Pray
The Synaxarium
The saints the Church commemorates today, the Katameros readings appointed for the day, and the season it is kept in.
Commemorated today
The Departure of St. John, Bishop of Jerusalem.
On this day Anba John, Bishop of Jerusalem, departed. He was born to Jewish parents, who kept the Law of the Torah. They instructed and taught him well and he excelled in the Law of. He argued and disputed with the Christians until he became convinced of the coming of the Lord Christ, and that He was the true God. He believed on the hand of St. Justus, Bishop of Jerusalem, who baptized and ordained him a deacon. Because of his knowledge, and virtues they chose him a bishop of Jerusalem after the departure of St. Justus. When Andrianus reigned, he commanded to rebuild the ruined parts of the city, he built a tower on the western gate (The gate of the Jewish temple) and he hanged an engraved tablet with his name on the door of that gate. He prevented the Christians from praying at the Golgotha and even passing through it. The Jews and the Gentiles became powerful and troubled the Christians much. Because of that many tribulations and sorrows befell this father, so he asked God that He might receive him. His supplication was accepted and he departed in peace after he stayed on the Episcopal Chair for two years. May his prayers be with us. Amen.
Read it at copticchurch.net →The Departure of the holy father Anba Michael, the Seventy First Pope of the See of St. Mark.
On this day also of the year 862 A.M. (March 29th. 1146 A.D.) the holy father Pope Michael, the seventy first Patriarch of the See of, departed. He longed to the pure life since his young age so he became a monk in the monastery of St. Macarius. He lived in the desert until he was an old man, in a good pleasing life to God. When Pope Gabriel (70) departed, the bishops, the priests and the lay leaders spent three month searching for who was best suited to succeed him. A monk from the monastery of St. Macarius, called Yoannis Ebn Kedran, came forward nominating himself supported in that by Anba Yacoub, bishop of Lekanah, Anba Christodolus, bishop of Fowa, and Anba Michael, bishop of Tanta. Nevertheless, the bishops of Upper Egypt, the priests of Alexandria and the lay leaders of Cairo did not accept that choice. Finally they all agreed to choose three of the monks and those were: Yoannis Abu El-Fatah, Michael of St. Macarius monastery, and Soliman El-Dekhiary of El-Baramous monastery. They cast a lot among them, and the lot fell on the monk Michael, and they ordained him a Patriarch on the 5th of Mesra, 861 A.M. (July 29th, year 1145 A.D.). He was an honorable old man loving for the poor and the needy. He took for himself a scribe to write his sermons and teachings that he sent to the bishops and priests. When he fell sick, he went to the monastery of St. Macarius, where he departed in peace, after he stayed on the Chair for eight month. May his prayers be with us and glory be to God forever. Amen.
Read it at copticchurch.net →
The feasts and fasts ahead
- Tout 15, 1743 AMCoptic New Year (Nayrouz)
- Tout 17, 1743 AMFeast of the Cross
- Tout 29, 1743 AMAnnunciation, Nativity, and Resurrection
- Hatour 16, 1743 AMAdvent Fast
- Kiahk 1, 1743 AMKiahk
- Kiahk 26, 1743 AMNativity Paramoun
- Kiahk 29, 1743 AMNativity Feast
- Touba 6, 1743 AMCircumcision Feast
- Touba 8, 1743 AMTheophany Paramoun
- Touba 11, 1743 AMTheophany Feast
- Touba 13, 1743 AMWedding of Cana of Galilee Feast
- Amshir 8, 1743 AMEntrance into the Temple Feast
Synaxarium accounts are credited to copticchurch.net. The calendar is computed from the Coptic Paschalion; readings are cited, not reproduced. Supplemented entries are marked local where the Church keeps a commemoration the published Synaxarium predates.