On Saturday, August 2, 2025, Christ the Good Shepherd American Coptic Orthodox Church in Long Beach hosted its first Joint Oriental Orthodox Divine Liturgy.
With nearly 150 people in attendance, it was an immense blessing to witness and participate in the concelebration of the Divine Liturgy alongside brothers and sisters from each of the Oriental Orthodox Churches—Coptic, Armenian, Ethiopian, Eritrean, Syriac, and Malankara—celebrating together as one Body, one Spirit, united in the love of Christ.
With Archbishop Hovnan Derderian’s blessing, a group of more than 20 young adults from St. Leon (Ghevontiants) Armenian Cathedral in Burbank enriched the service by singing beloved Armenian hymns, while the Very Rev. Fr. Pakrad Berjekian of St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church in San Diego offered prayers.
The church was filled with the fragrance of incense, and the liturgy was celebrated in English. Seeing priests and deacons from different Oriental Orthodox traditions serving side by side was deeply moving. When the congregation responded together, it didn’t matter what language anyone spoke—their voices blended into one unified prayer.
Every moment of the service carried deep meaning. During Communion, there was a profound sense of connection—not only with those present but also with generations of believers who came before us. The atmosphere seemed to echo the feeling of Heaven itself, when all worship the one true God in perfect unity.
After the liturgy, the celebration continued in the dining hall with food, laughter, and warm fellowship. People from different backgrounds came together simply to enjoy each other’s company, a living reminder that while our cultures may differ, our shared faith unites us. Many left feeling uplifted, grateful, and even more in love with the beauty of Orthodoxy.
The pastor of Christ the Good Shepherd, Father Lazarus Yassa, leads a parish that celebrates the Divine Liturgy daily, followed by operating a food bank serving the local homeless community. He shared plans to make the joint liturgy a recurring event on the first Saturday of each month, with the possibility of different parishes hosting in the future.
