This afternoon, H.H. Pope Tawadros II attended the celebration of the family of the Monk Andrawes El-Samuely for serving the Blind in Alexandria, under the auspices of the Church of Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph the Righteous in Smouha. This was held in the theater of the same church, in the presence of H.G. Bishop Pavly (General Bishop of the churches of the Montazah Sector), H.G. Bishop Elarion (General Bishop of the churches of the Western Alexandria Sector), and Hegumen Abraam Emil (Deputy General of the Patriarchate in Alexandria).

Hegumen Yoannes Tadros, the priest of the church, welcomed Pope Tawadros, expressing his happiness with His Holiness’ visit to the church and blind children. Deacon Ayman Nous, director of the Beit Al-Nama Center for the Blind, gave an explanation of the idea of ​​the serving the blind, its origins and the history of its beginnings 24 years ago (1997) when it was founded by Hegumen Youssef Thabet, the church’s priest and head of service.

The celebration included several segments presented by blind people of all ages, including a group of hymns presented by the blind children’s choir, as well as three individual hymns presented by blind elderly people. There were also segments for distinguished blind people in several fields, including sports, literature, science, and mountain climbing.

The theater group for the blind also presented a theatrical performance about the history of King Jehoshaphat.

In his speech, Pope Tawadros praised the distinguished ceremony’s performances, its presenters, the male and female servants, the deacons, and the archons. His Holiness also thanked Father Youssef Thabet and the priests of the church for their care for serving the blind in Alexandria.

He expressed his happiness and appreciation for this service, its success and the distinction and excellence achieved by distinguished blind people. Pope Tawadros summarized the role of the Church in care and embrace in three points: •⁠ ⁠The Church is a mother who cares.
•⁠ ⁠The Church is a house that embraces.
•⁠ ⁠The Church is the secret of joy.

It is worth noting that the family Monk Andrawes El-Samuely for the blind serves more than 308 blind people and their families across the four pastoral sectors in Alexandria, in addition to the desert sector.

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