H.H. Pope: Tawadros II: The new metropolitans serve in five countries: Egypt, Sudan, England, Italy, and Germany.

H.H. Pope Tawadros II: We conclude our celebrations marking 17 centuries since the Council of Nicaea, which formulated for us the Creed that we constantly pray.

H.H. Pope Tawadros II announced the conclusion of the celebrations of the Coptic Orthodox Church marking seventeen centuries since the convening of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, whose events took place throughout the year 2025.

This announcement came at the end of his sermon during the Liturgy of the ordination of five new metropolitans, held at the St. Mark’s Cathedral in Abbassia.

In this context, His Holiness said:
“This blessed morning we are joyful to conclude the celebrations of the Coptic Orthodox Church, on all its levels, marking seventeen centuries since the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, which formulated for us the Creed. We rejoice in all that God has granted us during our celebrations throughout this year in our churches in Egypt and abroad. The celebrations were wonderfully diverse in form, magnitude, thought, culture, art, and research.

In May, the celebration took place through the Syriac, Armenian, and Coptic Churches, during a joint Liturgy in Cairo.

In October, the Church hosted the first international conference in Egypt for the World Council of Churches, in honor and appreciation of the Fathers of the Council of Nicaea—foremost among them Pope Alexander and the deacon Athanasius, who later became Pope Athanasius the Apostolic.

In recent days, we celebrated with theatrical performances, hymns, and beautiful poems that revived and renewed within us the sentiments of the Council of Nicaea, to which we owe the issuance of the Creed and the formulation of the faith in a canonical form that we repeatedly recite and pray with.

On Friday, there was an opportunity for a major research competition related to the Council of Nicaea. Around 120 researchers participated, and the organizing committee selected eight papers, which were presented in the presence of a large number of bishops, priests, professors, monks, nuns, and teachers from the theological colleges. The researchers presented eight outstanding and diverse presentations that were rich with benefit.

Today, we conclude these celebrations with this great blessing—the ordination of venerable bishops as metropolitans in the Church. Adding a number of metropolitans to the Church is an addition of more experience, labor, renewal, development, and blessing to our holy Church. These venerable bishops will serve in five countries: Egypt, Sudan, England, Italy, and Germany. Thus, services are being established in our Coptic Church through the fathers who are serving in Europe. They are the founders of the Coptic Church there. Their work is great, and they are the first fathers in these dioceses.

Yesterday, the fathers spoke in several languages so that we may understand the expansion of our churches and the extension of the service and evangelism. The venerable bishops have mastered the languages of these countries—they preached, prayed, and spoke in them. In every country, a foundational Coptic Church is rising, and they are the ones laboring to establish it.

Today, we all rejoice in these ordinations and elevations, and we need prayer for the work of the venerable bishops. Therefore, the Church prays for them in the liturgies. The bishop undertakes great work, and his responsibility is very serious before God. Therefore, this labor is supported by the grace of God and the prayers of all the people. Let us pray by name in our personal prayers for the bishop, that God may help him in his vast responsibility.

May Christ grant us that our Church always remains in joy, honor, and grace. We thank God for His many gifts to us, as we work together—the clergy and all the congregation —to glorify the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in our lives.”

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