His Holiness Pope Shenouda speaks about the holiness of the church and its dignity and the necessity of respecting the house of God, affirming that the church is not merely a building but a house of prayer and a house of angels and a “gate of heaven.”

Entry and Reverence

He emphasizes that entering the church requires reverence and respect: bowing before the sanctuary or prostrating if possible, and realizing that entering the house of God is a grace and mercy from the Lord.

The Church as the Place of the Holy Spirit and the Sacraments

He explains that the church is the place where the Holy Spirit dwells and the place where the holy sacraments are performed, where the second birth occurs in baptism and the holy sacrifice (the Body and Blood of the Lord) is offered, and it is also the source of right teaching and repentance.

Icons, Lights and Heavenly Significance

He mentions that icons remind us of the angels and the saints and their lives, and that the lights of the church resemble the stars and indicate the sanctity of the place and the glory of God, and that the church is a beacon of spiritual light.

Liturgical Order and the Importance of the Public Gathering

He affirms the necessity of order in the rite: organizing entrance for communion, respecting the order of the deacon and the priest, avoiding chaos or crowding, and that the church is the house where believers gather for prayer, teaching, and participation in the sacraments.

Warning against Heresies and Sects

He warns about the spread of new methods and sectarian programmed practices inside some churches, and calls to purify churches from sectarian personalities and practices and to resist innovations in order to preserve the unity of faith.

Choir Etiquette, Organizers and Photographers

He gives practical directions concerning the choir (responses) to be regular and harmonious, criticizes lectures during services, and alerts to organizing photographers and stewards so that they do not disturb reverence or create disorder.

Reverence, Humility and Asceticism

He stresses true reverence in prayer, readings and rites, and the meanings of standing, bowing and prostration, and links humility and discipline to modest dress, chastity and restraint of the senses inside the church.

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