The Lamp That Lights The Darkness In Clarifying The Service

Note: This article or section represents an Oriental Orthodox (Non-Chalcedonian) perspective, which may differ from an Eastern Orthodox (Chalcedonian) understanding.

The Lamp That Lights The Darkness In Clarifying The Service (transliterated Arabic: Misbah al-Zulmah fi Idah al-Khidmah) was written by Ibn-Kabar, the Coptic priest of the Hanging Church in Old Cairo [1] [2], Egypt, around 1296-1332 A.D.

The book is a Church encyclopedia in 24 main chapters, plus many appendices and some other chapters. Many old copies of it were found, including a copy in the Vatican Library dated 1333 A.D. The Library of the Eastern Fathers published the introduction and some chapters from this book.

An English translation of the first four chapters of this work from Arabic by Dr. William A. Hanna of St. Mary & St. Abraam Coptic Orthodox Church, St. Louis, Missouri, USA, can be freely downloaded at Lamp that Light the Darkness (Format: PDF - 82 pages - 304 KB).