Welcome to Copts in Conversation, a podcast where it’s literally a couple of Copts having a conversation.
On this podcast, we’ll be diving deep into all things Coptic.
The Coptic Orthodox Church is the Orthodox Church of the See of Alexandria founded by St Mark the evangelist in the 1st century AD, home to some of your favourite theologians like St Athanasius and St Cyril.
In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Michael Elgamal, the creative mind behind Creative Orthodox, whose mission is to "entertain, inform and inspire Orthodox Christians around the globe to pursue virtue in the lives of the saints through the power of storytelling"
Visit www.creativeorthodox.com (https://creativeorthodox.com/) to learn more about his published works and what he is currently working on.
23 Sept 2025
Episode 10 - Meet the Crown of the Syrians, the teacher of Orthodoxy: St Severus of Antioch
In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Andrew Youssef, lecturer at Trinity College, University of Toronto. Andrew recently completed his PhD at Trinity College where he focused on the Christology of Severus of Antioch, a saint of the Oriental Orthodox Church, and Maximus the Confessor, a saint of the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Visit www.andrewyoussef.ca (https://www.andrewyoussef.ca/about-me/) to learn more about his published works and what he is currently working on.
If you'd like to learn more about the Christology and Ecclesiology of St Severus, follow the link for a recent lecture by Andrew given at the School of Alexandria, https://youtu.be/xfdISPFXeTM (https://youtu.be/xfdISPFXeTM?si=RKtNZ__yjyS13TcF)
p.s. bonus marks if you figure out which one of the two in the icon is St Severus, and who the other one is :)
25 Jun 2025
Episode 9 - Why did the Copts cross the road and What they did when they got there - Part 2
In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Michael Akladios, lecturer in Historical Studies at the University of Toronto and Social Sciences Instructor at Philopateer Christian College. He founded and directs Egypt Migrations, a Canadian non-profit focused on community outreach, archival preservation, and education. Through Egypt Migrations, Michael mentors young Egyptian professionals and has preserved extensive records of Coptic history in North America. He is finalizing his SSHRC-funded research on 20th-century Egyptian migration, with a book forthcoming titled Ordinary Copts: Ecumenism, Activism, and Belonging in North American Cities. Visit www.michaelakladios.com (http://www.michaelakladios.com) to learn more and follow Egypt Migrations on Instagram and Twitter.
3 Jun 2025
Episode 8 - Why did the Copts cross the road and What they did when they got there - Part 1
In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Michael Akladios, lecturer in Historical Studies at the University of Toronto and Social Sciences Instructor at Philopateer Christian College. He founded and directs Egypt Migrations, a Canadian non-profit focused on community outreach, archival preservation, and education. Through Egypt Migrations, Michael mentors young Egyptian professionals and has preserved extensive records of Coptic history in North America. He is finalizing his SSHRC-funded research on 20th-century Egyptian migration, with a book forthcoming titled Ordinary Copts: Ecumenism, Activism, and Belonging in North American Cities. Visit www.michaelakladios.com (http://www.michaelakladios.com) to learn more and follow Egypt Migrations on Instagram and Twitter.
11 Apr 2025
Episode 7 - Copts and the West: Relationship Status "Complicated", and what one diocese is doing to meet the challenge
In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with archdeacon Mark Soliman, a prominent figure in the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Los Angeles. Serving under the guidance of His Eminence Metropolitan Serapion, Archdeacon Mark is deeply committed to his spiritual work and community engagement. He is well-known for his passion in engaging and connecting with young adults across the diocese and through the Coptic Clubs at various universities.
For more information about Mark's ministry, go to https://www.rediscoveriam.org/ (https://www.rediscoveriam.org/)
24 Mar 2025
Episode 6 - Once upon a Church Father - Part TWO
In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Peter Abdelmalak, who is, in his own words, a boringly average pediatrician, and who started a special kind of meeting at his local parish, and his journey into the world of the Church Fathers
Resources to help you get started:
Patrology by Johannes Quasten,
Volume 1: https://a.co/d/6hA68Iq (https://a.co/d/6hA68Iq)
Volume 2: https://a.co/d/3e9Jt1J (https://a.co/d/3e9Jt1J)
Volume 3: https://a.co/d/4nr94AU (https://a.co/d/4nr94AU)
Volume 4: https://a.co/d/eTPiLqH (https://a.co/d/eTPiLqH)
Formation of the Christian Theology by Fr John Behr,
Volume 1: The Way to Nicaea https://a.co/d/c5w3PkN (https://a.co/d/c5w3PkN)
Volume 2: The Nicene Faith (2 Parts) https://a.co/d/2v9B4SH (https://a.co/d/2v9B4SH)
The First Christian Theologians by G. R. Evans (Ed.) https://a.co/d/2v9B4SH (https://a.co/d/2v9B4SH)
Beginning to Read the Fathers by Fr Boniface Ramsey https://a.co/d/iOl2sPA (https://a.co/d/iOl2sPA)
And my personal favourite, Robert Payne's The Holy Fire https://a.co/d/fP3S9qj (https://a.co/d/fP3S9qj)
17 Mar 2025
Episode 5 - Once upon a Church Father - Part ONE
In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Peter Abdelmalak, who is, in his own words, a boringly average pediatrician, and who started a special kind of meeting at his local parish, and his journey into the world of the Church Fathers
Resources to help you get started:
Patrology by Johannes Quasten,
Volume 1: https://a.co/d/6hA68Iq (https://a.co/d/6hA68Iq)
Volume 2: https://a.co/d/3e9Jt1J (https://a.co/d/3e9Jt1J)
Volume 3: https://a.co/d/4nr94AU (https://a.co/d/4nr94AU)
Volume 4: https://a.co/d/eTPiLqH (https://a.co/d/eTPiLqH)
Formation of the Christian Theology by Fr John Behr,
Volume 1: The Way to Nicaea https://a.co/d/c5w3PkN (https://a.co/d/c5w3PkN)
Volume 2: The Nicene Faith (2 Parts) https://a.co/d/2v9B4SH (https://a.co/d/2v9B4SH)
The First Christian Theologians by G. R. Evans (Ed.) https://a.co/d/2v9B4SH (https://a.co/d/2v9B4SH)
Beginning to Read the Fathers by Fr Boniface Ramsey https://a.co/d/iOl2sPA (https://a.co/d/iOl2sPA)
And my personal favourite, Robert Payne's The Holy Fire https://a.co/d/fP3S9qj (https://a.co/d/fP3S9qj)
24 Feb 2025
Episode FOUR - ICONS and why we paint the walls of the Church - PART 2
This episode is Part 2 of my conversation with Kirollos Kilada.
Kirollos Kilada is an artist based in Mississauga, ON, Canada. He holds a Bachelor of Design (BDes) from OCAD University and is currently pursuing a Master of Theological Studies (MTS) in Orthodox Christian Studies at Trinity College at the University of Toronto. His research focuses on Iconography, Sacred Space and Beauty within Coptic Orthodox Tradition.
Kirollos has been commissioned to paint Coptic icons for churches and homes in Canada, The United States, Australia and Europe for both Copts and other Christians.
As an iconographer, he endeavours to produce icons which are in symphony with centuries of Coptic tradition, firmly rooted in Art History and Orthodox Theology, through an approach that is dynamic and contemporary.
Recent projects include the Baptistery of the Church of St Philopater, Guelph, ON and the sanctuary and chorus of the Chapel of St John Chrysostom at St Mary's Coptic Orthodox Church, Melbourne, Australia
13 Feb 2025
Episode THREE - ICONS and why we paint the walls of the Church - PART 1
In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Kirollos Kilada is an artist based in Mississauga, ON, Canada. He holds a Bachelor of Design (BDes) from OCAD University and is currently pursuing a Master of Theological Studies (MTS) in Orthodox Christian Studies at Trinity College at the University of Toronto. His research focuses on Iconography, Sacred Space and Beauty within Coptic Orthodox Tradition.
Kirollos has been commissioned to paint Coptic icons for churches and homes in Canada, The United States, Australia and Europe for both Copts and other Christians.
As an iconographer, he endeavours to produce icons which are in symphony with centuries of Coptic tradition, firmly rooted in Art History and Orthodox Theology, through an approach that is dynamic and contemporary.
Recent projects include the Baptistery of the Church of St Philopater, Guelph, ON and the sanctuary and chorus of the Chapel of St John Chrysostom at St Mary's Coptic Orthodox Church, Melbourne, Australia
27 Jan 2025
Episode TWO - Coptic Mans in Foreign Lands and the case of Diasporic Ambivelence
In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Carol Markos, an aspiring socio-cultural anthropologist and hopes to contribute to the development of the social sciences in Coptic Studies.
Carol is a recent graduate of Migration and Diaspora Studies at Carleton University in Ottawa, where she completed her Master’s thesis on the role of religious identity in the lives of Coptic youth in Mississauga, Ontario, which she also calls home.
13 Jan 2025
Episode ONE - LITURGY, that thing we do Sunday morning
In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Karim Guirguis, currently a PhD student at Trinity College (as of Fall 2023), under the supervision of Dr. Jesse Billett, looking to produce an edition and liturgical theological study of the Euchologion of the White Monastery
Karim received his MTS from the Orthodox School of Theology at Trinity College, where his thesis about the formative telos of liturgy, under the supervision of Fr. Geoffrey Ready.
Additionally, Karim presented at a few conferences, and has several papers published in the fields of patristics, hermeneutics, and liturgy and liturgical theology.
Karim lives in Ajax with his wife Rolanda Saied, and serves at St. Mary and St. John the Beloved parish, in Pickering. He is also a full-time software engineer, (B.Eng., 2018, McMaster University.)
1 Jan 2025
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Episode ONE drop Monday Jan 13th, 2025!!!
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