‌

Building‌‌Block‌‌3‌ ‌
‌Lesson‌‌3.7‌‌-‌‌Serving‌‌All:‌‌St.‌‌Barsoum‌‌the‌‌Naked‌ ‌ Respecting‌‌Others‌‌Through‌‌the‌
Grace‌o‌ f‌‌the‌‌Holy‌‌Spirit‌ ‌
‌

S‌ERVANTS‌‌ ‌PR‌ EPARATION‌/‌‌MA‌ TERIALS‌‌ ‌NE‌ EDED‌:‌ ‌

Lesson:‌T‌ he‌‌Story‌‌of‌‌St.‌‌Barsoum‌‌el‌‌Erian‌,‌‌icon‌‌of‌‌St.‌‌Barsoum,‌‌ ‌

Craft‌:‌‌Green‌‌card‌‌stock‌‌(2‌‌sheets‌‌per‌‌child),‌‌yellow‌‌card‌‌stock,‌‌scissors,‌‌stapler‌‌and‌‌staples,‌‌glue,‌‌googly‌‌eyes,‌‌
and‌‌red‌‌balloons‌‌(one‌‌per‌‌child);‌S‌ t.‌‌Barsoum‌‌the‌‌Naked‌‌coloring‌‌page‌.‌ ‌

Song:‌C
‌ hristian‌‌Youth‌‌Channel:‌‌To‌‌Whom‌‌Shall‌‌I‌‌Go‌‌(3:47)‌ ‌

‌ O‌VERALL‌‌ ‌GO‌ AL‌‌ O‌ R‌‌ ‌PU‌ RPOSE‌‌ O‌ F‌‌ T‌ HE‌‌ ‌LE‌ SSON‌:‌‌ ‌
The‌‌children‌‌will‌‌understand‌‌the‌‌power‌‌of‌‌the‌‌cross,‌‌and‌‌that‌‌anytime‌‌they‌‌are‌‌afraid‌‌they‌‌will‌‌recall‌‌that‌‌the‌‌
power‌‌of‌‌God‌‌is‌‌always‌‌with‌‌them.‌ ‌

M‌ORAL‌‌ ‌CH‌ ARACTER‌‌ ‌FO‌ CUS‌:‌ ‌

Faith‌‌and‌‌Courage.‌ ‌

M‌EMORY‌‌ ‌VE‌ RSE‌:‌‌ ‌

‌
The‌‌Lord‌‌is‌‌on‌‌my‌‌side;‌‌I‌‌will‌‌not‌‌fear.‌
‌
Psalm‌‌118:6‌ ‌

Lesson‌ ‌
‌

L‌ESSON‌‌ ‌OP‌ ENING‌‌ ‌(C‌REATE‌‌ A‌ N‌‌ ‌IN‌ TEREST‌)‌

Show‌‌the‌‌children‌‌a‌‌picture‌‌(can‌‌be‌‌an‌‌icon‌‌from‌‌the‌‌church‌‌or‌‌a‌‌picture‌‌from‌‌the‌‌internet)‌‌of‌‌St.‌‌Barsoum‌‌the‌‌
Naked‌ ‌and‌ ‌ask‌ ‌the‌ ‌children‌‌if‌‌they‌‌know‌‌who‌‌the‌‌person‌‌in‌‌the‌‌picture‌‌is.‌‌Allow‌‌them‌‌to‌‌guess.‌‌Ask‌‌them‌‌if‌‌
they‌ ‌know‌ ‌why‌ ‌there‌ ‌is‌ ‌a‌ ‌snake‌ ‌and‌‌a‌‌staff‌‌with‌‌a‌‌cross‌‌on‌‌the‌‌icon.‌‌Explain‌‌that‌‌they‌‌will‌‌learn‌‌about‌‌this‌‌
snake‌‌and‌‌cross‌‌image‌‌in‌‌the‌‌lesson.‌ ‌
Today‌ ‌we‌ ‌will‌ ‌be‌ ‌talking‌ ‌about‌ ‌a‌ ‌great‌ ‌saint‌ ‌that‌ ‌relied‌ ‌on‌ ‌God‌ ‌and‌ ‌the‌ ‌power‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌cross‌ ‌in‌ ‌any‌ ‌scary‌‌
situation‌‌he‌‌faced.‌‌ ‌

‌
‌
Children‌‌of‌‌Light‌‌Curriculum‌ ‌|‌ ‌Grade‌‌3‌‌|‌ ‌The‌‌Golden‌‌Rule:‌‌Respect,‌‌Honor,‌‌and‌‌Sharing‌ ‌|‌ ‌v.‌‌2.00‌ ‌ Page‌‌211‌ ‌
‌
 ‌

L‌ESSON‌‌ ‌BO‌ DY‌:‌ ‌

Today,‌‌we‌‌will‌‌learn‌‌about‌‌a‌‌saint‌‌who‌‌was‌‌victorious‌‌with‌‌the‌‌power‌‌of‌‌the‌‌cross.‌‌There‌‌was‌‌a‌‌saint‌‌called‌‌St.‌‌
Barsoum‌ ‌the‌ ‌Naked.‌ ‌He‌ ‌was‌ ‌born‌ ‌in‌ ‌Cairo‌ ‌to‌ ‌very‌ ‌rich‌ ‌and‌ ‌pious‌ ‌parents.‌ ‌His‌ ‌parents‌ ‌brought‌ ‌him‌ ‌up‌ ‌in‌‌
discipline‌ ‌and‌ ‌the‌ ‌instruction‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌Lord.‌ ‌St.‌ ‌Barsoum‌ ‌devoted‌ ‌himself‌ ‌to‌ ‌prayer,‌ ‌reading‌ ‌scriptures,‌ ‌and‌‌
receiving‌‌communion.‌‌When‌‌he‌‌was‌‌a‌‌young‌‌boy,‌‌his‌‌parents‌‌died‌‌and‌‌his‌‌uncle‌‌took‌‌all‌‌of‌‌their‌‌possessions‌‌
and‌‌money.‌ ‌

Consider‌ ‌asking‌ ‌the‌ ‌children‌ ‌how‌ ‌they‌ ‌think‌ ‌St.‌ ‌Barsoum‌‌

reacted‌‌to‌‌this.‌ ‌

St.‌‌Barsoum‌‌did‌‌not‌‌care‌‌for‌‌worldly‌‌possessions‌‌and‌‌trivial‌‌
things‌ ‌so‌ ‌he‌ ‌did‌ ‌not‌ ‌fight‌ ‌with‌ ‌his‌ ‌uncle.‌ ‌Instead,‌ ‌St.‌‌
Barsoum‌‌left‌‌the‌‌city‌‌and‌‌lived‌‌like‌‌a‌‌hermit.‌‌ ‌

He‌ ‌lived‌ ‌outside‌ ‌the‌ ‌city‌ ‌for‌ ‌five‌ ‌years,‌ ‌praying‌ ‌day‌ ‌and‌‌
night,‌‌and‌‌fasting‌‌for‌‌long‌‌times.‌‌St.‌‌Barsoum‌‌did‌‌not‌‌wear‌‌
any‌‌clothes‌‌except‌‌for‌‌a‌‌hairy‌‌sackcloth;‌‌this‌‌is‌‌why‌‌we‌‌call‌‌
him‌‌St.‌‌Barsoum‌‌the‌‌Naked.‌‌Then,‌‌he‌‌shut‌‌himself‌‌in‌‌a‌‌cave‌‌
inside‌ ‌the‌ ‌church‌ ‌of‌ ‌St.‌ ‌Mercurius‌ ‌Abu-Saifain‌ ‌for‌‌twenty‌‌
years.‌‌However,‌‌there‌‌was‌‌a‌‌huge‌‌serpent‌‌in‌‌the‌‌cave‌‌that‌‌
St.‌‌Barsoum‌‌went‌‌into,‌‌but‌‌he‌‌was‌‌not‌‌afraid;‌‌St.‌‌Barsoum‌‌
knew‌‌that‌‌the‌‌Lord‌‌was‌‌with‌‌him.‌ ‌

You‌‌may‌‌wish‌‌to‌‌pause‌‌here‌‌and‌‌ask‌‌the‌‌children‌‌what‌‌they‌‌
think‌‌St.‌‌Barsoum‌‌did‌‌when‌‌he‌‌saw‌‌the‌‌snake.‌ ‌

When‌ ‌St.‌ ‌Barsoum‌‌entered‌‌the‌‌cave,‌‌he‌‌cried‌‌out‌‌to‌‌God,‌‌

prayed‌ ‌and‌ ‌said,‌ ‌“Now‌ ‌I‌ ‌look‌ ‌to‌ ‌you,‌ ‌O‌ ‌You‌ ‌Who‌ ‌was‌‌
hanged‌‌on‌‌the‌‌Cross,‌‌so‌‌that‌‌you‌‌might‌‌grant‌‌me‌‌power‌‌to‌‌
be‌‌able‌‌to‌‌overcome‌‌this‌‌beast.”‌‌Then‌‌St.‌‌Barsoum‌‌did‌‌the‌‌
sign‌‌of‌‌the‌‌cross‌‌over‌‌himself‌‌and‌‌went‌‌to‌‌the‌‌serpent‌‌and‌‌
said,‌ ‌“ The‌ ‌Lord‌‌is‌‌my‌‌light‌‌and‌‌my‌‌salvation,‌‌whom‌‌shall‌‌I‌‌
fear?‌‌The‌‌Lord‌‌is‌‌the‌‌strength‌‌of‌‌my‌‌life,‌‌of‌‌whom‌‌shall‌‌I‌‌be‌‌
afraid?”‌‌ ‌

Consider‌‌introducing‌‌the‌‌memory‌‌verse‌‌at‌‌this‌‌point.‌‌ ‌

Then‌‌St.‌‌Barsoum‌‌told‌‌the‌‌serpent‌‌“stand‌‌still‌‌in‌‌your‌‌place”,‌‌and‌‌made‌‌the‌‌sign‌‌of‌‌the‌‌cross‌‌over‌‌it.‌‌He‌‌prayed‌‌
to‌ ‌God‌ ‌and‌‌asked‌‌Him‌‌to‌‌remove‌‌the‌‌beastly‌‌nature‌‌from‌‌it.‌‌As‌‌he‌‌finished‌‌his‌‌prayer,‌‌the‌‌serpent‌‌changed‌‌
and‌ ‌became‌‌tame.‌‌St.‌‌Barsoum‌‌told‌‌the‌‌serpent‌‌that‌‌it‌‌would‌‌not‌‌have‌‌any‌‌power‌‌or‌‌might‌‌on‌‌anyone,‌‌but‌‌
that‌‌it‌‌shall‌‌be‌‌obedient‌‌to‌‌what‌‌he‌‌told‌‌it.‌‌St.‌‌Barsoum‌‌lived‌‌in‌‌the‌‌cave‌‌and‌‌the‌‌serpent‌‌kept‌‌to‌‌itself‌‌and‌‌did‌‌
not‌‌harm‌‌the‌‌saint‌‌in‌‌any‌‌way.‌‌‌Consider‌‌concluding‌‌by‌‌introducing‌‌and‌‌paraphrasing‌‌the‌‌quote‌‌by‌‌St.‌‌Cyril‌‌of‌‌
Jerusalem‌‌above‌‌regarding‌‌the‌‌power‌‌of‌‌the‌‌cross‌‌in‌‌our‌‌Christian‌‌lives.‌99 ‌

99
‌St.‌ ‌Cyril‌ ‌of‌ ‌Jerusalem,‌ ‌13.36,‌ ‌Catechetical‌ ‌Lectures.‌ ‌Retrieved‌ ‌from‌‌
http://www.orthodoxchurchquotes.com/tag/sign-of-cross/‌ ‌
‌
‌
Children‌‌of‌‌Light‌‌Curriculum‌ ‌|‌ ‌Grade‌‌3‌‌|‌ ‌The‌‌Golden‌‌Rule:‌‌Respect,‌‌Honor,‌‌and‌‌Sharing‌ ‌|‌ ‌v.‌‌2.00‌ ‌ Page‌‌212‌ ‌
‌
 ‌

Supplementary‌‌ ‌
‌

C‌RAFTS‌/A‌CTIVITIES‌:‌ ‌
Snake‌‌Chain‌‌Craft‌100:‌‌ ‌
1. Fold‌‌one‌‌sheet‌‌of‌‌the‌‌green‌‌card‌‌stock‌‌in‌‌eighths.‌ ‌ ‌
2. Repeat‌‌Step‌‌1‌‌using‌‌the‌‌yellow‌‌sheet‌‌of‌‌cardstock.‌ ‌
3. Cut‌‌on‌‌the‌‌lines‌‌of‌‌both‌‌the‌‌yellow‌‌and‌‌green‌‌pieces‌‌of‌‌
cardstock‌‌so‌‌you‌‌have‌‌eight‌‌strips‌‌of‌‌paper‌‌for‌‌each‌‌color.‌ ‌
4. Fold‌‌a‌‌green‌‌strip‌‌of‌‌paper‌‌around‌‌and‌‌staple‌‌it.‌ ‌Loop‌‌a‌‌yellow‌‌
strip‌‌through‌‌the‌‌green‌‌hoop‌‌and‌‌staple‌‌it.‌ ‌Repeat‌‌the‌‌process‌‌
till‌‌all‌‌of‌‌the‌‌strips‌‌of‌‌paper‌‌have‌‌been‌‌used.‌ ‌
5. Cut‌‌one‌‌large‌‌and‌‌one‌‌small‌‌rounded‌‌triangle‌‌out‌‌of‌‌the‌‌other‌‌
sheet‌‌of‌‌green‌‌card‌‌stock.‌ ‌
6. Glue‌‌the‌‌large‌‌triangle‌‌onto‌‌the‌‌end‌‌of‌‌the‌‌paper‌‌chain‌‌for‌‌the‌‌
snake's‌‌head.‌ ‌
7. Glue‌‌the‌‌small‌‌triangle‌‌onto‌‌the‌‌other‌‌end‌‌of‌‌the‌‌paper‌‌chain‌‌
for‌‌the‌‌snake's‌‌tail.‌ ‌
8. Glue‌‌the‌‌googly‌‌eyes‌‌onto‌‌the‌‌large‌‌triangle.‌ ‌
9. Glue‌‌the‌‌red‌‌balloon‌‌onto‌‌the‌‌large‌‌triangle‌‌for‌‌the‌‌snake’s‌‌
tongue.‌ ‌

St.‌‌Barsom‌‌the‌‌Naked‌‌Coloring‌‌Page:‌‌ ‌
‌
1. Before‌‌class,‌‌print‌‌of‌‌th
‌ is‌‌coloring‌‌page‌‌‌for‌‌the‌‌children.‌ ‌
2. Allow‌‌the‌‌children‌‌to‌‌color‌‌and‌‌decorate‌‌the‌‌page‌‌as‌‌they‌‌please.‌ ‌

S‌ONG‌:‌ ‌ ‌
Christian‌‌Youth‌‌Channel:‌‌To‌‌Whom‌‌Shall‌‌I‌‌Go‌‌(3:47)‌ ‌

Review‌ ‌
‌ ‌

R‌EVIEW‌‌ ‌LE‌ SSON‌:‌ ‌

100
‌Says,‌‌N.‌‌The‌‌50‌‌Best‌‌Animal‌‌Crafts‌‌for‌‌Kids‌‌-‌‌Hobbycraft‌‌Blog‌‌says:.‌‌(2017,‌‌March‌‌19).‌‌How‌‌To‌‌Make‌‌A‌‌Paper‌‌
Chain‌‌Snake.‌‌Retrieved‌‌August‌‌05,‌‌2020,‌‌from‌h ‌ ttps://raisinglittlesuperheroes.com/paper-chain-snake/‌‌ ‌
‌
‌
‌
Children‌‌of‌‌Light‌‌Curriculum‌ ‌|‌ ‌Grade‌‌3‌‌|‌ ‌The‌‌Golden‌‌Rule:‌‌Respect,‌‌Honor,‌‌and‌‌Sharing‌ ‌|‌ ‌v.‌‌2.00‌ ‌ Page‌‌213‌ ‌
‌
 ‌

Questions:‌‌ ‌
‌
→ What‌‌is‌‌the‌‌saint’s‌‌name‌‌that‌‌we‌‌learned‌‌about‌‌today?‌‌(St.‌‌Barsoum‌ ‌the‌‌Naked)‌ ‌
→ Why‌‌is‌‌he‌‌referred‌‌to‌‌as‌‌Naked?‌‌(Because‌‌he‌‌only‌‌worn‌‌a‌‌hairy‌‌sackcloth.)‌ ‌
→ What‌ ‌did‌ ‌St.‌ ‌Barsoum‌ ‌do‌ ‌when‌ ‌his‌ ‌uncle‌ ‌took‌ ‌his‌ ‌parents’‌ ‌possessions?‌ ‌(He‌ ‌went‌ ‌and‌ ‌lived‌ ‌as‌ ‌a‌‌
hermit.)‌ ‌
→ How‌‌many‌‌years‌‌was‌‌St.‌‌Barsoum‌‌in‌‌the‌‌desert‌‌for?‌‌(Five‌‌years.)‌ ‌
→ What‌‌animal‌‌was‌‌in‌‌the‌‌cave‌‌St.‌‌Barsoum‌‌lived‌‌in?‌‌(A‌‌snake.)‌ ‌
→ Was‌‌St.‌‌Barsoum‌‌scared?‌‌Why‌‌or‌‌why‌‌not?‌‌(No,‌‌because‌‌he‌‌knew‌‌that‌‌God‌‌was‌‌with‌‌him.)‌ ‌
→ How‌‌did‌‌St.‌‌Barsoum‌‌defeat‌‌the‌‌snake?‌‌(He‌‌trusted‌‌in‌‌God,‌‌prayed,‌‌and‌‌did‌‌the‌‌sign‌‌of‌‌the‌‌cross.)‌ ‌

R‌EVIEW‌‌ ‌ME‌ MORY‌‌ ‌VE‌ RSE‌ ‌

R‌EVIEW‌‌ ‌MO‌ RAL‌‌ ‌CH‌ ARACTER‌‌ ‌FO‌ CUS‌ ‌

L‌IFE‌‌ ‌AP‌ PLICATION‌:‌ ‌

What‌‌are‌‌we‌‌going‌‌to‌‌do‌‌with‌‌what‌‌we‌‌have‌‌learned‌‌today?‌ ‌

In‌‌this‌‌story,‌‌we‌‌learned‌‌that‌‌whenever‌‌we‌‌are‌‌faced‌‌with‌‌something‌‌scary‌‌like‌‌the‌‌snake,‌‌we‌‌need‌‌to‌‌be‌‌like‌‌
St.‌‌Barsom‌‌and‌‌not‌‌be‌‌afraid.‌‌What‌‌are‌‌some‌‌things‌‌we‌‌can‌‌do‌‌to‌‌not‌‌be‌‌afraid?‌ ‌

→ Remember‌ ‌to‌ ‌do‌ ‌the‌ ‌sign‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌cross.‌ ‌You‌ ‌may‌ ‌wish‌ ‌to‌ ‌recall‌ ‌the‌ ‌quote‌ ‌above‌ ‌by‌ ‌St.‌ ‌Cyril‌ ‌of‌‌
Jerusalem;‌ ‌encourage‌ ‌the‌ ‌children‌ ‌to‌ ‌do‌ ‌the‌ ‌sign‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌cross‌ ‌before‌ ‌meals,‌ ‌before‌‌driving,‌‌before‌‌
sleeping,‌‌before‌‌entering‌‌new‌‌places,‌‌etc.‌‌ ‌
→ Pray‌‌before‌‌doing‌‌something‌‌you‌‌are‌‌afraid‌‌of,‌‌during‌‌the‌‌situation,‌‌and‌‌after‌‌as‌‌well.‌ ‌
→ Look‌‌for‌‌examples‌‌of‌‌courage‌‌and‌‌faithfulness‌‌in‌‌the‌‌Bible‌‌and‌‌in‌‌the‌‌lives‌‌of‌‌the‌‌saints‌‌to‌‌encourage‌‌
you‌‌not‌‌to‌‌be‌‌afraid.‌ ‌

‌
‌

‌
‌
Children‌‌of‌‌Light‌‌Curriculum‌ ‌|‌ ‌Grade‌‌3‌‌|‌ ‌The‌‌Golden‌‌Rule:‌‌Respect,‌‌Honor,‌‌and‌‌Sharing‌ ‌|‌ ‌v.‌‌2.00‌ ‌ Page‌‌214‌ ‌
‌