Coptic Orthodox Church. The presentations package includes all the hymns, prayers, and readings for the services of:
Palm Sunday Psalmody
Palm Sunday
Eve of Monday
Day of Monday
Eve of Tuesday
Day of Tuesday
Eve of Wednesday
Day of Wednesday
Eve of Holy Thursday
Day of Holy Thursday
Eve of Great Friday
Day of Great Friday
Bright Saturday
The Holy Pascha is a week filled with Holy memories of the most crucial stages of salvation and redemption in Christian history. We ask and pray that God may strength us and you in the faith that we may always praise him saying, “Thine is the power, the glory, the blessings and the majesty, forever, Amen.”
Let us also ask and pray ask for this Holy Week of Pascha of our Savior; that He may complete it for us in peace and bring us to the joy of His Holy Resurrection in safety, and forgive our sins.
The heavens rejoice in receiving our beloved father and friend, Abouna
Sorial Sorial. He reposed in the Lord on Friday, February 15, 2008 and has gone to the paradise of joy, the place out of which grief, sorrow, and groaning have fled away.
We pray that God may repose his soul and grant comfort to his family and children.
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Church Magazine 2009 12 December
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