Coptic Orthodox Church Concludes Holy Synod Session, Elects New Secretariat

Gerges Mounir Hanna – OCP News Service – 05/06/2025

Cairo – Egypt: The Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church held its general session on the morning of, June 5, 2025 (28 Bashans 1741 A.M.), at the Logos Center in the Papal Residence at the Monastery of Saint Bishoy in Wadi El-Natrun. The session was presided over by His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, marking the conclusion of the Synod’s regular annual session, with the participation of 112 out of 139 members. The remaining members submitted formal apologies for various reasons.

His Holiness began the session with a spiritual meditation on Revelation 2:1–7, focusing on five key spiritual messages:

1. “I know your works” – A reference to acts of love and service done for souls with a pure spirit and a good conscience.
2. “Nevertheless I have this against you” – A call for self-examination and personal accountability before God.
3. “To him who overcomes” – A reminder of spiritual struggle and triumph in the earthly journey of faith.
4. “He who has an ear, let him hear” – An exhortation to obey the divine commandments heard by the heart.
5. “What the Spirit says to the churches” – An affirmation of the importance of spiritual leadership guided by the Holy Spirit.

Following the meditation, the Synod’s committee rapporteurs presented their reports. Each committee’s recommendations were reviewed and thoroughly discussed in an atmosphere of mutual understanding and consensus, and the final versions were unanimously approved.

The Synod issued several significant decisions, including:

• Approval to revive monastic life at the Monastery of Archangel Michael for monks in the Eastern Mountain of Girga (Sohag Governorate), recognizing it as a fully functioning monastery affiliated with the Church.
• Inclusion of the event of the joint Divine Liturgy celebrated by the Patriarchs of the three Oriental Orthodox Churches in the Middle East—commemorating the 17th centenary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea—into the Coptic Synaxarium on 10 Bashans.
• Issuance of a welcome statement regarding the Coptic Orthodox Church’s hosting of the 6th International Conference of the World Council of Churches, as part of the celebrations marking 1700 years since the Council of Nicaea.

During the same session, elections for the Secretariat of the Holy Synod were conducted in accordance with the governing bylaws, through secret ballot. The results were as follows:

• H.G. Bishop Yohanne, Bishop of Assiut, Al-Badari, and Sahel Selim, and Abbot of the Monastery of St. Hermina the Anchorite in Mount Qau, was elected as Secretary of the Holy Synod.

Additionally, three Assistant Secretaries were elected:

• H.G. Bishop Stephanos, Bishop of Baba and El-Fashn
• H.G. Bishop Marcos, Bishop of Damietta, Kafr El-Sheikh, and El-Barari, and Abbot of St. Demiana’s Monastery in El-Barari
• H.G. Bishop Marc, Bishop of Paris and Northern France

The elected members received overwhelming majorities, in an atmosphere marked by love and mutual respect.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II expressed heartfelt thanks and appreciation to H.G. Metropolitan Daniel of Maadi, the outgoing Secretary of the Holy Synod, and to the outgoing Assistant Secretaries, praising their faithful service over the past years. The members of the Synod joined him in words of gratitude and recognition.

At the close of the session, a commemorative photo was taken of His Holiness with both the outgoing and newly elected Secretariat Committees, marking the beginning of a new chapter in the service of the Holy Synod.

OCP News Service