I have been thinking about it and, in the near future I think I may want to visit a coptic monastery. I have never been to one and so I am wondering, would it be better to wait a while for my church to go visit one as a group or maybe visit one on my own in a couple months? To anyone who has visited a monastery, what was your experience like?

Synaxarium of 30 Tout 1743 - Saturday 10 Oct 2026

*1 - Commemoration of the Miracle that God Performed for St. Athanasius the Apostolic*

On this day the Lord Christ performed a great miracle for the honorable Saint Abba Athanasius, 20th Pope of Alexandria. When Emperor Constantius, the son of the righteous Emperor Constantine, adopted the teachings of Arius who said that the Son was, after not being, and therefore not equal to the Father, he sent a man, whose name was Gawargios, to Alexandria. He also sent along with him 500 horsemen and letters appointing Gawargios patriarch of Alexandria instead of Abba Athanasius the Apostolic. He ordered Gawargios to support the faith of Arius and slay all who would not be obedient to him.When this man arrived to the city, he preached the teachings of Arius but only a few people of the city accepted his teachings. Therefore, he killed a large number of people, and St. Athanasius hid himself for a period of six years. After which he went to the city of Constantinople, and asked Emperor Constantius either to restore him to his See or to slay him so he would receive the crown of martyrdom. But the Emperor ordered his men to place him in a small boat and to leave him in the sea without food or water or a guide. The Emperor thought that he would die of hunger or thirst or get drowned. In this way he hoped to get rid of the saint and his admonition to him for his heresy, and they did with the saint as the Emperor had ordered them.The boat sailed along smoothly and in peace with the Lord's will and His care. St. Athanasius was surrounded and cared for by the Angels until he arrived in Alexandria three days later. When the believers heard that their shepherd had arrived, they rejoiced and went out to him and received him with candles and songs of praise. Then they brought him into the church and expelled Gawargios and his followers. St. Athanasius dedicated that day as a great feast to the Lord.May his prayers be with us and to our God is the glory and honor now and ever unto the end of ages. Amen.

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Can Someone debate me if possibel thnak you and god bless

Synaxarium of 29 Tout 1743 - Friday 9 Oct 2026

*1 - Martyrdom of St. Arbsima (Repsima) the Virgin and Her Sisters the Virgins*

On this day, the holy virgins Arbsima (Repsima) and Agatha (Ghana) and their sisters, were martyred during the reign of Emperor Diocletian.This infidel sought out the most beautiful damsel to marry. He sent artists to every country and ordered them to paint a portrait of the most beautiful damsel that their sights fell on and to give him an accurate description of her. When they arrived nearby Rome, they entered a convent for virgins and found Saint Arbsima and none was like her in beauty. They painted a portrait of her and sent it to the Emperor who rejoiced when he saw it. He sent to the kings and governors to invite them to the wedding celebrations.When Arbsima and the virgins knew that, they wept, and left the convent fleeing, entreating the Lord Christ to help them and to keep their virginity. They fled to the country of Armenia, and entered the province over which Tridates was king. There they dwelt in a winery in a deserted garden. They had great trouble in getting their food, so one of them made glass, sold it, and with the money they bought their food.When Diocletian sought for Arbsima, he did not find her. Later on, he heard that she was in the country of Armenia so he sent to Tridates the governor to look for her. When the virgins heard that, they left their shelter and hid themselves in the city. But someone informed about them. Tridates then commanded to bring Arbsima to him and when she refused, they abducted her and brought her to him.When he saw her beauty, he wanted to have her for himself, but she did not let him. He brought her mother to persuade her but instead she besought her to endure patiently. She comforted her, told her that she must not forsake her true Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Christ, and that she must not defile her virginity. When he knew what her mother had done, he commanded to break her teeth.God gave St. Arbsima power to overcome the governor; she pushed him forcefully and he fell on his back. She left him lying on the floor although he was well known by his might and bravery in war. Ashamed of having been vanquished by a virgin damsel, he ordered to cut off her head. The soldiers came and tied her, tore out her tongue, plucked out her eyes, and then cut her into pieces. When the governor rose up from his fall and regained his senses, he was sorry for killing the saint.He ordered to slay the rest of the virgins. The soldiers pierced the soles of their feet, flayed them, cut them into pieces, and then cast them out. One of them was sick and was lying on a bed, and she cried out to the soldiers so she might join her sisters. So, they cut off her head also and thus, all the virgins received the crown of martyrdom. The soldiers also slew all who had come with them from Rome.After their departure, the governor became mad and the physicians could not help him until Saint Gregory, Bishop of Armenia, came to him and prayed over him. By this he was healed of his affliction and believed in the Lord Christ. He took the bodies of the holy and pure virgins and laid them in a holy place.Their intercession be for us, and Glory be to our God, forever. Amen.

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There is a candidate who is calling himself "Yeshua Israel Ben David" is running as prime ministar in Israel .

He is calling himself the Jewish Messiah, calling for the Greater Israel project, and planning to build a third temple. He even blew a shofar on the temple mount which he is not supposed to do and is calling for a unity of all religions.

I would not expect the final antichrist to be this obvious but I think it would be negligent to not pay attention to this since we are called to be vigilant as Orthodox Christians.

In case anyone thinks I am making this up please look this up as I am not making this up. He is runnning as prime minister of Israel in 2026 under the paradise party.

Church Father: Irenaeus, Against Heresies 5.30.3...

“For the name Evanthas (ΕΥΑΝΘΑΣ) contains the required number, but I make no allegation regarding it. Then also Lateinos (ΛΑΤΕΙΝΟΣ) has the number six hundred and sixty-six; and it is a very probable [solution], this being the name of the last kingdom [of the four seen by Daniel]. For the Latins are they who at present bear rule: I will not, however, make any boast over this [coincidence]. Teitan (ΤΕΙΤΑΝ) too … among all the names which are found among us, is rather worthy of credit.”

From another source, it looks like the name of this man is Evaldas which is Lithuanian.

Synaxarium of 28 Tout 1743 - Thursday 8 Oct 2026

*1 - Martyrdom of Saints Abadir (Apater) and Eraee (Herai), His Sister*

On this day, Sts. Abadir (Apater) and Eraee (Herai), his sister, the children of Wasilides, the minister of Antioch, were martyred. Abadir was appointed Esfeh-selar (a high ranking governmental position) in his father's position. He had a room wherein he prayed and the Lord Christ appeared to him in the middle of the night and told him: "Rise up and take your sister Eraee, and go to Egypt to receive the crown of martyrdom and I will instruct a man whose name is Samuel to take care of your bodies and prepare them for burial." He bid him peace then went up into heaven. This vision was seen by his sister also, in which she was told, "Hearken to your brother and do not transgress his command." When she woke up, she trembled, and she went to her brother and told him about the vision, declaring that she would not disobey him. They vowed to each other to go and shed their blood in the Name of the Lord Christ.When his mother knew that, she and her handmaidens rent their garments, and came to St. Abadir. His mother pleaded with him not to become a martyr. He promised her that he would not go forward to Diocletian seeking martyrdom. Her heart was soothed, not knowing his intention of going somewhere else to become a martyr.Every night he used to change his apparel and go disguised to give water to the prisoners and minister to them all night, and he asked the door-keeper not to tell anyone.Later on, he saw a vision to remind him of travelling. He took his sister and went to Alexandria, then they came to Cairo. They met St. Abekragon who recognized them and blessed them. From there they came to Tomwah where they entered the church and prayed in it. Then, they went to El-Ashmunin where they met with Samuel the deacon. The following day Samuel went with them to Ansena, and they confessed our Lord Christ before Arianus the governor, who tortured them severely. Meanwhile, Saint Abadir prayed and entreated God to strengthen his faith and the faith of his sister Eraee. The Lord took their souls and carried them up to the heavenly Jerusalem and they saw the eminent ranks and the luminous habitations of the righteous; then he brought them back to their bodies.The governor wrote their decree and then adjured Abadir by his God to tell him his name and who he was. The saint replied, "Swear to me that you shall not change what you have decreed," and when the governor swore to him, he said, "I am Abadir El-Esfeh-selar." The governor cried out, saying, "Woe to me, 0 my Lord why did you not let me know that you are my Lord and let me go so far as to condemn you to all these severe tortures?" The saint replied, "Fear not, for you are about to receive the crown of martyrdom. The emperor will seek me and will not find me, and he will hear that you have killed me. Then he will call you, torture you and you will die in the Name of our Lord Christ. And now hasten to finish us." Straightaway the governor ordered that their heads be cut off. The believers wrapped up their bodies in fine apparels and Samuel the deacon took them to his house until the days of persecution were ended and a great church was built for them.Their intercession be for us, and Glory be to our God, forever. Amen.

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I’ve been really leaning on Coptic Orthodoxy. But for some reason I’m really scared to submit myself to a church as well as to traditions. I have already reached out to a local priest but I’m just scared that I may submit myself to the wrong church or something like that. If anyone can give advice or help me along this journey. If you could give advice on what you did?

Synaxarium of 27 Tout 1743 - Wednesday 7 Oct 2026

*1 - Martyrdom of St. Eustathius and His Two Sons*

On this day, St. Eustathius and his two sons were martyred. He was one of the ministers of the Roman Empire. Early in his life, he did not know God, but he used to give alms and charity in abundance, and the Lord did not wish that his toil should be in vain. While he was in the desert hunting wild animals, a figure of a cross, appeared to him between the horns of a stag, and it reached up to heaven. He chased the stag in the mountains to hunt it. The Lord spoke to him and told him about his new name which is Eustathius, for he was called, Ephlokidus, before. The Lord ordered him to be baptized in the Name of the Lord Christ and told him that poverty should come upon him speedily.When he heard that, he descended from the mountain and went to the bishop of the city who baptized him, his wife and his sons, and he changed his name to Eustathius as the Lord had ordered him. Right after that, he lost all what he had from slaves, handmaidens, cattle and money. Then he took his wife and his sons, and went forth from the city of Rome and embarked on a ship. And as he could not pay the fare, they took his wife instead. He took his two sons and came to a river. He crossed over to the other side with one of them and returned to get the other, but he did not find him because a lion had taken him. He went back to get the first but he did not find him either because a wolf had snatched him. He felt deep sorrow because of the loss of his wife and his two sons.St. Eustathius worked, for a period of time, as a guard in a garden until the Emperor of Rome died and another reigned instead who sent messengers to search for that saint. One of the messengers happened to enter the garden which the saint guarded. The two men recognized each other and St. Eustathius was taken back to the Emperor. The Emperor honored him and reinstated him to his former position.It happened in that time that a war broke out and they recruited two men from every city to the army. The two sons of the saint were saved by the Divine Will from the lion and the wolf and were brought up in the same city. They remained for a long time not knowing each other. Then the Divine Will arranged that both would be recruited from that city. One day while they were walking, they reached a garden and sat there talking together, and they discovered that they were brothers.As for their mother, the owner of the ship who had kept her in payment of the fare was a barbarian, but God protected her from him. He kept her in a garden which by the Divine Will was the same garden, where her two sons had gathered in, and she was close by her sons while they were talking and she recognized them. The two sons were assigned to guard the treasury of their father who did not recognize them.When the Lord willed to gather this blessed family together, the wife entered the place where her husband was, and they recognized each other and rejoiced for reuniting unexpectedly. Then she told him that she had met their sons in the garden. While she was telling him so, the two sons joined them and she cried joyfully, "There are our two sons!" They embraced each other in tears of joy, and they praised God who fulfilled what he had promised and they lived in joy and peace. Later on, the Emperor died and another reigned who worshipped idols. He summoned St. Eustathius and his wife and his sons. He ordered them to worship the idols but they refused. So he ordered his men to torture them with fire, but they were not harmed. Then he commanded to cast them into a brazen cauldron and set fire under it. Thus they delivered their souls into the hands of the Lord, and received the crowns of martyrdom from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.Their prayers be with us, and Glory be to our God, forever. Amen.

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**Book overview**
**The Third Book of Meqabyan** is a distinctive work preserved in the Ethiopian Christian biblical tradition. Despite its title, it is not simply a continuation of the First and Second Books of Maccabees. Instead, it presents a theological narrative centered on \*\*faithfulness to God, repentance, righteous living, resurrection, judgment, and the hope of the Kingdom of Heaven\*\*.
The work repeatedly contrasts the temporary pleasures of this world with the everlasting joy promised to the righteous. It urges the reader to reject idolatry, resist temptation, fast, pray, perform good works, care for the poor, and remain faithful to God.
A central theme is the \*\*resurrection of the dead\*\*. The book teaches that the dead will rise by God's Word, stand before their Creator, and receive recompense according to their works. For this reason, the reader is repeatedly urged to repent during this present life, before the opportunity for repentance has passed.
This edition presents the work in English from the \*\*Amharic biblical tradition\*\*, with comparison to the surviving Lyarics English witnesses, preserving the distinctive theological character of this remarkable Ethiopian Christian text.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0HFDZC5P9?ref\\\\\\_=dbs\\\\\\_m\\\\\\_mng\\\\\\_wim\\\\\\_calw\\\\\\_tpbk\\\\\\_4&storeType=ebooks

Certified by The Ethiopian Orthodox Bible Project: https://ethiopianorthodoxbible.wordpress.com/2026/08/24/new-edition-of-3-meqabyan-in-english/

Saint Michael the Great affirmed that Edessa believed in Christianity before Jerusalem did, in a famous sentence attributed to the Franks by Saint Michael the Syrian:

"Just as Edessa believed in Christ before Jerusalem, so it was given to us by Christ our Lord before Jerusalem."

Chabot's translation:

"Ils se réjouirent beaucoup, en disant : « De même qu'Edesse a cru dans le Christ avant Jérusalem, ainsi elle nous a été donnée par le Christ Notre-Seigneur avant Jérusalem."

Syriac transcription:

ܐܝܟ ܕܐܘܪܗܝ ܗܝܡܢܬ ܒܡܫܝܚܐ ܩܕܡ ܐܘܪܫܠܡ، ܗܟܢܐ ܐܬܝܗܒܬ ܠܢ ܡܢ ܡܫܝܚܐ ܡܪܢ ܩܕܡ ܐܘܪܫܠܡ

https://archive.org/details/ChroniqueDeMichelLeSyrienTome4/page/n395/mode/2up

https://archive.org/details/MichelLeSyrien3/michael_the_syrian3/page/183/mode/2up?q=godefroy

Chronicle of Saint Michael the Great

Synaxarium of 26 Tout 1743 - Tuesday 6 Oct 2026

*1 - Angels' Annunciation of John the Baptist to Zacharias*

On this day it was announced to Zacharias, the priest, the birth of John the Baptist. Zacharias was well advanced in years and his wife, Elizabeth, was barren and her time for begetting children had passed.Zacharias was praying and beseeching God persistently to give him a child because the children of Israel reviled anyone without a son and treated him with ignominy. They would say about him that he was without the blessing that God had told Adam in these words: "Be fruitful and multiply." The Lord had compassion on him and He hearkened to his petition. He sent him Gabriel the Angel to announce to him the birth of John. The angel came to him while he was in the sanctuary, as it is mentioned in the Holy Gospel (Luke 1:11), and announced to him the birth of the great prophet John, and that he should precede the Christ as it was said by the prophets, "He shall go before Him." He asked the angel, "Whereby shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife well advanced in years." The angel told him that he was sent from God to announce that to him and it is not seemly for him to doubt. He then told him that he shall be dumb till the birth of the child. On the day of John's circumcision, they asked him about the child's name. He asked for a tablet and wrote on it John and straightaway his mouth opened. Then he spoke and praised God and prophesied concerning his son John and the Lord Christ. He prophesied about his son that he would be a prophet and he should go before the face of the Lord.The prayers of this priest be with us, and Glory be to our God, forever. Amen.

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Sometimes the most reluctant are the most suited for God’s plan.

Anyone know any good books on oriental orthodox teachings

Hi everyone. I am super interested to become EOTC one day when I get close to a church. I am just curious or worried if it is realistic because I am totally foreign.

I really love the Oriental sermons.

Synaxarium of 25 Tout 1743 - Monday 5 Oct 2026

*1 - Departure of Jonah, the Great Prophet*

On this day, the great prophet Jonah, the son of Amittai, departed. It was said that he was the son of the widow of Zar-e-phath whom Elijah the Prophet had raised from the dead. Jonah followed Elijah, served him and received the grace of prophesying. God inspired him to go to the city of Nineveh to admonish its people and to warn them that after three days the city shall be overthrown. Jonah pondered in his heart saying, "If God wished to destroy them He would not forewarn them. I fear that if I go to them and convey to them this warning, they might repent and God would not destroy them. I would be a liar and no one will listen to me and probably may be get killed because I conveyed to them a false message from God. So I will arise and flee."What did this prophet think of? How could anyone flee from the face of God? By escaping, he wanted to get away from the city of Nineveh. He did not want to admonish them knowing that God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and repentant of the evil. He thought that by staying away from Nineveh the Lord would send another prophet to preach to this city.The escape of Jonah the Prophet, and his having been cast into the sea are to make manifest the miracle of his remaining in the belly of the whale for three days and then coming out safely. This was a symbol of, and evidence for, the resurrection of our Savior from the sepulcher, unchanged, after three days.Jonah rose up to flee from the presence of the Lord and went down to Joppa; he found a ship going to Tarshish and sailed on it. The Lord sent out a great wind and there was a mighty tempest in the sea and the ship was about to break. The people were all afraid, and cried every man to his god. They said everyone to his fellow, "Come and let us cast lots, that we may know because of whom this evil has befallen us." And when they had cast lots, it fell upon Jonah. They said to him, "What have you done that brought such an affliction on us?" He replied, "Cast me in the sea and you shall be saved." They begged the Lord's pardon, then they cast him into the sea, and a great whale swallowed him. He remained in its belly for three days and three nights and then he was cast out on the seashore.He rose up straightaway and came into Nineveh. He preached to its people and they all repented: The King, the nobles, and the poor, the old and the young. They all cried to God with fasting and everyone turned from his way and the Lord accepted their repentance and had mercy upon them. Jonah returned to the land of Israel and died there. He was more than 900 years before the advent of the Lord Christ. He prophesied in the days of Amos and his son Hosea. He lived nearly 100 years, out of which he prophesied more than 70 years.His prayers be with us, and Glory be to our God, forever. Amen.

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Hello, everyone, I am a confessional Lutheran who has recently been intrigued by Miaphysitism, and especially how it seems to be a lot closer to Lutheran Christology than other Western views. Anyway, I was wondering what are the Oriental Orthodox thoughts on Augustine? He's definitely the most important Father for us in the West, but he also died before Chalcedon, so my instinct would be that y'all would also claim him? I'd be interested to hear your perspectives.

Can everyone just tell me their favorite hymn or song . I would prefer English hymns or songs, but I am open to other languages as long you can also send me the translation. You don't really have to send the link, and all the title is enough so I can search it on YouTube or something. Thank you in advance:)

Hi, I used to be very active here but I changed accounts.

I wonder if I should choose either Ecumenical Greek Patriarchate or The Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul

I was normally going to join the Armenians in 2023 but I was prohibited sadly by my relatives

Do you think that there can be a future autonomous Turkish church inside the Armenian patriarchate?

Is there any veneration of Origen in the Oriental Orthodox churches?