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H.G. Late Bishop Samuel's Liturgy at St. Mark's in New Jersey
Dear all,
Is a copy of this liturgy attainable as a recording or video if possible? It would be of significant importance to me!
In Christ,
Andrew
Is a copy of this liturgy attainable as a recording or video if possible? It would be of significant importance to me!
In Christ,
Andrew
Comments
It was really really old...some time in the 1960's.
If i am not mistaken, Saint Mark's was not established in the 60s....ilovesaintmark can confirm.
The Venerable Bishop was in accompaniment to His Eminence, Metropolitan Antonious, for the elevation of (the reposed) Fr. Gabriel Abdelsayed to the rank of Hegumen. Fr. Gabriel has the distinction of being the shortest tenure to hegumen in the entire Western Hemisphere. Having been ordained 5 August 1970 as a presbyter (qis) and later Hegumen January 1971 at St. Mark in Jersey City. Thus, also giving him a dual distinction as being the first priest ordained for permanent service in the United States, and the first consecrated Hegumen in the Western Hemisphere.
As for the venerable and maternal parish of St. Mark in Jersey City, it was incorporated May 1968, and the building that has housed it continuously was purchased in February 1970. This duality is long before any claim by any church in the United States. The building that houses St. Mark on 427 West Side Avenue, in Jersey City, is the first Coptic Orthodox Church building in the Western Hemisphere.
While St. Mark in Toronto was started and registered before Jersey City, they rented a building and did not have a building of their own until later.
Fr. Gabriel Abldelsayed served with Bishop Samuel in the Bishopric of Ecumenical and Social Services through the sixties, and was personally picked for service in the United States. It was because of the heavy influence of Bp Samuel, along with the thrice blessed and reposed Metropolitan Athanasius of Beni Suef that Fr. Gabriel agreed to accept the calling to the priesthood.
In terms of ministering and visiting priests in the service of New York and New Jersey through the 60's, it was under the care of: Very Rev. Fr. Morcos Morcos, Very Rev. Fr. Bishoy Kamel (reposed), Very Rev. Roufail Nakhla (reposed), Very Rev. Fr. Mina Kamel (who is now pastor of St. George in Brooklyn, NY). Fr. Mina did visiting ministry as his wife was doing graduate work towards a Master's Degree at the time.
This is the information that I have available to me.
In regard to Bp Samuel, there was a famous Liturgy of September 1981 in attendance with the thrice blessed and reposed Bp. Gregorious, which called together, for the first time, all of the priests of North America to meet in regard to the crisis that developed with the denouncement of the Egyptian Government and the [satanic] President Anwar El-Sadat of the Papacy of Pope Shenouda and our pope's exile to the Monastery of St. Bishoy.
His Grace had a constant presence at particular churches relative to ties with the given communities in Jersey City, Toronto, Chicago, and Texas.
Bp Samuel is an amazing man in the history of the Coptic Church of the 20th Century. He laid the foundation for most of the accomplishments that helped the Papacy of Pope Shenouda III. He is maligned for having accepted the presidential decree to assign him in the Oversight Committee that was established by Sadat to take the place of Pope Shenouda. His Grace gave extensive reasons for the acceptance on his part. Moreover, Bp Samuel was allowed to bleed to death after the shooting in the reviewing stand on 6 October 1981 when Sadat was assassinated. Bp Samuel sat in a hospital corridor for over six hours with shots to the belly that were not tended to medically/surgically.
His Grace is entombed in crypt alongside a crypt for Bp. Gregorious beneath the great cathedral of St. Mark in Cairo. I will add that Bp Samuel was able to single-handedly secure the funds and permission for the building of that cathedral at the request of His Holiness Pope Kyrillos VI (Cyril VI).
Are there any pics of what His Grace looked like?
Bp Samuel is on the left, His Holiness is on the right.
http://www.coptic.net/pictures/Photo.PopeShenoudaIIIAndBishopSamuel.jpg
I would probably ask around in the Chicago area, especially Dr. Atef Moawad--Dr. John Moawad's father (since I see the aem's locale is in Chicago). I have a taped liturgy from the 70's given to me by a friend from Chicago.
HG sounds like an amazing father. If I may ask, what were these reasons?
I really doubt that there are any recordings in the sixties for Bp Samuel. Casette recorders and video cameras were not around. Very few in the diaspora had reel tape recorders available. Certainly, no one had movie cameras (predecessors to the video cameras).
I would probably ask around in the Chicago area, especially Dr. Atef Moawad--Dr. John Moawad's father (since I see the aem's locale is in Chicago). I have a taped liturgy from the 70's given to me by a friend from Chicago.
Oh interesting enough, I'm from Chicago and I know Dr. Atef and John very well. If possible, could you publicize this taped liturgy or send it to me? I would greatly appreciate it. If I can get anything from Dr. Atef, I will post it.