His Holiness Pope Shenouda III delivers a lecture on the importance of training in memorization in Christian ministry, explaining how memorization nourishes prayer, contemplation, spiritual teaching, and protects from distraction of mind and falling into sins.

Benefits of memorization

• Enables the minister and believer to pray without a book at any time and place.

• Provides time for contemplation and understanding because repetition allows grasping the meaning.

• Helps in caring for others: a memorizing minister can assist servers and children when they falter.

• Strengthens memory and gives the ability to respond spiritually and doctrinally when facing opponents.

Types of material to memorize and training methodology

• Recommendations for types of memorization: doctrinal verses, verses about virtues, parts of the Agpeya, psalms, hymns, portions of the Holy Bible.

• Dividing memorization by ages: early childhood (nursery), late childhood (elementary), adolescence, youth, adulthood — choosing verses suitable for each stage.

• Suggesting a summer memorization program and competitions with prizes (for example at the Nayrouz feast) to attract and motivate children.

Practical examples and educational suggestions

• Memorize specific verses (e.g., Mark 16:16, Galatians 3:27, John 3:5, Acts 2:38, John 20:22) and link them to instructional occasions (baptism, confession, communion).

• Use simple objects for children: cup, pen, cross, lamp, to teach their meaning and memorize verses associated with them.

• Hold periodic contests, repeat memorization with prizes to encourage continuity.

Spiritual and educational dimension

• Memorization strengthens prayer, occupies the mind with what is good, stimulates contemplation and prevents the soul from occupying itself with vain matters.

• It forms a spiritual and cognitive safeguard: a memorized Gospel and psalms preserve the person and help him confront sin and doctrinal confusion.

• The call to invest the summer vacation period in memorization because it is an appropriate time and there is no excuse.

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