His Holiness commended the media performance of the Coptic CTV channel, and the awareness and national role it plays, pointing out that its role has been confirmed and has roots, history, impact and good work, not only at the level of Copts in Egypt or outside Egypt, but at the level of the nation.
This came in an intervention the channel conducted with His Holiness over the phone this morning on the “Sabah Al-Nour” program, presented by presenters Ishak Younan and Heba Kamil, on the occasion of the 16th anniversary of its founding.
During the intervention, H.H. commended the late founder of the channel, Dr. Tharwat Bassily, who worked hard to create a Christian satellite channel with this beautiful image, and provided it with financial and human resources, and it will continue until the end of the years. H.H. commended the current management and the channel’s work crews who provide spiritual and educational material to all viewers.
Regarding the extent of the channel’s influence on the Copts in the diaspora and spreading awareness of the Coptic Church and its fathers, His Holiness narrated that he met several days ago with the Father Sedrak St. Bishoy, the Coptic priest who is serves in the Caribbean islands of Latin America, and serves on two islands, the island of Bermuda and the island of St. Thomas, and these islands have a place to pray as a church.
Some of the citizens of the island got to know the Coptic Church and formed a small community. When His Holiness asked him whether satellite channels reached them, he replied: “Without them, we would not be able to serve!” His Holiness commented: “The arrival of our channels in these areas is something that makes me very happy, and of course this has an impact.”
H.H. indicated that the CTV channel is keen to present a balanced media message, as it presents the spiritual message of the Church, and at the same time presents the positive image of the nation and how the Church, in its cohesion with all the institutions of the nation, can present the positive image of all of Egypt and the unity of Egyptians.
His Holiness explained that the church is one of the components of Egyptian society, in history, geography, and social relations. It is one of the pillars of Egyptian society, which we always liken to a temple, because it is a religious society since the days of the Pharaohs, the Christian eras, and the Islamic eras.
In any temple, such as the Karnak Temple, the columns represent nobility, greatness, and stability, and of course they support the roof, so their presence is very important. There is no column without a need, and all columns have their role. In Egyptian society, there are a group of columns, and their role varies, such as the column of the armed forces, the column of the police, the column of the judiciary, and the column of art, the pillar of Al-Azhar, the pillar of the church, and the pillar of culture.
H.H.concluded: “May God bless your service. The channel’s service is a beautiful and beloved service that requires special skills. May God strengthen and support you so that you are able to present programs in an attractive, modern, balanced image that serves all sectors of the people: the family, youth, and children, and in the social, health, and economic aspects, and in the spiritual, church, and faith aspects.”
My love and regards to all who work on this channel.”

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