Selah III

I Sought After You

Basilian Liturgy (English) -- Abouna Mina Shaheid

I Open My Mouth With Praise  - Fr. Demetrius Mansour (arabic) & Bavnouti Mansour (english)

Lyrics by Fr. Antony Paul 

Set to the tune of "Of All Nations"

Refrain:
They rejected Thee,
Thou, the Beloved,
a despised and dead man.

But Thy throne, O God,}
Abideth forever,}	 (X 2)
{Unto eternity.}      (X 2)

With words softer than oil,
Approached the unjust man.
With a kiss, the traitor marked Thee,
To consummate the ancient plan.
Thine own familiar friend, 
Forsook his chance to heal,
He who ate bread with thee,
Had lifted up his heel.

With cowardice and fright,
Thy beloved ones took flight,
They who were to Thee most dear,
Cared more for their own plight.
Thou searched with anguished heart,
For one to grieve with Thee,
But the True Shepherd was smitten,
And all Thy sheep did flee.

Without cause and moved by hatred,
Rose up great Levi’s tribe.
The priests that Thou anointed,
Laid hand on Thee through bribe.
The Kings of the earth stood up,
To fight against the Christ,
But the Lamb did keep His silence,
Salvation had been priced.

With a crown of thorns adorned,
And a reed within His hand,
He rode forth victoriously,
To meet the crowds' demand,
I am ready for the scourges,
Before me is my pain,
One should die for the people,
To be the whole world’s gain.

With outstretched and wounded arms,
Thou embraced humanity -
Restoring the fallen image,
By the power of Divinity.
For since by man came death,
By man came also life,
Unlike our Father Isaac,
Thou wast not spared the knife.

This is He Who offered Himself,
For the salvation of our race,
The great, holy High priest,
Himself on the altar did place
And Thou, by showing weakness,
Manifested the greatest might,
Thou didst bridge our way to the Father,
The Son clothed us with light.

Thy Throne (Original)

Saint Basil's Liturgy, 23/11/2013
Deacons of Saint Mary's & Saint Joseph's Coptic Orthodox Church, Brisbane, Australia

Anaphora prayed in Coptic - Father Philopatier Kamel

Oh you who loved me,
and for me came and to me called while I was in chains you waited on me
and you held my broken heart throughout my life
(Why did you love me? 
what good is in me?)x2
I am a sinner, full of much evil
but willingly You came to live inside me

Oh you who loved me,
deep in Your heart is grace that fills me and cleanses my sins
Your hand that guides me
and your kindness it comforts me throughout all my days

(Why did you love me? 
what good is in me?)x2 
I am a sinner, full of much evil 
but willingly You came to live inside me

Oh you who loved me,
under your feet, I pour my fragrance and worship You Jesus you loved me
I live for you, I am your servant giving up my heart

(Why did you love me? 
what good is in me?)x2 
I am a sinner, full of much evil 
but willingly You came to live inside me

Oh You Who Loved Me - St. Mark DC+VMSA mississauga

Theophany 2025 | Commemoration of the Saints - Fr. Antonious Ibrahim Ayad

Psalms 91:10-11

Prayed by Jonathan Ibrahim with the deaconate chorus of Saint Mary & Archangel Raphael. Prayed on December 11, 2025.

Basilian Liturgy (English) -- Abouna Mina Shaheid

Andrew Labeeb 5