www.byzcath.org Forums Mysteries: The Life of Worship Vespers, Matins & the Divine Liturgy Coptic Divine Liturgy

I, too, joke with my dear friend Very Rev. Vardabed Daniel (Findikyan) by telling him that I prefer Georgian cognac to Armenian because the latter leaves a monophysite aftertaste! Actually the non-Chalcedonian Churches prefer to use the term Miaphysite (echoing St. Cyril) to the odious 'monophysite' label. In any event, as the agreed statements with the Holy See testify the pre-Chalcedonian and non-Chacedonian Christologies are perfectly orthodox (capitalize the 'O' if you wish)!

LOL. Then I'd say something that, mmm, those Miaphysites really know how to roll a very tasty grape leaf with ground lamb and rice in it. The pickling vinegar that they use has to be the best on the planet (probably it's olive oil-based, but not sure).

I suppose they can say, you Nestorians sure know a good thing when you taste it!

Here's an image of the church, incidentally...

http://www.buffalocopts.org/OurChurch.htm

The iconostasis is temporary. I was shown the plans for the permanent iconostasis (which is being created in Egypt) and it will be quite magnificent. Very traditional, in dark wood, in keeping with the traditional architecture of the building.

The entire sanctuary of the church, as a matter of fact...which was formerly comprised of a large baptismal pool and a pulpit when the building was a Protestant church...is currently in the process of being completely renovated, redecorated, and refitted to make of it a fitting space for the celebration of the Orthodox liturgy.

When all is said and done, the holy table will be moved back to where the baptismal pool once was. The new iconostasis will likewise stand further back. The floor of the altar has been raised, so the new iconostasis will loom taller than the current one does.

A great concave apse wall has been built in front of the window you see in the photo above/behind the altar, and that apse wall will be adorned by an Egyptian artist with a mural of a crowned and enthroned Jesus Christ the Pantocrator. The transformation will be spectacular when everything is finished. I can hardly wait to see it when it's all done.

This church really is, in every way, a delightful treasure to have in a town like Tonawanda, New York, which is very much a typically humble, vanilla, American suburban residential community devoid of anything exotic or exquisite.

More and more I'm beginning to see how blessed I am to live in an area of New York State that boasts such an impressive array of Catholic, Orthodox, and other Apostolic churches. We've got Maronites, Copts, Greeks, Ukrainians, Russians, Serbians, Macedonians, Antiochians, Polish Nationals, enough Romans to conquer the ancient world...and heaven only knows who else. I am told there are one or two other Apostolic churches in Niagara Falls that are neither Catholic nor Orthodox that I have yet to encounter. It will be interesting to find out one day what that's all about.

Well, RI, here's a picture of a chapel in the COC by us, and I'm not sure what to make of the iconistas here, it's probably permanent, considering Pope Shennouda III consecrated it, but haven't seen photos from in the big church itself:

http://www.stmarkcoccleveland.org/i...amp;layout=blog&id=39&Itemid=192

EDIT: Oops, take that back, I also found a page with the Church pictures, too, mainly of the ceilings, but I see a little bit of the iconistas in there, but all in all looks great.

http://www.stmarkcoccleveland.org/i...amp;layout=blog&id=38&Itemid=191