HYMNS DATE TO PHARAOHS HOLY WEEK BEGINS TODAY FOR AREA'S ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS.Byline: Holly J. Andres Staff Writer NORTHRIDGE - Holy Week for Orthodox Christians begins this weekend, with Saturday of Lazarus services today and Palm Sunday Palm Sunday, in the Christian calendar, the Sunday before Easter, sixth and last Sunday in Lent, and the first day of Holy Week. It recalls the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem riding upon an ass, when his followers shouted "Hosanna" and scattered palms in his path. services on Sunday leading up to Orthodox Easter on May 1. ``The Saturday of Lazarus is the beginning of Holy Week. We read John 11, the story of Jesus Christ Jesus Christ: see Jesus. Jesus Christ 40 days after Resurrection, ascended into heaven. [N.T.: Acts 1:1–11] See : Ascension Jesus Christ kind to the poor, forgiving to the sinful. [N.T. raising Lazarus from the tomb,'' said the Rev. Bishoy Aziz Bastawros from St. Mary and St. Athanasius Coptic Orthodox Church Coptic Orthodox Church Principal Christian church in Egypt. Until the 19th century it was called simply the Egyptian Church. It agrees doctrinally with Eastern Orthodoxy except that it holds that Jesus has a purely divine nature and never became human, a belief the Council in Northridge. ``This miracle lets us know that Jesus Christ can give us new life if we follow him.'' The date of Easter for Orthodox churches - which include the Greek, Antiochian and Orthodox Church in America The Orthodox Church in America (OCA) is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Church in North America. Its current primate is Metropolitan Herman (Swaiko), who was elected in 2002. The Church's headquarters are located in Syosset, New York. - is determined to be the Sunday after the full moon on or after the vernal equinox vernal equinox: see equinox. and after the Jewish observance of Passover. The Coptic Orthodox Church was established by St. Mark in 68 A.D. in Egypt. The spiritual leader is Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria His Holiness Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria (Coptic: , Arabic: البابا شنوده الثالث) (born 3 August 1923), born Nazeer Gayed . The congregation of St. Mary and St. Athanasius Coptic Orthodox Church consists of 650 families and was founded in 1986. It is one of seven Coptic Orthodox churches in the northern region of the Coptic Orthodox Church Diocese of Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. . Most of the congregation is of Egyptian ancestry. It holds two Sunday services, one in English and one in Arabic. Orthodox Christian services are noted for appealing to the physical senses through the perfume of incense, the glow of candles, and display of icons. ``In the book of Revelation, incense is the symbol of prayers of saints,'' Bastawros said. ``Therefore, we offer a good smell to express our love to God and offer to God our prayers.'' During tonight's Evening Divine Office of the Raising of Incense, special Coptic hymns - some of which have melodies that are said to date from the time of the pharaohs - will be heard. ``Palm Sunday is a very big feast for us. It's by far the biggest attendance. It's a lot of fun for the kids because they get to carry a palm,'' said the Rev. Father Antony Gamil Attallah from St. Mary and St. Athanasius. ``It's a very happy occasion. For Coptic people, Holy Week is the one week we honor very much.'' During Holy Week, Coptic Orthodox Christians continue with a 55-day fasting from eating meat, fish, eggs and dairy foods. In addition, sweets, including fruits, are not usually eaten during Holy Week. Bishop Serapion Bishop Serapion of the Los Angeles was born in Assiut on November 10 1951. Following his graduation from the Faculty of Medicine at Assiut in 1975, His Grace had practiced medicine in Aswan. Joining the Monastery He joined the Monastery of Saint Pishoy on April 8 1979. of the Coptic Orthodox Church of the Diocese of Los Angeles will lead the Covenant 8 a.m.-noon service on Thursday. A tradition of Great, or Good, Friday at St. Mary and St. Athanasius Coptic Orthodox Church is for their icon of the Crucifixion to be surrounded by roses placed by the faithful. The solemn service is held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The entire book of Revelation will be read during ``The Night of the Apocalypse'' from 11 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. April 30. The Divine Liturgy Di·vine Liturgy n. The Eastern Orthodox Eucharistic rite. of the Resurrection will be held from 8 p.m. to midnight on April 30. ``Easter is a message of joy and victory. Jesus Christ defeated death and Satan,'' said Bastawros. ``We should not fear death. We should have a joyful life because Jesus Christ defeated even the gates of Hell (Script.) See Gate, n. os>, 4. See also: Hell . We say ``Akhristos Anisti,'' Jesus is Risen, and ``Alethos Anisti,'' Truly He is Risen For the religious phrase, see . "He Is Risen" is the thirty-fourth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos and the eighth of the show's third season. It was written by Robin Green, Mitchell Burgess and Todd A. .'' Holy Week services will be held at St. Mary and St. Athanasius Coptic Orthodox Church, 17431 Roscoe Blvd., Northridge. Services are from 8-10 a.m. and 7-8:30 p.m. today; Palm Sunday service 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Sunday. For other Holy Week services, see www.st-athanasius.org or call (818) 342-4414. Holly Andres, (818) 713-3708 holly.andres(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: The Rev. Bishoy Bastawros, front right, joins the Rev. Antony Gamil Attallah, left, and the Rev. David Elias, center, in the sanctuary at St. Mary and St. Athenasius Coptic Orthodox Church in Northridge. They will celebrate Holy Week, with the Saturday of Lazarus and Palm Sunday this weekend. Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer |
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