A Shared Holy Liturgy was held this morning at the Coptic Orthodox Cathedral of St. Mark, Abbassia, Cairo, by the Heads of the Oriental Orthodox Churches in the Middle East.

The Liturgy, which was the Sunday service of the fourth week of the Holy Fifty Days, was officiated by: His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark; His Holiness Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East for the Syriac Orthodox Church and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church; His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Orthodox Church of the Great House of Cilicia, Lebanon.

The prayers were conducted in joyful hymns celebrating the Resurrection, in a festive ecclesiastical and public atmosphere, with the participation of a large number of metropolitans and bishops from the three churches, numerous priests and deacons, and a congregation that filled the cathedral.

The patriarchs’ procession began at 9 AM from the Papal Residence at the Cathedral, moving toward the main church led by the metropolitans and bishops. A commemorative photo was taken of the bishops and metropolitans with the three patriarchs in the center. The procession then continued with the deacons’ choir chanting resurrection hymns, as the faithful welcomed the three patriarchs with joy and reverence. This marked the first time in history that the patriarchs of the three churches prayed together at St. Mark’s Cathedral.

The prayers included diverse participation from metropolitans and bishops in readings and the Resurrection procession. The patriarchs read the Gospel in Arabic, Syriac, and Armenian.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros gave the Liturgy sermon, beginning with a warm welcome to the two patriarchs and all the clergy, saying: “This is a joyful and glorious day in the history of our Oriental Orthodox Churches amidst the joys of the Resurrection. We wholeheartedly welcome Their Holinesses and the metropolitans, bishops, priests, and, in the name of all clergy, monks, nuns, and the people, we welcome you to the Coptic Orthodox Church and to St. Mark’s Cathedral in Abbassia.”

He added: “This historic day, where we pray for the first time together in St. Mark’s Cathedral, should be recorded in the history of the Church, as we—patriarchs and bishops—gather just like the Council of Nicaea. This day is a continuation of what occurred 1,700 years ago. It is as though we are compressing time within the Church.”

Speaking about the Council of Nicaea, His Holiness said: “At that time, patriarchs and bishops from all over the world gathered to discuss a heresy that arose in Alexandria and threatened to divide the Church. The fathers gathered in unity of heart and mind in Nicaea. Among them emerged St. Athanasius the Apostolic, who was then a deacon, and was later ordained a priest by Pope Alexander. He became a staunch defender of the faith.”

He continued: “What happened 1,700 years ago is alive in our Church today. We gather here in complete love and pray together, lifting our hearts before God in strong faith unity, which we pray will endure until the end.”

He further explained that: “On the occasion of the Council of Nicaea, which was held in 325 AD, we held a symbolic session yesterday with the patriarchs, metropolitans, and bishops of the three churches. We recited the Nicene Creed and listened to the twenty canons of the Council. Some proposals were made to enhance our mutual love even more.”

Pope Tawadros highlighted three lessons from the Council of Nicaea:
1- Synodality: The importance of gathering together to discuss our concerns, in a spirit of love. Just as the fathers of Nicaea did, so should we. This tradition continues in our churches through the Holy Synods, which deliberate and provide thought and action in service, care, and administration.
“God asks only for love from us. God sees our thoughts, actions, and feelings. Before God, everything is revealed. On the Day of Judgment, He will look for love. What you’ve gained in love on earth will open the gates of heaven to you. Without it, your position before God will be difficult.”

2- Discipleship: Pope Alexander tried to unite everyone in one faith and expression, but Arius and his followers deviated from the Church’s consensus. At the Council, he brought along the deacon Athanasius, a pious and eloquent man who was well-studied. Athanasius became a star among the council fathers and helped draft the Creed. Pope Tawadros emphasized the image of Pope Alexander seeing maturity in the young Athanasius and taking him along.

3- Codification of Faith: The advantage of codified doctrine is clarity and precision. The Creed provides specific expressions of the faith. Our belief in the Cross and Resurrection, which has been lived out by the Church since Christ’s time, was shaped into a precise doctrinal statement. The Church that recites it is truly Christian.
“All Christians around the world have the Bible, recite the Creed, have hope in the Kingdom, and direct their eyes to Christ.”

Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II then gave a speech, beginning with the Resurrection greeting in Syriac, Greek, and Arabic. and he said: “Heaven rejoices more today than we do on earth. The founding Apostles of our three churches—St. Mark (Alexandria), St. Thaddeus (Armenia), and St. Peter (Antioch)—are rejoicing in our unity, for the sake of which they gave their lives. Former patriarchs who served our churches also rejoice to see their successors offering the Divine Sacrifice and living out full unity in faith, despite the diversity of traditions and melodies.”

He added that the Fathers of the Council of Nicaea would rejoice with them for celebrating the Council’s anniversary with this liturgy, hymns, and their joint meeting. He stressed that this was the first such joint council and liturgy since the early Ecumenical Councils, where churches with different traditions but one faith came together.

“This celebration will go down in history. Future generations will say: On the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, the heads of our churches gathered and celebrated a joint council and Divine Liturgy.”

He concluded with a prayer asking God to strengthen them to bear greater witness and to preserve the holy faith passed down without blemish. He called on the faithful in all churches to support one another and remain firm in their shared faith, bearing witness to the Good News that the world so greatly needs today.

He thanked Pope Tawadros II, the bishops, and the Coptic Church for their efforts in organizing this historic event and every gathering that serves the Oriental Orthodox Churches and their shared faith.

Finally, Catholicos Aram I gave the concluding address: “This is a significant moment for our churches. In this church, we bear witness to true Christian unity. Unity is not a human construct; it is a gift from God. Despite the hardships our churches have faced throughout history, they have preserved faith and unity.”

He added: “The Church is not merely a building or a congregation; it is a mission from God. You—the people—are a living church through your participation in the liturgy and in your living testimony to Christ.”

He emphasized: “Yesterday and today, we reaffirmed the truth that our churches will remain faithful to Christ. Despite the challenges of our time, the Church remains the guardian of the faith.”

He expressed his appreciation and love for Pope Tawadros, saying: “In these sacred moments, I express my gratitude to His Holiness for his love and generous hospitality, and to His Holiness Patriarch Aphrem for his brotherly affection.”

He concluded: “We affirm that our love will not only continue but deepen further and further.”

After the Liturgy, the patriarchs, accompanied by the metropolitans and bishops of the three churches, visited the shrines of St. Mark the Evangelist and St. Athanasius the Apostolic at the cathedral, where they prayed and received blessings amidst the chanting of glorification hymns.

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