Introducing our debut book, The Bridegroom: Pascha Sermons by Father Antony Paul. A stunning set of Holy Week sermons about the greatest love story ever.
I have run to the fragrance of your myrrh, O Christ God, for I have been wounded by your love; do not part from me O Heavenly Bridegroom.
–St. Porphyrios
In May 2020, Father Joseph Dawoud of Saint Mark and Saint Mary of Egypt Coptic Orthodox Church came to me with an idea: to publish the Holy Week sermons of Father Antony Paul as the debut book of Saint Patrick Press.
It was a wonderful idea that I jumped into without really understanding what I was getting into–but I mean, what else are you supposed to do with a new project or venture but jump right in! Oh, and we were going to publish the book without any support from Father Antony himself for whom it was going to be a kind of surprise.
Needless to say, after a long process of transcribing from voice recordings, and editing for grammar and style, having art made for each sermon, and having a cover designed, The Bridegroom was finally ready for publishing–just in time for the following Holy Week in 2021. The Bridegroom was a veritable ‘east meets west’ project bringing together a motley crew of people from Calgary and Toronto.
Bridegroom is a stunning set of sermons. The point of departure is Christ is our Bridegroom who came to earth out of love to reunite us with Himself as His bride. The sermons give us an eagle’s view of the Pascha readings, then zoom us into the most beautiful love story ever told: the heart of God, His love for His bride, and our response to Him.
We are the bride of Christ–but what does that mean? What is His relationship to us? Are we the faithful spouse, or the cheating spouse? Do we hear the call of Christ beckoning us from the cross to be united with Him, or are we too drunk with prodigal living, infidelity, and self love to truly heed to His offering of sacrificial love? Are we faithful to Him, or do we betray Him?
These are some of the questions Father Antony poignantly raises throughout The Bridegroom–not only who Christ is to us, but also who we are to Him.
Indeed, The Bridegroom makes perfect reading during Holy Week. The sermons follow all the readings–both Biblical and extra-biblical–of the Church for Holy Week and thus you can supplement the services with Father Antony’s sermons.
The Bridegroom also makes great reading for any time of year, for it is a meditative call to love and serve our Lord–body, mind, and spirit. Indeed, a call we should all be heeding and saying yes to and concerning ourselves with every moment, every day, and every season.
Pick up a copy of The Bridegroom today and find yourself in this story of stories, and know that you are loved.
