Today (Thursday), H.H. Pope Tawadros II held a meeting with the male and female servants of the Coptic Orthodox churches in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and the Sultanate of Oman, as part of his annual gathering with them.

Attending the meeting alongside His Holiness were H.G. Bishop Yolyous, General Bishop of Old Cairo and the Bishopric of Public Services, and supervisor of the Gulf churches, as well as H.E. Metropolitan Marcos, Metropolitan of Shoubra El-Kheima.

His Holiness delivered a talk focusing on five geographical scenes from the life of Saint Athanasius the Apostolic, on the occasion of the 17th centenary of the Council of Nicaea, deriving from them valuable lessons for servants:

1. The Home:
   Although we know little about his home life, it is evident that his upbringing was sound. Therefore, we must ensure that the families of those we serve provide environments full of love and nurture, raising blessed children.
   Pope Tawadros emphasized that when we honor the saints of the Church, we must also remember the families in which they were raised. The most precious raw material is our children—they are our responsibility.
   He gave the example of Pope Alexander, who was keen to discover talents and gifts. It was he who recognized the brilliance of Athanasius, mentored him, and helped him reach his esteemed position.
2. The Church:
   Taking our children to church—attending prayers, liturgies, and meetings—forms in them a church-centered identity.
   One American scholar noted: “In every person’s life there are two main places, but I discovered a third: the first is the home—a place of comfort and stability; the second is school or work—a place of responsibility and commitment; and the third is the place one chooses to go for inner peace—like Christians find peace in the church.”
   Thus, the Church serves as a safeguard. Saint Athanasius was raised in the Church and eventually became its Patriarch.
3. The Wilderness (Desert):
   Saint Athanasius was born around 45 years after Saint Anthony the Great, the first monk, and his talent was shaped through his connection to the monastic desert.
   Our Church is distinguished by the clear influence of monastic thought. This is reflected in every Divine Liturgy, as the Catholicon reading ends with: “Do not love the world or the things in the world, for the world is passing away, and its lust.”
   Saint Athanasius was deeply connected to the wilderness and proudly recounted that he used to pour water over the hands of Saint Anthony—signifying his discipleship, learning, and spiritual formation through him.
4. The Council of Nicaea:
   Saint Athanasius attended the Council of Nicaea as a deacon. When some objected to a deacon’s presence at the Council, Pope Alexander ordained him a priest. At only 28 years of age, Athanasius demonstrated his brilliance in theological debates. He responded to Arius (who was 60 years old) using scripture, countering Arius’ distorted use of Biblical texts.
   Despite Arius’ eloquence, poetic skill, and activism, Athanasius refuted his heresy.
   In Alexandria, there were houses of virgins numbering around 700 women—many of whom Arius, through his persuasive hymns and teachings, had led astray to propagate his heretical views.
   The Council of Nicaea was the first to gather such a large number of bishops—318 in total, with 310 from Eastern Churches and the remainder from the West.
   At this council, the foundation of ecumenical thought was laid, embodying the unity of the world in Christ—who, by stretching His arms on the Cross, declared His acceptance of the entire world.
   Saint Athanasius is credited with establishing this ecumenical spirit, and for the first time, the title “Pope of Alexandria” was used outside of Egypt during this Council.

Pope Tawadros noted that all Christians in the world are united by four fundamental principles:
-One Christ: God incarnate, Redeemer and Savior.
-One Holy Bible.
-One Creed: Composed from the verses of the Holy Bible and recited by all Churches—it is a prayer, hence recited while standing.
-One hope in the Heavenly Kingdom.
Therefore, any denomination that does not recognize the Nicene Creed is not accepted as Christian—such as the Adventists and Jehovah’s Witnesses.

5. Exile While Patriarch:
   The Arians were not just proponents of heretical teachings—they also used violence to spread their ideology. They even killed bishops who opposed their corrupt faith.
   As a result, Pope Athanasius was exiled five times—four within Egypt and once outside, in Trier, Germany.
   This exile, however, became a great blessing for him, his congregation, and Europe. It was there that he wrote the biography of Saint Anthony, which paved the way for monasticism to enter Europe.

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