St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church Calendar and News Letter April 1997

The Coptic Orthodox Diocese Of

The Southern United States

St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church New Orleans Louisiana

April 1997 Church News Letter & Activities Calendar

The Importance of Passion Week

"So you must be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect" ....Matthew 5:48

The Passion Week or the Holy Pascha (Passover) is the most important period in the year and the richest in spirituality. It is a week full of Holy memories of the most crucial stage of salvation and the outstanding chapter in the story of sacrifice

The church chose for this week certain readings from both the Old and the New Testaments, which reflect the most passionate feelings that explain God's relation with man. The church also chose some deep hymns and spiritual contemplation to suit the occasion.

In the early church, our fathers the Saints used to receive this week with respect and reverence, and act in great humility. While fasting, they abstained from eating any sweet food like honey or jam, as it is not appropriate to eat sweets while commemorating God's suffering for our sake. Some never cooked during this week, as a matter of devotion, as cooking would distract them from worshipping. The majority of Christians never ate anything except bread and salt. Those who were physically capable abstained from Friday night until Easter Sunday

As a sign of devotion during this week, women did not wear make-up or jewelry. People devoted all their time for worshipping; they gathered in churches for prayer and contemplation.

The Great Emperor Theodosius was one of the Christian Kings and Rulers who ordered all government houses and businesses to cease work in order to enable people to concentrate on worshipping. Prisoners were also allowed to go to church and join in the ceremonies of this great week, hoping that it will help them to reform. Christian masters also used to relieve their slaves from work all the Pascha Week to enable them to worship the Lord like their masters, without any discrimination. So both masters and slaves were able to worship God and appreciate the effectiveness and depth of this week.

H. H. Pope Shenouda III

Important Events Took Place This Month

Commemoration Of St. Mary Apparition

at Zeitoun

"For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed"...... (Luke 1:48)

Annunciation Of

St. Mary

"The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power oh the Highest shall overshadow thee, therefor also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called Son of God " (Luke 1:35)

Raising Of Lazarus

"He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth"...... (John 11:43)

Entering Jerusalem

"Hosanna, Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord"...... (John 12:13)

The Passion Week

This is my body,

this is my blood

for the remission of sins

Father, if thou

be willing, remove

this cup form me

But He held

His peace and

answered nothing

Crucify him,

crucify Him,

His blood be on

us and our children

And He bearing

His cross went

forth into a place

called Golgotha

Daughters of Jerusalem,

weep not for me,

but weep for yourselves

and your children

A man of Cyrene,

Simon by name:

him they compelled

to bear his cross

From the sixth hour, there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour

Woman, behold thy son. Behold thy mother

I thirst

Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do

Verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with me in my paradise

Eli, Eli lama sabachthani?

It is finished

Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit

Descending into Hades

He is not here, but is risen

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
30	31 March	1 April	2 Divine Liturgy New Orleans 9:00 -12:00 AM Appearance of St. Mary at Zeitoun	3 Divine Liturgy New Orleans 4:00 -7:00PM	4 Abouna's Visit To Nashville, TN.	5 Abouna's Visit To Nashville, TN. --------------------- Vespers, Bible Study&Midnight New Orleans 7:00PM-9:00PM
6 Divine Liturgy "English" New Orleans 8:30AM-12:30PM Aghapi	7 Divine Liturgy New Orleans 5:00 -7:00 AM Annunciation of St. Mary	8	9 Divine Liturgy New Orleans 9:30 - 12:00 AM	10 Divine Liturgy New Orleans 4:00-7:00PM	11 Abouna's Visit To Dallas, TX.	12 Abouna's Visit To Dallas, TX. --------------------- Vespers, Bible Study&Midnight New Orleans 7:00PM-9:00PM
13 Divine Liturgy New Orleans 8:30AM-12:30PM Aghapi	14 Divine Liturgy New Orleans 12:00 -3:00 PM	15 Divine Liturgy New Orleans 9:00 -12:00 AM	16 Divine Liturgy New Orleans 9:00 -12:00 AM	17 Divine Liturgy New Orleans 4:00 -7:00PM	18 Divine Liturgy New Orleans Last Friday Of The Lent & Anointing Of The Sick 10:00AM-2:00PM	19 Divine Liturgy New Orleans Lazarus Saturday Palm Sunday Vespers 5:00PM-9:0PM
20 Divine Liturgy New Orleans Palm Sunday Pascha 8:30AM-5:00PM	21 Pascha (See Schedule)	22 Pascha (See Schedule)	23 Pascha (See Schedule)	24 Pascha (See Schedule)	25 Pascha (See Schedule)	26 Resurrection Eve Liturgy (See Schedule)
27 Resurrection Day (See Schedule)	28	29	30	1 May	2 Vespers & Bible Study Mobile, AL. 7:00PM-9:00PM	3 Divine Liturgy Mobile, AL. 9:00AM-12:30PM Aghapi ------------- Vespers, Bible Study&Midnight New Orleans 7:00PM-9:00PM

Church News:

Father Shenouda will be in Birmingham on the evening of Friday, April 18, through Saturday morning.
The next retreat for our church will be held from June 1 through June 5 in Destine, Florida; the cost for everything will be $ 120.
Please forward to Father Shenouda or Sam Sakla any item that you would like to be published in this newsletter.
Remember the first Sunday Liturgy of every month will be celebrated in English.

Happy Birthday:

Illaria Samir Ramzy........................ April 6

Marina Moheb Andrawis............... April 20

John Nabil Botros........................... April 23

Karim Sherif Abadir....................... April 27

If you have any comments or suggestion, Please send me an E-mail me at

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Created 4/5/1997