Today (Thursday), H.H. Pope Tawadros II received a delegation from the Rotary Clubs at the Papal Residence in Cairo. The delegation was led by Mr. Sherif Adeeb (Governor of the Rotary Club of Egypt), and included several former Rotary governors and club branch presidents in Egypt.

His Holiness delivered a speech in which he first welcomed his guests and spoke to them about Egypt’s unique qualities—its homeland, location, and people, who live together in closeness and unity in their daily lives. He noted that the Holy Family visited Egypt, traveling across it from north to south and east to west, and that Egypt’s land was blessed by this visit.

Pope Tawadros also spoke about the Coptic Orthodox Church, its history, and its national role through the ages, as well as its social role in supporting and developing the nation. This is achieved through establishing schools and hospitals that open their doors to all Egyptians without discrimination. He noted that the Church is distinguished by its faith, martyrdom, and monasticism, which began with Saint Anthony the Monk, through whom monasticism spread worldwide, earning him the title of “The Father of Monks.”

His Holiness held a dialogue with them, answering their questions and listening to their comments. The Rotary members praised the Church’s role in education, literacy, and healthcare, noting that this aligns with Rotary Clubs’ focus on the same areas. They commended the Church’s collaboration with them, particularly in establishing a floating hospital in partnership with the “Egypt Without Disease” foundation. The visitors also acknowledged the opening of a Coptic hospital in Alexandria to train nursing staff under a foreign expert brought in by the Rotary Club of Egypt. The discussion highlighted the youth forums organized by Rotary Clubs in Egypt to facilitate experience-sharing among young people from around the world, a focus that aligns with Pope Tawadros’ own interest in holding global youth gatherings.

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