Questions & Answers

Church Readings

Faith Q&A › Metropolitan Youssef › Prayer, Fasting and Worship › Church Readings

The question

Usually the Holy Gospel of St. John 10:1-16 is read whenever we celebrate a Pope. On th commemoration day of Pope Theophilus the 23rd, on the 18th of Paopeyet, the Holy Gospel of St. Matthew 16:13-19 is read. Is there an explanation?

The answer

This is because Pope Theophilus had a great role in keeping the faith of the church against all the heresies that were spreading at that time. Therefore, the church chose the gospel in which the Lord said to St. Peter "upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it."

Answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab)

Questions answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab) of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Question 52 on the Diocese’s Q&A site. Questions and answers © Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. All rights reserved.