Tuesday ,10 December 2019
| Bishop of the Russian Church in Belgium visits the Monastery of St. Shenouda in Suhag | The Middle East Council of Churches discusses the Christian presence in the region | Pope s sermon published in English on Soundcloud | The inauguration of St. Paul s Church in the village of Dafash in Samalout | St. Peter Church commemorates its martyrs next Wednesday | Bishop of Turin celebrates the Holy Mass at Termoli | The church of St. Boktor inaugurated in Behira | Coptic Church concludes hymns' conference at St. Mina monastery | Bishop of Port Said in pastoral care visit to the Netherlands
Solidarity in the time of pain
Perior to the cross, the Virgin Mary was hearing howling of the daughters of Jerusalem mourning the young man presented as a silent lamb. She was standing as the sword was passing through her soul and Jesus Christ was condemned and defamed. Yet, the women loved and followed him, even if they didn't realize that resurrection was at hand. We also stand in solidarity with those who were wounded for us, and were condemned in the 21st century. I see people arguing after the arrest of the Coptic activist Ramy Kamel like the two disciples of Emmaus who were on the way back from Jerusalem after the resurrection. The two disciples were in a state of disappointment and confusion, and did not know about the risen Lord. They saw Jesus as a prophet, a political and military leader, and therefore the two students lost the greatest significance of history and lost hope after the death of Jesus. They may have heard the testimony of the women and the Bible prophecies about resurrection, but they did not believe them. It took Jesus standing alive among them to get their eyes open. At that time, Jesus began talking to them with questions: What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad? They started talking about their feelings and pain 'But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. ' They didn't realize whom they are talking to till he sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. Ramy also is not just a political leader, but an Egyptian Christian man who cares for his homeland and church at the same time. We pray for him and for his family hoping that he will return soon and will remain an icon for the Coptic cause.
International Tension
In the last NATO summit held in the UK it was very clear that there is big tension between US from one side and the whole other NATO member form the other side. Tension showed not just in the language and gestures during the meeting but also after the meeting. This situation reminds me of the Arab summit where the Arab leaders most of the time fight instead of looking for a solution for their people.
Sunday ,08 December 2019
Events on the Mount of Olives
From the top of Mount of Olives, which is located east of Jerusalem, there were many important events mentioned in the Bible. Several churches were built in the location to commemorate these events. The mountain was named after the many olive trees that distinguished it. Father John Nassif, the priest of the Church of Our Lady in Chicago, mentioned in his article Events on the Mount of Olives seven important events that took place on the Mount of Olives. It was the place where the prophet David fled, barefoot in front of his son Absalom, who wanted to take over his father s kingdom. When David arrived at the top of the mountain, he worshiped and prayed, and God sent him Hushai the Archie, who saved him from the evil plan of Achtiophyll. The Lord Jesus used to go to the Mount of Olives to pray and spend the night. A church was built there called Our Father in Heaven written on its walls the Lord s Prayer from inside and outside in one hundred and seventy-two languages, including Coptic and Arabic. The Lord Jesus passed by and went to Jerusalem and was received by the crowds with palm fronds and spread their clothes on the way. Moreover, From the top of the Mount of Olives, the Lord Jesus wept over Jerusalem. In the western slope of the Mount of Olives, there is a Gethsemane orchard in which the Lord Jesus prayed on the night of crucifixion, and an angel from heaven appeared to strengthen him, and there was built a big church decorated with mosaic icons for all events at that night, in the midst of the church, the rock on which the Lord Jesus knelt and prayed. From the top of the mountain, Jesus ascended to heaven forty days after his resurrection, having blessed his disciples and commanded them not to leave Jerusalem to preach the Gospel until they had received the gift of the Holy Spirit.
We make most of our medicines
I was happy to hear statement of Egypt's Minister of Health, Dr. Hala Zayed, who said that Egypt has succeeded in providing most of the medicines in a national industry. She added that the ministry is keen to develop the medicine industry and its regulation and control of the market, and encourage local pharmaceutical industries, and the manufacture of medical supplies and cosmetics. During the opening of the first Al-Ahram conference for the pharmaceutical industry under the title: Challenges of the pharmaceutical industry, Zayed revealed that the local pharmaceutical production represents 80% and the imported is 20%, assuring that the industry has become one of the strategic industries that affect national security by all standards. She clarified that prices are affordable for the families and reasonable for the industry. One of the achievement in that account is the local industry was able to overcome the problem of insulin deficiency in Egypt after it succeeded in covering and providing all types of insulin, in addition to entering the pharmaceutical industry of oncology. It is worth mentioning here that the effective partnership between the government and the private sector led to manufacture and provide treatment for the virus C at a low price compared to the world average. I appreciate this great idea that relieved pain of many patients in Egypt.
Wednesday ,04 December 2019
A former official
With the expansion of media spaces available in all forms, media started to pursue former ministers, officials, and governors to make comparisons between the current and former officials, to cry upon the spilt milk and attack the current officials! Many former officials enjoy talking to media about alternative plans, strategy and magic tools to solve problems! Unfortunately, media support such attitude instead of supporting people to work harder, produce and be creative. In that account, I say that those former officials contributed to the current situation with all its negative aspects. We shouldn't talk about former officials as faithful and uncorrupted as if we assume the current one is not! I wonder: why former officials think they have don't all good work that can be done, which is not true? The Egyptian history has presented many great examples and leaders, but I can't accept hearing an official talking about the corruption in a ministry he served. I remember similar situation when a former minister criticized corruption in the ministry and provided his plan to fix the situation. Former president Mubarak simply told him that he was responsible for this ministry for 10 years! On the other side, we find many public figures and members of the opposition who strongly criticize officials, but they keep their mouth shut when they are appointed in the government!
Copts and failed elite
The arrest of Rami Kamel sparked anxiety among a segment of Coptic youth because they saw themselves in him, and they did not imagine this could happen after the revolution of June 30, which they supported. Other current of the elite used the incident for their own benefit or to take revenge from their rivals. The Coptic elite is simply confused just like the rest of the Egyptian elite. They can't realize the changes and are dealing from religious and partial aspect. For 40 years I have been following the Coptic Christian situation. They are divided and conflicting as if they came from different backgrounds. In fact, I could mark 3 groups of them in the last decade: One came out from the walls of the church, the second took the church outside its walls, and the third offers spiritual protest. The first group has rebelled against the Church and adopted positions and paths focused on criticism of the Church and the clergy. They really belong to the church even though they use a impolite speech. The second group appeared in 2010 in front of Giza administrative building after the events of the Umraniyya Church, and the demonstrations that followed the bombings of the Church of the Saints in Alexandria. They got rid of their fear and expressed their point of views outside the church walls united with their fellow Muslims. The third category are mainly the men of power and always benefit from getting close to the church, but they only target personal benefits and some of them performed this role even with the Islamists. However, there is a new generation that realizes the importance of the homeland and the identity of the church. They are able to protest and perform peaceful struggle. They choose to protest by praying and start signatures collection campaigns and achieve what is needed without seeking personal benefits like other beneficiaries. This new generation rejoice in reaping an old crumbling church more than the most beautiful Cathedrals of the world since they toiled to reopen it in prayers and with the authorities. Will the officials and clergy realize the identity of this generation belonging to digital revolution? The case is bigger than Rami Kamel, but it has become an indicator of disappointment with the majority of Coptic elites caring only for their personal interests at the time the new generation is able to negotiate and struggle for their Coptic cause. Will this reflect renewal of religious discourse in the church that is still offering martyrs every now and then?
Friday ,29 November 2019
Statistics show that the Yemen war has cost both parties $ 950 billion to date, while the Iraq war cost $ 640 billion and the Syrian war 680 billion dollars, Libya war 390 billion dollars, Somalia war 190 billion dollars, and the Sudan wars 120 billion dollars! Imagine with me if the Arabs, especially the rulers were wise or patriotic enough to use this money for the welfare of the people. This money would have been enough to convert all Arab citizens to a higher standard of living than Europe, America, Australia and all rich countries. Yet, the Arab rulers prefer destroying the country to leaving their palaces. Arab culture does not know true peace and encourage sectarianism. Each party can call the other infidel and simply start war with it without trying to talk first. They simply accuse America, Israel and the West of inciting war as if Arabs are babies who lack understanding. In fact, violence and blood has been all around our history even before the emergence of Israel or America. Will we continue to deceit ourselves and play the same blame game over and over with the West or will we wake up and hold ourselves accountable before God will judge us and we lose everything.
kids around the world
Lately, I read a story of a Vietnamese kid who decided to depend on himself and refuse to be in an orphan home after his parents died and his grandmother left him behind to get married. This story touched me so much and that s why I thought to shed light on this issue around the world. I want to assure that he is not the only one around the world who preferred to depend on himself rather than setting in an orphan house.
Thursday ,28 November 2019
Equation of Happiness
In his book The Hypothesis of Happiness, Jonathan Hight argues that experiments that showed that genes play a big role in the subject of happiness were a severe blow to psychology that, since Freud, believed that man s childhood and his upbringing is what determines how his personality is formed and if he or she will be happy or not. When Martin Selgman founded positive psychology in 1990, he and a number of psychologists worked to find what is called a formula or happiness equation, which tried to look at the opposite of what science experiments found. The equation was as follows: H = S + C + V. The letter H means Happiness, while S means biological Set point and C means conditions and V is voluntary actions. Hight says that external influences can not be zero effect, and it must help in raising the happiness rate of those who were unlucky in terms of the subject of genes. The circumstances include, for example, the society in which man is born, the relationships that are imposed on him or her such as the family, the outward form, race, and perhaps sex and religion as well. As for voluntary acts, we cannot deny the role of philosophies (such as Buddhism) and philosophy (Epictetus), for example, despite the difficulty of the road they have taken, but nevertheless seems effective with some and has positive results in the long run.
Nativity Fasting
Coptic Egyptian citizens started the Nativity Fasting today according to the Coptic Orthodox Church s ritual. Fasting people abstain from food for a period of time and then they eat only vegetarian foods, and they can eat fish since this is a second degree fasting. They fast for 43 days 40 of them to commemorate the fasting of Moses the Prophet and 3 to remember the miracle of moving the Mokattam Mount. The fasting include the month of Koiak, which is dedicated to celebrate the Virgin Mary by special prayers, rituals, melodies and beautiful praises called « seven and four ». I do not think that there are people in the world related to fasting like the Egyptian people, and believe or not that the Egyptians Muslims and Christians fasting « 467 » Days each year. Muslims, in addition to fasting the holy month of Ramadan, fast: three days in the month of Sha baan, and Arafat s pause increases optionally to ten days, and in the six days of white, and two days in the month of Rajab, in addition A total of 104 days are optional, which is every Monday and Thursday, bringing the total between 147 days and optionally increasing to 201 days. The Copts fast 55 days of the Great Lent, three days of Jonah, 43 days of fasting, 40 days of fasting of the Apostles, and 15 days of fasting of the Virgin. In addition to Wednesdays and Fridays, the number of days to «256» days can optionally increase to «266» days. If we add the total fasting of Egyptians Muslims and Christians, they will reach 406 days, and can optionally increase to 467 days. Why the Egyptian people fast these days? Is it a love for God and His messengers, or fear of punishment? Or is it related to the severity of the injustices experienced by this people over the different ages. Muslim are Sunnies in Egypt, but they fast Ashura and celebrate the family of Prophet. Fasting in Christianity is not a holy secret, but it amounts to one. History also states that the victories of the Egyptians were always occurring during the fast of Ramadan, such as the battle of Ain Jalut and the victory over the Tatars, the battle of Hattin and the victory over the Crusaders and the restoration of Jerusalem until the victory of the tenth of Ramadan and the defeat of the Zionist enemy. Thus, spirituality, asceticism and mysticism are deeply rooted in the hearts of the Egyptians who celebrate more than a hundred births and celebration of saints. This spiritual identity of our great people goes beyond all understanding and take root in imagination and grow from generation to generation.
Wednesday ,27 November 2019
Tuesday ,26 November 2019
Khedive and St. Mark
It is a very funny and realistic story that happened 150 years ago with Khedive Abbas who was returning from his trip in the Mediterranean in the winter 1850. He was heading to Alexandria and it was very cold, dark and stormy. His ship was going astray and the Captain was not able to find the shores. Hardly, the Khedive could see from afar a dim light and they followed the light till they reached the shore to find out it came from the lamp lit before St. Mark icon in the great Cathedral of Alexandria. The Khedive was so grateful to it since it saved him from death. To show gratitude, he ordered the pay of certain amount of money equal to the price of oil used in this lamp. It is worth mentioning that this money is still paid by the governorate to the church till today.
People always tell the other person at the end of the conversation have a good day which is amazing wish you can hope for a person, but we need to think about how to make this day as good as much as we can. Our problems as humans that we escalate our hopes in things or in people more than we should and that for sure will disappoint us because things or people are always changeable and can t be stable in providing us with what we need.
Sunday ,24 November 2019
Definition of happiness
The more we read about happiness, the more we yearn for it. We may read about the experiences of others and how they see happiness. Yet, we fail to imitate them since we can t see with their eyes or feel with their skin. Some say they find happiness in money, and others say it is hidden in marriage and family. Some may find it in health or faith. However, everybody can give you an advice, but it won t help you reach happiness since it is a very personal experience. We can t find happiness in what others find even if they are good at describing what they see or feel. Thus, you have to search for your own source of happiness. Yes, happiness is all of that. It can be found in money, success, family, friendship, love, power, value and even lust! But, each of us has to search for it. Every human being finds happiness in something, and nobody can find it for you. Therefore, my advice is to be yourself and find your own happiness away from limits of the others. Don t give great concern to criticize and ridicule of the others. Do what suits you even if you become poor and alone. You can find your own definition of happiness and you will never be sad this way.
Thugs in the service of extremists
Thugs and Salafis in Upper Egypt, and especially in Minya governorate, show no respect for the law. This has clearly appeared in the recent attack against a Coptic Christian family in the village of Nasiriyah where the mother and two sons were seriously injured. They show no respect for policemen because of the judicial rulings that led to the acquittal of the perpetrators and built on false reports and false testimony in addition to falsifying the reality of the mental and psychological condition of the perpetrators in many cases. One of these cases is the stripping of an old woman in al-Karm village and attacking her husband in May 2016. Demands of Presdinet Abdul Fattah al-Sisi to held the perpetrators accountable were simply ignored. The president had asked for her forgiveness after what she experienced and promised to held the perpetrators accountable no matter how many they are. Yet, this demand was ignored just like his demands to renew the religious discourse were ignored. Now, will the trend be to hire thugs in order to punish the Copts and seize their money and even kill them? It looks like many people are going to suffer after the extremists had taken control of the country and decide when and where to build a church in many Egyptian villages, especially in Minya Governorate.
Reconsidering Coptic Media
I think the main reason for the rejection of the Coptic street to the new presenter of CTV not because he is a Muslim man, but because he had never had any position of solidarity with the Copts. He is clearly not aware of the Coptic cause in order to talk about it. It is normal to face the rejection from the Copts since the Program Felnour in the most viewed talk show among the Copts. However, if we look at the Coptic media scene, we will find 3 channels inside Egypt and 9 abroad. Yet, nobody among the presenters is known for defending the Coptic cause. The Coptic media has to reconsider its presenters concerning the Coptic issues and should exclude those who spread false information and rumors, and replace them with true Coptic activists who dedicated their lives to the Coptic cause. We don't need professional presenters, but strivers who are able to talk about their people better than anybody. Those are able to transfer the picture, heritage and challenges without exaggeration aiming to defend the rights of the Copts in equal citizenship.
‫Coptic business‬
I was very sad by the comments I reviewed on social media about the invasion of CTV after a Muslim presenter appeared in it. I saw it as a real dangerous sign for many things. Identity is a term used to describe a person s concept and expression of individuality and relationship with groups (such as national or cultural identity). The term is especially used in sociology and psychology. The term identity in Arabic came from the word: He. Thus, identity is the totality of features that distinguish something or someone from others. Each carries several elements in its identity. According to this definition, Christianity can t describe one s identity or it will isolate him from his national environment and then return him back to the embrace of the alternative homeland (the Church) which we have suffered from for years. Religious identity may conflict, while the national identity gathers all people under one nation. I do not understand what the Christian media means in the case of CTV since it offers general topics and programs. This could be because it presents several Christian programs or because its owner is a Christian man. They can t compete with other media and decided to address ordinary and simple people in Upper Egypt, playing on their religious feelings and feeding the time of the elderly. After the removal of the Muslim presenter and the success of the CTV invasion, I think that the management of the channel needs to follow the reality of some of its employees, some of whom have contributed greatly to fueling the conflict in a sectarian and religious way. It looks like that the vast majority do not want modernity, competition or acceptance of the other.
Trump Impeachment is going serious this time and it seems that the democratic party insisting in taking Trump out of the oval house. That reminds me of what happened with ex- American president Bill Clinton when he was accused of having a relationship with one of the ladies with working in the white house. They were judging Clinton not because he had a relationship but because he lied and said that he didn t have a sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky.
The Secret of the Oneness of the Church
Jesus said to them, "Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. In the Eucharist we become one flesh to the one head of our Lord Jesus Christ because we share the one sacrifice with a righteous faith and one heart. HG Bishop Benjamin of Menoufia explained in his essay The Liturgy and the Unity of the Church. that the Church during the Sacrament of the Eucharist and the Divine Liturgy lived the mystery of oneness as Saint Augustine says: The mystery of our peace and unity is on the sacred altar. The Church lives in company that reflects union through which we become sons of the heavenly Father. We are anointed by a holy chrism in the baptism and eat his body and drink his blood to embrace eternal life and to be sons of the heavenly Father. We partake in the same sacrifice in one heart and one faith. Jesus Christ said on Maundy Thursday "Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the[b] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. We share prayers and praises before the Lord to get rid of sin with the grace of God. Thus, do not let anything stop you from attending the Divine Liturgy and taking up the sacraments, so that you are filled with spiritual gifts and receive forgiveness of sins.
CTV Channel
Upon the emergence of a new trend, I used to enjoy watching and discussing with those I trust, and then I write my point of view. The fact that the Coptic reaction to the sudden changes in the CTV channel and the popular anger that they expressed through the social media pages is an implicit expression of the (state of oppression) and (the feeling of weakness). This reading is not an absurd analysis, but was made based on psychological foundations and based on the so-called psychological evaluation and protective factors. The CTV channel was for the Copts the media window that expresses their identity and discussed Coptic problems even if they do not offer solutions. The sense of oppression and inferiority made Copts seek protection in the channel and consider it a holy place as a (protection factor). I compare this to converting churches in the West into mufflers or night cafes. People don't protest on such conversion in the West since the law is their protection factor that protects freedom of worship. The problem here is that the Copts have 'suffered from oppression and marginalization that caused them to rise up for the remaining protection factors and their fear of losing it and returning to Trigger factors or risk factors. The Copts forgot that the channel is an investment business set up by a good man who was generous, but his son have now a different vision in running the business. I do not criticize the angry reactions, but I look at the reasons and motives in order to get the big picture and analyze the factors that formed the Coptic personality which is the harvest of centuries of coercive and sectarian practices.
Religious Celebrations in Egypt reveal Schizophrenia of security and clergy since police only care about collecting money from the businessmen, I mean clergy! Police take money from the church and impose road traffic fees to collect money from the visitors. It is ironic that the security presence does not appear inside the celebrations and is limited to the gates in spite of the existence of millions of people. It is even more ridiculous is the Church s blessing of the celebrations, despite the fact that millions of human lives are under imminent danger. Millions of souls may be under attack, and yet the church cares only about money of the naive blessings collectors.
UN report on the death of former President
A report published yesterday of the United Nations Commission on the death of former President Mohamed Morsi and the death of his son Abdullah claimed that Morsi s death was the result of medical negligence and brutal treatment in his prison. Report said he was only allowed to leave his cell for one hour and had to remain in custody for twenty-three hours. The report added that Morsi was prevented from exercising and from reading newspapersas well as watching television. The report also mentioned that his son Abdullah had been killed in Egyptian prisons. I want to clarify that these reports are based on data presented by suspicious Egyptian organizations and funded by Qatar or some terrorist organizations. I think that there are human rights activists in the National Council for Human Rights that defend rights of the terrorists to kill and preach extremism. The report of the UN committee is full of lies supported by suspicious human rights organizations. The Egyptian Union for Human Rights visited Tora Prison, a short time ago, and found the complaint of the Brotherhood leaders concerning the short period of exercise, bad televisions and the delay of news papers. There was no claims about medical negligence. The death of Mohamed Morsi in the courtroom showed that the death was a result of blood circulation has been witnessed by the lawyers of the former Brotherhood Freedom and Justice Party and there is no slight criminal or medical failure of the state in the case of death. As for the death of the son of Morsi Abdullah, I believe that the prosecution s investigations and the anatomical character confirm that the death as a result of something else completely should not go into it in order to preserve the sanctity of the dead.
Suleiman Shafik
Perior to the cross, the Virgin Mary was hearing howling of the daughters of Jerusalem mourning the young man presented as a silent lamb. She was standing as the sword was passing through her soul and Jesus Christ was condemned and defamed. Yet, the women loved and followed him, even if they didn't realize that resurrection was at hand. We also stand in solidarity with those who were wounded for us, and were con