Journey Back to Eden.pdf - St Mark Coptic Orthodox Church Chicago

A TIME TO GO ONPILGRIMAGE 139structural or ecological position. I think that the monastic explanationis every bit as valid as my Western interpretation. I like itbetter; it communicates more and, in its own way, is as accurate asit is descriptive.Ecumenical GesturesMARCH 23, MONDAYThis is the first truly hot day of the year and today AbunaDemetria brought me a black cap to wear under my hood! Ofcourse, here in the desert, my hood is always worn up, as it is consideredappropriate for monks to cover their heads. In the West,monks rarely wear their hoods up, maybe only when it’s cold, or inLent. But Abuna Demetria and the various monks here want me tohave the proper “look” of a monk in a Coptic monastery.It’s an interesting thing to me how their concern about theproper “look” inspires them to address me. From the beginning,the Coptic Pope asked me to grow a beard so that I would not lookout of place. Then, of course, I had to wear my hood up so that Iwould not confuse the visitors to the monastery as to what kind ofmonk allows his head to be uncovered. They gave me a woodenhand-cross so that I could give blessings in a manner which the pilgrimswould understand, even though I am not a Coptic Orthodoxpriest or monk. Yet they wanted me to give blessings—an ecumenicalgesture which was not lost on me. I wonder, indeed, how manyOrthodox Churches in Europe would provide a visiting priest witha hand-cross to give blessings in their monasteries in a manner thattheir people can appreciate. In all of these ways, the Coptic monksemphasize a certain degree of regard for proper decorum amongReligious and priests, so that, by external signs, graces are providedto the faithful.At the same time, they have extended to me an ecumenical acceptance—ona primal level, to be sure, because there are manydifficulties between the Churches—but they assert a basic ecumenicalunity which I find very heartening. However, as hearteningas all of this is, I’m also appreciative of the irony of wearing ablack wool cap under my hood only as the weather turns hot!This irony is all the sweeter because it also provides me an opportunityto experience something of the discomfort that Religious