Chastity, obedience, obligatory poverty are three vows that form the core of monasticism that lwads to spiritual depth and the dedication of the heart and life to Jesus Christ. Father Youhanna Nasif, priest of the Blessed Virgin Mary Coptic Orthodox Church in Chicago, said in his article about Monasticism that it has been a great support of the church by offering the life of the bible and leaders of the church have been chosen among the monks.

I was shocked, like many Copts, after the painful and tragic incident that led to the death of Bishop Epiphanius, head of the Monastery of St. Makkar. Several incidents added to such pain including the death of Father Zinoun and the severe attack against the church and its leaders. For centuries, the Church is often surrounded by threats from outside and inside, but the dangers of this era are increased through social networks as well as television channels that have no rules or credibility. However, it should be known that the world cannot defeat the church and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. (Matthew 16:18)

In the current meeting for the general assembly of the UN, the UN secretary general “António Guterres” addressed one of the most important speeches in the last decade. The importance of his speech coming from what he has said and what he has warned the world from. Mr. António talked about the Depreciation of the international law to settle dispute between nations, not only that but also, he talked about not respecting the international law and the agreements from powerful countries which he didn’t name.

Coptic social media was grieving over the death of a young Coptic anchor Noha Adly who was killed by Cancer. The lady was quite polite and prominent in Aghapy channel and was known as the daughter of Pope Shenouda III. Other news about the death of a monk from St. Makkar monastery called Father Zinon al-Maqari was suspicious and initial investigations said he might have committed suicide to be named by media the second monk from the same monastery to commit suicide in one month. The incident brought the woes of one of the world s oldest churches back under the spotlight couple of weeks after head of his monastery was killed.

Everlasting life is the purpose for which was the incarnation of Jesus Christ on earth. It was a sacred invitation that showed us the appearance of our Savior Jesus Christ, who said of Himself, I am life. Bishop Bishoy of Kafr El-Sheikh and Damietta explained in his article Eternal Life that the Lord Jesus meant by the eternal life the one granted by the Lord Jesus to mankind. Thus, he said that who eats Him will live by Him.

In the 16th century, Azhar students noticed that their colleagues from Yemen drink a strong smell dark beverage with a bitter taste. The Yamani students were used to do this before exams and prayers. Soon, coffee spread inside Al-Azhar, and most of the students drank it. As usual, sheikhs started to interfere in all aspects of our life. One of them called Ahmed Abdul-Haq al-Sunbati forbade drinking coffee in any form assuring that everything that works to influence the mind is haraam. His fatwa was supported by many sheikhs and were discussed even in religious speeches and led to the destruction of several coffee shops.

While Al-Gouna just started its second Festival with high attendance from actors and actress from around the world, we have praise the owner of this Idea and the sponsor Mr. Naguib Sawiris for adopting such event. Some people might be mad and say why he needs to spend his money in something not helpful for the people especially with the economic crisis face Egypt recently. I have to big differ with all of these voices, because Egypt needs to show its pretty through such events, especially after what happened in the last 7 years since the 25th revolution 2011. In fact, such event might increase tourism rate in Egypt in that difficult time that Egypt needs foreign currency more than any time in the Egyptian history. In conclusion I want to congratulate Mr. Sawiris and tell him that your name will be always bright for you did and you are still doing for Egypt.

As many people denounced the call of Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of St. Mark See, to Copts in America to welcome president Abdul Fattah al-Sisi and support him during his upcoming visit to the states, an Egyptian newspaper published a letter by the late Pope Shenouda III, in which he calls Copts in America to welcome present Hosni Mubarak in the states in 1985. such call could be considered a national call with a political touch. Therefore, many people may don t like such political role for the Coptic church. Yet, it should be understood in its context and its goal should be supporting Egypt abroad.

The Lord Jesus taught us that words that come out of the mouth either justify and save him or destroy man and lead him to hell. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned. (Matthew 12: 37). Fahter John Nassif, priest of the Church of Our Lady in Chicago, said in his article about speech that it reveals the inner goodness of man or his evil. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.

In one of the educational centers in Qalioubia Governorate, the 24 old Engineer Amr Salah was teaching some young people under the age of 16 how to make a robot. The steps of making a home robot was a campaign launched by Amr who offered free courses to teach young people about making robots.

As we fight terrorism at all levels, we have to pay attention to all our life practices at home, street, school, university and the club, and more importantly in the mosque and the church. We have to denounce intimidation and encourage enticement and reasonable speech. We may notice that our religious discourse is full of intimidation and exaggeration through its speech and even the way of delivering sermons. They are full of violence and shouting, especially when it comes to the other life and God s punishment to the bad people. This kind of speech has now its masters who pioneers.

One of the UN organization announced few days ago that half millions of children will die from hunger and most of these children are in Africa. Unfortunately, none of the media paid attention to that news as it is something normal to read or to see around us nowadays.

She is a mother of two children, a boy and a girl, but her husband was unable to work and had to stay home for the rest of his life. Om Aya decided she has to work, but had no education or experience, and therefore, she had to work as a cleaner in a school. However, the colleagues of her daughter decided to bully her and mock her mother for being an illiterate cleaner. Her daughter couldn t study and failed this year at school. The mother decided to put an end to such miserable situation and when to a school to learn how to read and write and then continued her education till she applied to nursery academy.

The first feast in the Coptic Calendar is the feast of Nayrouz, and martyrs and confessors are commemorated within the Coptic Orthodox Church on that day. This calendar started as the tyrant Diocletian reigned and started persecution of Christians killing thousands of Coptic martyrs. Nayrouz is a Persian word means the new day. Rituals of the Coptic church celebrate this day and remind its people to live for the Lord in each year and throughout our lives. It has a philosophy to make our Lord, God and Savior Jesus the axis of time. This is the goal and the meaning of it. Therefore, Coptic history and calendar depend on God s saving covenant and the work of His grace.

I used to look at any terrorist attack against Copts in Egypt as a failure of police and think that raising our children on a culture that disrespect differences in faith or color should cause such hatred. I always thought that there is a relation between the government and police from one party and with the Salafis and supporters from the other. Such relation that allowed the Copts and their houses and churches to be manipulated, attacked and looted in the midst of a deliberate security absence despite the change of leadership on regular basis. This has changed when a policeman entered into the church cursing and calling Christians infidels and could have killed few of them if he had a gun in his pocket. This reminded me of the policeman who killed five Christians in the train of Samalout days before the revolution of January 25. They said he had mental disorder, but the disorder has always been in the mentality of police.

Lately you can t read the news without read every day about someone commit a suicide for a different reason. Psychologists describe people commit suicide as needed help and he didn t get help in the right time and he didn t get this help from people around or the family beside him. As mentioned previously that committing a suicide could be for a different reason but I will discuss this time one of the main reason as of why do Egyptian committing suicide?

The Holy Sacraments of our beloved church are a gift from God to his children, through which he pours a flood of unseen blessings, which make them reach they destination without losing the way. Abba Moussa, Bishop of Youth, in his article The unity of the Holy Sacraments assured us that the sacraments are divine grants by which we receive many unseen graces. They are seven Sacraments: namely: Baptism, Holy Chrism, Holy Eucharist, Confession, Sanction of the sick, Matrimony, and Priesthood.

On September 9, 1981, President Sadat launched a war against Pope Shenouda and the Copts as he was calling himself a Muslim president of a Muslim country. He accused the late Pope Shenouda III of planning to separate from Egypt and establishing a Christina state in Assiut. Soon, he returned the Pope to his monastery and allowed the terrorists to attack the Copts everywhere promising that a threat of a civil war was at hand. We, the Copts, had fears about the reaction of our Muslim colleagues and neighbor. We were surprised to hear them condemning Sadat for his sectarian speech that was full of hatred, especially against Pope Shenouda III who was admired by all Egyptians.

As some new instructions are being issued by some bishops concerning dress code in churches and encouraging them to wear decent clothes, I would like to present this story in a short way, which was published in the photographer s magazine on August 26, 1927. The magazine reads: "A delegation of Italian women met with His Holiness Pope of the Vatican asking for his blessing and support in their fight against indecent fashion considering it corrupted taste.