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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.

 

Virtual Tour

 

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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The Sixth Week of Holy Fifties

Christ is the First Born, He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life

The Glorious Feast of the Ascension

The forty days are concluded by Thursday’s readings of the ascension. The readings for the fifth Sunday present a theological standpoint of the ascension of the Lord Christ. On the feast of the ascension, the readings present the truth of the ascension and the subsequent results and fruits, “And He said to them, “Go into all the worldand preach the gospel to every creature.He who believes and is baptized will be saved;but he who does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:15-16) And the matins psalm declares the blessings of the ascension, “You have ascended on high, You have led captivity captive; You have received gifts among men, Even from the rebellious, That the Lord God might dwell there.” (Psalm 68:18)

The Pauline epistle in its discussion about the incarnation, explains what Christ offered us with His body, which He took in order to redeem us and save each and every one of us with it, “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.” (1 Timothy 3:16) He died, and we participated in His death by being buried with Him in baptism, and then He rose and He raised us up with Him, “…and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus…” (Ephesians 2:6) Therefore, His incarnation is the mystery of godliness, “…just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love…” (Ephesians 1:4)

The catholic epistle presents our new birth in baptism as a fruit for Christ’s resurrection and His sitting at the right hand of the Father, “…who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.” (1 Peter 3:22)

As for the book of Acts, it is the main source of the events of the ascension along with the circumstances that preceded and followed it. It emphasizes the spiritual importance of Christ’s apparitions after the resurrection, “…to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” (Acts 1:3) The importance of seeing the living Christ is because, “…you will see Me.Because I live, you will live also.” (John 14:19) It was necessary to prove the truth of Christ’s resurrection to the disciples themselves as well as His ascension before them to the heavens in a tangible way that the eyes perceive as a tangible reality and as such they preach to the whole world. This chapter of readings is considered ultimately important in the spread of Christianity, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) This chapter also declares Christ’s ascension to the heavens with His body, “Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.” (Acts 1:9)

The chapter from the gospel according to St. Luke integrates with the book of Acts in presenting the events of the ascension, and is preceded by the psalm in presenting the prophecy, “Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, The Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in.” (Psalm 24:7-9) The angels marvel at seeing a Man ascend to the heavens with His body, which Daniel the prophet explains in his vision, whose secrets he did not understand, he said, “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:13-14)

The gospel clarifies the following important truths:

  1. And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.” (Luke 24:45) The disciples were not aware of the measures and mysteries of salvation that were revealed in the books. It was important for these mysteries to be explained to them.
  2. Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day…” (Luke 24:46)
  3. “…and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” (Luke 24:47)
  4. Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city [b]

The Communion and Gift of the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life

The readings of the sixth and seventh weeks of the Holy Fifties

The liturgical readings during the first six Sundays of the Holy fifties, until the feast of the ascension reveal Christ Who rose from the dead using many proofs. The readings begin by describing the Holy Spirit during the Holy Fifties, after the feast of the ascension and during the second half of the sixth and seventh weeks of the holy fifties. The readings tie together the resurrection and the ascension by the Holy Spirit and His work in the church.