Egyptian fest teaches history, traditions
Doors open to monastic life Saturday
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HOWLAND -- Opening the doors of monastc life to the world has been the goal of the annual three-day Egyptian Festival held at St. Mary and St. John the Beloved Coptic Orthodox Monastery for Nuns.
"We want to let people in the surrounding neighborhood and communities know who we are and what we do here," Mother Marina Awad, superior of the monastery, said "We have people drive by this property every day and not know what is here."
The coptic monastery, 8640 Squires Lane, was purchased in February 2011 and was the first monastery purchased for Egyptian nuns to study in the United States. It was followed by another monastery for nuns opening in Texas a year later.
The festival, now in its sixth year, began Friday and continues noon to 8 p.m. today.
The women -- some whom were born in Egypt and others who are American-born Egyptians -- each have chosen to live a monastic life of religious study, duty to Jesus Christ and their church.
Located on 10 acres just west of Hillside Rehabilitation Hospital, the monastery follows the communal life that allows women to grow deeper in their knowledge and understanding of God by offering a place for daily prayer and meditation.
Their lives are devoted to the study and expression of their faith. Many within the Orthodox Christian order show their expression through artistic endeavors, including embroidery, paintings, wood carvings and writings. Mass is celebrated twice a week and anyone is welcome to attend, Awad said.
The former home of Benedictine sisters of the Byzantine Catholic Church, St. Mary and St. John the Baptist Church was purchased under the auspices of H.H. Pope Shenouda III and H.G. Bishop Botros.
A new church building and dining hall is being built in the front of the monastery.
"We are hoping it will be completed before the end of the year," Awad said.
It will be large enough to house about 120 parishioners at a time. Proceeds from the annual festival are being used to build it.
"People come to this monastery from neighboring states, including Pennsylvania, West Virginia and even Canada to take a temporary reprieve from the grind of their daily lives and immerse themselves in the Lord," said Mourad Rostom, a local doctor.
Rostom, who originally is from Egypt and has been in the U.S. for nearly 30 years, said there are approximately five Egyptian families living in the Youngstown-Warren area and more than 1,000 Egyptian families living in the greater Cleveland area.
"About 10 percent of the people who live in Egypt are Christians," Rostom said. "Egyptians have been studying strict, orthodox form Christianity since St. Mark in the Bible. Orthodox Christian evangelism was spread through Europe, African, South America and the United States."
St. Mark is the father of the Christian Church of Egypt.
Ramon Fields and Alysha Scott were driving and saw the signs advertising the festival and brought Sienna and Kingston Fields to experience a different religious tradition and ethnic cuisine. Walking through its gift shop, the couple showed the children the covers of religious books and intricately carved crosses.
"Even if you cannot read the Egyptian writings, you can see the same images we've talked about," Alysha Scott told the children as they walked through a gift shop.
Cheryl Stevens of Howland has been attending the Egyptian Festival for three years in order to immerse herself in the culture, eat excellent food and support the monastery.
Egyptian kohasary, which is rice, lentils and pasta with tomato sauce, lamb and chicken kabobs, stuffed grape leaves, cheese and spinach pies, rice pudding and macaroni bashamel are some of the foods available at the festival.
"My daughter and I try to bring new people every year,"Stevens said. "It is something I think everyone should do."
Marc Runyon, pastor at Central Christian Church in Warren, had a plate full of Egyptian food as he walked though the outdoor eating area.
"This is my second year coming here," he said. "I'm not Egyptian, but I think it is important to support other people of faith and people doing good works."
rsmith@tribtoday.com