Today (Thursday), H.H. Pope Tawadros II consecrated the Church of Virgin Mary and Archdeacon Habib Girgis in the Al-Magd neighborhood, in New Obour. This was on the occasion of the Feast of Virgin Mary, which the Coptic Orthodox Church celebrates today, and in conjunction with the Feast of the Departure of Archdeacon Habib Girgis, which was celebrated yesterday.

His Holiness blessed the commemorative plaque that marks the consecration of the church, by drawing the sign of the Cross on it three times and cutting the ribbon on the church door to mark its official opening. His Holiness’ procession entered the church, led by the choir of deacons, singing the hymns of welcoming the Patriarch, amid great happiness and welcome from the congregation of the church for Pope Tawadros.

Five of the Church’s bishops, Hegumen Father Sergius Sergius (General Deputy of the Patriarchate in Cairo), the church’s priests, and a number of other participated in the consecration prayers and the Liturgy that followed.

The main altar was consecrated in the names of Virgin Mary and Archdeacon Habib Girgis. The other two altars were consecrated in the names: St. Mark the Apostle & St Anthony, and St Philopateer Mercurius (Abu Seifin) and Anba Karas the Anchorite.

The icon of the Pantocrator was also consecrated in the eastern wall of the sanctuary, as well as the icons in the iconostasis and throughout the church. Following this, Pope Tawadros consecrated the baptism font of the church in the name of St John the Baptist, after which he and the fathers signed the document for the church’s consecration.

In his speech after the consecration, His Holiness praised the beauty and splendor of the church building from the inside and outside. Pope Tawadros thanked the monk Father Raphael St. Bishoy (the papal deputy of Obour City), for the efforts he made in developing the church and the churches of Obour City, as well as his good relations with all local officials in the city. He also thanked the rest of the church’s priests, its council members, deacons, archons and congregation, as well as the officials who helped in issuing licenses for the church.

His Holiness pointed out that the Church’s main role is to prepare good citizens here on earth and then in heaven, pointing out that just as the Church is beautiful, our souls must also be beautiful.

In the sermon of the Liturgy, Pope Tawadros spoke about four houses that Virgin Mary visited, and her visit had an effective impact on the souls of the residents of those houses. These houses were:
1- The house of Zacharias: A house of praise and prayer, where the ‘Song of Mary’ was said
2- The house of the wedding in Cana in Galilee: a house of joy and cheer.
3- The house of John the Beloved: a house of love
4- The homes of Egypt: Blessing came to the homes of the Egyptians by her visit to them with the Lord Christ.

His Holiness pointed out that our homes need to be filled with these blessed influences, that is, to be filled with praise, joy, love and blessing.

Pope Tawadros thanked President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi for his keenness to have places of worship in the new cities, pointing out that when the President opened the new Obour City in 2018, His Excellency inquired from the officials about whether there was a church there or not. Following this, the procedures for licensing it and its construction began in July 2021, after the completion of the procedures and the issuance of the final license.

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