His Holiness Pope Tawadros II began the Christmas mass at the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ in the New Administrative Capital, at 7 pm today, Thursday, and several church rabbis, priests and deacons participated in the prayer.
The Coptic people also participated in the prayers at a rate of no more than 25% of the cathedral’s capacity, which is the first popular participation after several feasts, whose celebrations were held without a public presence due to the pandemic of the emerging Coronavirus.
President AbdElFattah El-Sisi, President of the Republic, attended to congratulate him, and the worshipers received him with great happiness.
Several officials and public figures were also congratulated, with careful application of precautionary measures against the spread of Corona infection.

His Holiness delivered the homily after reading the Gospel, in which His Holiness thanked President El-Sisi for his presence to congratulate all Christians and Egyptians on the feast, and His Holiness stressed that this tradition established by the President during the past years is one of the features of the new republic that is based on citizenship and which we live in now. We see it in the many achievements of the Egyptian state.

His Holiness also thanked the Armed Forces, the Engineering Authority of the Armed Forces, the Administrative Capital Company, the policemen and their leaders, and all the officials and personalities who congratulated him and the Christians on Christmas feast in various ways, whether by attendance, communications or otherwise.

His Holiness indicated, however, that we see the light that surrounds all the details of the birth of Christ and that we always need it in our lives because it is joyful. His Holiness explained the features of love that make the man a friend of God and through which he lives in the light, and its examples in the event of birth in the following pictures:

1- The simple shepherds:
Those who lived on the margins of society without a fixed place of residence, but when they heard the gospel of the angel, they hurried to Bethlehem, presenting us with the image of a quick response to opportunity and the light of love.

2- Magi scholars:
Those who, when they saw a special star benefiting the birth of a great king, went to see this king, and they presented us with an image of striving and striving after the light of love to dispel every darkness in his heart.

3- Angels who praise:
They present us with a picture of enjoying light and love, as they illuminate the darkness of the night with light and praise the eternal chant:
“Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth, to men of goodwill.”

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