The Coptic Orthodox Church will hold a grand celebration from November 18 to 22 of this year to commemorate seventeen centuries since the convening of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, under the theme “Nicaea… A Living Faith.” This event marks the culmination of the Church’s celebrations of this historic occasion, through which the Coptic Orthodox Church preserves its living faith and spiritual heritage, entrusting it to the consciousness and hearts of its children from generation to generation.

Earlier, in May of this year, the Church held a regional celebration of the anniversary of Nicaea, which gathered the Patriarchs of the three Oriental Orthodox Churches in the Middle East.

At the international level, the Church hosted the Sixth Conference of the World Council of Churches, whose discussions focused on the Council of Nicaea. The conference achieved remarkable organizational success, as attested by its 500 participants representing 100 countries.

The conference also provided an opportunity for the Coptic Orthodox Church to reaffirm before the Christian world its testimony to the true and sound faith — the faith of the Council of Nicaea.

Throughout the current year, various educational and artistic activities related to the Council of Nicaea have been held across dioceses and pastoral regions in Egypt and abroad, the most recent of which was the celebration organized by the Synodal Committee for Childhood on Sunday, November 9.

The concluding celebration is expected to feature wide participation from dioceses of the See of St. Mark in Egypt and abroad, and will include the following:

-A number of distinguished artistic performances (theater, operetta, choir presentations, musical works, and short musical drama films).
-A scientific conference presenting the winning research papers from the Young Researchers Competition announced last September.
-A ceremonial procession honoring Saint Athanasius, led by H.H. Pope Tawadros II and members of the Holy Synod, with the participation of priests, monks, and all sectors of the faithful in Egypt and the diaspora. The event will include Vespers and the anointing of the relics of Saint Athanasius, as well as brief addresses by bishops from abroad in ten different languages, focusing on the Council of Nicaea and its champions.
-The Church’s official platforms will publish a selection of distinguished artistic works produced by various dioceses of the See of St. Mark as part of the celebration.

All events will be broadcast on Coptic television channels with dedicated coverage, along with live streaming on the official platforms of the Coptic Orthodox Church, as well as on the pages of dioceses, monasteries, and churches throughout the See of St. Mark.

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