Today (Thursday), H.H. Pope Tawadros II received at the Papal Residence in Cairo, the German President Mr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his delegation. This visit comes within the framework of President Steinmeier’s current visit to Egypt, which began yesterday.
Following the official reception ceremony for the German President, His Excellency signed the VIP Visitor’s Book of the Papal Residence, before heading to the main lounge to begin his meeting with Pope Tawadros.
His Holiness delivered a speech, at the beginning of which he welcomed his guest and his companions, expressing his happiness with their visit to the headquarters of the Coptic Orthodox Church, where spirituality is mixed with ancient history and deep roots. He highlighted that the land of Egypt has been blessed with the visit of the Holy Family two thousand years ago, and it holds a special place in the hearts of Christians all over the world.
Pope Tawadros spoke about the founding of the Coptic Church by Saint Mark the Apostle in the first century, as well as Saint Anthony of Egypt, the founder of monasticism in the world. He pointed out that the Coptic Church is currently spreading across all continents of the world to serve its children abroad.
He praised the strong relations between Egypt and Germany and the fruitful cooperation between the two countries in several fields, most notably the field of education.
His Holiness praised the good relationship between the Church, His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and the Egyptian government, pointing out that the Church always seeks to establish peace as a solid foundation on which relations between peoples are built.
In his speech, the German President expressed his gratitude to Pope Tawadros for the warm reception, and added: “It is an honor for me to meet with Your Holiness and to be here in the cathedral, as I have never had the opportunity to visit a large and important Church like the Coptic Orthodox Church. My visit to you is an honor for me on a personal level, and it is one of the most important visits I have made to Egypt.”
President Steinmeier highlighted his agreement with His Holiness on the strength of the ties that have united Egypt and Germany for 70 years. He praised the students of the German school of Saint Charles Borromeo in Cairo, which he visited yesterday, in terms of their proficiency in the German language and their distinguished ability in discussion and dialogue. He pointed out that he will visit a German university today in Egypt, and that in his speech there he will call for the expansion of cooperation in the field of education, especially technical education, praising Egypt and Germany’s long shared interest in this type of education.
The German President stressed that churches also have an important role in building bridges between countries. He highlighted the positive role played by H.G. Bishop Damian, Bishop of Northern Germany and Abbot of the Monastery of Our Lady and Saint Maurice in Hoxter, in German society. He joked saying: “I do not know why H.G. Bishop Damian is sitting within the Coptic delegation. I thought he was following the German delegation! I even brought him with me on the plane to Cairo!”
President Steinmeier concluded by congratulating Pope Tawadros on the Coptic New Year, which began yesterday, and expressed his wishes for success and prosperity to His Holiness.
H.G. Bishop Damian arrived in Cairo on the presidential plane, accompanied by the German President and his accompanying delegation.
After the end of the meeting, the delegation accompanying the German President went to visit the landmarks of the cathedral, whilst a private meeting was held between President Steinmeier and His Holiness, which lasted about twenty minutes.
Speech of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II in the Reception of Mr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, President of the Federal Republic of Germany
Dear Mr. President Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Dear members of the accompanying delegation and
Ladies and gentlemen,
“Mercy, peace and love be with you in abundance!” (Jude 1:2).
With these words of blessing from the Holy Scriptures, I would like to begin my address today and, together with the Coptic delegation present, extend a warm welcome to you here in St. Mark’s Cathedral, this spiritual edifice represents the headquarters of the Coptic Orthodox Church. It is a great honor to be able to receive you here, where deep spirituality is combined with a rich history and deep roots.
Dear Mr. President,
Your visit to Egypt is an opportunity to reaffirm the deep bonds between our peoples. Egypt, the land blessed by the Holy Family more than two thousand years ago, holds a special place in the hearts of all Christians in the world. Here walked the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph the carpenter. Our land shone with the radiance of a great divine blessing.
The history of the Coptic Church in Egypt begins in the middle of the first century AD, when the Apostle Mark came to Alexandria to proclaim the faith. The Coptic Church is therefore considered to be one of the oldest Christian churches, with roots going back more than twenty centuries.
St. Mark the Apostle was the first Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria, and I am now the 118th Pope in the history of this Church. It is worth noting that the word “Coptic” originally means “Egyptian” and is derived from the Latin word “Egyptus”, which means Egypt. To this day, the Coptic language is used in the liturgies of the church.
Egypt is also the land of St. Anthony, the founder of monasticism, and it bears on its soil the blessing of the oldest monastery in the world, located in the Eastern Desert and bearing the name of this saint. This monastery and other venerable monasteries and nunneries are among the oldest spiritual places in the world. I cordially invite you to visit these places to experience the atmosphere of deep spirituality and the stories of faith and piety told by monks who have dedicated their lives to prayer, contemplation and love of God.
The Coptic Church is a traditional church and is considered the largest in the Middle East. Its solid foundations have contributed to its spread and growth in different parts of the world, so that today we have about 500 Coptic churches and monasteries in Europe, North and Latin America, Canada, Australia, Africa and Asia.
The establishment of churches outside Egypt aims to pastorally care for and serve our immigrant children and meet their spiritual and educational needs in the 21st century. Despite the challenges and difficulties, the Coptic Church has preserved its message of preaching the Lord Jesus Christ and has remained firm and strong even in difficult times… For our Coptic Church, Germany is a homeland for many Copts who came there a long time ago and found a new home, work and a welcoming country.
Dear Mr. President,
Relations between Egypt and Germany are not new, but are based on decades of fruitful cooperation. In the field of education, Germany continues to be a beacon of knowledge and progress, and we appreciate the great support that Germany provides to Egypt. We are proud of our children, who receive an excellent education here at German schools and universities. Cooperation between our countries in the economic, cultural and health fields is growing steadily and is an expression of the mutual trust and common aspirations of our two peoples. Today, we have representatives and participants in Egypt’s industrial boom, including the successful participation of German companies.
I have visited Germany on previous occasions, in particular on the occasion of the meeting of the Patriarchs of the Orthodox Church of the Middle East, which took place in Berlin in October 2017. In general, your country is admired for its natural beauty, its civilizational sophistication and the spirit of tolerance and openness that prevails among its people. Germany is a role model for the coexistence of different cultures and religions that we need in our world today more than ever.
This is also what we believe in Egypt, where we enjoy peace and stability and good relations between the Coptic Church, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and the Egyptian government. We always strive to promote these values at home and in the world. Peace is the solid foundation on which relations between peoples are built, and we are always committed to its realization as a goal that unites nations.
Dear Mr. President,
Your name carries with it the meaning of “stone”, and the stone (rock) is described in the Book of Psalms as a symbol of stability and strength. The Psalm says: “O Lord, you are my rock, my fortress, my savior, my God, my stronghold, on whom I rely, my shield, my salvation, my refuge.” (Psalm 18:3). I hope that your term will be full of stability and strength, and that you will be able to lead Germany with wisdom and a clear vision towards greater prosperity and peace. I would like to take this opportunity to remind you of your inspiring words: “I want to lead our country into the future”. This commitment to the future of the country is the hallmark of wise leadership. I pray that God will bless you in the realization of your noble vision and lead you into a bright future for Germany and the whole world.
Finally, I would like to express my thanks and appreciation to you and the delegation accompanying you for this kind visit. I hope you have a pleasant stay in Egypt, and that you carry with you good memories of this blessed visit.
Welcome to Egypt, the land of peace and love.
