This evening, H.H. Pope Tawadros II inaugurated the first Logos Forum for the youth of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the dioceses of Egypt, which was held at the Logos Center in the Papal Residence of the Monastery of St. Bishoy in Wadi el-Natrun.
The opening ceremony was attended by a number of bishops and priests of the Church, with the participation of 200 young men and women representing the dioceses of Egypt throughout the country.
The ceremony began with the procession of H.H. the Pope by the choir of deacons as they chanted hymns for the reception of the patriarch (Evlogimenos, Epooro and Ekesmarout, respectively), passing through the stations representing the various governorates of Egypt while the youth were dressed in the traditional clothing of these governorates, until the procession reached the stage for the ceremony where H.H. the Pope began with an opening prayer, followed by the playing of the Egyptian national anthem. Then, Fr. Mina Fouquet, the General Coordinator for the Forum, delivered the welcoming speeches. The segments included a recorded dialogue the Director Sandra Nashaat had with H.H., an opera titled “Fountain of Joy” and a spiritual song titled, “Kennesty Bent Asool.”
After this, H.H. Pope Tawadros II delivered a speech welcoming the youth participants in which he pointed out that the youth are the most precious thing we have in the land of Egypt as well as in the Church. He also said that enjoying the roots means enjoying the blessings that God gave us.
During the period of “corona” I realized that the air we breathe is a great blessing that we did not realize its value, and that the circumstances of the pandemic have led some people to enter into states of depression. Thus, one of the goals of the forum and that which is also part of its slogan is: “JOY.” That the participant learns how to become an ambassador of joy in his family, church and country. H.H. also added that the enjoyment of roots is in the land of Egypt, on which the Coptic Orthodox Church was founded, with the prophetic drive of Isaiah the Prophet on Egypt hundreds of years B.C., the visit of the Holy Family to it, and the Evangelism of St. Mark the Apostle. H.H. noted that the forum week is “made by love,” by spiritual, church, cultural and national love.
The ceremony was concluded with a final prayer prayed by H.H. the Pope for the country, church and Nile, and which was also echoed by all the participants.
The ceremony was attended by members of the Holy Synod: H.E. Metropolitan Bakhomios, Metropolitan of Buhaira, Matrouh and the Five Western Cities; H.G. Bishop Daniel, Bishop of Maadi and Secretary of the Holy Synod; H.G. Bishop Raphael, General Bishop of the Churches of Downtown Cairo; H.G. Bishop Gabriel, Bishop of Beni Suef; H.G. Bishop Stephanos, Bishop of Biba and al-Fashn; H.G. Bishop Yolios, General Bishop of the Churches of Old Cairo and the Bishopric of Services; H.G. Bishop Isaac, Bishop of Tamma; H.G. Bishop Eclemendos, General Bishop of the Churches of Almaza region, al-Amal City and Eastern Nasr City; H.G. Bishop Hermina, General Bishop of the Churches in the Eastern region of Alexandria; H.G. Bishop Mikhail, General Bishop of Churches in Hada’iq al-Qobbah and Al Waili region; H.G. Bishop Aghabios, Bishop and Abbot of the Monastery of St. Bishoy in Wadi el-Natrun; H.G. Bishop Axios, General Bishop of the Churches in the regions of Ein Shams, el-Mataria and Helmeyet al-Zaytoun; and Heg. Abraam Emil, Vicar for the Patriarch in Alexandria.
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