Today, Saturday, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II consecrated the Church of the Virgin Mary and Saint Paul the Apostle in the New Hadara area in Alexandria.
Participating in the prayers were the bishops of Alexandria, H.G. Bishop Bavly (Montazah Sector), H.G. Bishop Ilarion (Western Sector), H.G. Bishop Hermina (Eastern Sector), Father Abram Emil, Patriarchal Vicar of Alexandria, the priests of the church, some of the priests of the churches of Alexandria, and the congregation of the region.
His Holiness unveiled the memorial plaque chronicling the inauguration of the church, and blessed it by anointing it with three signs in the name of the Trinity.
The procession of His Holiness then headed into the church, led by the choir of deacons, singing the hymn of welcoming the patriarch, amidst ululations and words of welcome from the congregation to their father.
His Holiness and the bishops participating in the prayers prayed the third incense prayer for the inauguration, where the main altar in the church was inaugurated in the name of the Virgin Mary and Saint Paul the Apostle, and another altar in the name of the St Mina the wonder maker, and Saint Pope Kyrillos VI, and the third altar in the name of the saints Father Bishoy Kamel and the Fr Yostos El Antony.
The altar that was inaugurated in the name of Father Bishoy Kamel is the first altar to be inaugurated in his name by His Holiness the Pope since the Holy Synod recognized the holiness of Father Bishoy Kamel in its session held in June of last year.
The icon of the Pantocrat was also inaugurated in the eastern part of the altar, as well as the icons on the iconostasis and throughout the church.
In his speech after the inauguration, His Holiness thanked the bishops participating in the inauguration, and Father Abram Bashundi, who was involved in establishing the inaugurated church.
H.H. also thanked the church priests, its council, deacons, and the congregation, commending the design of the church building.
In the sermon, His Holiness
spoke on the occasion of the beginning of Nativity fasting, “How do we prepare for the birth of Jesus Christ?!” His Holiness identified three means of assistance that the Church provides to us by which we can prepare to receive the born Christ, which are:
1- Fasting period: Fasting helps:
Repentance: It is washing the soul, thoughts and actions.
Reforming the ear to hear God’s commandments:
Therefore, during the readings of the Sunday masses in the month of Hator, the Church repeats the verse to our ears
“He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
(Matthew 11:15)
As for the Sundays of the month of Kiahk, the Virgin Mary presents to us a model of the soul that is good at listening to God’s commandments.
“Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.”
(Luke 1:38)
2- The biblical readings (Kiahk Sundays): which talk about four topics mentioned in the Gospel of Luke, chapter one:
The good news of the birth of John the Baptist: Here, Zechariah and Elizabeth receive good news after a long wait.
The Annunciation of the Virgin: A devoted and worshiping girl comes to her, God looks at her and gives her the good news.
Elizabeth meets the Virgin: It is as if it is a meeting between the Old Testament and the New Testament, and it is a process of handing over from the old to the new.
The birth of John the Baptist: Here is the fulfillment of the promise and the response.
3- Praise: Throughout the month of Kiahk, we continue to praise the Virgin Mary, and it is good for us to learn from her virtues and learn from her to praise the name of God and say with her “And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.”
(Luke 1:46-47)
His Holiness gave training during the period of “Christmas Fast,” which is a daily reading of the Book of Exodus,(40 chapters) which corresponds to the number of days of fasting, and in which the story of the bush in which we praise throughout the month of Kiahk is mentioned, or the reading of the Gospel of Luke, in which the topics of the Gospels of Masses are mentioned during Sundays of the month of Kiahk.
After the end of the mass, a ceremony was held to mark the inauguration of the church, at the beginning of which Father Boules Awad, the church’s priest, delivered a speech in which he welcomed His Holiness, offering his thanks and gratitude to His Holiness for his visit to the New Hadara area and the inauguration of its church. He showed a documentary film about the history of the church, which began in 2003, under the patronage and supervision of the Church of the Two Martyrs, Saint George and Saint Tadros, at Nozha Airport, and under the care of Father Abram Bashundi, who laid its foundation.
Father Abram Bashundi and Father Abram Emil each gave a speech.
The ceremony concluded with a speech by His Holiness, who expressed his joy at the beauty of the church in its design, its beautiful icons and altars, the elegance and precision of the design, and most importantly the love of the people for the fathers and the church, and about the wonderful work of service in the church, to the point that it can be called the church of “love.”
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