On Saturday, August 29 over 800 youth from the junior high, high school, and college levels participated in the annual Diocese Youth Spiritual Competition. His Grace Bishop Serapion and many of the Diocese clergy attended to encourage the youth and participate as judges, as well.
The day began with the celebration of the Divine Liturgy at Holy Virgin Mary Coptic Orthodox Church in Los Angeles with His Grace Bishop Serapion and many Diocese priests. After the Divine Liturgy, the competition began. The topics for the competition were as follows:
Junior High
Introduction to the Holy Bible
Introduction to the Divine Liturgy
Coptic Hymns
High School
The Catholic Epistles (James and 1 John)
Introduction to the Coptic Orthodox Church
Coptic Hymns
College
The Book of Isaiah 52-55
On the Incarnation by St. Athanasius
Coptic Hymns
After hours of competition preceded by weeks of intense preparation, it was clear that the blessed youth of the Diocese benefited exceedingly from the material and were edified spiritually from their reading of the Holy Scriptures and the Fathers, and the recitation of the hymns of the Church. Without exception, all of the teams offered a wonderful performance. As His Grace Bishop Serapion noted in the competition, all of the youth are winners for the spirit of fellowship, learning, and humility they displayed in the competition.
At the end of the competition, His Grace Bishop Serapion announced the teams who distinguished themselves through their efforts as follows:
Junior High School Level
1st Place Overall: St. Verena and the Three Holy Youth
Coptic Hymns
1st Place: St Mary Magdalene
2nd Place: St Mark (Los Angeles)
3rd Place: St Demiana (Bakersfield)
Bible
1st Place: St Athanasius, Team A
2nd Place: Archangel Michael (Simi Valley) & St John the Baptist (Oxnard)
3rd Place: St Mark
Liturgy
1st Place: St Justina
2nd Place: St Marina
3rd Place: St Maurice, Team B
High School Level
1st Place Overall: St Mark (Los Angeles)
Hymns
1st Place: St Marina, Team A
2nd Place: St John
3rd Place: Archangel Raphael
Bible
1st Place: St Verena & Three Holy Youth
2nd Place: St Peter and St Paul
3rd Place: St Demiana – Bakersfield
Liturgy
1st Place: St Athanasius
2nd Place: St Mina
3rd Place: St George, Team A
College Level
1st Place Overall: St Peter & St Paul Church
Hymns
1st Place: St George
2nd Place: Archangel Michael – Santa Ana
3rd Place: St. Athanasius
Bible
1st Place: St Verena & Three Holy Youth
2nd Place: St Marina
3rd Place: St Demiana – San Diego
Liturgy
1st Place: St Mark
2nd Place: Holy Virgin Mary
3rd Place: St Abanoub and St. Antony (Norco)
Individual Competition
Junior High School
1st Place: Athanasius Georgy (St Verena and the Three Holy Youth)
2nd Place: Dominique Fahmy (St Verena and the Three Holy Youth)
3rd Place: Jonathan Mikhail (St Justina)
High School
1st Place: Bola Abdel Malek (St Marina)
2nd Place: Jennifer Soliman (St Mina)
3rd Place: Mary Hanna (St Verena and the Three Holy Youth)
College
1st Place: Mark Malek (St Demiana – San Diego)
2nd Place: Nicole Wassef (St Justina)
3rd Place: Joseph Seif (St Marina)
The Diocese congratulations all of the youth, coaches, judges, and clergy who labored for the success of this blessed day. May God grant that all our days are filled with spiritual learning and application for the glory of His Name.
