H.H. Pope Tawadros II: On this day, we stand before God and say, “We are unworthy of all this, and Your gifts, O Lord, are new every morning.” Therefore, our souls rejoice in the work of Christ in our Church, among our fathers, and in our dioceses and monasteries, both within Egypt and abroad.

H.H. Pope Tawadros II: As a servant in the Church of God, be a protector of the weaknesses and sins of others. The problem with the media is that it does not respect the virtue of concealment, while we pray, saying, “We thank You… for You have covered us.”

H.H. Pope Tawadros II: Can we imagine living even one hour without God’s covering? What would become of a person in that situation?

This morning, H.H. Pope Tawadros II prayed the Liturgy commemorating the thirteenth anniversary of his enthronement on the Apostolic Chair of Saint Mark, at the Church of the Creed at the Coptic Academy of Saint Mark in LOGOS Center, Saint Bishoy’s Monastery, Wadi El Natroun. It was also a Liturgy commemorating the convening of the Council of Nicaea.This is the first Liturgy to be held in this church, which His Holiness said in the sermon that it was named “the Church of the Fathers who gathered in Nicaea, Constantinople and Ephesus who established for us the Creed,” and we shorten the name to become “the Church of the Creed.” Its establishment coincides with the celebrations of the Coptic Orthodox Church on the occasion of the 17th centenary of the convening of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea.

115 members of the Holy Synod, along with a number of priests and monks, participated in the Liturgy. In his sermon, Pope Tawadros said: “We thank God who has brought us to this holy hour and this blessed day, on which Christ has entrusted us with the responsibility of serving the Church for the past thirteen years.”

We also thank God greatly for the opening of this church, which we call the Church of the Fathers of the Ecumenical Councils held in Nicaea, Constantinople and Ephesus, who established for us the Creed, and in short we call it the “Church of the Creed”.

He added: “Everything in this church, from pillars to icons, tells the story of the Creed in the three Ecumenical Councils and the great Fathers. Today, the 9th of Hatour, is the commemoration of the convening of the Council of Nicaea.”

Pope Tawadros spoke about how the Church in the month of Hatour repeats to us the parable of the sower twice, and we remember the phrase that says, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” (Matthew 11:15), and all of this is a prelude to the fast that will begin in the middle of Hatour.

His Holiness continued: “If the books of the Holy Bible explain and present the Church as a vine, which is a plant, then they also present the servant as a tree. Therefore, in the first Psalm, which serves as the introduction to the Book of Psalms, we find a comparison and a blessing for the servant of God, who becomes like a tree:

“He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.” (Psalm 1:3, NKJV)

It was noted that the servant, in any ecclesiastical rank, must have a life that resembles a tree. The tree here is a powerful teaching symbol and a measure of a person’s life and service. It is a lesson for us, for it offers several models:

1. The Model of Life and Growth — “Be Growing”: A tree is always in a state of growth and growth is the sign of life. Whoever dedicates his life to service and works diligently without remaining idle will grow, and the ministry will grow through his hands in all its aspects. This growth is not merely architectural or structural, but it is the growth of souls in the love of God and in His grace. This is a responsibility placed upon every servant.
2. The Model of Silence and Stillness — “Be Quiet”: The tree grows in silence; we do not hear its sound, and it bears fruit without noise. Quietness is a mark of success. In this age, media has its positive aspects, yet it is also a snare for humanity: it steals time, distorts thought, and conveys troubling ideas. A true servant does not surround himself with the clamor of media; he should use it only sparingly and in the most constructive ways. In heaven, there is no tumult, but rather the gentle melody of praise rising from the heart: “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10)
3. The Model of Nourishment and Healing — “Be Satisfying and Comforting”: The tree provides food for both man and animal, and it is a primary source of many medicines. Likewise, the servant is responsible for spiritually nourishing the people with the Word of God. His task is to deliver the Word of God so that others may be filled by it. The servant is also a source of comfort for others, through his kindness.
4. The Model of Shade and Protection — “Be a Covering”: The servant must be one who covers weaknesses, sins, and falls. In the Prayer of Thanksgiving, we thank God because He has covered us; man cannot imagine even one hour without the covering of God. As the Bible says: “Comfort the fainthearted.” (1 Thessalonians 5:14) This places upon every servant the responsibility of protecting the weak.
5. The Model of Joy and Beauty — “Be Perfect”:
   Every soul that we serve ought to be a beautiful soul, and this is the responsibility of the servant. The Lord Christ, while on the cross, declared: “It is finished!” (John 19:30). It is good for the servant to strive for the utmost perfection, as the Scripture teaches: “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10). Just as heaven is beautiful, so we endeavor to resemble it.

These five models of the tree we place before us in service, so that the image may be complete: “He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.” (Psalm 1:3)

God grants us daily countless gifts, and we stand before Him confessing that we are unworthy of all these blessings. Therefore, our souls rejoice in the work of Christ within our Church, in our fathers, and in our dioceses both within Egypt and abroad. We are glad for the great work of God in His Church, and He desires that our souls be faithful, pleasing, and joyful before Him in all that He does with us.