The Prodigal Son
Where is the Parable of the prodigal son found in the Bible?
Luke 15
The Sacrament of Baptism is the ONLY sacrament that needs to be followed by the Eucharist.
False. All sacraments need to be followed by the Eucharist.
Where was Abram born and how many times did Abraham relocate? What places did he go to and with who?
He was born in Ur of the Chaldeans. God asked him to relocate twice. One from Ur to the Land of Haran where he stayed for 15 years until his father's (Terah) death. Two, from Haran to the Land of Canaan, along with Sarai and Lot.
Which monastery did Pope Cyril get educated from? Who taught him in the monastery and for how long?
St. Macarius the Great where he learned from St. Paphnutius, for 3 years, who was a disciple of St. Anthony.
Where was St. Macarius born and when do we celebrate him? What does Macarius mean?
Village of Menouf
Baramhat 27
Macarius means "blessed"
How hungry did the prodigal son become after he wasted all his money during the famine?
He was so hungry that he wished he could eat the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one allowed him to have any.
What did Christ do before establishing the sacrament of the Eucharist? Where was this sacrament established?
Washed the feet of the disciples. It was established in the house of St. Mark
Which king took all the people of Sodom, including Lot and his family?
King Chedorlaomer
What is the Nestorian heresy and where did it spread too?
The Nestorian heresy denied the single, united nature of the Lord Jesus Christ. Instead, it claimed that there were two separate natures – one divine and one human. This belief essentially separated the divinity of Christ from His humanity. Additionally, Nestorius rejected the title “Theotokos” which means Mother of God for the Virgin Mary, insisting that she gave birth to a mere human being, not God in the flesh. This heresy spread to the city of Constantinople.
Who appeared to St. Macarius and stayed with him until he reached the desert of Natron? Where did St. Macarius dug himself a cave?
A Cherub
Next to a water pool in Wadi Natron
When the prodigal son returned, what did his father do?
Ran to meet him, hugged him, and kissed him
What did Christ use to establish this sacrament? What does it contain and what does that represent?
He used leavened bread which contains yeast which symbolizes sin
Complete the verse: “Do not be afraid, Abram, ____________, your very great reward.” (Genesis 15:1)
“I am your shield”
What council was held when Nestorius rejected Pope Kyrillos I’s instruction? At what year and how many bishops attended?
The Council of Ephesus during the year 431 AD, with 200 bishops present.
Describe the system of monasticism that St. Macarius taught.
The system of monasticism that St. Macarius taught to the monks was that each monk would live in his own cave. All the monks would gather to pray the evening praises together, and in the morning, each would pray the Divine Liturgy alone. Every Saturday evening, they would listen to the words of St. Macarius, and then each monk would return to his cave.
What is God’s greatest gift for us?
Incarnation and redemption on the Cross
How do we prepare physically and spiritually for Communion?
Physical Preparation: fasting for 9 hours before Communion and making sure our body is pure and clean.
Spiritual Preparation: repent and confess, be in peace with everyone, only setting our focus on God during liturgy, and believe that you are partaking of Jesus’ True Body and Blood.
What is a verse from the Book of Hebrews which describes Abraham’s strong faith?
“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.” (Hebrews 11:8)
What is the outcome of this Council? What are Pope Cyril's famous writings? When do we commemorate Pope Kyrillos I’s departure?
Introduction to the Creed
Commentaries on certain books of the Holy Bib, Letters against the heresy of Nestorius, & The Divine Liturgy (also known as the Liturgy of St. Cyril)
Abib 3
Who were St. Macarius’ disciples? Explain who the women from Alexandria were and why they were righteous that St. Macarius went to visit?
St. Maximos and St. Domadios
The woman and her sister were married to two shepherd brothers, and they had vowed to spend their lives in love for God, increasing their prayers, fasts, and love for one another. Each of them had children, and when a child was born, the other woman would nurse and care for it, even if it wasn’t her own. Despite their poverty, they were content and thankful to God for all things, and they shared what they had with others in need.
What is the verse that tells us about the prodigal son’s repentance?
“I have sinned against heaven and against you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants” (Luke 15:18-19).
Which two verses tell us about how our Lord Jesus Christ established the Sacrament of the Eucharist (one about the Body and one about the Blood)?
“Take, eat; this is My body” (Matthew 26:26).
“Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:27-28)
What did God promise Abram? How old were Abram and Sarai when their names changed to Abraham and Sarah? How many years did they begot their son Isaac?
God promised Abram that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars. Abram was 99 and Sarai was 89. A year later, Sarah give birth to Isaac.
What two verses confirm the divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ?
1 Timothy 3:16 – “Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh...”
Matthew 1:23 – “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which means, God with us.”
What monastery took place in the area where St. Macarius dug his cave? The Scetis desert became home to how many monks? When an angel led St. Macarius into the desert and told him to settle there, what did this place later become?
Monastery of Baramous
The Scetis desert became home to about 1500 monks.
The Monastery of St. Macarius