The Church’s Toil for the Faith

His Holiness Pope Shenouda III speaks about the great struggle and severe toil that the Church endured throughout the ages in order to preserve the Christian faith and hand it down to the generations intact and without distortion. He emphasizes that believers today enjoy the treasures of faith because of the enormous sacrifices offered by the fathers, saints, and martyrs.

Main Idea

The faith received by the Church did not arrive easily. Rather, it came through a long struggle, harsh persecutions, exile, prisons, martyrdoms, and doctrinal battles fought by the fathers in defense of the Orthodox doctrine.

Spiritual and Educational Dimension

• His Holiness Pope Shenouda III explains that the Church owes much to the saints and fathers who preserved the faith despite all difficulties.
• He presents the example of Saint Athanasius the Apostolic, who endured exile, accusations, and many journeys while defending the Creed against Arianism.
• He confirms that the blood of the martyrs was a fundamental reason for the transmission of the Christian faith to later generations.
• He highlights the role of fathers such as Saint Cyril the Great and Pope Dioscorus in defending the Orthodox doctrine and enduring persecution for its sake.
• He points out that the Church faced opposition from both outside and inside, yet remained steadfast through the power of God and the faith of her children.
• He explains that preserving the faith was, for the fathers, more valuable than positions, authority, and earthly gains.
• He calls believers to appreciate the heritage of faith that has reached them and to hold firmly to it with complete honesty and faithfulness.
• He affirms that every generation is responsible for preserving the faith it has received and handing it on to the next generations just as it was received from the fathers.

General Message

The Orthodox faith is a precious deposit that reached us through the sacrifices of the fathers, martyrs, and saints. Therefore, it must be preserved with complete faithfulness and handed down to future generations without change or compromise.

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