H.H. Pope Tawadros II attended a celebration held by the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy at the Papal Residence in Cairo, marking the launch of the Arabic edition of the book Agia Sophia, published by the Assembly.
The celebration was attended by Dr. Maximos Charakopoulos, Secretary-General of the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy (IAO) and a member of the Greek Parliament; Dr. Ioan Volbescu, President of the General Assembly and a member of the Romanian Parliament; Dr. Bouras, Vice President of the Greek Parliament; Dr. Kostas Mygdalis, advisor and founder of the Assembly; and MP Dr. Manal Hilal, the first Egyptian Orthodox female parliamentarian to join the IAO’s International Secretariat since its establishment nearly 33 years ago.
Also in attendance was His Eminence Metropolitan Youannes (Metropolitan of Zambia and Mozambique for the Greek Orthodox Church), along with a delegation from the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy, which includes representatives from 25 countries. The delegation present at the event included representatives from 14 countries: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Georgia, Jordan, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Palestine, Romania, Serbia, Sudan, Estonia, and Zambia.
The celebration included several speeches, starting with Dr. Kostas Mygdalis (the founder of the Assembly), followed by Samuel Bishara (the book’s translator, an Egyptian residing in Greece). Next was a speech by Dr. Maximos Charakopoulos, followed by a message from His Eminence Metropolitan Youannes, delivered on behalf of His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros (the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Egypt). The event concluded with a speech by H.H. Pope Tawadros II.
The book “Agia Sophia” documents churches named “Agia Sophia” from historical, cultural, artistic, and architectural perspectives. There are 37 such churches, spanning from Scotland in the west to China in the east, holding a significant place in the Western Christian world.
In Greek, Agia Sophia means “holy wisdom.” Historians consider some of these churches to be gems of Byzantine architecture, as they embody unique features from the time of their construction. A notable example is the Hagia Sophia in Turkey, built in 537 AD, which is regarded as a cultural and architectural symbol and an icon of Byzantine and Western Orthodox Christian civilization.
The book has been translated into 14 languages and is considered one of the most significant cultural achievements of the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy.
In his speech, His Holiness welcomed the attendees, expressing his joy at the launch of the Arabic edition of this valuable book. He also praised the book’s translator, extending his greetings to him.”
He pointed out that the name “Sophia” means wisdom, which is a trait people can possess. However, in the New Testament, we understand that wisdom is a person—Jesus Christ Himself, the Logos. Therefore, everyone who believes in Him is adorned with this quality: wisdom.
Pope Tawadros added, “The name ‘Hagia Sophia’ can be given to any church in the world, as we learn wisdom from the Church, the Holy Bible, and the lives of the saints. While the church in Constantinople was the first to bear this name, being the largest church of its time, we are delighted that the Egyptian state and His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi have established the largest church in the Middle East here in Egypt—the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ in the New Administrative Capital. I hope you have the opportunity to visit it.”
He explained, *”The construction of this church, which was inaugurated in 2019, is a powerful expression of the strong bond among all Egyptians. On the same day, a large mosque was also inaugurated next to it.”
His Holiness affirmed that the Egyptian people are a peace-loving nation, referring to the verse: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). He commented, “To become children of God, we must be peacemakers. In the church, as part of our prayers, we say: ‘O King of Peace, grant us Your peace, establish for us Your peace, and forgive our sins.’”
Pope Tawadros also noted, “You can all see how decisive Egypt’s stance has been in the Gaza crisis and its efforts to counter calls for the displacement of Palestinians. Egypt’s approach to this issue has been one of peace.”
His Holiness concluded: “I welcome you once again, and we rejoice in hosting you on the precious land of Egypt.”
The celebration was attended by several bishops of the Church, some members of the Egyptian House of Representatives and Senate, and Ambassador Nabila Makram, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Fahim Foundation for Psychological Support.
The visit of the delegation from the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy to His Holiness comes as part of their current visit to Egypt at the invitation of the Egyptian Parliament. During their visit, an international secretariat meeting will be held in one of the halls of the Egyptian House of Representatives, in addition to a meeting with the Speaker of Parliament.
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