On Friday, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II paid a visit to the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, where he was warmly welcomed by Cardinal Gugerotti the head of the Dicastery and the department’s members. The Cardinal shared insights on the Church’s history, as well as that of the Eastern Catholic Churches, and highlighted the fruitful dialogue between the Coptic and Catholic Churches spanning five decades.
During his speech, His Holiness Pope Tawadros discussed the Coptic Orthodox Church from its inception under St. Mark the Apostle.
During his visit, His Holiness and his delegation met with Cardinal Mario Grech, the Pro-Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops of the Catholic Church. The Cardinal expressed the significant value of the visit by Pope Tawadros, emphasising the Catholic Church’s synodal journey that centres on unity, partnership, and evangelism. He recognised the synodal richness of the Coptic Church and other Eastern churches and expressed eagerness to exchange experiences. In closing, he humbly requested Pope Tawadros’s blessing and prayers for the journey ahead.
During the meeting, His Holiness the Pope expressed his gratitude and happiness towards His Holiness Pope Francis for the warm welcome. He further shared that the Coptic Church is thriving, with approximately 15 million members within Egypt and 2 million outside who hold great affection for the Church. Egypt is famous for its three pyramids. Similarly, the history of Coptic Christianity in Egypt can be compared to the three main pyramids, which we can refer to as the three pyramids of the Coptic Church. The First Pyramid represents the Orthodox theological education that began with St. Mark when he founded the Church in the first century AD. However, even before St. Mark, the Holy Family came to Egypt and blessed the land. Therefore, our love for Egypt is deep-rooted, and this strengthens our Church’s Orthodox education. The second pyramid is martyrdom, and we call our church the Church of the Martyrs because it has presented a large number of martyrs. The third pyramid is monasticism, and the first monk in the world is St. Anthony the Great, whose monastery is still in the Red Sea. The Church’s monasticism is alive, whether in worship or prayer.
The Coptic Church has now spread its reach to several countries globally. We have established Sunday schools to impart religious education to children, and our churches also organise weekly youth meetings. Additionally, we prioritise safeguarding the family unit against the current societal deviations.
H.E. Metropolitan Daniel, Metropolitan of Maadi and Secretary of the Holy Synod provided an overview of the responsibilities and function of the Holy Synod of the Coptic Church. It was mentioned that there are 135 members in the synod, and they have formed various committees to examine all aspects of church affairs and services.
After His Holiness, the Pope’s visit to the Vatican on Friday evening, he and his delegation paid a visit to the Egyptian Embassy’s headquarters in Rome. The Egyptian Ambassador to Italy, Bassam Rady, and embassy members warmly welcomed them. A dinner was held at the embassy to honour His Holiness, which was attended by the Ambassador of Egypt to the Vatican, Mahmoud Talaat, and various Italian officials.
The Pope expressed gratitude to the Ambassador and emphasised their collaborative efforts towards the betterment of the new republic in partnership with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. The President has made commendable strides in advancing Egyptian society, having fought and triumphed over terrorism as the first battle. The second battle, geared towards development, has resulted in new projects such as the new administrative capital. The spiritual aspect of this endeavour was prioritised with the construction of the largest mosque and cathedral.
His Holiness turned towards the listeners and expressed, “Egypt, my beloved, is the heart of the world and is responsible for the stability of the East, and Italy is also the key to Europe.” Finally, His Holiness thanked the audience for their kindness and hospitality and expressed happiness in any place where Egypt’s name is mentioned.
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