Today, H.H. Pope Tawadros II attended the celebration marking the 25th anniversary of the departure of the Thrice-Blessed Bishop Makary, Bishop of the Sinai Peninsula. The event took place this morning at the Anba Reweis Theatre in St. Mark’s Cathedral in Abbassiya, with the presence of Their Graces Bishop Angelos (General Bishop of the Churches of North Shoubra Sector) and Bishop Bavly (General Bishop of the Montaza Sector in Alexandria), along with a number of priests, monks, members of the late bishop’s family, and many of his spiritual children and loved ones.

Earlier this morning, His Holiness prayed the Divine Liturgy at the Church of Virgin Mary and St. Bishoy in St Mark’s Cathedral, commemorating the same occasion.

The celebration began with a performance by the David’s Heart choir, who presented a selection of spiritual songs filled with the love of God. This was followed by artist Sophia Amir, who completed a live portrait of the late Bishop Makart. The artwork drew great admiration from the attendees due to its precision and her ability to complete it in a short time.
A documentary was then screened, presenting the biography and life journey of the late bishop. Afterward, several of his spiritual children shared reflections and memories of their time learning and serving under him. Among them was Bishop Bavly, one of his disciples, who delivered a heartfelt speech. The event concluded with a speech by Pope Tawadros, who began by saying: “How beautiful is the spirit of loyalty in our Coptic Church. How precious is the value of faithfulness that we experience in such occasions. The memory of the righteous is blessed and everlasting. We cherish memories from our Church and its ministry from 25 years ago and even before that — memories filled with human emotions that touch each of our hearts.”

His Holiness thanked everyone who contributed to the program and emphasized: “God, in His love for us, visits us with luminous examples — people who begin life like any of us but, over time, become inspiring models and witnesses for all generations. Through these examples, He shows us the beauty of life with Him, that His commandments are not burdensome, and that those who live with Christ enjoy lasting joy. This was a defining trait of Bishop Makary.”

He noted that the presence of such figures encourages us to copy them and learn from their lives. He also highlighted that the Church plants faithfulness in us, as reflected in the Synaxarium — a book of Church history that we read from daily. It reminds us that the lives of the saints are not merely historical accounts but a living presence of holiness and of God among us, through His saints, servants, and children in every place.

Pope Tawadros went on to share his personal connection to the late Bishop Makary: “When I was in high school — or maybe preparatory school — my father’s family lived in the area of St. Demiana in Belqas. I used to hear my relatives speak with deep spiritual admiration about Engineer Nabil Riad. He was a servant with a strong spiritual presence, visiting families in their homes in Kafr El Sheikh and Belqas even though he didn’t know them personally. At the time, I hadn’t met him yet.”

“Years passed, and I joined the monastery in 1986. A building for monastic cells was being constructed at the time, and Father Makary Anba Bishoy (later Bishop Makary) was supervising the project. I would see him in his work clothes on-site, although we hadn’t spoken. The older monks told us this building would be special because it was designed with great wisdom.”

“On April 2, 1987, I became a novice monk and wore the white robe. It was one of the happiest days of my life. On July 7 of that same year, I served in the Liturgy as a deacon with Father Makary and other novices at St. Mary’s Church in the Fortress. The scheduled time was from 1 to 3 PM — but it extended to 5 PM. I testify before God: that Liturgy lifted my heart to heaven. As Bishop Bavly was speaking today, I recalled the exact feelings I had that day. It was truly a heavenly Liturgy, as if God alone was present.”

Pope Tawadros continued: “Life went on, and in 1988 we read in Al-Keraza Magazine that Pope Shenouda had sent a monk to serve in Sinai. We were amazed at the time because it was mostly desert — uninhabited and barren.”

“Father Makary went, served, and built. He was close to the people despite Sinai’s vast area of approximately 69,000 km². In November 1996, Pope Shenouda ordained him as the first bishop of the Sinai Peninsula. His appointment was like planting a living seed, and Pope Shenouda succeeded in planting it in a desert land. He set forth a model of service and responsibility in what was considered our largest diocese. Although it lacked resources and people, God’s providence worked mightily through him there.”

“In June 1997, I was ordained a bishop in the same group, directly following Bishop Makary. At that time, my sister, Eman, had moved with her husband to El-Arish in Sinai, and she would often speak to me about Bishop Makary’s work and life. She and her husband served with him there.”

“When he passed away on July 25, 2000, I traveled with Pope Shenouda III and about 40 bishops and metropolitans on a flight from Cairo Airport to El-Arish Airport, to attend the funeral. Although the news of his departure was shocking, those we love never truly die — they remain forever in our hearts. Just as we celebrate the life of St. Anthony, who lived in the fourth century, his legacy still lives with us today.”