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

A TIME OF CONSECRATION 159I was asked yet again to do a reading during the consecration ofthe Myron, this time from the first chapter of the Acts of the Apostles,verses 1 to 14. In this passage, Jesus, just before his Ascension,instructs his disciples to remain in Jerusalem till they are baptizedby the Holy Spirit. This “baptism” of Pentecost is an anointing,said the Pope, an outpouring of grace which empowers the Churchto anoint with oil in the Name of Jesus.Even more ingredients were added and stirred into the oiltoday, and the fire was heated to a higher temperature. It seemsthat the volume of the oil has been melting down and diminishinga bit during these days of consecration, but I’m told that this is as itshould be.Midnight WatchAPRIL 7, TUESDAYI rose in the middle of the night and accompanied one of thepriests, Abuna Girgus, into the church to strain the Myron, to addnew ingredients, and then to fire the charcoal. I was privileged todo this. Abuna Girgus is something of a chemist; he wanted toshow me some of the technical parts of the ceremony so that Iwould understand it better in terms of my research.During the day, balsam was added to the oil and passages from1 Corinthians, chapters 12 to 14 were read, dealing with the giftsof the Holy Spirit. Many bishops participated again today. Thisseems to be the day of greatest participation of those from outsidethe House. I dined in the papal residence again in their company.Bishop Serapion, who has come and gone and returned again fromCairo, brought me a bundle of mail which had arrived at the Patriarchatefor me.An Ethiopian SeminarianAPRIL 8, WEDNESDAYAn Ethiopian seminarian named Bekalu, with whom I havebeen in contact, is studying in Cairo at the Patriarchate seminary.He arrived today for the ceremony with some Ethiopian monks.