On the occasion of a decade since the inception of the idea for a new headquarters for the Coptic Orthodox Church, which is aligned with Egypt’s strategy to reduce the congestion of overpopulated Cairo, it is fitting to recount the project’s milestones. This initiative arose in response to urban challenges, such as traffic crises, rising pollution, and the proliferation of unplanned settlements (slums), which in turn elevated crime and violence rates. Today, we celebrate the first Divine Liturgy in the Church of St. Mark the Apostle & Pope Kyrillos VI, the cornerstone of this visionary project.
2012
In March 2012, Pope Shenouda III, the 117 patriarch, reposed. In June, Egypt witnessed the Muslim Brotherhood ascend to power under President Mohamed Morsi. By November, through the rite of the divine lot (November 4), I was chosen to lead the Coptic Orthodox Church, followed by my official appointment (November 7), the rite of wearing the holy schema (November 10), and the enthronement prayer (November 18). This year was momentous for both national and ecclesiastical events.
2013
The year was tumultuous, with significant events unfolding rapidly. In April, an unprecedented attack targeted the Papal Residence in St. Mark’s Cathedral Complex, Abbasiyya, causing extensive damage and numerous injuries, with one casualty later departing. Fears escalated due to the gas station adjacent to the Cathedral’s entrance, amplifying the risk of a disaster in the densely populated area.
In July, the Church played a role in the historic June 30 revolution, which restored Egypt to its natural state, ending the Brotherhood’s rule. The people united with the military and police forces, demonstrating profound love for their homeland.
In August, violent assaults targeted approximately 100 churches and related properties nationwide, following the dispersal of the Rabaa sit-in. During these dark days, I declared: “A homeland without churches is better than churches without a homeland.” These words became a balm to the Church’s wounds, quelling retaliatory violence and leading the nation to safety under interim President Adly Mansour.
2014
Based on the advice of officials, the gas station located at the entrance of St. Mark’s Cathedral in Abbasiyya was decommissioned. Additionally, a request was submitted to allocate a different location to establish a new headquarters for the Coptic Orthodox Church.
Historically, since the foundation of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the first century AD by St. Mark the Apostle—who was martyred in Alexandria, the country’s capital at the time, in 68 AD—the Church’s headquarters were located in Alexandria until the tenth century AD or slightly later. With the establishment of Cairo, the headquarters were moved there during the papacy of Pope Christodoulos (Abdel-Masseih), the 66 patriarch. It remained in Cairo, specifically in Old Cairo, relocating from one place to another until reaching the Azbakeya area, where it stayed for approximately two hundred years. It then moved to Abbasiyya on the current land, which was once a monastery and later a cemetery.
Construction on this land began more than a century ago, starting with the building of St. Peter’s Church, followed by numerous other structures, including the Institute of Coptic Studies in 1954 and St. Mark’s Cathedral in 1965. Over time, additional buildings were erected, and the site became increasingly crowded with various Church organizations. Currently, over 1,000 employees work daily in these departments, including: the Bishopric of Public, Social, and Ecumenical Services; the Papal Office; the Coptic Endowments Authority; the General Technical Office; the Cultural Center; the Papal Residence; the Media Center; and many other Church administrations.
The request for a new location was submitted during the tenure of Engineer Ibrahim Mahlab’s cabinet, with Dr. Mostafa Madbouly (the current Prime Minister) serving as Minister of Housing at the time. The request was for 30 feddans (acres), based on the rationale that the crowded site at St. Mark’s Cathedral in Abbasiyya spans approximately 15 feddans, necessitating at least double the space for future needs. This request proceeded through official channels until the New Urban Communities Authority issued its approval at the end of the year.
During this period, Egypt began to reclaim its stature under President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, who assumed leadership through a popular election that exceeded all expectations. With collective determination, the nation embarked on rebuilding its institutions and combating terrorism in all its forms.
2015
This year began with an unprecedented joyful event: President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi visited St. Mark’s Cathedral on the eve of the Nativity Feast, January 6. The visit brought immense happiness, with heartfelt greetings for the New Year and the feast, delighting all Egyptians. The news was widely celebrated by Arab and international media, marking a monumental event that has since become an annual tradition.
In February of the same year, a group of young Coptic Egyptians was martyred in Libya. The gruesome event was broadcast globally through video recordings, causing widespread shock and sorrow. Egypt responded swiftly and decisively, documenting this reaction in the film The Strike, which was released in mid-2024. Although the incident was profoundly painful for all Egyptians, the terrorist act intended to tarnish Egypt’s image instead reinforced unity among its people, thwarting the perpetrators’ malicious intentions.
In April, Presidential Decree No. 170 of 2015 was issued, allocating 30 feddans as an extension to St. Mark’s Cathedral in Abbasiyya. This decision brought overwhelming joy to Copts both domestically and abroad, reflecting the vision of the new republic under President El-Sisi’s leadership. The lengthy administrative process began with land acquisition, surveying the location in New Cairo’s “Triangle of Hope,” and presenting a general master plan for the site, along with securing permits to construct the surrounding fence. This process involved extended sessions with teams of architectural engineers and in-depth discussions about the project’s design and implementation steps.
2016
Engineering meetings continued to discuss the arrangements for this project, reviewing ideas, preliminary designs, and opinions from a large number of architectural and structural engineers. These discussions focused on developing timelines for this major undertaking.
In September of that year, the Church Construction Law was enacted, marking the end of a significant struggle. For decades, there had been no legal framework governing the construction of churches, which had led to painful incidents through the years. This landmark legislation, brought forth by courageous political leadership alongside the government and parliament, was passed during the tenure of Engineer Sherif Ismail’s government. Following extensive discussions, the law facilitated the legalization of thousands of existing churches and service buildings, while establishing clear criteria for building new churches through governors without requiring presidential decrees. It became legally feasible to construct churches in new cities, aligning with the vision of the new republic to care for all citizens and promote equality among them.
However, in December of the same year, a major terrorist attack struck the Boutrosiya Church adjacent to the Papal Residence in Abbasiyya, Cairo. The attack resulted in the martyrdom of 30 men and women, along with dozens of injuries, and caused extensive damage to the church, which had stood for over a century. The armed forces, under orders from the political leadership, swiftly restored the church to its original state, enabling the celebration of the Nativity Feast there in January 2017.
2017
During President El-Sisi’s annual Christmas visit, he announced from St. Mark’s Cathedral in Abbasiyya the launch of the New Administrative Capital project, which would include a grand mosque and a large church. He pledged that prayers would be held in the new church the following year (2018).
This was a joyous announcement, especially as we were already engaged in restoration and renewal works at St. Mark’s Cathedral in Abbasiyya, including updates to the icons, in preparation for the celebration of its golden jubilee in 2018, marking its establishment during the papacy of Saint Pope Cyril VI (1968).
However, in April of that year, the hand of terrorism struck again, this time in Tanta and Alexandria, during the celebration of Palm Sunday. These attacks claimed the lives of dozens of martyrs and left many injured. It was evident that these acts were not only targeted at churches and Copts but also at the strong national unity that Egyptians cherish.
As for the new project, the permit for constructing the perimeter fence around the desert plot was obtained. This process took time due to the fence’s extensive length, which spans over 1,500 meters around the entire site after its spatial boundaries were officially delineated.
2018
President El-Sisi fulfilled his promise by offering his Christmas greetings at the site of the new cathedral in the New Administrative Capital after the completion of its first phase in one year. The first Divine Liturgy was held on the evening of January 6, 2018, amid immense joy. For the first time, we named a church “Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ,” making it the official celebratory and formal cathedral for feast days, presidential visits, and the consecration of bishops and metropolitans.
In November of the same year, St. Mark’s Cathedral in Abbasiyya was consecrated in a grand celebration marking its golden jubilee, attended by over a hundred bishops and metropolitans.
2019
The year began with a remarkable national celebration: President El-Sisi inaugurated the grand mosque and cathedral in the New Administrative Capital. Both projects were completed in just two years with Egyptian talent and under the supervision of the Armed Forces Engineering Authority. During the opening, I delivered a speech at the inauguration of the Al-Fattah Al-Aleem Mosque, and Sheikh Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayyeb gave a speech at the inauguration of the Cathedral. President El-Sisi also extended his customary Christmas greetings during the Nativity service, fostering an atmosphere of national pride and joy.
In November of the same year, the Papal Central Library was inaugurated at the Papal Residence in St. Bishoy’s Monastery, Wadi El-Natrun. It aspires to be one of the largest Coptic libraries in the world, housing books, references, and manuscripts valuable to researchers in various fields of Coptic studies.
On the Triangle of Hope project, progress continued with obtaining permits for the church that would serve as the cornerstone of the entire development. This church, designed to cater to the growing community in the area, spans 1,500 square meters, featuring a column-free design and a unique architectural layout that allows natural light to permeate it.
2020
The COVID-19 pandemic caused life to grind to a halt worldwide. Despite these challenges, the church permit was issued, and initial preparations began with clearing and leveling the land for construction. Overcoming the challenges of the desert terrain and limited resources, by God’s grace and the dedication of engineers, technicians, and workers, significant concrete work was undertaken for the church’s cross-shaped structure. This phase took considerable time due to its complexity.
2021
Precautionary measures against the pandemic remained in place, and the Nativity Feast liturgy was held at the monastery with limited attendance of no more than thirty individuals, including bishops, priests, monks, and deacons. President El-Sisi continued his tradition of offering Christmas greetings, albeit this year through a heartfelt Zoom message that reflected authenticity and loyalty to the people and the nation.
Construction of the church progressed steadily, alongside the submission of permit applications for the theological institute buildings, which involved a two-year process of reviewing architectural drawings and implementing required modifications.
2022
Construction of the church advanced visibly, with its form rising from the desert, symbolizing the birth of this new entity for the Coptic Orthodox Church. By the year’s end, the large and lofty concrete structure of the church was completed in a magnificent manner. Permits for the theological institute buildings were also issued, allowing the scope of work to expand, showcasing God’s glory despite limited financial resources. As Pope Shenouda III once said, “When there is intention, God provides the means.” This proved true.
2023
With ongoing project oversight between the architectural office and the executing company, I visited the site in March with a group of engineers and servants to plan for the church’s 2024 opening. Concurrently, construction began on educational facilities as part of the second phase of this multi-stage project, which is expected to span several years by God’s grace. The project’s location, known as the Triangle of Hope, served as an inspiring and motivating factor to persevere, despite numerous challenges encountered along the way.
2024
The countdown began for the first Divine Liturgy in the newly named Church of St. Mark the Apostle & Pope Kyrillos VI. Remarkably, the area is called the Triangle of Hope, and St. Mark continually inspires hope in the Church’s service. Additionally, the area is part of the “Sixth District,” connecting symbolically to Pope Kyrillos VI, whose name means “their lord.” The New Cairo designation reflects the spirit of the new republic under wise and dedicated political leadership.
The first liturgy was scheduled for Saturday, November 9 (30 Baba), coinciding with one of St. Mark’s feast days, commemorating the seventh-century discovery of his holy head during the papacy of Pope Benjamin (38th patriarch).
A joyous celebration took place in the church, which was not yet completed. Attendees represented all segments of the Coptic community: bishops, priests, deacons, monks, nuns, consecrated women, parliamentarians, university professors, businesspeople, journalists, youth, and children. This gathering of love bore witness to this forward-looking project, which will eventually house all church administrations, institutions, and theological institutes. It will complement the Cathedral of the Nativity in the New Administrative Capital, serving as a venue for major celebrations and events, as well as the official residence of the Pope. The two sites are just thirty minutes apart by car, embodying the Church’s promising future.
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