How to Benefit from the Holy Liturgy - Pope Kirillos Scientific Family

monasteries, which resembled military camps in their order
and obedience, but he was also distinguished by his great
modesty, without the sovereignty of one over the other.
Learn, my beloved these two virtues from St. Bakhomius,
for few can attain them. “…and Theodore his disciple…”,
who was an obedient son and the personal disciple of Abba
Bakhomius. He absorbed all the characteristics of his
personality, as it is mentioned in the Gospel: "It is enough
for a disciple to be like his teacher" (Matthew 10:25).
Theodore (Tadros) had a rare obedience, so much so that he
became an ideal disciple. We can all learn from him simple
obedience towards our physical and spiritual fathers, as
obedience saves us a great deal of trouble in reaching our
goals without stumbling along the way. By obedience we
take a ready counsel supported by experience and free of
negatives.
“…Our father Abba Shenouti the Archimandrite…”, who
was the abbot of the monasteries in the province of Sohag in
Upper Egypt. He was distinguished by his patriotism, pride
of his nationality and heritage. He encouraged whatever was
Coptic (Egyptian) and resisted anything foreign. He did his
utmost to confirm the Coptic language, and assisted the
Egyptians to a great extent in their struggle against foreign
colonism. His high spirituality, and love for monasteries and
solitude, earned him the title ‘the Archimandrite’, or ‘head of
the hermits’. We can learn from St. Shenouti the love for
our country, our people and our church, with all her heritage,
language, rites, tunes, and spirituality. “…and Abba Besa
his disciple…”, who was the successor of St. Shenouti in
the administration of the monasteries, and was obedient and
sincere to his spiritual father during his life and after his
departure. He managed the monasteries in the same style and
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