Pope Tawadros Welcomes Russian Orthodox Delegation, Emphasizes Unity

Gerges Mounir Hanna – OCP News Service – 15/11/2024

Cairo – Egypt: On November 14, 2024, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II received a monastic delegation from the Russian Orthodox Church led by His Grace Metropolitan Konstantin, Metropolitan of Zaraisk and Patriarchal Vicar for Africa, along with the delegation of the Inter-Church Relations Committee between the Coptic Orthodox and Russian Orthodox Churches. The committee is holding its fifth meeting today in Cairo.

At the beginning of the meeting, His Holiness extended greetings to Patriarch Kirill and expressed his happiness with the growing relations between the two churches, noting that since his meeting with Patriarch Kirill in 2014, the relationship has flourished with an increase in exchange visits. He remarked that these visits build bridges of love and open the door for sharing spiritual experiences and celebrating the love of Christ through monastic life. He affirmed that the Coptic and Russian churches have shared experiences that can enhance love and cooperation, despite doctrinal differences, as they share the common goal of building God’s kingdom on earth and dedicating life to the heavenly calling.

His Holiness also stressed that the world today is in dire need of Christ’s love amidst wars and suffering that drive humanity to seek peace through love. He explained that our mission is to be witnesses of Christ and spread love everywhere, hoping this visit to Egypt would be a blessed one.

Concluding his remarks, His Holiness emphasized the relationship of love he shares with Patriarch Kirill, expressing appreciation for his support and encouragement for these visits and ongoing dialogue between the two churches. He warmly welcomed the delegation to Egypt, a land blessed by the Holy Family in the first century and adorned with the blood of martyrs, ascetics, and saints.

For his part, His Grace Metropolitan Konstantin conveyed Patriarch Kirill’s greetings to His Holiness Pope Tawadros, expressing his joy and that of the accompanying delegation in being in Egypt and the deep love they felt everywhere they visited in the Coptic Orthodox Church. He affirmed that the relationship between the two churches is marked by warmth, appreciating the monastic exchange, the Coptic Church’s support for the Russian community, and its provision of prayer spaces for Russian people, affirming that Cairo will become the seat of the African Diocese.

His Grace Bishop Serapion, Bishop of Los Angeles and Chairman of the Inter-Church Relations Committee between the Coptic Orthodox and Russian Orthodox Churches, thanked His Holiness for receiving the committee’s delegation, noting that the committee was established following the first meeting between His Holiness Pope Tawadros and Patriarch Kirill, meeting every two years, marking the tenth anniversary of its founding today. He added that the exchange of visits is part of the committee’s work, while joint theological dialogue remains essential for restoring full communion after resolving theological differences.

His Grace Bishop Serapion also noted the recent theological dialogue committee meeting, which lasted for three days, expressing hope for reaching an agreement to restore full communion between the two churches. He thanked His Holiness Pope Tawadros for inviting representatives of Orthodox churches to a meeting held at the Monastery of St. Bishoy in Wadi El-Natrun last September, attended by a Russian church delegation. This was the first meeting of its kind since 1993.

His Holiness concluded by expressing his joy in seeing Orthodox churches gathered around a roundtable, noting that despite some theological differences, there is complete agreement on social issues, such as the rejection of same-sex marriage. He expressed his hope that the relations and dialogue committees would succeed in achieving full understanding and Christian unity, driven by love and wisdom, to serve the Church of Christ and bear witness to the truth.

Source:

OCP News Service