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The following homily, attributed to St. Athanasius, is one of ten contained in a synaxary formerly in use during Eastertide and Whitsuntide at the Monastery of the Archangel Michael at Hamouli on the southern border of the province of Fayyum. The manuscript, written in A.D. 855 in the Sahidic dialect of the Coptic language, is still in excellent condition and is preserved in the Pierpont Morgan Library, New York, which has published a facsimile of it under the capable editorship of Professor Henry Hyvernat.[1] The same manuscript contains two other homilies attributed to St. Athanasius. One, In Passionem domini et iudicium, was published in the Journal of Theological Studies, XXXVIII (April, 1937), 113-29; the other, Cathechesis in festum Pentecostes, has not as yet been published. The genuineness of these and other Coptic Athanasian homilies awaits a thorough investigation of all the available evidence. In the following homily the biblical quotations are made with freedom, and the internal evidence is of little help in dating its composition. The text reproduced here has been edited, and diacritical lines and punctuation have been added. (M595, fol. 108rβ) A discourse of St. Athanasius, Archbishop of Alexandria, which he made concerning Lazarus, whom Christ raised from the dead. In the peace of God. Amen. The eyes of the Lord are rays of light, which lighten those who are in the darkness and in the shadow of death. The tongue of Christ is full of life for everyone whom death has conquered. The hands of Christ are restorers of life, with which He aids all and sets them on their feet. The garments of Christ are restorers of life, by which women (108vα) with issues of blood are healed. The feet of Christ are converters of the strayed sheep, which He brings back to the good fold. The commandment of Christ is a healer, by which He heals those who are leprous and cleanses them. The salivas within Christ’s mouth are healing, sight-giving salves, by which He gives sight to the eyes of the man blind from birth. The gaze of Christ is a restorer of life; He looked on the son of the widow as they were carrying him out dead, and restored him to life. The hand of Christ is an inviter of man to life; He came walking and calling His apostles to the kingdom of heaven. (108vβ) The passing-by of Christ is beneficent; as He was passing by He gave sight to two blind men by the wayside. The mercies of Christ are innumerable; for He had pity on five thousand men who were hungry. They were needed five barley loaves; He caused them all to eat and they were satisfied. What shall I say? For the time would not permit me if I spoke about the mighty works which Christ did in the world and of all the wonders which no human being could number. Neither is there a zealous scribe who would be able to enumerate them and write them in a book. Water was made wine; and the lame man took up his bed and (109rα) walked; and the demons which He cast out; and the dumb which He caused to speak; and the deaf which He caused to hear; and the withered hands which He healed; and the sea upon whose waters He walked as upon a stony rock; and the fig tree on which He did not find fruit, which He caused to wither; and the waves of the sea which were thoroughly frightened at His speech and calmed down; and the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue who leapt up, stood on her feet, and lived, when the hand of her Creator took hold of her. These things have we spoken and disclosed concerning the mighty works which Christ did. But, moreover, give heed that we may recall what (109rβ) was read to us today, and fulfil it because of the administration of the holy and universal liturgy — this which summons us to the holy bridal chamber. The word which was read to us today in the Gospel according to John leads me to a great and joyful teaching. What, indeed, is the word which was read to us? Give heed that we may declare it! Now there was one, namely Lazarus, sick in Bethany, the village of Martha and Mary her sister. This is the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped His feet with the hair of her head. This, then, was the one whose brother Lazarus was ill. His disciples said to Jesus, “Lord, behold, he whom Thou (109vα) lovest is ill.” Note well the statement and the saying of the Gospel. It says, “She who anointed the Lord with ointment.” O this great wonder which is promised! “Thou, indeed, hast anointed me with an ointment; I myself shall anoint thee with the oil of the unbreakable seal, in My Name and the Name of My Father and the Holy Spirit. Thou, indeed, Mary, a name worthily beloved, hast wiped My feet with the hair of thy head; I Myself shall wipe away thy sins which thou hast committed from thy youth until now. I shall hold thee fast in My hand and give joy to My soul. Thou, indeed, hast anointed Me with the ointment of this world (109vβ) in the gladness of thy soul; I Myself shall anoint thee with the ointment of heaven — that which came down upon Me upon the Jordan at the time when I received baptism. Verily, I say to thee, Mary, that in whatever place this Gospel is preached in all the world, moreover that which this woman has done will be spoken of in remembrance of her.” Now, indeed, was her brother Lazarus ill. His disciples said to Jesus, “Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is ill.” O this great favor which He showed these three relations! Lazarus, indeed, did Jesus love. Likewise Martha (110rα) was serving the supper of Christ. Once again Mary wiped His feet with her hair. They were like a cord of three strands which He was not in a hurry to cut. After these things Jesus said to His disciples, “Let us go to Judaea.” They said to Him, “Lord, behold, the Jews seek to slay Thee, and Thou wilt go there.” Jesus said to them, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? But he who goes in the light does not stumble, because he sees the Light of this world. But if one goes in the night one stumbles, because the Light is not in him.” (110rβ) Consider, moreover, what I have said, that the Light is Christ. Everyone who will walk in His commandments will not be laid hold of by evil. These twelve hours which are in the day are the twelve apostles. The devil, on the other hand, is compared with the night. He who walks in the will of the devil will stumble, because he has not the light of Christ. Jesus said to them, “Lazarus, our friend, has fallen asleep.” Jesus said to them, “If he has fallen asleep, he will rise again.” But Jesus was speaking of his death, but they truly thought that He was speaking of the sleep of slumber. For all who have fallen asleep since Adam (110vα) until now, who have fallen asleep in Christ, at the day of resurrection will He call to them in His divine voice, and they will all rise immediately incorruptible and act like those who have arisen from forgetfulness because of sleep. Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead; but I rejoice for your sake that I was not there. But let us go to him, in order that I may raise him up.” Didymus, however, one of the Twelve, said, “Let us go ourselves that we may die with him.” “Thomas, how dost thou fear death, when the Life goes with thee? Thou wilt know Him now, because He Whom they will put to death among us, is He Who seizes another from the hand of death. (110vβ) Follow Me, Thomas, and I shall show thee the type of My resurrection, which I shall display to the whole creation. Come with Me, and I shall show thee the body of Lazarus which has decayed and spread abroad a foul smell; and the manner in which I shall call to his soul and cause it to enter his body again. Follow Me, Didymus, and I shall cause thee to behold the hands of Lazarus and his feet which were bound with the cords and bands of death. I shall give them life again, and they will minister to Me. Go with Me, Didymus, and I shall show thee the eyes of Lazarus which have closed, and there is no sight in them. I shall open them again and I shall give them sight. Come to the tomb with Me, Thomas, and I shall show thee the (111rα) mouth of the grave closed, and his tongue decayed, and no breath in his nostrils. I shall open its mouth, and I shall cause his tongue to speak, and I shall give him breath. Come with Me, all ye My holy disciples, and ye will hear Me when I shall call in My divine voice; and Lazarus will hear Me and will walk and come to Me alive.” And when He had said these things, He went with His disciples to go to him. Martha, moreover, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went forth to meet Him. But Mary was sitting in the house. Martha, then, threw herself down at His feet, saying, “Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother would not have died.” Jesus said to her, “Thy brother will rise.” Martha said to Him, “I know (111rβ) that he will rise in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Everyone who believes on Me, even though he die, will live again; and everyone who lives who believes on Me will never taste of death. I am the voice of life which awakens the dead. I am the good odor which takes away the foul odor. I am the voice of joy which takes away sorrow and grief. I am the good Teacher Who rejoices in those who hear Me. I am the comfort of those who are in grief; those who belong to Me do I give them joy. I am the joy of the whole world. All My friends (111vα) do I gladden, and I rejoice with them. I am the Bread of life; those who are hungry do I satisfy with every good thing. I am the Physician, the Healer of all who are sick. Come to Me, I heal you for nothing. I am the Shepherd Who seeks after all His strayed sheep. Come to Me! Why art thou weeping, Martha, and art disturbed and lamenting? I am He Who will give thee thy brother alive, and he will speak with thee. Dost thou believe this?” She said, “Yea, Lord, I believe that Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God, the One Who came down into the world. I have known Thee that Thou art the resurrection of the whole creation.” (111vβ) And when Martha had said these things, she called Mary, her sister, privately, saying to her, “Behold, the Master has come and calls thee.” Mary, therefore, arose in haste and came to Him. And when she saw Him, she stood behind His feet, saying, “Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother would not have died.” But Jesus, when He saw her weeping, and the other Jews who came with her weeping, was troubled in spirit, and His eyes shed tears. He said to them, “Where have ye laid him?” Thou art He Who said to them previously, my Savior, “Lazarus our friend has fallen asleep.” And now Thou askest, (112rα) “Where have ye laid him?” Observe the God Who has created the heaven and the earth and sea and the things in it, Who sits upon the cherubim in the seventh heaven, and Whose eyes behold those who are buried in the underworld, asking, “Where have ye laid him?” Is He, then, without knowledge of this where they have laid him? Heaven forbid! But since the Jews are always ignorant about this, He wished to cause them to be witnesses to what He was about to do, in order that they might not find a word to say or be able to deny the mighty works which Christ did. They said, “Lord, come and see.” And Jesus wept. O this great love and this great affection of Christ for His saints! (112rβ) Why dost Thou weep, Lord, when the life of the whole creation is in Thy hands? They said, then, “See how He loves him!” Others again among the Jews were saying, “Is it not possible for this Man Who opened the eyes of the man blind from birth to prevent this one from dying?” But Jesus was sorely grieved within Himself. He came to the tomb; but there was a stone at the mouth of the cave. Jesus said to them, “Take away the stone.” Observe the wisdom of this merciful God. Is He not able to cause the stone to roll away? Yea, I tell you that He is able. But He was saying these things on account of witnesses, in order that they might not find a way of denying, if they wished. (112vα) Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to Him, “Lord, now he is already decayed, for it is his fourth day. His whole body has poured forth pus; his eyeballs have dropped out; and his interior organs have become useless. How, moreover, will the body rise again? His hands and his feet and all his parts are bound with grave clothes, and his head is bound with a napkin; the whole body is bound with cloths lest it dissolve and fall to pieces. And how will he rise again, and all of those there? Again I know that all things which Thou wilt ask of God, God will give them to Thee.” But Christ, the Comfort of those who are in (112vβ) grief, answered and said to her, “Did I not say to thee that, if thou believe, thou wilt see the glory of God?” They took, then, the stone there from the mouth of the tomb. The whole crowd marveled, witnessing the smell of pus of Lazarus who was decayed. He had rotted so that they were not able to approach within the tomb on account of the smell of his body and its decay. But into the midst came Jesus, the Storehouse which is full of life, the Mouth which is full of sweet odor, the Tongue which frightens death, the Mighty One in His commands, the Joy of those who are sorrowful, the Rising of those who have fallen, the Resurrection of the dead, the Assembly of the strong, the Hope of the hopeless. (113rα) He came and stood openly by the mouth of the tomb, with the preparations of salvation in His divine mouth. Now all the crowd were standing and beholding and wondering what He would do in starting to raise him from the dead. Now the body was lying dead; but God Himself was standing over it, looking down upon him and grieving for him. First, He raised His eyes to heaven and spoke with His Father in a gentle voice, saying, “My Father, I am able to do this gracious act through Thee, because Thou hast heard Me. Now I know that Thou always hearest Me; but speak on account of this crowd standing here, in order that they may believe that Thou art the One Who has sent Me.” But when He had said these things, (113rβ) He ceased speaking with His Father, and turned to the body of Lazarus, which was lying without breath in it, nor movement in any limb. He called at the mouth of the tomb in His divine voice, “Lazarus, come forth.” Immediately the voice of Christ awoke him who was slumbering, like a man who has arisen who was asleep. He said to him, “Come forth. Behold, I am standing by thee. I am thy Lord; thou art the work of My hands. Why hast thou not known Me, because in the beginning I Myself formed Adam from the earth and gave him breath? Open thy mouth thyself, in order that I may give thee breath. Stand upon thy feet and receive strength to thyself; for I am the Strength of (113vα) the whole creation. Stretch out thy hands and I shall give them strength; for I am the straight Staff. I command the foul odor to depart from thee; for I am the sweet odor of the trees of paradise. Behold, the prophecy of Isaiah the prophet will be fulfilled in thee, namely, ‘I shall open your tombs and I shall bring you forth.’ Open thy mouth and speak with Me; it is I Who command thee. Cast from thee the fear, and know Me, that I am the living God. Do not be frightened about the things which thou hast seen; for I have taken thee out of their hands. Observe the place where thou wast sleeping, that it is full of pus and stinks. (113vβ) How have they come out of thy body? Cast from thee the corruption of the valley of death, as again thou hast seen the Life, which is I Who am standing by thee. Do not be disturbed about what thou hast seen, for they are greatly disturbed since thou hast received strength and entered into the world again. Be strong about thy ministry. Notice the place where thou art standing, that thou art inside a tomb, in order that thou mayest know that I have taken thee out of the hand of death. Observe the grave clothes which cover thy body, in order that thou mayest know that I have placed thee in the world again after thou hadst become a stranger to it. Come out of the tomb; it is I Who command thee.” The dead man, indeed, came (114rα) forth, with his hands and his feet bound with grave clothes, and his face bound with a napkin. Jesus said, “Loose him and release him, that he may go.” Notice particularly the saying, “He came forth with his hands and his feet bound, and after he came forth, Jesus said to them, ‘Loose him and release him, that he may walk.’” How did he come forth with his hands and his feet bound so that he was not able to walk? Who raised him up, being buried? For truly he came forth with the grave clothes covering his body, and his hands and his feet bound; and his eyes were not uncovered, for truly there was a napkin bound about his head and his (114rβ) face; and he came forth with no man to support him. How did he come forth, my faithful one, except by the command of our Savior Who raised him? Moreover, He said to those standing by, “Loose him.” What, therefore, is the meaning of this saying, my Savior? Thou hast granted him life after the fourth day. Thou hast brought him forth from the tomb with no one to lift him up. Why, on the other hand, didst Thou not command the grave clothes to loose themselves, in order that the unbelieving might not touch him, although Thou knowest them better, my Savior? “But My wish is not this,” He said. “For I (114vα) have brought him forth, ye yourselves come release him, in order that your own hands themselves may testify to you that ye have not believed Me. For I have not done this in the case of Lazarus alone, but I did it again another time in Cana of Galilee, when I was invited to their wedding feast and I had the power to cause them to find the water jars full of water. No one filled them; but I said, ‘Fill the water jars with water.’ And they found that they had become wine as a witness to them.” Now they loosed Lazarus, and all the crowd saw Him speaking quite openly with Lazarus, whose body was clothed. This one who had arisen came forth from the tomb with all of his members (114vβ) full of life in the life of Christ. The eyes, which had closed so as never to open, opened again filled with light and saw everyone. The head, which had been bound with a napkin, loosed itself and became strong again and bowed to Christ. The ears, which had been closed by the stroke of death, opened again and heard Christ calling in the tomb in His divine voice. His nose, which had been a stranger to the breath of life, functioned again and smelt the sweet odor of Christ. The tongue, which had ceased speaking forever, moved once more, stretched, and praised God. The lips, which had closed so as not to speak again, opened (115rα) once more and spoke with the Son of God. The mind, which had dissolved so as not to speak or to think or to be able to see a man to know him or to be able to perceive anything, became strong again and knew its Creator. All the members, which had decayed and dissolved in the earth, became alive again and ministered to the body. The feet, which had been bound so as never to walk, were loosed again and stretched and ministered patiently to Christ Jesus, the Son of God. The prophecy of David was fulfilled in the case of Lazarus, when he says, “The Lord will loose those who are bound. The Lord will cause those who have fallen to stand. The Lord will instruct the blind. The Lord loves the righteous.” (115rβ) All these were fulfilled in the case of the body of Lazarus, which Christ loosed, being bound; He set him up, after he had fallen; He opened his eyes, being blind; and, furthermore, He loves them all. For his sister told us this at the time when she said to the Savior, “Lord, behold, he whom Thou lovest is ill.” Furthermore it is said, “Jesus loved Martha and Mary her sister and also Lazarus.” O this such great grace! O this great praise which rejoices everyone who hears it! O this great fame which no one will be able to prevent! O this great boldness which God granted to men! (115vα) O this promised fruit which these good workmen joyfully acquired for themselves! O this great and holy light in which these blessed ones walk! But the Jews who came with Martha and Mary to comfort them concerning their brother Lazarus saw the things which Jesus did and believed on Him. But the Pharisees said to one another, “Ye have seen that we shall not profit anything. Behold, the whole world has gone after Him.” O the evil shepherds who scatter the sheep of Christ! O the corrupt shepherds who scatter the herd of which God made them the head! O the merciless shepherds who tear in pieces the sheep instead of the wolves! (115vβ) O the unclean shepherds who foul the pasture of the sheep! “The good among My sheep have ye devoured with insatiable eyes. The wool have ye given to yourselves. The weak have ye not strengthened; the scattered have ye not assembled; the strayed have ye not sought; the fallen have ye not raised; the strong have ye not employed; the sick have ye not healed. My sheep are scattered because they have no shepherd.” “For this reason, lawless shepherds, hear the word of the Lord. This is what the Lord says, ‘I shall seek after My sheep by your hand; and I shall take My vengeance on you in My wrath and My anger; (116rα) and I shall bring My wrath upon you in accordance with your lawless acts; and I shall send My curse upon you and scatter your counsel and take away My countenance from you, because I hate you.’ For I am He Who will pasture My sheep. I shall seek them and gather them that there may be one flock and one shepherd. The scattered shall I gather; the weak shall I strengthen; the sick shall I heal; the strayed shall I bring back to Myself; that I may be to them God, and that they may be to Me a people.” All these sayings have I spoken concerning the high priests of the Jews, because they attempted to disparage the resurrection (116rβ) of Lazarus, in order that no one might believe on the mighty works which Christ did and be saved. When the crowd took the palm branches from the date palms and went before Christ as He was about to go up to the feast, all of them bore witness that He had called Lazarus forth from the grave and had raised him from the dead. Because of this, this great throng believed on Him when they heard that He had done this sign. For all the men had come out of the tomb before they buried him and closed the mouth of the tomb. A great wonder seized them all when they heard that he was alive again; even though this is truly a great wonder to hear it about a man that he has risen from (116vα) the dead after being four days dead. But the lawless ones took counsel full of guile to kill Lazarus also, because a crowd of the Jews came on his account to see him alive again; and believed on Jesus. But Jesus, then, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany, the place where He raised Lazarus from the dead. Now they prepared a supper for Him there, and Martha was serving. Lazarus, however, was one of those reclining with Him. Mary, moreover, took a pound of ointment, pure nard, costly in price, and poured it upon His head, as He (116vβ) was reclining. She anointed His feet with the ointment and wiped them with the hair of her head. The whole house was filled with the odor of that ointment. Thou hast seen this great public favor, that Lazarus was one of those who were reclining with Jesus; not only that He gave him life again and took him from the hand of death but also that He granted him this great honor of eating with Him at His supper. O these great favors which God grants to those who love Him and keep His commandments! Moreover, thou hast seen the favor well fulfilled. Lazarus was reclining, eating with Jesus. For He relied on His holy apostles to suffer with (117rα) mankind, when He said to them, “Behold, I shall establish My covenant with you, that ye may eat and drink with Me at the table of My kingdom. And ye will sit upon your twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel. Lazarus, on the other hand, ate and drank with My Father. Come to Me, Lazarus, and I shall take away the evil odor which is in thy flesh, over which death ruled; and I shall give thee the sweet odor. Behold, I shall go to Jerusalem, and everyone will see thee going with Me in this body in which thou hast slept in the grave for four days. Afterward I gave thee life, for truly (117rβ) again thou thyself hast served others; for in accordance with the measure which a man measures, it will be measured to himself.” Hail to thee, Lazarus, because Christ has granted thee this great honor beyond all those whom he has healed! For these fled to Him and besought Him to heal them. Thou wishest to know; listen and I shall instruct thee. First, then, the nobleman went to Him and besought Him, and his son was healed. Likewise the centurion, when his son was paralyzed, came and besought Him. He said, “It is I Who shall go and heal him.” Now when the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue died, her father went and besought Him, until (117vα) He came and raised his daughter. The two blind men who were sitting beside the way, when they heard that Jesus was to pass by, cried out, “Have mercy upon us, Son of David.” The man who was a leper came to Him and asked Him, and He caused his flesh to be cleansed. Again, as He was coming down the mountain, a man besought Him, “Lord, have mercy upon me, because the only son that I have has a demon.” And He cast out the demon, and his son was whole from that day. Other multitude of signs did Christ without number; as they all besought Him, whom He had not yet healed. Now Lazarus, on the other hand, did Christ love. But when he died, Christ went this interval with His twelve (117vβ) apostles until He came to him and gave him life; not only the life of this place, but that of the other place did He grant to him. Ye have heard, moreover, my beloved brethren, the great honor of these people and the variation in the esteem of each one. Now Lazarus did the Lord love, as he was reclining with Him at supper. Martha herself was taking great care with the service and was ministering to Christ with all her heart. Mary herself was seated at the feet of Jesus and kissing them. The vessel of ointment of pure nard was in her hands, and she was anointing Him on His feet and wiping them with the hair of her head. The whole desire of her heart (118rα) clove to Him in an embraceless token. The whole house was full of the odor of the ointment. For this reason there was nothing evil in her life at all, but rather her conversation was in heaven, full of sweet odor and virtue. Christ beholds them with His divine eyes and is cheered and rejoices over the purity of their mode of life and the offering to Him of their undefiled service. O this kissing of the feet of Christ! O the holy woman because of how her deed succeeded! O this famous purified one! O this wiping of the feet of God, which caused the forgiveness of the sins of the repentant woman! (118rβ) O this holy and pure anointing, because it effected a permanent cure of the soul of the woman! O the greatness of the loving-kindness of God, which we shall not be able to reckon! O this goodness, of which there is no measure to its greatness, and which extends to the whole creation! He provides for them all and has mercy upon them and forgives all their sins, because great are the mercies which He shows to him who is good and His creature; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to Whom be glory and honor now and forevermore. Amen. — [1] Bybliothecae Pierpont Morgan codices Coptici photographice expressi (Romae, A.D. MCMXXII), Tomus XLIII. — Adapted from Joseph Buchanan Bernardin, "The Resurrection of Lazarus," The American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literatures, Vol. 57, No. 3 (Jul. 1940), 262-290. 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“Let us purify our mind, for I believe that when the mind is completely pure and is in its natural state, it gains penetrating insight, and it sees more clearly and further than the demons, since the Lord reveals things to it.”[1] Such was the teaching of Abba Antony, for whom sainthood was nothing more than the natural state of humanity — that is, the state intended for it by its Creator. Indeed, the Lord directs the multitudes, without qualification, that they “be perfect as [their] heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48), and Saint Paul unmistakably declares that “we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1). The calling to sainthood is therefore offered to all by God, who “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4), if only they wholeheartedly desire God, freely accept the cost of discipleship, empty themselves in total submission to the word of God, accept to take up their cross, and follow Him by living the ecclesial life by His grace and the guidance of the Spirit. It was this calling that His Holiness Pope Kyrillos VI accepted, and God, by that acceptance, saved both him and the Church he was ultimately called to shepherd. Much has been said in recent years of His Holiness, whether in scholarship or among the believers in meetings, sermons, and various other media. In approaching a man of such stature, it is easy to lose oneself in considering his virtues, or his miracles, or his personal story and circumstances, and to think, because of his distinct piety, that he was an entirely different sort of person whose virtuosity cannot be attained and whose saintliness cannot be replicated. In accordance with the teaching of the Scriptures described above, however, it would not be prudent to approach this truly unique man with such reverent otherization. Rather, it is both edifying and necessary to approach him with a clear recognition that his marked greatness was not because of eloquent homilies, or prolific writing, or charismatic leadership, or even his many miraculous activities, but because of the stillness and simplicity of a prayerful life borne out of his sincere love for God and his deep conviction that the Christian life, and by extension the administration and leadership of the Church, must be ordered according to the teaching of Christ and cannot be guided by, modeled after, or in any way resemble the world. Pope Kyrillos inherited the papacy of a Church in need of reform — a Church suffering from a loss of vision and purpose directly attributable to an increasing worldliness by her members at all levels. Several churches resembled family businesses and social clubs rather than churches, liturgical prayers were often neglected in the parishes, and many members of the clergy abandoned their primary vocations of prayer, fasting, theological education, and spiritual fatherhood, enjoying the status and place of princes among their people by virtue of their ecclesial rank and managing, rather than shepherding, the flock of Christ. The liturgical services, and thereby prayer and worship, were therefore often disregarded, carried out in haste, and used for material gain, and, when observed, were commonly practiced without the requisite care, spirit, or love, relegated to the wayside as a result of the foreign operating philosophies that had insidiously overtaken many of the churches. It was in this milieu that Pope Kyrillos became patriarch and endeavored by God’s grace to reorient the Church to her proper mission. This he accomplished in reverent meekness accompanied by prayer, fasting, and a Christian life properly lived. It was not by signs and wonders that he exorcised the demons of worldliness and misguidance that warred against the believers in his time, but by faithfully abiding by the word of God despite those who vigorously opposed it as contrary to their philosophies and frameworks of thought. In the face of staunch opposition by those who, having succumbed to worldly wisdom, thought that qualification in and fitness for the service of the Church arises from conventional appearances, advanced degrees, and practices conforming to public expectation and approval, this great shepherd held fast to the teaching of his Master, faithfully upending all such notions by his markedly distinct manner of life. The Church in this state required emergent rehabilitative measures — not radical reformist policies akin to those effectuated in political, social, and cultural contexts, but the reimplementation of spiritual measures proper to the Christian life which had unfortunately deteriorated, particularly amongst members of the clergy and lay leaders in the churches, amidst the turmoil of that time. It was precisely such measures that Pope Kyrillos embodied, beginning with his childhood and continuing throughout his life and eventual papacy, thereby reinvigorating in the Church the spirit of prayer and sound ecclesial life and administration that had become scarce in the years prior to his patriarchate. Beginning at a young age, His Holiness was accustomed to prayer and the life with God, having been raised, in his own words, “in the fear of God”[2] by pious parents who faithfully observed the life of the Church in all of its fullness. As but one illustrative example of this characteristic disposition, as a young boy between five and eight years of age, His Holiness, then Azer Youssef Atta, attended the festival of Saint Mina the Wonderworker in the town of Ibyar, Egypt, where, while multitudes were gathered outside the church enjoying theater, food and drink, live music, and other activities, he was not found except inside the church, participating in the liturgical prayers that took place throughout the week.[3] Later, as a young man still living in the world, he would attend the morning prayers at the local church daily on his way to work,[4] and afterwards, upon joining the Baramous Monastery, he continued to attend the daily prayers and praises with his brother monks as a matter of course. Thereafter, upon relocating to the solitude and simplicity of a cave, then to his beloved windmill, where he resided for a few years as a hermit, and finally to the Monastery of Saint Mina in Old Cairo, which he established and where he lived for the twelve years immediately preceding his election to the papacy in 1959, he continued to pray fervently on a daily basis, chanting the evening, midnight, and morning praises, offering the evening and morning incense, and celebrating the Eucharistic service, recognizing by his manner of life this fundamental truth: that the Church’s life is in her liturgical worship, and it was this, with God’s help, that would render him soundly Christian and which would ultimately restore to the Church the glory intended for her by Christ. Even after his election as patriarch, His Holiness did not assume the grandeur and pomp that might be expected of that position, but instead maintained his humble demeanor, simplicity of speech, and common attire, continuing to abide by the life of prayer and asceticism he had practiced since his youth and thereby fulfilling in every respect the teaching of Christ: “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave — just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:25-29). It was this distinct and profoundly courageous manner of life — a life unlike that of the world or of those in the Church who had been compromised by the world — that led the Church to the spiritual revival she experienced during his papacy. The blueprint for a living and active Church is not in an abundance of meetings and sermons, or in a diversity of social or cultural activities, or in any other measure separate and apart from the altar and the word of God. Indeed, the altar, along with the Scriptures, was found at the center of His Holiness’ life. In the words of Fr. Daniel Fanous, prayer was for His Holiness “both the beginning and the end of the spiritual life, its nourishment and its treasure, the means and the goal, the ‘support,’ ‘core,’ and ‘giver’ of virtues.”[5] In this way, in all circumstances, acting with and through prayer, and permitting God to work in him through his intimate relationship with the altar and his intimacy with His word, he submitted all challenges, questions, and issues to God in prayer, with the prayers and intercessions of those among the saints with whom he had a special relationship — namely the Virgin Mary, Saint Mina the Wonderworker, Saint Mark the Evangelist, and Abba Isaac the Syrian. As it was with His Holiness, the altar — denoting both the physical church altar and, in a spiritual sense, rightly offered prayer, worship, and praise — must enjoy the primary place in the life of the properly ordered community of believers, never subordinated to any other activity or goal and never compromised to accommodate any agenda, schedule, or plan. The life of the Church, like that of every believer, must in all instances be oriented towards and lived through the liturgical experience, since it is through prayer, along with all Christian practices complementary to it, that the believer comes to know, love, and abide with God. It was this fundamental truth that Pope Kyrillos recognized and had the courage to implement both throughout his life and, by extension, in the Church he was chosen to lead, accepting the consequences of this decision out of his deep love for and fidelity to Christ and His teaching. In teaching His disciples, the Lord taught that demons can only be cast out by prayer and fasting.[6] As a faithful disciple to Christ, Pope Kyrillos took up these necessary weapons to overcome the demons, and by his fasting and prayer, with complete selflessness, sincere humility, and godly wisdom, submitting himself to the wisdom of God and rejecting any semblance of worldly wisdom, he was able, by the support and guidance of God, to exorcise from the Church not only those evil spirits that tormented certain of the believers, but also, and more importantly, the demons of worldliness, corruption, ignorance, prayerlessness, lukewarmness, and a myriad of other vices that had taken root among the flock. May the prayers of His Holiness Pope Kyrillos VI continue to aid the Church he faithfully served and guarded as she continues to struggle against sin, worldliness, and the onslaughts of the devil, and grant us by his example the courage and faithfulness to accept the cost of discipleship, discern and submit to the teaching of the Lord and the guidance of the Spirit, take up the weapons of fasting and prayer, and live the Christian life with love and sincere conviction regardless of the consequences, for the sake of Christ, to whom, with His good Father and the Holy Spirit, be glory and honor both now and forever. Amen. — [1] Abba Antony the Great, as recorded in Hesychios the Priest, On Watchfulness and Holiness 179 (Philocalia vol. I, 194) [2] See Daniel Fanous, A Silent Patriarch: Kyrillos VI: Life and Legacy, 21 [3] Id. at 28 [4] Id. at 39 [5] Id. at 134 [6] See Matthew 17:21; Mark 9:29 —

A translation of an excerpt from a sermon delivered by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III. — Fasting does not concern the relationship between ourselves and food — when and what to eat — it is rather, before all else, the relationship between ourselves and God. So examine yourself to determine whether you experience it. St. Isaac the Syrian says: “He who deprives his mouth from food but does not deprive his tongue from idle words and his heart from lust, fasts in vain.” We should, therefore, in the period of fasting, consider how to walk in it spiritually, and not merely change the kind of food we eat to a vegan type. And if the body fasts, does the spirit also fast along with it or not? In the bodily sense, fasting can be summarized in one phrase: self-control. Even if you eat vegan food, if you do not control yourself, you will not experience the value of fasting. Because there are many vegan foods that are quite enjoyable, and nowadays the people make flavorful vegan desserts. But fasting in the bodily sense is self-control. If you do not control yourself, you will not benefit from fasting. You will tire and deprive yourself, but finish without having benefitted. For this reason, if those who smoke cannot complete the Fast while having ceased the habit of smoking, then they have not benefitted. There are then certain conditions of fasting that we must know. Fasting alone is not sufficient. It must be conjoined to certain things in order to constitute an acceptable fast. The first thing to which it must be related is repentance. Fasting must be accompanied by repentance. Do not think that one who fasts while drowning in sin is really fasting. This is an unaccepted fast. God desires a pure heart more than he does a hungry stomach, but the unity of the two is for the better. So sit with yourself in the period of the Fast and ask yourself: “What are the sins of which I must rid myself so that I may repent?” Notice in the story of the Ninevites — who offered a diligent fast to the extent that they wore sackcloth, abstained from food, and humbled themselves before God — the Bible says: “When God saw that they had abandoned the evil in their hands,” He forgave them. He did not only consider the extreme asceticism with which they fasted, but He also looked to their abandonment of their sins and forgave their sins. The second point is that fasting must be accompanied not only by repentance, but also by prayer. With fasting, you bring your body into subjection, but with prayer, you nourish the spirit. For this reason, you find the phrase “fasting and prayer” together repeated frequently in the Fraction that we pray [in the Great Lent] — fasting and prayer. You may say, “we have been praying our whole lives, why should we specifically pray while fasting?” You indeed pray throughout your life, but during the time of fasting, the degree of your prayer should be elevated beyond your normal practice. Begin experiencing meek prayer, fervent prayer, deep prayer, prayer with understanding, and prayer in which you feel that there is a direct connection between yourself and God. For this reason, the word for “prayer” in the Arabic language (صــــــــلاة) is more expressive than its equivalent in other languages. “Prayer” [in English] means to entreat, but [“prayer” in Arabic] denotes a connection — between yourself and God. Do you feel in your prayers that such a connection exists? In your prayer, correct the quality and increase the quantity, and by this you will walk in a sound manner, because prayer during the Fast is of a higher caliber than other prayers. Also among the things that accompany fasting is almsgiving, or feeding the poor. This is because the one who fasts and feels hunger experiences the pain of hunger and will therefore have compassion on those who are hungry. Without this, as one of the Fathers said, “if you do not have anything to give to those [who are hungry], fast and give them your own food.” And in Isaiah 58:6[-7] it says: “Is this not the kind of fasting I have chosen . . . to feed the hungry, and to shelter the stranger in your own house,” meaning the acts of mercy that you perform during the Fast. [And] fasting is not that you preserve food; rather the food that you do preserve, you should give to the poor. And you should eat without desire, because we fast to avoid desire; what do we benefit then if we come to the Fast and eat with desire? Train yourself that you do not request a particular type of food [during the Fast], and if you are offered a particular food that you like, as the Fathers say, “lift your hands from it while your desire for it remains.” That is, finish half of the plate and leave the rest instead of eating the whole plate and requesting another, or else you are eating what you desire. Daniel spoke of his fasting and said: “I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I eat delectable food” (Daniel 10:2-3). Of course, if food were not appetizing, you would not eat at all. But you should eat with limitation. Fasting, as we have said, must be accompanied by repentance and prayer and giving to the poor. It should also be accompanied by spiritual contemplation — reading from the Bible. The Lord Jesus Christ, in the time of His fasting, was likely meditating on chapter eight of the Book of Deuteronomy, because from it He responded to Satan saying, “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God,” which was mentioned in this chapter. Fasting must also be accompanied by training. Train yourself in many things, such as forsaking sin and certain tendencies, and acquiring virtues which will aid you to be saved, as you see fit, or else you will complete the Fast while remaining as you were. Let me ask you — how many periods of fasting have you experienced throughout your life? Many fasts every year, and [you have lived] many years. What have you benefitted [from them]? You must train yourself and be strict and diligent with yourself, so that you may experience the results, to the nourishment of your spiritual life. How many are our fasts, and not only the large and known fasts! For example, we fast before every one of the Mysteries of the Church. There is fasting before Baptism and the [anointing with] Myron, and also before communion, so that we may prepare ourselves for the grace that we receive from God. We receive grace from the Mystery, so we must prepare ourselves for it through fasting. But for Confession, we do not require fasting, because we eagerly await the coming of a person to confession, even if he had eaten an entire lamb! What is important is that he comes and confesses and repents. And in Marriage, for the sake of the weakness of the people, they are not required to fast, but long ago, they would be married after the Morning Raising of Incense and would be fasting and would receive communion, and for the following three days they would live in virginity, and afterward they would live their normal married life. So they would begin their married life with fasting also. This was in the old days, when the people were godly. Regarding the Priesthood, they would also be fasting: the person being ordained fasts, and the one ordaining him also fasts. And in Baptism, the woman who brings her child to be baptized must also be fasting, as must the priest who will baptize the child. So, it is not only the large fasts; there are other smaller fasts along the way that we fast so that we may be worthy of the grace associated with them. Without the spiritual state that belongs to fasting, our fasts will never be acceptable. There are many fasts that are not accepted, as there are also prayers that are not accepted. One example of the unacceptable fast is [that of] the Pharisee who entered the Temple and spoke to God saying: “God, I thank You that I am not like other men . . . unjust, kidnappers, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess” (Luke 18:11). And he did not leave justified, even though he considered himself better than the other. An unacceptable fast. Another unaccepted fast is that of the [more than forty] people who vowed to fast and not eat anything until they killed the Apostle Paul (See Acts 23:12-14). Their fasting profited them nothing, they did not succeed in killing him, and I know not what became of their vow. We thank God, who granted us fasting out of His desire to revive and awaken us, instructing us to be keen to enter into a period of distinct spirituality, with the condition that the virtues gained by fasting are not then lost on the day of the Feast at the breaking of the Fast. Do not come on the day of the Feast and say with Solomon, “Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure” (Ecclesiastes 2:10). What did you benefit then? You are then like the prince of [poets] Ahmad Shawqī, who during his fast did not drink wine but afterward said: “Bring, O steward, the desired one which longs for the one who desires her.” We should rather acquire virtues so that they remain with us and become a way of life. I wanted to share with you these words about fasting before the Fast concludes, so that during the coming days of the Fast, you may correct what you previously did not do, and may God be with you. — For the Arabic original: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVEjC8vo5tw

A translation of an excerpt from a Sermon delivered on August 25, 1978 by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III. — The human, in his journey towards God in his spiritual life, sometimes goes astray and loses his way, especially if they lack the virtue of discernment, or that of wisdom, or if they do not have experience in the spiritual atmosphere and the way of God. There is a verse in the scriptures that is found more than once, saying: “There is a way that seems right for man, but the end of it are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12). This means that there is a way that, in a person’s opinion, is correct. And there are many who depend on their own understandings, stubbornly hold fast to their own ideas, and think that their ideas are correct. Such a person might read a reading and find it opposed to his thinking, and suppose that the reading is mistaken while he is not. He might hear homilists and spiritual guides opposing his opinion and nonetheless believe that these are wrong while he is not. And it is possible that even his father of confession might advise him against this opinion, and nonetheless he holds fast to his opinion and believes it to be correct, believing that all of these people are persecuting him. To this person the Bible says: “Lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). For this reason, guidance is found in the Church. And one of the fathers (c.f. Palladius) says “Those who are without a guide fall as the leaves of the trees.” Why? Because “there is a way that seems right for man, but the end of it are the ways of death,” and the person is lost on the way. Do you think that, when Jonah fled from God to Tarshish, he did not think that he was walking correctly? God even came to him in the end and asked him, “were you angry?” And he told God “I was angry even to death” (Jonah 4:9). His thinking was beautiful in his eyes. The most difficult thing for a person to resist is his thinking. It is possible that we might oppose the thinking of others, but it is difficult for us to oppose our own opinions. And if someone is too staunch to his opinions, this thinking might lead him to rebellion, and to hardness of heart, and to stubbornness of thought, because he is too unwavering in his thinking. The humble person concedes at times. It is not necessarily true that whatever I think must be true. Perhaps what I think happens to be wrong. There are some people who, when faced with an issue, think that there is absolutely no room for discussion. But is it really true that there is absolutely no room for discussion? Many people trust in their opinions and believe that they are true. But these people require humility and willingness to rethink their opinions, and to be able to say “I might be wrong,” and “the other opinion may be sound.” There is no reason for too much staunchness, or too much discussion, or too much debate or resistance. For this reason, the humble find the way of the Lord to be an easy way. In monasticism, the humble person progresses more quickly in the way than the other. That is because he accepts advice, concedes his opinions, is not staunch with his opinions, and does not believe as true everything that comes to his mind. The way whose end is death appears beautiful in the eyes of man, despite its end being death. This shows us the ego that stands against man. And the one who wishes to walk in the way of God must resist his ego, just as our Lord Jesus Christ says that man ought to hate even himself for the sake of God (Luke 14:26). He resists his ego. Here is found the idea of self-denial. The resistance of the ego is in some of the spiritual books called the “putting to death.” The person enters into the “putting to death;” putting the self to death so that it may live; rejecting himself so that he may find life; rebelling against his own self, struggling with his own self, and putting his own self under subjection; not obeying his own will. The most troubling thing in your spiritual life is to walk according to your own will. As one of the saints said: “I have not found a stumbling block for a young man greater than for him to walk according to his desires.” Good is the saying of the Lord who said to Hagar: “Go and submit yourself to your mistress” (Genesis 16:9). “Submit yourself” — that is a good saying. It is good to submit yourself, and to resist the self. Our problem is that, instead of warring against our egos, we war against people; and instead of resisting our egos, we resist people. And the power of anger that is given to us, that we may anger against our sins, and anger against our souls in their falls, we misuse and become angry with people. Try to resist your ego, to oppose your ego, to subdue your ego, and not to walk according to your own desires, nor to walk according to your own opinions, and to live first according to the virtue of obedience. Strive against your ego. This is what is required of the person who wishes to live with God. There is a verse the Lord Christ said, and it is a beautiful verse that encompasses within it many things: “He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 10:39). In your spiritual life, do you find yourself, or do you lose yourself for the sake of God? Every person’s ego is beautiful in his eyes. It is dear to him. He wishes to give rest to himself, and wishes to please himself, and wishes to feel his own status. He says “I want to feel my existence.” Just like those who follow existentialist philosophy, who think that the existence of God eliminates their own existence. They say: “God does not feel our existence. I want to avoid God and feel my own existence. I want to live my life and find myself and enjoy the world. I want to live my life.” This is the self that is leading you astray. “He who finds his life will lose it.” The prodigal son, one day, wanted to enjoy his existence and find himself: “Why should I stay in my father’s house? What makes me live under orders and ‘where are you going and coming from?’ What makes me live the life of obedience? Why don’t I live the life of freedom, which is better?” The life of freedom was better than the life of obedience in this young man’s opinion: “Why should I live in an old man’s house while I am young? Why don’t I live on my own, and live in my own home, and become my own master, and find myself? My self that is lost in that home.” So he told his father: “Give me my inheritance. Give me my freedom. Let me live my life as I want.” So he took the money and did whatever he wanted, thinking that he had found himself. Yet the saying rang in his ears: “He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.” There is the person who, to find himself, wants to find freedom. He says: “I want liberty; I don’t want to be bound by anything.” The majority of the problem of our youth in this generation is this freedom — this “liberty.” They want to live however they want: “I will style my hair however I want, and I don’t care what anyone says. I will do my nails however I want, and I don’t care what anyone says. I will wear tight clothing, and I don’t care what anyone says. I will work and travel, and I don’t care what anyone says. I want to live my life.” “He who finds his life will lose it.” My beloved, God has not given you the self to say “I will please it and give it freedom as it wants.” God gave you the self so that you may control it and govern it. Solomon the Wise says: “Better to have self control than to conquer a city” (Proverbs 16:32). This is the self that you are given to govern and conquer. Do not fulfill every thought that comes to your mind. Our saintly fathers were not quick to fulfill the thoughts that came to them. To every thought that came to them, they said: “Let us be patient. Let us run this thought by God and see what He thinks. Let us put this thought on the altar and see what God thinks of it.” You speak to a great person and say “let us do this or that,” and he will tell you “be patient my son. Let us run this thought by God, and ‘if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it’ (Acts 5:38-39).” But zeal, speed, and haste are what put us into trouble. Zeal, speed, and haste do not give us a chance to run the thought by God, nor by a spiritual guide, nor wait to see God’s will. Believe me, what led Eve to fall was this haste. The thought came to her and she carried it out right away. If Satan told her “eat from the tree” and she told him “let me think about this for two or three days,” she would not have fallen ever. It would have been impossible. For the full sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IfPtjw-ilI&feature=youtu.be This translation by Anthony & Andrew Doss was first shared by H.H. Pope Shenouda III Coptic Orthodox Theological Seminary on March 17, 2020.

In commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the departure of Fr. Samuel Habib, hegumen of Amir Tadros el-Shotby Coptic Orthodox Church, Minya, Egypt, the following is a translation of a homily delivered on November 17, 1991 at St. George Coptic Orthodox Church, Minya, Egypt by hegumen Fr. Samuel Habib. May his prayers be with us. — In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit — One God. Amen. May His grace and blessing be with us all. Amen. On this blessed morning, the Word of God speaks to us about the Sower, because the month of Hatour is the month of planting: “If you miss the planting of Hatour, you must wait until the year comes round.” See, when someone leaves or forgets something, when one forgets to pray, they lose the blessing of prayer. When one forgets to go to Church and attend the Liturgy, they lose the blessing of the Liturgy. This is why we should not delay in making our requests to God and standing before Him in prayer. We should not delay in performing good deeds. Our Lord Jesus Christ speaks to us about His being the Sower; when He went out to sow, He threw the seeds on the soil, and thorns grew with the plants. The soil was not good, mingled with things unpleasant for tilling — rocks, stones, and things of that sort. Of course, if it were good soil, there would be no thorns growing in it. Often, thorns grow on cliffs. When one walks, they find thorns on the edge of the road, before you reach the good soil, because this part of the land is not suitable for planting — it must have something that prevents the plants from growing. These thorns are very difficult. The thorns are the worries of this world and its distractions. The thorns are the sins which occupy one’s life. Maybe there are thorns in one’s eyes which prevent him from seeing clearly, so that he cannot see the road well. Maybe there are thorns in one’s tongue, so that his words are not “seasoned with salt” (See Mark 9:49) but rather full of stumbling, cursing, and unpleasant language. Maybe there are thorns in one’s heart, preventing the Lord from dwelling within. The Lord loves His dwelling place, as it is written about Him: “If He charges His angels with error” (Job 4:18); and “the heavens are not pure in His sight” (Job 15:15); and “what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial?” (2 Corinthians 6:14-15). So, the throne of God and the dwelling place of God must be holy and suitable. Why else do we say “Holy” (Isaiah 6:3) and “Holiness adorns Your house, O Lord, forever” (Psalm 93:5)? Each of us are a dwelling place for our Lord: “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are” (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). There are thorns which enter and choke the inner dwelling place, preventing the Lord from residing within us. There are thorns surrounding our bodies which prevent us from performing the good deeds we desire to do: “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24); “Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good” (Romans 7:20-21). You may find that you cannot even extend your hand to perform good deeds, to serve the weak, the widow, and those in need. There are thorns which surround our feet, preventing us from going and serving one another. There are many people who are in need of our condolences and visitation to them to offer our consolation. There are many people who are in need of cheerful words or congratulations — this small word carries a large meaning. The small act of offering condolences with few words carries a significant meaning. This is why we must be sure that our feet walk in the way of charity: “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15). There are many thorns which plague your legs, so that you are prevented from coming to Church, and you forget to say: “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord’” (Psalm 122:1). These are the same thorns that hurt the feet of the Prodigal Son when he left his father’s house and went afar — thorns of pleasures, thorns of desires, thorns of arrogance, thorns of pride, thorns of conceit, thorns of sinful deeds — all of these choked him. He squandered his money, his honor was lost, even his clothes were torn and dirtied, his feet bled, and his life became miserable and bitter. He was in need, whereas before he lived in luxury. He lost his dignity and thought: “How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!” (Luke 15:17). He thought: “The servants in my father’s house are many, and they lived in luxury, eating, drinking, and enjoying many blessings, while I, the son of luxury, lost this luxury! The son of honor, I lost my honor. The son of glory, I have become shameful. The son of the rich, I became poor.” All of this because he strayed away from his father’s house, and the thorns suffocated him and did not allow him to experience the true beauty of life, for “Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs 14:34). There are thorns that grow, and because we have strayed from our Lord and do not repent, and do not have pure hearts, “you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God” (Romans 2:5). Remove the thorns immediately, so that the soil is good. If there is a thorn in your eye, pluck it, lest it grow and bring more with it, and instead of being a speck, it becomes a plank. When it becomes a plank, you will be prevented from seeing clearly: “First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:5). There are planks, my beloved, that are of discontentment and are caused by the growing thorns when a person is not satisfied with what he has, and does not say: “We thank You for every condition, concerning every condition, and in every condition,” (See the Thanksgiving Prayer) or “We thank You for the clothes which I wear and the food that nourishes me, which others do not possess. I thank You for my health, which others long to find.” Oh, how many people have this plank of discontentment! They come to church and see those who are dressed better than them, and become angered or want to imitate them. There is no contentment within them, and they have lost the spirit of thankfulness. There is also the thorn of impurity which enters an eye, so that instead of preserving the eye’s purity, knowing that “the lamp of the body is the eye” (Matthew 6:22), a person neglects to remove this thorn before it corrupts the body. Time after time the person finds that he no longer merely desires, but also acts upon his desires as well, and falls into acts of greed, revenge, lying, and even murder, amongst many other sins. There are many thorns — we must pluck them right away, lest they destroy our lives and we struggle. “The Word of God is living and powerful” (Hebrews 4:12). You were created after the Image and Likeness of God, and God gave you beauty, “the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel” (Isaiah 11:2), and innumerable blessings. What causes you to lose these blessings and gifts? The thorns of the world, the thorns of vanity, the thorns of conceit, the thorns of unthankfulness, the thorns of discontentment, the thorns of anger, pride, and hatred, and the thorns of revenge. St. Moses the Strong had these thorns controlling his life, so much so that he put every effort into killing those who opposed him, even going out of his way for the sake of revenge. He subjected his body to lust, and committed sins as if he were drinking water. How would the Word of God grow and produce fruit in this person? He would not find improvement unless he removed the thorns and emptied his life of all these evils. The people surrounding you, if they are bad influences, are thorns which choke your life: “Evil company corrupts good habits” (1 Corinthians 15:33). Remove these thorns which corrupt good behavior. When we remove these thorns, we become pure, for “every word of God is pure” (Proverbs 30:5), and we suffocate it and cause it to lose its sweetness and splendor. What changed your beauty into ugliness? What changed your sweetness into bitterness? What changed your virtues into shameful deeds and actions? All of this is because of the thorns. For this reason our Lord Jesus Christ accepted to have a crown of thorns placed upon His head, to remind you of all of the sins which come from the thorns which trouble you. He comes and accepts shame for you, “having become a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13), and He hung on the Cross, as the Bible says: “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” (Galatians 3:13; c.f. Deuteronomy 21:23). He wears the crown of thorns in order to crown us with the crown of honor, so that you might remove every thorn from your life and give yourself wholly to our Lord and ask Him to adorn you with the crown of glory, holiness, righteousness, and struggle, as He crowned the saints — such as St. Paul the Apostle, St. George, and all the saints — so that you may proclaim with them: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). My beloved, our Lord warns you: “Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown” (Revelation 3:11). You remove the crown of thorns so that He may adorn you with the crown of glory. Struggle, even so far as to resist “to bloodshed, striving against sin” (Hebrews 12:4), so that the Lord will remove these thorns from you and carry them on your behalf: “And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). He will carry them in order to adorn you with the crown of glory and dress you with white garments (See Revelation 3:5), so that you may be with Him in His glory, and He tells you “Well done, good and faithful servant…enter into the joy of your lord” (Matthew 25:21). May God grant us grace, my beloved, and let us ask Him for help in removing the thorns from our lives. Alone, we are unable to remove these thorns, but He is the one who is able to help us remove them from our lives. Assist me, Lord, to please you with every good deed. To God is due all glory and honor — now, forever, and unto the ages of all ages. Amen.

A translation of the First Papal Sermon of His Holiness Pope Kyrillos VI, delivered at his enthronement by the late Metropolitan Anba Lucas — May 10, 1959. — Our beloved brethren, the fathers, the metropolitans and bishops, and our dear children, the priests and deacons and all the people everywhere in the See of St. Mark. Grace and blessing and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I thank my good God, the Lord of Glory, who has called me and chosen my weakness for this holy service, not worthily, but out of the abundance of His grace, for the purpose of shepherding His blessed people and for the service, that the sign of His glory may be exalted, and for the preparation of individuals as well as nations for the inheritance of eternal life. Beloved, I feel in myself the responsibility that has been placed on my shoulder, and the holy deposit that has been tied around my neck, and these talents that have been delivered to me from the Lord of the Church – these talents in which I must invest to bear fruit and multiply. But who am I? It is the grace of God that works in us and with us. Certainly, He who has called me will assist me in the apostolic service. I trust in His blessed promise: “I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I will break the gates of brass and cut asunder the bars of iron” (Is. 45:2). My entire trust is in the mercies of our God, who says to His Church: “‘For a brief moment I have forsaken you, but with great mercies I will gather you. With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment; But with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,’ Says the Lord, your Redeemer.” (Is. 54:7-8). What does the human need more than the service of the Spirit in this age of materialism, infidelity, atheism, and deviant intellectual tendencies? What will benefit the people except that they see Christ in our lives, and smell His beautiful fragrance in us. The Church is entrusted with a dangerous mission in the moment that the world is currently going through. She must establish faith in the hearts, and spread virtue, and send peace and tranquility to every troubled soul, so that stability may ensue and joy may increase. For the message of the Lord Christ is the inauguration of a better life for the people: “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). That is the pure, calm, purifying, and active life, which constitutes the good, productive citizen and the active member of the Church, who knows to be honest always to God and to country, cooperating with all with the spirit of collegiality and brotherhood. I rely on the support of God and your love, which I hold dearly, needing the spirit of the saintly fathers and [walking in] the footsteps of the past patriarchs, the successors of Saint Mark the Apostle, who fought the good fight and completed their struggle and kept the Faith and delivered to us the holy deposit. I wish that I may open to you my heart, that you may see the deep love that covers all, that is the love that pours forth from the heart of our Savior, who loved us and redeemed us by His blood. I ask all to persevere in the offering up of prayers for the sake of the peace of the Church and for my weakness, and for the sake of all servants and workers. “You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest” until He confirms and grants that His Church “may offer praise on the earth” (Is. 62:6-7). If our mission is so great and dangerous, then this matter calls for the unity of powers and efforts, that we may complete our work with joy. I am confident that our brethren the metropolitans and bishops, our blessed children the priests and deacons, the members of the general and individual lay councils, the various entities and active societies, and all servants in the vineyard of the Lord, will all work together in cooperation with us in love and loyalty, with self-sacrifice and the denial of the ego, in harmony with the leadership and the grace of the Great Shepherd of shepherds; may we disappear that He may appear with His blessed glory. I ask the Lord that He may grant us all oneness of spirit and heart and thought, that we may work together with one mind and one will, that is the will of the Holy Spirit, Who has guided the Church throughout her long glorious history. And we have one holy goal: the glory of God and the service of Truth and the highest aspirations. I do not aspire to anything and “neither is my soul haughtily raised within me” (Ps. 131:1), except that I may complete my struggle joyfully, and the service that I have taken from the Lord Jesus, knowing that you are my joy and pleasure and crown of boasting (cf. 1 Thess. 2:19). My joy is in your success, and my pleasure is in the steadfastness of your faith and the power of your hope and the increase of your love (cf. 1 Thess. 1:3). May the God of all love and peace shepherd the people of the United Arab Republic and keep the life of the President Gamal Abdel Nasser, the president of the Republic, and aid with wisdom and peace his struggle and hard work for the sake of peace and the liberty of the peoples. We also convey the sincerest greetings and our Apostolic blessings to the beloved blessed Orthodox brother, the honorable emperor Haile Selassie I, the emperor of Ethiopia, and to the honorable empress and princes, and our brothers the Metropolitan Anba Basilious, and all the bishops and priests and deacons and dear Ethiopian congregation. We implore God that He may preserve the congregations of the See of St. Mark, and grant peace and success to its governments in Africa and Asia, for the sake of the establishment and spread of the principles of love and peace in all the world, and to His greatness is due all thanks and glory and honor always and forever. Amen. — If you find this translation lacking or mistaken in any way, due to our own shortcomings and weakness and not those of our fellow workers, please let us know so we may correct it. Please pray for those who took part in this work and may this be for your edification. The link to the video is below: https://youtu.be/SViqWBvdA2M (@ 11:57 — 21:51)

During the distribution of the Holy communion, it is possible, albeit infrequent, that a morsel or portion of the Holy Eucharist[1] may accidentally be spilled or fall from the hands of the priest or bishop distributing the Sacrament. In the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Eucharist that is offered to the communicants is well understood and believed to be the true Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, and this faith, held by the believers in the Church who approach the Table, is evident in practice even in such events, as the priest or bishop from whom such an accident occurs seeks with great care to retrieve the fallen portion so that no part of the Eucharist is wasted. Such care for the entirety of the Eucharist is an integral component of the work of the celebrant in administering the holy communion, especially as it reveals the Church’s faith in the actualization of the words of the Lord Jesus Christ when establishing the Eucharist with His disciples: “Take, eat; this is My body.”[2] In light of these words, and the unshaken belief of the believers in their truth, it would be absolutely unacceptable that even the smallest piece of the Body and Blood of the Lord, which were broken and shed on our behalf, be wasted. In most circumstances wherein such an affront occurs, only a fraction of the Eucharist falls or is spilled from the chalice, and so it can easily be retrieved, especially in the case of the Body, allowing for the administering of communion to continue. In the event that the whole chalice is spilled, however, the Church has prepared a liturgical prayer for the reconstitution of the chalice so that the congregation may not be prevented from partaking of the Eucharist. This prayer, translated into English below, as well as the attention given to the communing and distribution of the Eucharist, reveals the Coptic Orthodox believers’ living practice of the Church’s teaching: more than mere philosophy or ideology, the faith that the Eucharist is the true Body and Blood of Christ is lived and practiced throughout the rites of the Church’s worship, and the liturgical prayers express, preserve, and make practical this faith of the Church. During times when the Christians prayed liturgies in the homes of believers — especially during the years of the Apostles’ establishment of churches,[3] but also throughout history, especially during times of persecution — simple chalices and plates were consecrated and used in the administration of the Eucharist: “Probably, the first chalices used by Christian priests were made of glass. It seems likely at least, though the inference cannot be called certain, from Tertullian’s words, that in his time glass chalices were commonly used in church, and undoubtedly such chalices were still common during the fifth century, as appears from the testimonies of St. Jerome and Cyprianus Gallus, the biographer of St. Cæsarius of Arles. Gregory of Tours mentions a crystal chalice of remarkable beauty, which belonged to the church of Milan.”[4] Over time, the use of gold and silver became predominant, replacing the use of these simpler and less durable materials: “However, even before persecution had ceased, the Church began, from natural reverence for Christ’s blood, to employ more costly vessels … Of course, such precious chalices became more common when the Church grew rich and powerful … Still for a long time chalices of horn, base metal, &c., were still used…”[5] Even with the development of such protective measures, however, it was not unheard of that a chalice would leak or break from its frequent use, regardless of the material from which it was made. Chalices made from copper or brass would also easily rust, rendering their contents unfit for consumption and ultimately leading to prohibitions against the use of such materials in making the Eucharistic chalice: “Let not the chalice be made of copper or brass, because from the action of the wine it produces rust, which occasions sickness.”[6] To further preserve the integrity of the chalice and thereby ensure the security of the Blood therein, the liturgical rites of the Coptic Orthodox Church require that the celebrant trace around the edge of the chalice with his finger during the Institution Narrative to confirm that there are no cracks or breaks in the chalice that would either cause the Blood to leak or cause harm to the communicants. Such measures were enacted in the preparation of the chalice and within the rites of every Eucharistic celebration to ensure that the chalice was adequate for the reception of the Eucharist by the congregation. The many precautions and careful preoccupation with even the material of the chalice used in the administration of the Eucharist were not practiced without reason. As mentioned above, the faith of the Church in the truth of the Eucharist — that it is the true Body and Blood of the Lord, and not merely symbolic of them — required such care and attention, lest any of the Body and Blood of the Lord, which He offered as a ransom on behalf of humankind, be wasted or disregarded. Such faith is expressed liturgically, especially in the Confession said by the celebrant immediately prior to the distribution of the Eucharist — a prayer unique to the rite of the Coptic Orthodox Divine Liturgy: “Amen, Amen, Amen. I believe, I believe, I believe and confess to the last breath that this is the life-giving Flesh that Your Only-Begotten Son, our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ … given for us as a ransom (ⲛ̀ⲟⲩⲥⲱϯ), remission of sins, and eternal life to those who partake of It (ⲛ̀ϧⲏⲧⲥ). I believe, I believe, I believe that this is true. Amen.” We also find in many writings of the early Church Fathers an emphasis on the care for the administration of the Eucharist. Origen the Great, in the third century, writes: “You are accustomed to take part in the divine mysteries, so you know how, when you have received the Body of the Lord, you reverently exercise every care lest a particle of it fall, and lest anything of the consecrated gift perish.”[7] Around the same time, Hippolytus similarly mentions in his Apostolic Tradition, which was also pertinently called the Egyptian Church Order: “All shall be careful so that no unbeliever tastes of the Eucharist, nor a mouse or other animal, nor that any of it falls and is lost. For it is the Body of Christ, to be eaten by those who believe, and not to be scorned. Having blessed the cup in the Name of God, you received it as the antitype of the Blood of Christ. Therefore do not spill from it, for some foreign spirit to lick it up because you despised it. You will become as one who scorns the Blood, the price with which you have been bought.”[8] Later, in the fourth century, Cyril of Jerusalem, in his Mystagogical Catechesis, outlines the proper approach of the believers to the Eucharist: “In approaching therefore, come not with your wrists extended, or your fingers spread; but make your left hand a throne for the right, as for that which is to receive a King. And having hollowed your palm, receive the Body of Christ, saying over it, Amen. So then after having carefully hallowed your eyes by the touch of the Holy Body, partake of it; giving heed lest you lose any portion thereof; for whatever you lose, is evidently a loss to you as it were from one of your own members. For tell me, if any one gave you grains of gold, would you not hold them with all carefulness, being on your guard against losing any of them, and suffering loss? Will you not then much more carefully keep watch, that not a crumb fall from you of what is more precious than gold and precious stones?”[9] In light of these and many other testimonies from the early Church, there is great caution and emphasis upon the particularities of the believer’s approach to the Table, to prevent any accidental loss of or injury to the Eucharist. In her wisdom, the Coptic Church, understanding the plausibility of the accidental spilling of the chalice, offers a theologically sound liturgical solution in presenting a prayer for the reconstitution of the chalice, so that no believer is prevented from partaking of the Eucharist in the event of such error on the part of the administering priest or bishop, who would be justly subject to punishment by the Church if found to have been negligent in his responsibility towards ensuring the safety of both the chalice and its contents. This prayer, which is in essence a summary of the Divine Liturgy, including each of its components — Trinitarian Doxology and the Thanksgiving Prayer (which introduce each of the Coptic Church’s sacramental prayers), raising of incense, Scriptural readings, supplication, reconciliation and the holy kiss, anamnesis, epiclesis, hymnological chant, etc. — provides the Church with an appropriate solution which enables the distribution of the Holy Mysteries to continue. Unable to compromise the liturgical worship and sanctity of the Eucharistic Table for any reason or situation, the Church’s presentation of this prayer reveals the sincerity and reverence by which the believers approach the Holy Communion and their expression of the faith in the truth of the Eucharist, the true Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. May God prevent such circumstances and aid our fathers the priests and bishops who are entrusted with delivering the Eucharist to us, that we may not be found guilty of wasting even a crumb or droplet from the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ which He entrusted to us as a life-giving medicine of immortality. Source: الخولاجى المقدس القداسات الثلاثة عربى قبطى (مصححه بمعرفة القمص عبد المسيح صليب، ١٧١٠ شهداء ١٩٩٣ ميلادية) — [1] In the Coptic Orthodox Tradition, the small pieces of the Holy Eucharist are called “jewels” (جواهر). [2] Matthew 26:26 [3] See e.g., Acts 2:2; Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Colossians 4:15; Philemon 1:2, [4] William E. Addis, A Catholic Dictionary Containing Some Account of the Doctrine, Discipline, Rites, Ceremonies, Councils, and Religious Orders of the Catholic Church, “Chalice,” 139 (Harvard University, 1884). [5] Ibid., 140 [6] Hefele, “Beiträge,” ii. p. 322 seq. (See Ibid., 140) [7] Origen the Great, Homilies on Exodus 13.3 [8] Hippolytus of Rome, The Apostolic Tradition 37-38 [9] Cyril of Jerusalem, On the Mysteries 5.21

Introduction With the existence of different fasting regulations among some Orthodox churches, both Eastern and Oriental, it is needful that principles be set forth that contribute to the unification of this invaluable and ancient practice contemporarily. It is important, however, that when ancient practices meet contemporary culture, that the practice be assimilated and appropriated not with uncertain caution but with the graced confidence of the Holy Spirit of wisdom. This requires faithfulness to all that God has revealed not just through Scripture, Tradition, and the life of the Church, but also through the latest developments in the sciences, which should never be incongruent with the former. It is important that the Orthodox Church, while maintaining its loyalty to its Patristic heritage, continue to incorporate, digest, and appropriate the latest contributions of modern medicine and scientific research. For this reason, I will present a synthesis of the ancient and the contemporary by focusing on the writings of St. John Chrysostom and Dr. Randi Fredricks, a leading authority and researcher on fasting. St. John Chrysostom proved to be a man heavily concerned with the practical implementation of church regulations. Within his writings it is easy to find him on par with the concerns of the church community at all levels, suggesting behavioral and ethical guidelines by which to embody the spirit of the law. In this light, it is useful to focus on his writings in particular to guide the discussion on fasting. This will be especially helpful in conversation with the latest findings in the sciences concerning fasting. Dr. Randi Fredricks, a world-renowned leading researcher and expert on the science of fasting, published an important book on this topic in 2013 entitled Fasting: An Exceptional Human Experience. Her findings, alongside others that will be mentioned, help elucidate the relationship between the healthcare field and fasting and the resulting interplay between societal outlooks on religious fasting. The discussion of fasting is not only needful as an ecumenical tool but it needs serious (re)consideration so as not to be used contrary to its intended purposes, which is often the danger with a longstanding practice—the original intent becomes obfuscated. This obscuring holds no partiality; fasting is in a triple conundrum, with pressures from opposing ends, one of which takes root in society and two of which sprout from the faithful. First, medical professionals often denounce fasting because of a misrepresentation of fasting.[1] This is likely a cumulative effect resulting from monastic texts exalting what may appear to be self-mutilation, from the concern of health risks and detrimental outcomes, or from a lack of convincing scientific research. With this disapproval comes arguments against any benefits to fasting, and this runs the risk of deterring the faithful from this necessary practice as the acquisition of medical knowledge is often coupled with a sense of a greater ability for autonomous decision making. Additionally, the dangers that are internal to the Church follow from improperly approaching the practice of fasting from one of two extremes. The first is in the case of an oxymoronic hyper-moderation, which can act counter to its purported aim by holding moderation as an absolute. This in turn can be mistaken for indifference or warranted laxity and is not far from slipping into the repudiation of a valuable practice. The second case is one of a pharisaic legalism that can either become harmful to the body or that simply adheres to prescribed motions of abstinence or dietary restriction without concern for anything but adherence to a self-concocted spiritual rite that finds rest only in self-righteousness. The goal of this paper is to offer bases on which to alleviate these tensions, which should not gain the upper hand, as fasting is an inextricable part of the human experience. A clear picture is fashioned through the harmonious pigments of the latest medical research and the practice of fasting, and it is important that this harmony be recognized and shared as common knowledge and as a vital component of Church education. While sufficiency could rest in the high esteem and frequent observance of fasting among the early Church Fathers, it is a staple of our time to act in congruence with personally attained knowledge. For this reason, I believe that the support of science and medicine is an integral part of encouraging the faithful to be entrenched wholeheartedly in the practice of fasting. By this, I am not implying that fasting should be observed because of physiological advantages. This obsession with creating lists of benefits that can often be irrelevant is coined by Scot McKnight in his book on fasting as “benefit-itis,” whose comical ring helps relay its counter effectiveness.[2] Instead, as I will discuss below, St. John Chrysostom and the top medical researchers on fasting agree at least on the three following points: fasting facilitates autonomous control, fasting significantly enables and grants freedom and elation, and fasting encompasses fundamental dimensions of holistic human flourishing. Fasting as Recovery of Control To begin, much can be said concerning Chrysostom’s extensive writings on asceticism, but in order to narrow the scope of this paper, I will mention texts of his that make explicit reference to fasting. Known in his time as “the monk,”[3] Chrysostom focused much on making arguments for ascetic practices that were both relevant to the scope of one’s daily life and theologically sound. Regarding fasting, Chrysostom says in Homily XIII on Matthew 4, “Adam by the incontinence of his belly was cast out of paradise.”[4] He continues by explaining that one of the “medicines of our salvation” is given us by the example of the Lord Jesus Christ through fasting, which restores our will, resolve, and power over the sway of the devil.[5] This way, humans are no longer under the control of bodily temptations but have regained control through governing the appetite. In addition to promising control, hunger cultivates virtue in its opposition to evil and its concord with good. Thus, for Chrysostom, in order to regain the authority given humanity in paradise, evil must be resisted; in order for evil to be resisted, one must possess full control over one’s body; and in order to possess this control, one must bridle the stomach through fasting. While Chrysostom’s bases remained theological and experiential, Teresa M. Shaw’s work The Burden of the Flesh: Fasting and Sexuality in Early Christianity provides evidence for the correlation the monk put forth. More specifically, she refers to a number of experiments, the most exhaustive and conclusive of which was conducted at the University of Minnesota. This research noted a significant and positive correlation between an increase in caloric intake and an increase in sexual desire.[6] Cited alongside these results are estimated calculations of the caloric sum of St. John Cassian’s suggested diet for monks, which amounted to approximately 930 calories daily.[7] While the suggestion based on this calculation certainly would not be to resort to methods of semi-starvation, it is the idea of having control over one’s body that is most fruitful in this discussion. It should also be noted that this is not an invitation to improperly denounce human sexuality or the sexual experience as impure or sinful. Instead, these experiments point to the link between lower food intake and the recovery of control over one’s body. In this specific instance, instead of being enslaved, one is more capable of being intentional with one’s sexuality, possessing the power and ability to positively utilize this God-given gift. To this exact point St. John links “the corpulence that comes of gluttony” and the ability to “repel the tempest of evil thoughts” admitting that the former, that is gluttony, is a great hindrance to this end.[8] As a result, this study provides implications for a proactive solution to any societies or communities that have succumbed to an unfortunate increase in sexual perversion, and it also supports the conclusions reached by the monk centuries ago concerning the efficacy of fasting. Fasting as Freedom from Bodily Impediments It was not only a restoration to paradise and the regaining of control over the body that interested St. John regarding fasting. This control has a number of corollaries—important ones that feed into each other and that facilitate other aspects of the Christian struggle. Chrysostom writes, “He that fasts is light, and winged, and prays with wakefulness.” He continues by explaining that this accompaniment of prayer to fasting gives “double wings,” able to lift a person away from the cares and attachments to this world.[9] Not only does this grant control, but it grants power over what might otherwise be considered distractions to spiritual progress. The combination of fasting and prayer are crucial for Chrysostom, and this is further supported by a biblical retrieval of fasting in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ. The most obvious example is His forty-day wilderness fast following His baptism and prior to the official mark of the beginning of His earthly ministry. The monk makes a case for fasting in this regard, stating that since Christ fasted after His baptism, so too should Christians observe this practice throughout the duration of their lives after their baptisms. Yet this is not the only case to make for Christ’s institution of this practice for His followers. In the synoptics,[10] when He is asked why His disciples do not fast, He replies that they will fast when He, the Bridegroom, leaves. It is soon after the confession and commemoration of this departure that the Orthodox Church observes the Fast of the Apostles. Moreover, this event serves as an impetus for the many fasts the Church in Her history implemented after Christ’s institution of the practice. The very institution of fasting is an important component of its effectiveness. While this presentation does indeed focus much on the physiology and psychology of fasting, it does not follow that fasting is not a mystical experience. As Vladimir Lossky asserts, the mystical theology of the East holds that spiritual realities are not to be overshadowed by philosophical endeavors.[11] Without opening a larger topic on the mysticism of fasting, suffice it here to note that Chrysostom and other early Fathers interpreted this event in the synoptics as a command by God. This is supported by Christ proclaiming “When you fast” instead of “If you fast” in Matthew 6.[12] It naturally follows that adherence to and observance of Divine command could and would be accompanied by experiences of that which is beyond the physical. Dr. Randi Fredricks’ research on fasting supports this conclusion. She cites dozens of studies that correlate fasting to mystical experiences. Scientifically, these experiences can be described by a number of labels, including Exceptional Human Experiences (EHE’s), Altered States of Consciousness (ASC’s), and some renditions of the theory of the phenomenon of flow, a theory familiar to the vocabulary of both religion and science, none of which are to be confused by accusations of hallucination.[13] The repeated studies since the mid 20th century, beginning with Abraham Moslow and extending to dozens of contemporary researchers, have confirmed this correlation. These “peak experiences,” as they are sometimes identified, enable self-actualization and self-realization.[14] Fredricks concludes that fasting provides means by which to facilitate self- transcendence through its obvious ability to promote detachment from and the loosening of worldly ties, beginning with a removal from the reliance on food.[15] This in turn can produce altered states of consciousness that are present not simply physiologically from a depletion of dietary sustenance but also from the realization of the insufficiency of bodily reliance in guaranteeing happiness, freedom, and feelings of purpose and fulfillment. This is in perfect harmony with Patristic notions of the positive effects of fasting and serves to eliminate what may sometimes be a hesitancy either to trust developments in the sciences or to trust its congruency with religion. More importantly, it supports the Patristic experience that the mysticism that often accompanies fasting is not accidental but instead, fasting is a valuable outlet into ethereal realities. Fasting as Holistic Human Flourishing Arguably the most dominant of St. John Chrysostom’s foci on this topic harbors on a spirit of fasting that encompasses the entirety of a person’s well being. More specifically, the crux of fasting for Chrysostom is to aid in a person’s struggle against sin, and if the manner of fasting promotes sin in one way or another, it is not sincere fasting and should be discontinued.[16] He explains that all things are permitted to be eaten, and so if we abstain from those things that are permitted and yet do those things which are not, we lose the spirit of fasting.[17] Instead, the monk emphasizes that fasting should initiate positive change—a reformation of conduct toward a more virtuous self.[18] We should become unhabituated to sin by becoming habituated in good works, especially since he comfortably places charity and almsgiving—that is, expressions of love towards the other—above the physical practice of fasting.[19] This calls to mind the same spirit of fasting found in the book of Isaiah: “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice...Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them...?”[20] The main focus of fasting then should be a complete transformation of one’s interior disposition from sin toward virtue. Chrysostom explains that even those who are unable to fast physically are still able to observe fasting periods by diverting their bodies from overindulgence. Yet, it remains true that the physical methods of fasting instructed by the Church prove effective in meeting these transformative ends. This holistic transformative effect is precisely what Dr. Fredricks demonstrates throughout her work. Dr. Fredricks provides a significant amount of research and data, some original and self- conducted and others from a comprehensive study of the available data published in the field, that provide astounding links between fasting and the promotion of physical and psychological health.[21] Among a number of other benefits, fasting promotes physical healing on a number of levels, has been found to lower symptoms of depression, exhibits similar brain wave patterns as those induced by the practice of meditation, can help reduce grief, enhances mental clarity and performance, may decrease the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease, and can help physically and psychologically with eating disorders.[22] The point here, however, is not to shift the impetus for fasting from the spiritual to the physical, but to show that science agrees that fasting extends beyond simple dietary constraints. Moreover, it is difficult to categorize these physical benefits as separate from or in opposition to spiritual benefits. The intimacy of body and spirit and the perpetual and profound effect each has on the other cannot be denied or overstated. To this end, the fact that fasting promotes physical well being can be a signal for its spiritual efficacy and vice versa. Similarly, the holistic promotion of the physiology and psychology of fasting signals a certain wholeness spiritually. Surely these must be appropriated with caution, but it would be rather difficult to make a case that concordant attestations by a reliable and exemplary Patristic account and a leading contemporary scientific account regarding the physical, psychological, and spiritual wholeness experienced through fasting are mere coincidence. The correspondences do not end there. Fredricks’ research provides strong claims as to how a fast is to be approached in order to ensure that its benefits are experienced maximally. The type of fasting that Fredricks puts above all others is water-only fasting, and while this does not necessarily exemplify the most common practice among Orthodox Christians today, there is an important pragmatic technique she highlights that forms a lucid distinction between healthy, beneficial, and proper fasting on the one hand, and unhealthy, harmful, and improper fasting on the other. To be exact, the technique focuses on the process before, during, and after periods of fasting. There exist certain withdrawal symptoms when beginning a fast, and for this reason, experts in the field recommend a preparatory diet before fasting.[23] This can include eating a whole foods diet or a vegan diet low in salt, oil, and sugar.[24] This of course would be in preparation for water-only fasting, but it points to the importance of gradually entering a fast. This is in contrast to the frequented overindulging that is practiced before beginning a prescribed fasting period but in consonance with the rites of some Orthodox churches that have installed a preparatory week before Lent. Furthermore, the healthier the body prior to fasting, the fewer withdrawal symptoms experienced, such as headaches, dizziness, and fatigue, allowing one to focus more on the aforementioned transformative benefits instead of a fixation on the difficulty and specifics of dietary modifications. This gradual progression is also advised during fasts as well as when breaking fasts.[25] High caloric intake is not advisable after long periods of caloric abstinence. Alternating between abstinence and overindulging may be even less beneficial than not fasting at all, as studies have shown a drastic drop in mental and physical performance with such habits.[26] To this point, St. John Chrysostom admonishes those who in his time exhibited gluttony and overindulgence before and after fasts, effectively impeding or reversing the progress made while fasting.[27] Conclusion It has been my objective to address the three concerns mentioned at the outset of this paper, and the synthesis of the ancient and the contemporary has made this possible. First, regarding the disdain with which the medical field may look at fasting and the possible negative effects it could have on the trust and adherence of the faithful to this practice, it is clear that this is the result of poorly relaying what exactly constitutes the true spirit of fasting and how it is to be observed for the benefit of body and spirit. Pragmatically, it should be a concern of the Church to acquire and disperse this education fully, faithfully, and accurately. In this way, fasting will claim a more positive image inside and outside the Church and the healthcare field, allowing its benefits to be widespread. Second, regarding the problem of hyper-moderation that can cause lax adherence to fasting or that can easily fall into repudiation of the tradition, it is clear that in order to experience the full power of fasting, serious effort needs to be input. EHE’s, ASC’s, and other medically attested mystical experiences of fasting are only attained when a certain level of fasting enables one to detach from worldly ties by first detaching from overindulging the stomach. Moreover, hyper-moderation ignores the fact that fasting impacts each and every day of the year, since the periods before and after fasts are crucial and since the health of the body even during non-fasting periods influences the way in which the body reacts during fasting. This in turn determines the level of focus one will be able to dedicate to reaping the benefits of this practice. Third, regarding the nullification of fasting fostered by a pharisaic legalistic spirit, this practice ought to be viewed as a holistic experience in which the cultivation of virtue is of utmost importance. Fasting ought to create freedom from bodily and spiritual impediments, allowing its practitioners to focus not only on their personal well being but also and consequently on the flourishing of the other. Thus, the corporality of Orthodox fasting is in keeping with the saying, “One can be damned alone, but saved only with others.”[28] It is through this true spirit of fasting that humanity regains its God-given control, receives its untainted freedom, and accesses an essential portal to the love of God and neighbor. — [1] Fredricks, Randi. Fasting: An Exceptional Human Experience. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse, 2013, 212. [2] McKnight, Scot. Fasting. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2009, 142-143. [3] Florovsky, Georges V. Patrology-Patristics. Vol. 7, Ch. 11. St. John Chrysostom. http://www.holytrinitymission.org/books/english/fathers_florovsky_1.htm [4] Chrysostom, John. Chrysostom: Homilies on the Gospel of Saint Matthew. Ed. Philip Schaff. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1994, 80. [5] Ibid., 81. [6] Shaw, Teresa M. The Burden of the Flesh: Fasting and Sexuality in Early Christianity. Minneapolis: Fortress, 1998, 125-127. The study contained thirty-two males who consumed 3,492 calories daily for twelve weeks followed by an average of 1,570 calories for the following twenty-four weeks. This semi-starvation was reported to decrease sexual feeling and expression, nocturnal fantasies and emissions, and a reduction in semen volume and change in morphology. [7] Ibid., 127. [8] Chrysostom, John. Chrysostom: On the Priesthood ; Ascetic Treatises ; Select Homilies and Letters ; Homilies on the Statues. Ed. Philip Schaff. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1994, 357. [9] Chrysostom, Matthew, 356. [10] Matthew 5, Mark 2, Luke 5 [11] Lossky, Vladimir. The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church. London: J. Clarke, 1957, 42. [12] Piper, John. A Hunger for God: Desiring God through Fasting and Prayer. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1997, 69, scriptural emphasis mine. [13] Fredricks, Exceptional, x, 108-119. [14] Ibid., 108-110. [15] Ibid. [16] Chrysostom, Ascetic Treatises, 406, 357, 359. [17] Ibid., 370. [18] Chrysostom, Ascetic Treatises, 450-451, 459, and Chrysostom, Matthew, 74. [19] Chrysostom, Ascetic Treatises, 388, 450-451. [20] Isaiah 58:6-7. Parts of the texts were left out not because they changed the meaning, but because they were superfluous and not as focused for the point at hand. [21] See Fredricks, Randi. An Exploratory Study of the Effects of Water Fasting for Depression. N.p.: n.p., 2011. [22] Fredricks, Exceptional, 47-63, 86-105, 280-303. [23] Fredricks, Exceptional,17. [24] Ibid., 17, 172. [25] Ibid., 32-36. [26] Ibid., 94-95. The study Fredricks refers to demonstrated that traffic incidents increased during the fasting month of Ramadan in predominantly Muslim countries where the fast is often observed with drastic fluctuations in diet before the recommended 48 hours of fasting is reached in which the state of the brain is no longer glucose-dependent. [27] Chrysostom, Ascetic Treatises, 438-439. [28] Baab, Lynne M. Fasting: Spiritual Freedom beyond Our Appetites. Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2006, 60. — Bibliography Baab, Lynne M. Fasting: Spiritual Freedom beyond Our Appetites. Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2006. Chrysostom, John. Chrysostom: Homilies on the Gospel of Saint Matthew. Ed. Philip Schaff. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1994. Chrysostom, John. Chrysostom: On the Priesthood ; Ascetic Treatises ; Select Homilies and Letters ; Homilies on the Statues. Ed. Philip Schaff. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1994. Florovsky, Georges V. Patrology-Patristics. Vol. 7, Ch. 11. St. John Chrysostom. http://www.holytrinitymission.org/books/english/fathers_florovsky_1.htm Fredricks, Randi. An Exploratory Study of the Effects of Water Fasting for Depression. N.p.: n.p., 2011. Fredricks, Randi. Fasting: An Exceptional Human Experience. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse, 2013. Grube, George W. What the Church Fathers Say About--. Minneapolis, MN: Light and Life Pub., 2005. Holy Bible: NRSV, New Revised Standard Version. New York: Harper Bibles, 2007. Lossky, Vladimir. The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church. London: J. Clarke, 1957. Main, Keith. Prayer and Fasting, a Study in the Devotional Life of the Early Church. New York: Carlton, 1971. McKnight, Scot. Fasting. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2009. Piper, John. A Hunger for God: Desiring God through Fasting and Prayer. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1997. Shaw, Teresa M. The Burden of the Flesh: Fasting and Sexuality in Early Christianity. Minneapolis: Fortress, 1998. Dr. Stephen Meawad is an Assistant Professor of Theology in the Department of Theology and Philosophy at Caldwell University and a Lecturer at Pope Shenouda III Coptic Orthodox Theological Seminary. He holds a doctoral degree in Theology from Duquesne University, with a particular focus in Christian Ethics. His book, "Beyond Virtue Ethics: A Contemporary Ethic of Ancient Spiritual Struggle" is available for pre-order at Georgetown University Press (to be released in March 2023). This paper was presented by Dr. Meawad at "The Conference in Preparation for the Great and Holy Council of the Orthodox Church" on June 27, 2016. DossPress.com is a place for Christian men and women to collaborate for the sake of our common edification by sharing their written works. As we strive to uphold a standard of doctrinal and spiritual soundness in the articles shared, we note nonetheless that the thoughts expressed in each article remain the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of Doss Press.

“He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). St. John the Baptist, knowing and understanding his calling and mission, served God faithfully and prepared the way for the coming of the Lord, pointing all who approached him to the One whose sandal strap he was not worthy to untie (Mark 1:7; c.f., Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16; John 1:27). He instilled this very approach to ministry in his own disciples, teaching them by his example, and undoubtedly also by his words, the centrality of God in life, worship, and service. For this reason, his disciples were able to discern that the Lord Jesus Christ was the One of whom St. John spoke, and followed Him, becoming His disciples eagerly and without hesitation, leaving behind their former teacher who had selflessly prepared them to recognize and follow the Teacher. Upon the disciple St. Andrew particularly, the example and teaching of St. John left a great impression, helping him to understand himself and his capabilities, and equipping him with the ability to uniquely, effectively, and faithfully serve the Lord. From the first mention of St. Andrew in the Gospels, it is easily discernible that he possessed a heart intent on the service of and care for others, seeking firstly his own salvation as well as that of his family. To that end, alongside his brother St. Peter, St. Andrew submitted himself to discipleship under St. John the Baptist, and, upon first encountering the Lord, he immediately thought of and sought out his brother, so that together, they would follow Him and believe in Him: “The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples; and he looked at Jesus as he walked, and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God!’ The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, ‘What do you seek?’ And they said to him, ‘Rabbi’ (which means Teacher), ‘where are you staying?’ He said to them, ‘Come and see.’ They came and saw where he was staying; and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two who heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon, and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus” (John 1:35-42). The Lord, preparing not only to minister to Israel but also to bring salvation to the whole world, found in St. Andrew and the other disciples the ability to serve and care for the salvation of others, including the Gentiles. In fact, the only words ascribed solely to St. Andrew in the Gospels invariably relate to his bringing others to the Lord. First, he tells his brother St. Peter: “We have found the Messiah;” and later, he would present the boy who had the five loaves and two fish to Christ, and by this, the five thousand were fed: “One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, ‘There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are they among so many?’” (John 6:8). He would also, along with St. Philip, bring to Jesus the Greeks who wished to see Him, that they might experience and receive a word from Him, and “many even of the authorities believed in Him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God” (John 12:20-43). Even the house of St. Andrew and St. Peter became a place for all who wished to see Jesus to come and experience His works and hear His teaching: there, the Lord would heal St. Peter’s mother-in-law and others, cast out evil spirits from many who were possessed with demons, and perform many other signs and wonders (Matthew 8:14-17; Mark 1:29-34; 2:1-12). In these recorded accounts, St. Andrew is found to clearly understand that salvation and the Gospel were meant to be shared with others, and to possess the natural ability to extend this message to everyone he would encounter, beginning firstly with his own family. Despite his being a man of few words (as far as the Gospels reveal), St. Andrew would go on to minister and preach the Gospel to the whole world alongside the other Apostles, bringing to the world the experience and spirit which he received from the Lord, firstly through his example, and when the Spirit gave utterance, also through word and teaching. In this way, his voice, along with that of his brother Apostles, “has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world” (Psalm 19:4; c.f., Romans 10:18). St. Andrew also possessed the spirit of selfless humility — a quality that the Lord would routinely stress to the disciples in His teaching: “Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:43-45; c.f., Matthew 20:26-28). Finding many gifts and talents in his brother St. Peter, for instance, St. Andrew encouraged and supported his growth in the service and work which Christ entrusted to His disciples. Thus, we find St. Peter often speaking on behalf of all of the Apostles (e.g., John 6:66-69; Matthew 19:23-30), speaking in the presence of the other disciples in the election of the replacement of Judas (Acts 1:15-26), and, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, delivering the first homily on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:14-41). This of course does not suggest that a primacy existed among the disciples, especially as such a principle would have contradicted the message and example which they heard from and witnessed in the Lord. Rather, the disciples, having been fundamentally re-shaped by the teaching and example of Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit such that any selfish ambition or self-centeredness they previously embodied was entirely excised from their hearts, naturally preferred and encouraged one another in the ministry, and relied on each other for support and correction. St. Andrew’s spirit of promoting others in the ministry according to their talents and qualifications is also clearly depicted in the account of his life in the Synaxarium: “He entered the city of Lydd [Kurdistan]…accompanied by his disciple, Philemon, who had a sweet voice and was a good reader. St. Andrew commanded Philemon to go up to the pulpit and read. When the priests of the idols heard of the arrival of Andrew the Apostle, they took their spears and went to the church. They stood outside the church to hear if he was cursing their gods or not. They heard Philemon reading the words of David the Prophet [Psalm 115:4-8]…Their hearts rejoiced because of his sweet voice and their emotions mellowed. They entered the church and bowed down at the feet of Andrew the Apostle. He preached to them and they believed in the Lord Christ. Then he baptized them with the rest of those who worshipped idols.” By recognizing St. Philemon’s talent in reading and selflessly promoting him in order to enable him to exercise this gift, St. Andrew was able to convert the idolaters and win them to the Faith in Christ. For St. Andrew, it did not matter whether he sat on the left or right hand of Christ in His glory; instead, he, along with the other disciples, learned to care only about enjoying the presence of the Lord, learning from and imitating Him, and sharing His teaching and the Gospel of His Economy of Salvation with the whole world. Having exemplified these characteristics and virtues among many others, St. Andrew was granted the greatest honor, of martyrdom — and not only to die for the sake of His Lord, but like Him to die upon a cross. Having been threatened with crucifixion by the proconsul Aegeates, St. Andrew replied: “If I had been afraid of the tree of the cross, I should not have proclaimed the glory of the Cross.” After imprisoning and torturing him, Aegeates ordered for St. Andrew to be crucified: “Aegeates then being enraged, ordered the blessed Andrew to be fastened to the cross. And he having left them all, goes up to the cross, and says to it with a clear voice: ‘Rejoice, O cross, which has been consecrated by the body of Christ, and adorned by His limbs as if with pearls. Assuredly before my Lord went up on you, you had much earthly fear; but now invested with heavenly longing, you are fitted up according to my prayer. For I know, from those who believe, how many graces you have in Him, how many gifts prepared beforehand. Free from care, then, and with joy, I come to you, that you also exulting may receive me, the disciple of Him that was hanged upon you; because you have been always faithful to me, and I have desired to embrace you. O good cross, which has received comeliness and beauty from the limbs of the Lord; O much longed for, and earnestly desired, and fervently sought after, and already prepared beforehand for my soul longing for you, take me away from men, and restore me to my Master, in order that through you He may accept me who through you has redeemed me.’” While this account of his martyrdom is considered an apocryphal work and not divinely inspired, it nevertheless represents a beautiful description of St. Andrew’s approach to the cross on which he would be killed. By few words and much action, St. Andrew became for the Church a testament to the power and ability of the Holy Spirit to work in us, each according to his or her own personality, talents, and capabilities. One does not need eloquence of speech, fame, or a large following to serve and preach Christ, but simply a deep love for God that engenders the desire and humility to abide in His presence and develop an intimate relationship with Him, being filled by His grace and work and being shaped to think, perceive, and behave as He desires and exemplifies. To such a person, God grants the ability to go and fill others — not primarily by long speeches or verbal exhortations, but more importantly by being the means through which they can also experience Christ. May the prayers of the disciple St. Andrew be with us and support the Church for which he offered his life in full dedication and service, and may God raise up believers possessing the spirit and discipleship which the Apostles, by their life, witness, and teaching, delivered to the Church.

When picturing a printed sacred book, one might visualize two to three columns of small-print, tightly-packed text devoid of anything visually interesting and with no incorporation of illustrations of any sort — perhaps out of deference to the text. Open your nearest Bible, your ⲁϫⲡⲓⲁ (agpia, prayer book of hours), or your church’s ⲉⲩⲭⲟⲗⲟⲅⲓⲟⲛ (euchologion, kholagy, liturgy prayer book) – assuming these are not children’s editions, it is more likely than not that little to no visual art will be represented in the book, barring the cover and perhaps also the first few pages. This, however, was not always the case. Visual art, whether illumination[1] or iconography, was consistently used in sacred manuscripts in the Coptic tradition. Allow me to relay an anecdote. A member of my parish asked me where the design of a certain Christian hoodie came from. (The design in question is included below as Exhibit 3 of Ms. Or. Quart. 474.) I replied that it was a page from an old Koiahk psalmody book. He was confused, and I, ironically, was confused by his confusion. Upon being asked why he was confused, he responded by inquiring, “Why would it have a design in it?” My answer generally conveyed the substance of this article: most old Coptic books (manuscripts) included art, and there is even a modern liturgical book that incorporates artwork within it (See the final exhibit labeled “A modern example!...”). I tell this story because prior to his question, it had not occurred to me that the average Copt would be unaware of the distinctive artistic features contained within Coptic manuscripts, and I cannot blame them for this lack of familiarity. Just as I noted above, if you were to check any of your modern ecclesiastical books, it is more likely than not that you would find its contents bereft of art. I do not wish to speculate regarding why it was bewildering to this young man to find artistic designs within a liturgical book, but I suspect there are many more Copts to whom the use of art in sacred writings might at first glance seem strange. From at least the 8th to the 18th century, there was some sort of artwork incorporated in ecclesiastical manuscripts (whether Scripture, psalmodies, or euchologia) — be it full-page pieces of art opening a section, illustrations incorporated within the lines of the text, small artworks represented in page headers or borders, or even very simply the first letter of the first word in a “paragraph” being ornamented or artistically accentuated. This incorporation of art in the Coptic liturgical manuscript tradition was prevalent enough that any manuscript from at least these centuries contains at least one of these four types of visual flourishes. (Examples of each will follow this article.) This extent of artistic incorporation may also be present in non-liturgical manuscripts, as can be seen, for example, in a certain manuscript (existing in fragments) containing various sermons of St. Shenoute the Archimandrite that makes use of artistic frames to introduce either sections or perhaps even different sermons. As for the reason for the incorporation of art in Coptic sacred texts, I can only presume. Perhaps it is to appeal to the readers’ senses — to strive to match the visuals of the page with the beauty of the meaning of the text within, the beauty of the liturgical services in which the text is used, and the beauty of the tunes placed onto the texts, to enable the holistic immersion of the worshiper in liturgical participation. Indeed, an integral part of the Church and her services is beauty — just look at the architecture, iconography, and vestments! Iconographer Kirollos Kilada once reflected: We have a tendency to focus on function at the expense of beauty, but this isn't how the Church experienced liturgy. This focus on function is what has led people to leave books behind. If books serve just to contain the text, then they can easily be dispensed with. But the book itself should be a beautiful liturgical object that we hold in our hands and that brings us into deeper communion with Christ, as do icons, architecture, vestments, etc. Everything is made beautiful for the glory of God, to call our minds to Paradise. One last presumption as to the inclusion of art into the manuscripts is to view the making of the manuscript, and not only its use in prayer and worship, as an offering or sacrifice to God. Keep in mind that the end goal of these manuscripts is that they be used by the faithful in their worship of God. The manuscript is therefore a tool for worship. It is a tool by which we can offer the sacrifice of praise. But how is the making of the manuscript a sacrifice itself? Think about the time and effort and skill needed to craft a manuscript, even without the artwork. Those who prepare each manuscript offer their time to make this liturgical object and utilize their craftsmanship and artistic talent to make this tool to the best of their ability. Liken this to an iconographer or one who creates vestments. They put their best effort into creating something beautiful to be used in the liturgy. They offer their best to God. When viewed in this light, one might recognize this as a message as old as the biblical account found in chapter four of the Book of Genesis. This chapter, for those unaware, recounts the story of Cain and Abel. How does manuscript making relate to this inspired account? After all, Cain and Abel probably did not even have writing systems. Recall, however, the event that caused Cain’s anger and hatred towards his brother Abel, which eventually led Cain to murder Abel. Cain and Abel both offered sacrifices to God. Abel’s was accepted, while Cain’s was rejected. Why? Is it because of what was offered? Clearly not, as we find in the Book of Isaiah: ”…you shall not continue! If you bring fine flour, it is pointless. Incense is an abomination to me; I do not tolerate your new moon festivals and Sabbaths and great day. Fasting and rest, and your new moons and your festivals, my soul hates. You have become excess to me; I will no longer forgive your sins.” (Isaiah 1:13–14, Lexham English Septuagint, 2nd ed.) Here we see that God is not pleased simply by what we offer to Him, but how we offer it. In these verses, the Lord says that incense, feasts, Sabbaths, and fasts are all abominations to Him. While these are all things prescribed in the Law for the children of Israel to do in their worship of the Lord God, the Israelites at the time of Isaiah did not perform them in the proper manner or with the right spirit or purpose. This is what causes an offering to become an abomination to God. In the same way, Cain’s sacrifice was rejected due to how it was offered. This is the interpretation offered by St. John Chrysostom in Homily 18 of his Commentary on Genesis: It is not without reason that in our previous interview I told you that God, who does not accept anyone, probes the will and rewards the intention of the heart. This remark finds here its correct application. That is why this passage of Genesis deserves a profound examination, and it is necessary to stop there seriously to understand well what is said of Cain and Abel. For there is nothing useless in Scripture, and a syllable, even a letter, contains a rich treasure, since we can always draw from it a moral sense. But what does she tell us? And it came to pass, long after, that Cain offered to the Lord a sacrifice of the fruits of the earth, and Abel also offered the firstborn of his flock and the fat ones. A penetrating mind understands at a simple reading the meaning of this passage. But I owe it to all, and the Gospel doctrine is equally addressed to all; I will go into some explanations, so that you will be better educated. Cain, says the Scripture, offered the Lord a sacrifice of the fruits of the earth. As for Abel, he chooses the productions of pastoral art as his own. And he offered the firstborn of his flock and the fat ones. Already these words alone show us all the piety of Abel, for he does not offer only a few sheep taken at random from his flock, but the firstborn, that is to say, the most beautiful and the most precious; and even among them the fatter, that is to say all that was better and more excellent. But with regard to Cain, Scripture does not enter into any detail; she contented herself with telling us that he offered a sacrifice of the fruits of the earth, and thus lets us suppose that he took the first that fell to her hand, and that he disdained to choose the most beautiful. I have already said it, and I will not cease to repeat it. If God receives our sacrifices, it is not that He needs them. He only wants to facilitate the means to show him our gratitude. That is why the man who offers in sacrifice the very things that he holds of God, must, to fulfill this religious duty, choose all that he has of the best. Otherwise, he would not understand how much God is superior to him and how much he is honored to fulfill these priestly functions … Now that we have addressed the prevalence of art in the Coptic manuscript tradition and provided some theories as to its purposes and possible motives for its incorporation, let us now make note of any motifs or common patterns that arise within these artworks over the centuries. Firstly, the colors used: commonly black and red. Black is typically used as the main color, particularly for the body of the text – or, at least, a majority of it – while red is used for accents (such as markers to separate each line into quatrains, to act similarly to punctuation, or even to accentuate certain letters, be it the first letter of a section or letters that naturally were written larger by hand such as ϧ, ⲫ, and ϩ) and for headings/introductions or the first/second line of a text. Sometimes red ink is used more frequently, such as for every other verse of the hymn being copied. Other common colors are yellow and green; less common yet still prevalent colors are blue, gold, and brown. I will not delve into attempting to explain the meanings for the various colors, as I find such attempts to often be inconsistent and excessive, particularly since similar designs can be found across different manuscripts with the only difference being the colors used, with no obvious explanation as to the discrepancies or choice of color in any given manuscript. I do believe that in most instances the colors used were simply whatever was available to the manuscript’s creator, or whatever they thought would look most appealing. For instance, most of the art in the modern examples provided below is dichromatic, utilizing both red and gray. The manuscript preparer was certainly able to utilize more colors, and in fact did on certain pages, so color selection is likely attributable to either the artist’s discretion or what colors were available to the artist whenever and wherever the piece was prepared. One fairly frequent element in some manuscripts, which I admittedly did not notice until compiling the exhibits below, is the peacock. Peacocks are an ancient symbol of immortality, eternal life, resurrection, renewal, and God’s omnipresence, and are commonly utilized not only in Coptic art but also in both Christian and non-Christian art more generally. Peacocks symbolize eternal life and immortality due to the ancient belief that peacocks were incorruptible. Aristotle claimed their flesh did not decay after death, and St. Augustine later tested this theory and concurred with it, as he records in Book 21 of his work City of God. Peacocks also represent renewal since male peacocks shed and regrow their plumage each spring. Due to their association with springtime renewal and eternal life, peacocks also signify the Resurrection. Finally, the connection between peacocks and God’s omnipresence arose from the appearance of a male peacock’s feathers when it displays its tail – the circular design on the tail looks like many watching eyes, thus becoming associated with the all-seeing eye of God. Copts also seem to have loved geometric constructions. There are several examples of art that can be deconstructed into, for example, many smaller circles, but when viewed holistically forms one intricate, beautiful piece (See Ms. or. quart. 474 exhibits below) — an example of simplicity forming beautiful complexity. An even more prevalent style of art which exemplifies this use of simple subunits to render a singular, masterful piece of art is Iota art. Iota art is a prevalent, authentic Coptic design used frequently in Coptic manuscripts throughout the centuries. It can be seen as a mosaic of sorts, forming a larger piece by combining many smaller components. The key, or the most prevalent subunit, in Iota art is the iota (hence the name of the style; pronounced “yo-ta”), resembling the Greek/Coptic letter iota which is the first letter in the name of Jesus Christ, the “name of salvation”[2] — indeed, Coptic art endeavors to express the Coptic faith. Many, when shown the Iota cross, describe the iota as a “bone” based on its shape — to clarify which shape is referenced. The iota component’s shape is often modified to work for the overall piece, such as elongating the piece (called a rectangular iota below) or rounding it around to make it loop into the rest of the piece (See BnF Copte 68 exhibits). When looking at these beautiful, complex constructions, the basis of the structure is The Iota, Jesus Christ. Below is a figure with the different subunits compiled by Vivian Michael citing two other works (El Bramosy, H.I.: Iota Art Printed. Cairo: Nobar Press (2008) & Demetrius, B.: Write and Pray Little by Little. A Stepwise Program to Teach the Coptic language. Cairo: Bishop Demetrius (1994).) and a simple Iota cross; notice the chain/knot/link motif in both examples. Finally, below are a number of examples of the art discussed, spanning the 12th to 21st centuries. Try to make note of what was previously discussed and see the distinct yet consistent Coptic style that pervaded the manuscripts from these centuries. BnF Copte 13 – Four Gospels (AD 1178-1180) Exhibit 1: Opening pages of the Gospel of Matthew showing an icon of the evangelist on one page and on the other page the Biblical text is bordered with this pattern, which is fairly common in Coptic manuscripts. Exhibit 2: Here an illustration of the Baptism of Christ is drawn directly into the text of Matthew 3 between verses 16 and 17. Along with this you can see floral illuminations on the sides of the page. Exhibit 3: Here we see variations of the Iota cross on the headers of the page and more floral illuminations on the right page. Ms. or. quart. 397 – Koiahk Psalmody (AD 1760) Exhibit 1: Here we see a border/frame drawn to introduce the third ode. Ms. or. quart. 474 – Koiak Psalmody (AD 1500) Exhibit 1: This is the opening page of a psalmody and we are already greeted with some geometrically well-crafted art on the left page, and on the right page above the first hymn we see some Iota art. Exhibit 2: Introducing this psali is a multicolored frame with a woven pattern, which is also common. One may argue that this pattern is an extension of Iota art. The drawing of a bird is actually the letter alpha. Exhibit 3: Here we have the first drawing revisited, this time completed in color, and the floral geometric pattern becomes a pattern in these pages as its frame introduces the Thursday Theotokion and the pattern and colors are incorporated with the first letter of the hymn. Exhibit 4: The design on the left page incorporates much of what we have seen thus far. Floral designs, geometric patterns, and Iota art. The Iota art is continued on the next page to introduce the Friday Theotokion. BnF Copte 68 – The Rite of the Procession for the Feast of St. Shenoute (AD 1401-1500) Exhibit 1: This is the opening page. We can already see how colorful it is. The cross on the top is a variant of the Iota cross. It is harder to see the components as the cross is drawn in small size in a such a tight area and with a more limited color palette. The frame beneath is more clearly a Iota frame. The colors are incorporated into the opening words of the texts as you can see. Exhibit 2: A later introductory page, again with the Iota frame. Ms. or. quart. 398 – Euchologion with the Anaphora of Gregory and Cyril (AD 1750) Exhibit 1: On the top we see a Iota frame. Also the first letter is stylized with a peacock resting on top, which was a common element seen in previous exhibits. A modern example! The 2015 reprint of the 1902 Abdelmassih Euchologion by Baramos Monastery Contains many colorful, digitized Iota artworks scattered throughout, mostly in shades of red and gray. — [1] The term “illumination” in the context of manuscripts or books means adornment with colored illustrations. [2] Cf. Acts 4:12; Romans 10:13. See, e.g., Sunday Theotokion, 1.4; Thursday Psali, 2; Friday Psali, 9, 11-12. Also note the name “Jesus” means “YHWH is salvation.” — Dr. Peter Attia is a pharmacist and serves as a reader in the Coptic Orthodox Church in New York. He is interested in Coptic language, ritual theology, hymnology, and other aspects of Coptic Orthodox life and culture. DossPress.com is a place for Christian men and women to collaborate for the sake of our common edification by sharing their written works. As we strive to uphold a standard of doctrinal and spiritual soundness in the articles shared, we note nonetheless that the thoughts expressed in each article remain the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of Doss Press.

An obstacle frequently encountered by those among the Christian faithful who seek to fulfill the necessary Biblical directive to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) is that of disheartenment occasioned by questioning whether God truly hears their prayers. Particularly in difficult circumstances, these may feel that their cries fall short of reaching the “ears” of God, even as they continue to offer up prayers to Him, sometimes begrudgingly, in the hope that He might hear and grant their requests. In some instances, they may even abandon prayer entirely. It is therefore necessary to carefully consider the efficacy of prayer and its place in Christian practice, drawing from both the God-breathed Scriptures and the experience and wisdom of the early Church so that, from this reflection, we may altogether attain refreshment, a renewed vigor, and incitement to venture deeper into the life of prayer which is fellowship with God and nourishment in Him. God knows all things and “sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). The Lord “searches all hearts, and understands every plan and thought” (1 Chronicles 28:9). He “knows the secrets of the heart” (Psalm 44:21) and from His sight “no creature is hidden, but all are open and laid bare” (Hebrews 4:13). Nevertheless, the Scriptures advise that “in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6) for “the Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth” (Psalm 145:18). In keeping with this divinely ordained emphasis on prayer, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself prayed often and taught both His own disciples and the people more generally to pray. For instance, He prayed during His baptism in the Jordan (See Luke 3:21); after He healed Simon’s mother in law (See Mark 1:35); before He chose the twelve disciples (See Luke 6:12); before He walked on the water to His disciples in the boat (See Matthew 14:23; Mark 6:46); at His transfiguration (See Luke 9:28-29); in His long prayer to the Father (See John 17); in Gethsemane, on the night of His betrayal by Judas (See Matthew 26; Mark 14; Luke 22); and in many other recorded, and doubtless also unrecorded, instances. Indeed, “He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed” (Luke 5:16), and His prayers were of such power and beauty that once, after He had finished praying, one of His disciples asked Him: “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples” (Luke 11:1). The Lord also taught frequently regarding prayer. In His Sermon on the Mount, He instructed the people to pray for those who spitefully use and persecute them (See Matthew 5:44), emphasized the practice of secret prayer (See Matthew 6:6-7), and noted the necessity of intelligent prayer (See Matthew 6:7-8). He also highlighted the prerequisite of forgiveness to prayer, saying, “whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses” (Mark 11:25), and encouraged his hearers “to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1). The Apostles, faithfully following the Lord’s example and teaching, also prayed often, and urged the believers to “be constant in prayer” (Romans 12:12), and to “continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2) and “without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). They prayed individually and collectively, as is mentioned frequently in the Book of Acts: for instance, all who were gathered in the upper room after the Ascension “continued with one accord in prayer and supplication” (Acts 1:14); the disciples prayed when choosing a replacement for Judas Iscariot (See Acts 1:24-25); Peter and John went together to pray at the Temple at the ninth hour (See Acts 3:1); the Apostles prayed when ordaining the seven deacons to serve the tables (See Acts 6:6); Saul prayed after the Lord appeared to him on the road, as he sat unable to see in Damascus (See Acts 9:11); Peter prayed before raising Tabitha from the dead by the power of God (See Acts 9:40) and on the rooftop at the sixth hour when he saw the vision of common and uncommon animals (See Acts 10:9); Paul and Silas prayed at midnight while imprisoned in Philippi (See Acts 16:25); and Paul prayed before laying his hands upon the father of Publius to heal him (See Acts 28:8). Prayer was not solely practiced by Christ and His Apostles. Rather, it is evident all throughout the inspired Scriptures that prayer was faithfully practiced in every generation by believing men and women who, regardless of their circumstances, sought to discern and fulfill God’s will and abide in the inexpressible joy of His presence. Prayer, then, is the means by which one enters into the life with God and communion with Him, and it is God who both teaches and enables the human to offer appropriate prayer. Origen therefore writes: “Just as a sick man does not ask the doctor for things which will restore him to health but rather for things which his disease longs for, so likewise we, as long as we are languishing in the weakness of this life, will from time to time ask God for things which are not good for us. This is why the Spirit has to help us. The weakness which the Spirit helps us with is our flesh…Whenever the Holy Spirit sees our spirit struggling with the flesh and being drawn to it, He stretches out His hand and helps us in our weakness.”[1] Elsewhere, he elaborates: “Therefore, the discussion of prayer is so great a task that it requires the Father to reveal it, His Firstborn Word to teach it, and the Spirit to enable us to think and speak rightly of so great a subject.”[2] In perfect prayer, the human, repeating the words taught by Christ, asks God: “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done.” This petition is a sublime expression of the Christian life, for through it, the believer seeks to enter into communion with God. Truly the Scriptures teach that God’s will is for all men “to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3-4; See also 2 Peter 3:9; John 17:3); to be sanctified (See 1 Thessalonians 4:3); to love one another (See John 13:34-35); to be one with Him and with one another (See John 17:11,20-23); to abide with Him where He is (See John 17:24); and to discern His voice and live according to His will (See John 10:27, 14:23-24; 1 John 5:2-3). In prayer, as in life, the Christian believer seeks to align his will with that of His Lord by emptying himself in the presence of God so as to be filled and guided by Him. In silencing his own thoughts, he is able to hear the voice of God. But this is not enough: it is essential not only to hear His voice, but also to properly discern it. This capability is achieved by living with God and knowing His word, particularly through the life the Church freely offers to her members — the liturgical life of prayer, worship, and intimacy with the Scriptures. In the experience of the Church, “prayer was not an activity undertaken for a few hours each day, it was a life continually turned to God.”[3] Thus, in the monastic experience especially, prayer “was life orientated towards God. ‘Unless a man can say, ‘I alone and God are here,’ he will not find the prayer of the quiet.’ It is the other side of the saying of St. Anthony, ‘My life is with my brother.’”[4] In offering with sincerity this petition, “Thy will be done,” the Christian submits his personal ambitions, opinions, and plans to the will of God for him — “Thy will,” not “my will.” When we approach prayer in this way, we no longer find it necessary to present a checklist to God in our discourse with Him, nor do we any longer deal with Him as a banker, offering Him collateral or some valuable sacrifice in exchange for the objects of our prayers. Instead, in prayer, “setting our minds on things above” (Colossians 3:2), we enter into life with God, laying down our desires, our longings, and even our very lives before Him in order to become instruments in His hands to accomplish His will. It then becomes sufficient to heed the guidance of Abba Macarius, who, when asked how one should pray, said: “There is no need at all to make long discourses; it is enough to stretch out one’s hands and say, ‘Lord, as you will, and as you know, have mercy.’ And if the conflict grows fiercer say, ‘Lord, help!’ He knows very well what we need and he shews us his mercy.’”[5] Only then will we no longer await an immediate, perceptible, or apparently favorable answer to our requests and prayers. Instead, we will recognize, believe, and ask that all things are done according to the will of God, as He deems fit, being thankful for His presence in and management of our lives[6] irrespective of what His response is, or whether He responds at all, to our individual petitions. When the will of God becomes our own, we experience the realization of the Lord’s promise: “Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8). Truly “this is the confidence which we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of Him” (1 John 5:14-15). Unanswered prayers ought not stir up resentment in our hearts towards God, for prayer is the accomplishment of a much greater task — namely, communion and fellowship with God, for “our fellowship is with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3) through the Holy Spirit (See Romans 8:9-17; 2 Corinthians 13:14). If we are disheartened by prayers which, in our eyes, have gone unanswered by God, let us remember the example of our Lord Jesus Christ who, in preparation for His Pascha, prayed saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39). Highlighting this example, the Christian writer C.S. Lewis writes: “Prayer is not a machine. It is not magic. It is not advice offered to God. Our act, when we pray, must not, any more than all our other acts, be separated from the continuous act of God Himself, in which alone all finite causes operate. It would be even worse to think of those who get what they pray for as a sort of court favorites, people who have influence with the throne. The refused prayer of Christ in Gethsemane is answer enough for that…Does God then forsake just those who serve Him best? Well, He who served Him best of all said, near His tortured death, ‘Why hast thou forsaken me?’ When God becomes man, that Man, of all others, is least comforted by God, at His greatest need. There is a mystery here which, even if I had the power, I might not have the courage to explore. Meanwhile, little people like you and me, if our prayers are sometimes granted, beyond all hope and probability, had better not draw hasty conclusions to our own advantage. If we were stronger, we might be less tenderly treated. If we were braver, we might be sent, with far less help, to defend far more desperate posts in the great battle.”[7] May God grant us His mercy and peace, fill our hearts with His joy and gladness, and support us as we venture deeper through prayer into our lives with Him, to Whom is due all glory now and forever. Amen. “Your servants, O Lord, who are serving You, entreating Your holy Name, and bowing down their heads to You, dwell in them, O Lord, walk among them, aid them in every good deed, and awaken their hearts from every vile and earthly thought, grant them to live and think of what is pertaining to the living and understand the things that are Yours” (Coptic Prayer of Submission to the Father). — [1] Origen, Commentary on Romans 4.76-78 [2] Origen, On Prayer 2.6 [3] Benedicta Ward, The Sayings of the Desert Fathers, Foreword [4] Ibid. [5] Ibid., 131 [6] See Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil (Coptic), Seven Prayers [7] CS Lewis, "The Efficacy of Prayer," The World's Last Night and Other Essays, 9-10 —

To the Youth of Austria Delivered December 5, 2015 In Commemoration of the Fortieth Day of His Departure September 23, 2017 In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – One God, Amen. Your Grace, thank you for allowing me to see these beautiful young men and women. I will speak to you today about how to be victorious in the world. In the world we face much warfare. The world has a prince, and this prince is Satan. Satan has an intricate system, like those of large companies. You are able to visit a company’s website, enter a product, and see whether it is carried by the company and at which location. You can visit Ikea’s website, search for a bed, and learn whether it is carried at the Ikea store here in Vienna, or in the store at Graz, or at Klagenfurt. Satan has a similar system. He has a system connecting the computer, the media, and the internet. He controls theaters, smoking, music, news outlets, and inappropriate places. A young man can enter Satan’s company through drinking. Then he will gradually bring his friend to the bar to drink. Then he will bring his friend to the brothel, or the club. A huge system, and this same system exists here in Vienna, and in Milan, Canada and America, and in the villages – everywhere. Satan gradually comes to influence a young man or woman, and expands his network through this new member, to reach the member’s friends, colleagues, and family. God gave us a commandment that we hear in church every day, except for Holy Week. 360 days a year we hear it: “Do not love the world, nor the things in the world…”[1] What does this mean? What is the world? Is it the earth which God created? The Holy Bible uses “the world” to mean at least three things. Sometimes it means “the earth,” or “the creation.” Other times, it means “humanity.” But in other instances, “the world” means this system of Satan that we have been discussing. This is what we are talking about today. Satan is responsible for this interconnected system we find in the world. He moves people to enmity; he leads nations to wage war on one another. He leads people astray; he guides young people to drunkenness and theft. He influences the boy or girl, as he or she gets older, to think: “Mom and dad do not think how our generation thinks. They are outdated, and don’t know anything. I know better. I’ll move out, I can’t stand them.” These are all components of this system of Satan. God tells us that this system is what we call “the world,” which is why Jesus says: “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?”[2] Could this possibly mean humanity? Of course not! But it is this system: the worldly way of thinking, the worldly pursuits, and desires. Which is why, at the end of the Catholic Epistle, we all hear: “Do not love the world, nor the things in the world, for the world passes away and all its lust…” If you want to overcome, and have victory over Satan, you must realize that you have to hate this system and avoid it at all costs. Suppose someone loves to drink alcohol. He begins with one sip, then one sip becomes two. Soon, he becomes intoxicated, and no longer knows what he is doing or where he is. He becomes powerless when it comes to this substance. A tobacco addict begins with one cigarette, which becomes two, which becomes a pack, then two, and finally he becomes a slave to smoking, unable to resist this sin. When God tells us to “not love the world, nor the things in the world,” he is telling us to totally avoid anything that takes us away from God. There is a verse that is both beautiful and frightening: “Do not be overly wicked, nor be foolish: Why should you die before your time.”[3] Can you really die before your time? The one who smokes and destroys his lungs dies before his time. The one who gets drunk and destroys his liver and his stomach dies before his time. The one who walks in sin and adultery, who cannot establish a holy family and a blessed household that would bless the earth with children to God because he is immersed in lust, destroys his life and dies before his time from sexually transmitted diseases and other related evils. God wanted to tell us how to overcome. He said: “My beloved, here is how you will overcome: do not love the world, and avoid its system at all costs.” Do not walk a path that will lead to destruction. Especially when we are young, we think that the way of the world is easy and pleasurable, and much more attractive than the asceticism and requirements of the life with God. But we do not realize that at the end of that easy road is death and destruction. It is an easy path, but its end is death. Our hands have five fingers each, and I will tell you five things that will help you overcome and live with God. You can associate these with your fingers, to help you remember them. First: “Do not love the world, nor the things in the world.” Do not love the system of Satan. But love one another! The love of people is different from the love of the world. I love you, and I love that you are successful. You can have a successful career, a good income, and much goodness. This does not mean that you love the world. So firstly, “Do not love the world, nor the things in the world.” Do not love this system of Satan; avoid his network. Satan does not sleep. He strives unceasingly to ensnare all of us. Satan does not love God, he does not love Christ the Son of God, and he does not love the children of God. He hates us. We have a beautiful story in the Paradise of the Monks. Satan came to Abba Macarius and told him: “I don’t know what to do with you. You stay awake, but I don’t sleep. You fast, but I do not eat. The only difference between us is that you are very humble. You are holding onto God, and I have no power over you.” Second: Flee for your life. Separate yourself from those people who love the world, and those who are children of Satan. Satan has children: those who do his will. The one who fills your ears and your mind with bad words is the child of Satan. The one who encourages you to visit sinful places is the child of Satan. But flee for your life. I will tell you a beautiful story. The Holy Bible prescribed medicine to everyone who deviates from the path to life. What is this medicine? God sent two angels to a man named Lot. They told him: “Lot, you live in a land full of evil. All of the inhabitants of this land are drowning in evil: adultery, sin, and deviant lifestyles.” God does not abide in a place of deviance and evil. He cannot live there, he cannot stand the smell of evil. The angels came to Lot and said: “Lot, flee for your life, you and your children!” “How can I flee?” “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed.”[4] God even gave him the way; He gave him the medicine that would save his life. “I will give you a dose of medicine that will save you.” What is this dose? “Flee for your life.” Replace Lot’s name with your own name. “Kyrillos, flee for your life.” “Get out of this place!”[5] What do you mean “Get out of this place?” “This place” is the place where there are evil people, or where there are evil activities. Suppose you go to school or the university, and you find a group of people you know. They tell you: “Let’s go to the club.” “What will we do there?” “Come on, you’re young, there’s nothing wrong with dancing. It’s just exercise: just some bodily movements.” And after you move your body this way and that, and she moves her body, and you both dance, what next? What are the emotions that are evoked? And what does it lead to? Then you’ll say: “There’s a bar here, let’s go have a drink while we dance.” And then two, and three. Then what? Soon, you will become habituated into clubbing, dancing, and drinking. And this “exercise” will cost you your holiness, your purity, and your life. “Get out of this place.”[6] Where there is evil, or sin, get out of that place. The angels told Lot not to look back. To this extent? Yes! “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed.”[7] Your life is precious! If it were not, God would not have taken flesh. God would not have become man. He would not have come closer to me and taken my hand and asked me to come follow Him. You are precious to God. Third: Learn to say “no.” But don’t say “no” to mom and dad and your priests, and say “Anba Kyrillos told me to say no.” No! Say no to evil, to sin; to Satan and those who advocate for his ends. There was once a young boy whose friends tried to encourage him to go to a cinema on their way home from school one day. He told them: “No. I’m not going.” They said to him: “Why? Just call your mom and tell her.” He said: “No. My mom tells me not to go to the cinema, and she tells me no for my own good. What my parents taught me, I will do. It is for my own good.” Your heavenly Father tells you “no” as well. “Do not lie,” “Do not steal,” “Do not commit adultery.” Say “no.” When your friends try to influence you to do evil, stand firmly and say “no.” Train yourself to resist. When you open your computer and your electronic devices, say “no” to sinful websites and unchristian scenes. Train yourself to feel God’s presence with you. When you feel His presence, you will find it impossible to watch anything sinful in His presence. When you say “no” for His sake, He will be the one to strengthen you. No one who has said “no” for the name of Christ has ever been abandoned by Christ. There were three famous young men, your age, who did this: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These three were young, and they were taken bound with chains to Nebuchadnezzar as prisoners. And with them was Daniel the prophet. Those three young men drove the king crazy. He gave them work in his palace; he taught them the language, and gave them new names and ranks. Then someone told the king that these three young men did not live like everyone else in food and drink and prayer and everything else. So he called for them, and told them: “If you don’t worship this big statute, watch what we’ll do to you.” They could have taken the easy way out, but they said “no.” This same “no,” I’m telling you about. “We’ll torture you, we’ll strengthen the fire and throw you in!” “Still, no. We will only worship God. What we received from our homes, we will not abandon.” They were young men. They were thrown in the fire, but remember what happened? One like the Son of God was with them in the fire, and he protected them from the fire. Those who threw them in were killed by the heat. But these three were unharmed. They said “no” to evil, so the Son of God was with them. So firstly, “Do not love the world, nor the things of the world.” Secondly, flee for your life. Thirdly, say “no.” We have two fingers left! Fourth: Develop friendships with those who know Christ, and who love the person of Christ. If you do not find holy friends where you live, open the Holy Bible, and you will find friends there who loved Christ and who were victorious. Have friendships with those who are role models, with those who love Christ. And if you find none of these, open the Holy Bible and say, for example: “Today, I will open Genesis, and I will read chapters 37 to 50 to get to know Joseph the Righteous.” This young man who had beauty and power and intellect and love for God. He lived according to God’s commandments many years before Moses, such that “Do not commit adultery” was already in his heart when he resisted the wife of Potiphar and preserved his purity, saying: “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”[8] He did not see God physically, but He loved Him and knew Him. Keep holy friendships. Be strong and wise in your dealings with your friends, male and female. Be strong and wise when you use electronic media. Why send unholy pictures, or look at unholy scenes? Look at your brothers and sisters with purity. Deal with them with edification and holiness. Live according to the spirit of Christ. Friendship is important, but only if your friends and your group love God and live in holiness. If I am wearing a white outfit, and I touch a newly-painted wall, my outfit will become stained. Even if you are pure, if you interact with uncleanness, you will become unclean. If you deal with good people, you will become good. If you deal with evil people, you will be evil. The Holy Bible says: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”[9] If you bring a basket of good apples and put one bad apple in their midst, all will become rotten. You know the saying: “One bad apple spoils the whole bunch.” If you sit with unholy people, you will become unholy. If you spend your time with peaceful people, you will become peaceful. When Peter the apostle was in the courtyard during Christ’s trial, they said: “This is one of them;”[10] and then again: “Surely you are one of them…”[11] He looks like one of Christ’s disciples, he acts like one, he sounds like one. Why? Because he was a friend of Christ, and spent his time with Him. Search for good friends. Spend your time on websites that teach you about Christ. But beware of those sites that look religious but will lead you to doubt and deviate. You can spend a few minutes on these sites and become confused. So “Do not love the world, nor anything of the world,” flee for your life from evil and sin, say no to the worldly things and worldly places, and develop holy friendships. Finally: Realize that Christ loves you. He searches for you. Not only does He love you, but He is also with you. If you call for Him, He will be with you. If you do not call Him, and then you don’t find Him, don’t blame Him. Our Lord said to His children: “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”[12] “I am with you in elementary school, in middle school, in high school, in college, in marriage, in middle age, in old age, in career, in hardships, in success, in failure, in everything.” Abba Arsenius said: “If we seek God, He will appear to us; and if we hold on to Him, He will abide with us.”[13] When you call to God, He hears you. Can the Creator of the ear not hear you? But call to Him with all your heart. He is with you, searching for you. He longs for you to come to Him. When I say the Psalm “Out of the depths I have cried to you, O Lord,”[14] sometimes I think: “How can I say to God, ‘Out of the depths I have cried to you?’” Maybe it is God calling to me from the depths: “Out of the depths I have cried to you, Kyrillos.” Out of the depths, He is calling you and me: “Come, you are beautiful! Be careful, you are about to sin: your features that I love will begin to change, your true beauty will begin to disappear. Why let your beauty disappear?” If Christ is in my life, I will keep all goodness in myself and preserve my true beauty and will continue to increase in beauty and goodness. So, there are five things: first, “Do not love the world, nor the things in the world,” and this “world” is the system of Satan; second, flee for your life, by not standing where evil is, and not looking back; third, say “no” to evil and sin; fourth, develop holy friendships with those who love Christ and who have attained to victory; fifth, Christ loves you and me, He is searching for us. The more you think about these points, the more you will find to think about. Thank you and thank you to His Grace for allowing me to see you and take your blessing. [1] 1 John 2:15 [2] Mark 8:36 [3] Ecclesiastes 7:17 [4] Genesis 19:17 [5] Genesis 19:14 [6] Ibid. [7] Genesis 19:17 [8] Genesis 39:9 [9] 1 Corinthians 15:33 [10] Mark 14:69 [11] Mark 14:70 [12] Matthew 28:20 [13] Sayings of the Desert Fathers, Arsenius 10 [14] Psalm 130:1 This translation by Anthony & Andrew Doss was first shared by Fr. Bishoy L. Mikhail on August 14, 2018: https://frbishoylamie.blogspot.com/2018/08/attaining-victory-in-world-his-eminence.html?fbclid=IwAR288SI9CJ8oSCEQZZYwUwk7xWFnr9KNZenEr6fck35hkoHxdcwEGmd1F3M&m=1