Prayer is the main goal of fasting that works basically with other virtues and increases the gain of all other virtues. His Grace Abba Benjamin, Bishop of Menofia, wrote in his article prayer in the words of the holy fathers about the importance of prayer as explained by fathers of the church. Among their sayings the patience in prayer generates stability in front of the wars of prayer which means that prayers helps human to overcome spiritual wars that aims to stop man from continue praying. Moreover, it can lead man to a life of joy, thanks giving and peace.

In a few days. We will have a new president in the presidential palace. The election is scheduled on 26 - 27 - 28 March. However, the current campaigns of candidates and various state institutions aim mainly at motivating citizens to cast their vote and participate in the elections to ensure a high voting rate promising this will ensure a better future for Egypt. I wonder if they will stay keen on this vote of the citizens after the elections end. The elections are indeed an important democratic feast that deserves such attention, but such effort to please the citizens should stay after the elections. I don t blame those who try hard to convince the citizens to participate, but there are many projects and goals that deserve such unity and propaganda that is really related to our future.

The most important event these days is the Egyptian presidential election which began abroad Friday, Saturday and Sunday 16, 17, 18 March 2018. I was one of the participants in the presidential elections as I casted my vote at the Egyptian Embassy in London. This was on Saturday 17 March, the anniversary of the departure of pope Shenouda III eho said that Egypt is not a country we live in, but a country that lives in our hearts.

To each his own. Thus, it would be hard to foretell what Pope Shenouda III would do if he was alive under the regime of the Muslim Brotherhood. Would he clash with them or stay in the monastery? What would he do with President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi? I am sure they would go along as Pope Shenouda was nice to everybody, especially the good people. I believe he would have also participated in the revolution of June 30, 2013, as the two popes have the same motivation to do so including their fear and love for the nation. Therefore, I believe that there is one spirit controls the attitudes of the Coptic Orthodox Church and direct its leaders over time. My friends, as we bid farewell to Pope Shenouda III, we did not lose his works, biography and writings. His children are still preaching his ideology and love for his enemies. This appeared as the Salafies were calling to kill him, but he was praying for them. He refused to hear his disciples and fans promising to sacrifice their souls to protect him and said it is his role to protect them even by sacrificing his soul. He indeed loved his people and thus he was loved by his people.

As the Presidential elections are coming close, we begin to see a lot of people asking numerous questions about whether or not they should partake in the process. Generally speaking, participating in voting is positive, with a positive outlook, and everyone needs to hold on to that. However, many may say that that they want their vote to reflect their interest, which, at the current moment, does not exist.

On daily basis, Copts united publishes news about inauguration of new churches and the ordination of new priests, monks and deacons in Egypt and abroad. This shows us that the Coptic Orthodox Church is growing in numbers not only in Egypt but also all over the world. The quality of faith appears when Coptic simple people decided to face death instead of abandoning their faith. Those were filmed while being beheaded and confessing their Christian belief.

For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord s. (Romans 14: 8) This was said by apostle Paul who explained that the benefit of existence in this life is o serve God and evangelism. This was explained by Abba Bishoy, Bishop of Kafr El-Sheikh, in his article For if we live, we live to the Lord . Bishop Bishoy said that St. Paul was very concerned with preaching of the Gospel in all ways and everywhere till his martyrdom. His great ministry was a proof of his love to God, and this ministry didn t stop by his martyrdom as he continues to pray for us in heaven.

God bless the soul of Saint Archidacon Habib Girgis, founder of Sunday schools and the modern seminary College. He was a deacon who wasn t seen throughout his life wearing the clerical garment though he was a great saint and professor. This is the opposite of what few deacons did in the Diaspora. The new deacons are priesthood dreamers who admire appearing with the bishops, but grew their beards and put the clerical garments on. Their appearance confuses the children who kiss their hands thinking they are priests.

Amr Ahmed Hussein is a newspaper seller who earns little amount of money as sales of newspaper are decreasing all over the world. This man suffers like most of the Egyptian people from the increasing prices in everything, but his didn t allow him to take the big amount of money that he found next to his kiosk. 25.000 LE is the amount of money that he found, which is considered a lot by anyone, but as for this honest man, they were nothing to accept.

Nowadays, if you asked anyone working in the media what they do for a living, their answer would be without a doubt, that their job is to support the current political regime and any regime to come. An example of these people is Mostafa Bakry, Ahmad Moussa, Khaled Salah, to name a few. When you ask any of them why the do what they do, they will convince you that they are defending Egypt against the huge conspiracy theory that nobody else sees except them and the regime they support.

Neom is the chosen name for a planned 26,500 sq km transnational city and economic zone to be constructed in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt. This city is a Saudi dream that will take 1000 km of the precious Egyptian land, namely in Sinai, to fulfill this grand project, which will cost 500 billion US dollars. An Investment Fund of $16 billion was founded aiming to develop Sinai and prevent terrorism from taking it over. Greetings to the Egyptian and the Saudi parties for their efforts and we wish the best for them both.

Political opposition in any society is a manifestation of political pluralism. The presence of such opposition is a sign of institutional health and a meter of its success or failure. However, many people decided to fight the presence of the opposition and demonize everything that is opposed to the current regime s policies. Thus, members of the opposition are defamed and called betrayals. This is very dangerous for our homeland as the presence of opposition is crucial to building the country for the benefit of the citizens. Many people were misguided by such ideas that they believe now that disagreement is no longer a right. They prefer to silence other voices instead of listening to them. This fanatic reaction led many people who disagree with the Muslim Brotherhood to use their TV channels where they are allowed to speak unlike other Egyptian channels. Moreover, the bad treatment to foreign media reporters became the worse advertising for Egypt abroad.

Spiritual insensitivity may affect many believers and perhaps servants who are linked to the church. Thus, we may need to take care of our Spiritual vigilance in order not to lose our eternal life. Abba Pachomious, former acting Patirarch, talked in his article entitle Spiritual vigilance about losing such vigilance. The first reason is the constant preoccupation with work, media, and problems. The various social networking sites may add to addiction or preoccupation with friends without spending with God in prayer and service.

I received a link of a song that is supposed to belong to an Egyptian singer, but the link brought me to a lot of recklessness far from belonging to this nation. It is only a mockery of a homeland and a great army and policemen! The heroic Egyptian armed forces is working on the comprehensive operation Sinai 2018 with the help of the police aiming at eliminating the terrorists from Sinai and to rid Egypt of terrorism. Thus, it is an operation of liberation and victory.

Judging others is one of the most horrible things anyone can do in this life. However, in the Arab World and in general, we see a lot of people judging others and, in most cases, we are happy to observe or participate rather than condemn it. Recently, the Emirates singer Ahlam, discouraged people from saying, “God have mercy” for the famous Indian actress Sridevi who died last week in the Emirates. Ahlam distastefully proclaimed that according to the Quran, she shouldn’t ask for mercy for non-Muslims.

Father Botros Botros Bastawrous, deputy of Kafr El-Sheikh diocese, said in a public conference in support of al-Sisi in the governorate of Kafr El-Sheikh that we have to respect the Divine Will for al-Sisi s re-election. For a long time, people in Egypt tended to mix religion with politics leading both to a catastrophic situation. Many clergy and other people trading on religion have used it to achieve their own benefits by supporting the regime. Moreover, politicians have been using clergy to support their regimes using their effective methods on the simple people. However, after the Muslim Brotherhood had taken power in Egypt, people hated such mix between religion and politics, and demonstrated against the autocratic regime of the Muslim Brotherhood, which was accompanied by a large wave of atheism, which was estimated in 2013 that up to 3 million (3.57%) Egyptians were atheists.

All men are in dire need to the active word of God that enlightens the way and brings peace for our souls For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. This word of God is the only way to get rid of sin and to hear the voice of God. Abba Moussa, Bishop of the youth, said in his article entitled The Bible and contemporary man that the Bible meets the needs of contemporary man of knowledge, reference, salvation and immortality since man needs to know how to live in fear of God and distinguish between the light and darkness, and between right and wrong. Your word I have hidden in my heart That I might not sin against You. (Psalm 119)

In the midst of several recent bombings in our Egyptian churches, I was happy as a Coptic Christian citizen to see the religious discourse of the Coptic church focusing on the beauty of life and its value after it used to focus on the other life. Abba Raphael, secretary of the Holy Synod, sent three messages in a sermon he delivered at one of these funerals. First, we believe in the heavenly justice, second, we love our country; third, we won t abandon our faith. The fathers of the Egyptian Church told us that martyrdom in the Arabic language means being killed for the sake of God. It simply means being summoned for witness on one s faith. Our martyrs sacrificed their souls as they declared their faith before extremist murderers.