On Friday, May 22, 2026, at 11:00 AM, the General Session of the Holy Synod convened under the chairmanship of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, marking the conclusion of the Holy Synod’s regular annual session for 2026. The session was held at the Logos Center at the Monastery of Saint Bishoy in Wadi El Natrun.
The session was attended by 119 out of a total of 138 members, after the remaining members submitted apologies due to health reasons.
At the beginning of the session, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II read a passage from Chapter 17 of the Gospel of John, highlighting seven principles for life and conduct drawn from the text:
- A sense of responsibility
- Faithfulness in handing down the faith
- Unity in love
- Constant prayer
- The goal that all may become saints
- Sanctification of the self (the soul)
- Striving toward perfection
Following this, the rapporteurs of the synodal committees presented their respective recommendations to the members of the Synod. The recommendations were discussed extensively, and after each discussion, the final wording of every recommendation was agreed upon according to the consensus of the members.
The Holy Synod also issued a general statement on the occasion of the session, outlining the main points agreed upon by the members of the Holy Synod. The statement was read by His Eminence Metropolitan Yoannes, Metropolitan of Assiut, Secretary of the Holy Synod.
Statement of the Holy Synod Meeting
On the morning of Friday, May 22, 2026, the Holy Synod of our Coptic Orthodox Church convened under the chairmanship of His Beatitude and Holiness Pope Tawadros II in its regular annual session, attended by 119 members of the Synod, while a number of members submitted apologies due to health conditions. This followed the meetings of the ten synodal committees, whose recommendations were discussed and submitted to the General Secretariat Committee in preparation for presentation to the official Synod session.
First: During the meeting, the members of the Synod discussed and approved several recommendations concerning ecclesiastical administration in a number of pastoral, liturgical, and administrative matters.
Second: The Synod addressed the draft Personal Status Law for the Christian Family and presented several observations, which were recorded and submitted to the House of Representatives in preparation for the law’s approval. The law is expected to represent a genuine achievement credited to the political leadership and the Egyptian Parliament.
Third: The Synod emphasized the importance of celebrating the Feast of the Entry of the Lord Christ into the Land of Egypt, a feast celebrated globally under the name “Global Coptic Day,” a cherished occasion commemorated by the Coptic Church throughout twenty centuries.
Fourth: The Holy Synod approved the following:
- The recognition of the sainthood of the late Metropolitan Serapamon, Metropolitan of Khartoum and Omdurman, who departed in 1935, as well as the late Father Mikhail Ibrahim, Priest of Saint Mark Church in Shubra, who departed in 1975.
- The recognition of the restoration of monastic life at the Monastery of Saint George the Martyr (Deir El-Magma‘) in the Diocese of Naqada and Qus.
- The recognition of the Monastery of Saint Mary and Pope Kyrillos VI in the Diocese of New York and New England in the United States.
Fifthly: The members of the Holy Synod decided to resume theological dialogue with the Catholic Church following the assurances regarding the non-blessing of same-sex couples, which were expressed during the telephone conversation between His Holiness Pope Tawadros II and His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on Friday, May 15 of this year.
Sixth: The Holy Synod commended the convening of the Conference of the Dioceses of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Europe, America, and Australia, held at the Coptic Cathedral in Venice, Italy, in May 2026 over the course of four days. The conference aimed at establishing a vision and plan for serving the sons and daughters of the Coptic Church in the diaspora through the year 2050, with the participation of 30 hierarchs of the Church.
Seventh: Since the Holy Synod Regulation was established 41 years ago and many developments and changes have taken place since then, the members of the Holy Synod agreed to update this regulation in a manner that corresponds with the Church’s ministry and expansion. A timeline has been established to ensure the participation of all Synod members in this process.
Eighth: We pray from the depths of our hearts for the conflicts and wars spreading across many parts of the world, asking the Lord to grant His peace throughout the entire inhabited world.
Ninth: We appeal to everyone not to pay attention to malicious lies and rumors in all their forms, which aim to spread doubt, division, and instability.
We also take this opportunity, on behalf of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II and the members of the Holy Synod, to extend our greetings to our Muslim brothers and sisters in our beloved Egypt and throughout the world on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, praying for continued peace and stability for our dear homeland Egypt under the leadership of His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
Peace and edification to the Church of God.
Friday, May 22, 2026.. 14 Bashans 1742 A.M.
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