H.H. Pope Tawadros II received at the Papal Residence in Cairo today (Wednesday), His Eminence Metropolitan Dimitri Samatzis Demianos, Archbishop of St. Catherine’s Monastery Wadi Ferran and Al-Tur, and the Chairman of the Trustees of the Al-Obeidiya School Foundation in Egypt, and his accompanying delegation.

His Holiness welcomed his guests, expressing his happiness at meeting them. He highlighted the importance of the Saint Catherine and her monastery to all Egyptians as she is an Egyptian saint. He pointed out that he visited the city of St. Catherine and Mount Moses in 1997, but he did not visit the monastery.

For his part, the Archbishop of St. Catherine’s Monastery expressed his gratitude and that of the accompanying delegation for meeting Pope Tawadros receiving his blessing, noting that the Coptic Orthodox Church represents a large entity among the Orthodox churches. He stressed that the Church’s presence is a blessing to the whole world, as it spreads the love and peace that mankind requires.

His Eminence spoke about the Al-Obeidiya School Foundation, which is an educational and cultural institution made up of seven volunteer members for the purpose of charitable work, and the role it plays in serving Sudanese refugees in Egypt, in coordination with the Coptic Church, in light of the circumstances that our Sudanese brethren are currently going through.
He praised the broad development movement undertaken by the Egyptian state in Sinai and the St. Catherine area, and the airport that is being built there to support tourism.
The abbot of the monastery invited His Holiness and members of the Synod to visit the monastery, highlighting the loving relationship that unites him with His Grace Bishop Apollo, Bishop of South Sinai.

Pope Tawadros praised the co-operation between the Coptic Church and St. Catherine’s Monastery, appreciating the value of joint work and service that the Lord Christ expects from us.

His Holiness referred to the service of the Coptic Church in the field of social care and the importance of this work, which is in the interest of Egyptian society. He welcomed the cooperation between the Coptic Church and the monastery in the field of teaching the Greek language, as he pointed out that the Church organizes courses during the summer vacation to teach English, French, German, and Russian languages. The Greek language can be added to them.

The Archbishop was accompanied during the visit by Monk Akakios, Secretary of the St. Catherine Monastery Complex, Dr. Helen Yanni, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Al-Obeidiya School Foundation, Mr. Dimas, the Managing Director of the Foundation, Dr. Ayman Gibran, the legal representative and commissioner of the Al-Obaidiya Foundation, and Mrs. Katerina Spyropoulou, Secretary to the Archbishop.

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