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His Grace Bishop Anba Mettaous together with the fathers, monks of the monastery extends their sincere greetings and heartfelt congratulations for the holy occasion of the Holy resurrection feast of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is risen and He became “the first risen from the dead”4so what is the meaning of this, for many others rose from the dead before Him?

The saying that “He is the first Risen” which described the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ bears two meanings:

Frist, that He rose from the dead and will not die once more as the case with all those who rose from the dead before Him, died once again and awaits the mass resurrection.

Second, our Lord Jesus Christ rose with a glorified body that was able to enter the Attic despite of the locked doors and He granted us a similar glorified resurrection that which is explained by St. Paul, the apostle, that Jesus “shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto himself” (Phil. 3:21)/ Thus, through this glorified resurrection (granted to us by our Lord) we shall be in a better status than that of the man even before his fall. That’s why the fathers of the church rejoiced in the resurrection and the afterlife following it. They even yearn to this life and look forward to the eternal; life for “a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Heb. 9:10) “they desire a better country, a heavenly one” (Heb. 11:16)

May God grant us all to enjoy the joys of His resurrection wishing you many happy returns and you all are in good health growing fruitfully spiritually for the glory of Jesus Christ.

Holy Mass & Praises Time

Holy Mass & Praises Time

 

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Quiet Time Schedule

Essential conditions to spend a spiritual retreat in the monastery

To carry a legal proof of personality.

To be not less than 16 years of age.

To carry a letter from the recognition father directed to the Abbot or the father responsible for the retreat house.

To be punctual to the timings of the prayers, work and retreats in the retreat house.

The retreat period does not exceed three days.

Between a retreat and another, there should be a minimum period of 2 months.

Not to visit the Abbot or the monks fathers except with a permission from the father responsible for the retreat house.

To be calm in order to maintain and respect the sanctity of the place.

 

The Journey of the Holy Family

 

panorama

 

Newly Released

explain monastery

CDS – DVD about the Monastery of the Syrians with a simplified explanation of the history of the Monastery of the Virgin Mary (the Syrians). Beheira (AL Asakeet Desert) in the Wadi Natrun area of Egypt’s Western Desert.

I: Video and photos of the history of the Monastery of the Syrians, past and present.

II: Sections of the Monastery such as the entrance, the walls, the fort and the churches including the wall frescos from the archaeological museum and the rest of the Monastery.

III: Midnight Prayers on Sunday with the Holy Fathers of the Monastery.

IIII: Video of the Gregorian Mass for the Fathers in the Monastery.

We hope that watching and listening to these CDs will bring spiritual benefit and be a blessing to all.

We also hope that you will learn more about the liturgically and historical legacy of Coptic monasteries through the intercession of Saint Mary

 

The way to Egypt

A Documentary Film about

The flight of the Holy Family to Egypt

This film has been translated into twenty languages and is available for purchase at the monastery’s bookstore

Presented by

Bishop Mettaous

Abbot of the prosperous Syrian Monastery

Production by

St.Mary’s Monastery EL Sourian

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Bashans 8, 1742 - May 16, 2026, Saturday of the Fifth week of the Holy Fifty Days

Vespers

Psalms 135:19-20

19 Bless the Lord, O house of Israel! Bless the Lord, O house of Aaron! 20 Bless the Lord, O house of Levi! You who fear the Lord, bless the Lord!. [NKJV] Alleluia

Luke 14:1-6

14:1 Now it happened, as He went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they watched Him closely. 2 And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy. 3 And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath? 4 But they kept silent. And He took him and healed him, and let him go. 5 Then He answered them, saying, Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day? 6 And they could not answer Him regarding these things. [NKJV] Glory is due to our God to the age of all ages. Amen

Matins

Psalms 36:5-6

5 Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. 6 Your righteousness is like the great mountains. [NKJV] Alleluia

John 7:37-46

37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. 40 Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, Truly this is the Prophet. 41 Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Will the Christ come out of Galilee? 42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was? 43 So there was a division among the people because of Him. 44 Now some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him. 45 Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, Why have you not brought Him? 46 The officers answered, No man ever spoke like this Man!. [NKJV] Glory is due to our God to the age of all ages. Amen

Liturgy

Hebrews 10:1-13

10:1 For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. 5 Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me. 6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. 7 Then I said, `Behold, I have come--In the volume of the book it is written of Me--To do Your will, O God.' 8 Previously saying, Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them (which are offered according to the law), 9 then He said, Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God. He takes away the first that He may establish the second. 10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. [NKJV] The Grace of God the Father be with you all. Amen

1 John 5:11-21

11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. 14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. 16 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. 17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death. 18 We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. 19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. 20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. 21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. [NKJV] Do not love the world, nor the things which are in the world. The world shall pass away and all its desires; but he who does the will of God shall abide forever. Amen

Acts 23:6-11

6 But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged! 7 And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the assembly was divided. 8 For Sadducees say that there is no resurrection--and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees confess both. 9 Then there arose a loud outcry. And the scribes of the Pharisees' party arose and protested, saying, We find no evil in this man; but if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against God. 10 Now when there arose a great dissension, the commander, fearing lest Paul might be pulled to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks. 11 But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome. [NKJV] The word of the Lord shall grow, multiply, be mighty and be confirmed in the holy church of God. Amen

Psalms 135:3, 5

3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; Sing praises to His name, for it is pleasant.

5 For I know that the Lord is great, And our Lord is above all gods. [NKJV] Alleluia

John 14:1-11

14:1 Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know. 5 Thomas said to Him, Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way? 6 Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. 7 If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him. 8 Philip said to Him, Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us. 9 Jesus said to him, Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, `Show us the Father'? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. [NKJV] Glory is due to our God to the age of all ages. Amen