The talk addresses the value of the Agpeya as model prayers that teach the Scriptures and express the life of the Coptic Orthodox Church. The Pope explains that the Agpeya is not merely petitions but a hymn of love and longing toward God, the house of God, God’s word, the saints and the angels.

Elements of Prayer in the Agpeya

The Agpeya presents many spiritual elements: love and longing, reverence and prostration, praise and glorification, contemplation of God’s attributes, dialogue and argument with God, frankness in presenting one’s state, crying and supplication, asking for guidance and knowledge, contrition and confession of sin, thanksgiving and acknowledgment of God’s grace, pleadings and varied petitions, reliance on and waiting for God’s justice.

Love of the Scripture, the House of God, and the Saints

The Pope clarifies that love for the Psalms and the Holy Scripture is strongly manifested in the Agpeya; the Psalms are sung and recited and nourish the soul, and the Agpeya places Scripture at the heart of worship so the pray-er learns and loves the Lord’s word and stores it in the heart.

Ecclesial, Communal and Cosmic Dimension

The Agpeya expresses the spirit of the community; it is a hymn participated in by the people, the angels, and all creation, teaching communal prayer that includes the whole Church and showing the pray-er’s longing for the house of God and rest in His dwelling.

Doctrinal and Theological Dimension

The Agpeya contains truths of faith: it formulates Trinitarian doctrine, affirms Christ’s divinity and kingship and the incarnation of the Word, and mentions the place of the Theotokos and the saints. Thus the Agpeya is a practical theological school, not merely emotional.

Spiritual and Practical Outcomes

Those who commit to the Agpeya learn correct prayer: humility, love, struggle, and seeking the Lord’s guidance. The Agpeya provides stable spiritual formation, feeds the believer with the milk of faith, and enables him to keep and live the truths of faith.

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