Today, H.H Pope Tawadros II consecrated St. Virgin Mary’s church and St. Mary the Egyptian in “Ahalina 2” project at El Salam City with 5 bishops.
Once H.H arrived at the church, H.H revealed the curtain from the memorial plaque that marks its consecration with the presence of Major General Staff War, Fahmy Heikal, commander of the central military region, a number of region leaders, security leaders, the head of the neighbourhood “Ahalina”, some parliament member and H.G Bishop Maximous, general Bishop of El Salam city and the craftsmen followed by the consecrated church.
After that H.H headed to the church as the consecration’s prayers started that included the main alter’s consecration with St. Virgin Mary’s church and St. Mary the Egyptian names on it, the alter’s maritime front with St. Damiana’s name, the alter’s tribal side with St. George’s name along with the Father’s bosom “Pantokrator” and the iconostasis in addition to consecration of the church downstairs by St. Wanas’s name.
After the consecration, the Divine Liturgy Prayers begun and H.H said a sermon, it’s title was “Love” and talked about five types of Love that leads person to heaven:
1- Love of God: and that could be represented by serving God and serving people.
2- Love of Nature: and that could be accomplished by protecting it and keeping it safe
3- Love of Man: that means the love of Man and respecting him just for being a human regardless any other considerations
4- Love of homeland: that means to belong to it and defending it, as Egypt is a unique country and has a great place in God’s heart. We want our country to be the best country, and now we all seek as Egyptians to work hard, we all work hard for a new Egypt, a new republic. It is wonderful thing that the political leadership are interested in eliminating the phenomenon of slums, and to ensure the presence of a mosque and a church in every new urban community.
5- Love of heaven: that means love the eternity, our bodies are on earth but our souls are in heaven, we must crave for eternity.
At the end, H.H thanked President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, the Engineering Authority, the police, and all those who contributed to building the church.
In addition to St. Virgin Mary’s church of Egypt in “Ahalina 2” that was built by the “Ahalina 2” project based on the directives of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, who ordered to build churches in every urban community that the government develops to provide an opportunity for worship for all. As it serves Christian families in the areas of Ahalina 1, Ahalina 2, Ahalina 3, and Qubaa in Madinat Al Salam.

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