The Agpeya and Responding to Heresies and Questions Raised in This Period
- Critique of the Offensive Tone: Pope Shenouda III condemns the harsh insults used by an author (a former monk and servant) to attack the Orthodox Church, calling its practices paganism and idolatry. The Pope emphasizes an objective response, rooted in the biblical verse “revilers will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
- Defending Intercession and the Virgin Mary: The Pope strongly refutes the author’s claims that the intercession of saints is idol worship. He rebukes the author’s audacity in calling the Virgin Mary “a sinner under a curse and judgment,” reaffirming her purity, her title as the “Mother of the Lord,” and the ongoing, tangible miracles of saints.
- The Nature of the Agpeya (Joy vs. Sorrow): The Pope dismantles the claim that the Agpeya (Book of Hours) is merely a depressing “monologue” of constant weeping and groaning. He proves, using various Psalms from the canonical hours, that the Agpeya is overflowing with rejoicing, praise, thanksgiving, and hope.
The Agpeya is a Dialogue, Not a Monologue: The Pope explains that the believer does not speak alone in the Agpeya. It is a mutual dialogue where the believer hears God’s voice through the Gospel reading in each hour, and through Psalms that contain direct divine promises and blessings (e.g., “The Lord shall preserve you,” “May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble”).:
