Our beloved Mother St. Mary holds a very significant role in orthodoxy, and in no other period of the year do we venerate her more than during the Coptic month of Kiahk (10 Dec-8 Jan). The church is full of praise with mention of her ways and virtues to inspire us to lead a life …
I want to focus particularly on one phrase that is said often about monks which is that they are “earthly angels”. This simply means that every monk is an angel. So what does the word angel mean and why is a monk compared to an angel. The 1st thing about an angel is that he …
Who are the Arabs? The question is not that simple as it might look at first glance. When did the name "Arab" appear in history? There are also other names in literary sources, like Ishmaelites, Saracens, even Hagarenes or Agarenes, or Tayyjtyê in Syriac. Is it characteristic for "Arabs" to be nomads, who early have …
It is impossible to determine theoretically how long one should exercise oneself in a virtue before becoming established in it. Everyone must determine this for himself, considering his state, circumstances and achievements in spiritual life, and especially according to the judgment of his staretz or the spiritual father who directs him. Still, if a man's …
We may at times mix between ‘monastic poverty’ and ‘real poverty’ when we read the life of a saint or consider the life of a monk or nun, however the distinction is rather valid and important to note. For the purpose of this paper, ‘monastic poverty’ describes a monk or nun’s voluntary vow of poverty, …
Monasticism is not like you see it in movies. It is not like you read of it in books. It cannot be described in words. It can only be experienced and felt. Monasticism is a calling and you cannot walk this path unless you have been invited to it by God. But how does one …
By night on my bed, feeling worn out and exhausted, I sought the one I love; I sought him, but I did not find him. The verse, I sought him, but I did not find him, is a painfully moving and disconcerting one. What is the meaning of, I sought him, but I did not …
“Acquire a peaceful spirit, and around you thousands will be saved.” Saint Seraphim of Sarov Visitors to our monastery, usually from non-orthodox background, sometimes have a burning question to ask. “Why monasticism? isn’t better if the monks use their energy to go out and make disciples of all nations (Mat 28:19)?”,”The monastic life is just …
When a person sees a monk, they immediately notice that he is wearing a monastic hood embroidered with crosses and with a split down the middle. The monastic hood or cowl, along with other pieces of clothing formed the monastic habit which Evagrius Ponticus outlines in his work The Praktikos. Evagrius writes “….an explanation of …
The Eskeem is a Coptic word which means ‘shape’ it is a string of plaited leather with crosses in equal distances, it surrounds the chest and the back. Two big crosses are in it; one at the chest, and one at the back, then 12 more crosses. The hermits who has reached high levels of …
