Representatives of the Coptic Orthodox Church’s Theological Schools Visit Russia

DECR – OCP News Service – 25/09/2024

Moscow- Russia: From September 9 to 19, 2024, as part of the development of cooperation between the theological schools of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Coptic Orthodox Church in the context of the activities of the Bilateral Dialogue Commission, a delegation of teachers and students from the Coptic Theological Academy in Cairo and the Coptic Seminary of the El-Muharraq Monastery of the Holy Mother of God in Asyut Governorate visited Russia.

The trip, organized with the aim of introducing representatives of the Coptic academic circles to the history, modern life and scientific work of the St. Petersburg Theological Schools, became a return visit – from November 24 to December 4, 2023, Egypt was visited by a delegation of teachers, staff and students of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy. Earlier, from November 12 to 18, 2022, teachers of two leading educational institutions of the Coptic Church visited the Moscow Theological Academy in a similar manner.

The delegation was headed by priest Elkess Nabil, a teacher at the Coptic Theological Academy and Seminary of El Muharraq. It also included: priest Elkess Moner, an employee of the Coptic Theological Academy; Mina Shamshun, a representative of the International Department of the Coptic Theological Academy; Maurice Metri, a methodologist of educational programs at the Coptic Theological Academy; Theodore Megally, Bishoy Saleb, and Mikhail Shafik, students of the Coptic Theological Academy; and Nader Gerges, a student of the seminary of El Muharraq. During the trip, the guests were accompanied by Archpriest Dimitry Sizonenko, head of the International Department of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy; Hieromonk Daoud el-Anthony, a representative of the Coptic Church in Russia; I.N. Sudosa, head of the St. Petersburg branch of the DECR and associate professor of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy; and I.D. Ivanov, a methodologist of the International Department of the Academy.

From September 9 to 13, representatives of the Coptic Church became acquainted with the life and structure of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy.

The program of the trip began with a sightseeing tour of the Academy on the Neva. The guests from Egypt saw the Patriarch’s chambers, auditoriums and classrooms, the Church of the Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, the church-archaeological museum, as well as rare books and manuscripts in the languages ​​of the peoples of the Christian East, stored in the funds of the academic library.

The delegation members met with representatives of the faculty headed by the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, Archpriest Vladimir Khulap, and attended several academic classes and services in the academic church. In addition, representatives of the Coptic Theological Schools and the St. Petersburg Academy held a joint colloquium on the topic of “Issues of Spiritual Education in Russia and Egypt”, during which they presented a series of cross-reports on the history of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Coptic Orthodox Church, their educational institutions, and the current tasks of the church mission in today’s information space.

The delegation met with Bishop Silouan of Peterhof, Rector of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, in the Patriarchal Chambers. His Grace introduced the guests to the history of the theological school he heads, as well as the specifics of modern theological education in Russia in the context of the national educational system. The Bishop Rector drew attention to the fact that the Academy on the Neva traditionally accepts many foreign students, including those from the Coptic Church. This practice, which dates back to pre-revolutionary times, was preserved in the Soviet era. In this regard, special credit goes to the ever-memorable Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov) of Leningrad and Novgorod. In memory of Bishop Nicodemus, whose 95th birthday will be celebrated in October of this year, Bishop Silouan presented the delegation with two portraits of the hierarch, which will be placed in the assembly halls of the Coptic Theological Academy and the Coptic Seminary of the El-Muharraq Monastery of the Holy Mother of God.

On September 12, together with the rector, teachers and students of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy, the delegation of the Coptic Church took part in the celebrations dedicated to the 300th anniversary of the transfer of the relics of the holy blessed prince Alexander Nevsky from Vladimir to St. Petersburg. In particular, the members of the delegation took part in the procession along Nevsky Prospect and were present at the festive prayer service held on Alexander Nevsky Square by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, co-served by members of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church.

On September 13, the delegation was warmly received by Metropolitan Varsonofy of St. Petersburg and Ladoga in the Portrait Hall of the St. Petersburg Diocesan Administration. Bishop Varsonofy spoke about the life of the St. Petersburg Diocese and especially about the revered saints of the northern capital of Russia – St. John of Kronstadt and Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg, and also discussed with the guests issues concerning further cooperation between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Coptic Church, including in the academic sphere.

From September 14 to 18, the guests visited the spiritual, historical and cultural attractions of St. Petersburg, including the Holy Trinity Alexander Nevsky Lavra, the Kazan, Isaac’s, Peter and Paul and Feodorovsky Cathedrals, the St. John’s Monastery on Karpovka, the Church of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God on Vasilievsky Island and the Chapel of Blessed Xenia, the State Hermitage Museum and the Peterhof State Museum-Reserve, as well as the holy places of the Tikhvin Diocese – the Vvedeno-Oyatsky, Holy Trinity Alexander-Svirsky and Mother of God Assumption Monasteries.

In addition, the delegation met with believers of the Coptic parish of St. Petersburg.

On September 19, the delegation departed for Cairo.

Source:

OCP News Service