A Spiritual meeting

On Thursday May 9th, 2013, the delegation of the Coptic Orthodox Church left Cairo heading to the Vatican. The delegation, headed by His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, went to offer love and respect to the head of the Vatican, knowing they have the same beliefs stated in the Nicene Creed.

 

In this context, Pope of Alexandria held many meetings since he came in office with other churches aiming at unity. Take notice that the Coptic Orthodox Church used in the past to teach that only their people are going to enjoy the kingdom of heaven, and other Christians are likely to go to hell. However, love was able to melt the ice of these great disputes and disagreements that lasted for years.

 

Pope Tawadros has chosen the delegation of his Church carefully, concerning both wisdom and modesty. It included: Abba Pachomious, Abba Hedra, Abba Rafael, Abba Epifanious, Father Serafim and Father Angelous, in addition to some bishops of the Diaspora.

 

The Vatican has welcomed the Coptic Orthodox delegation, and Pope Francis has appreciated the history of this 1900-years-old Church mentioning it's home of monasticism all over the world. Pope Tawadros replied: We thank you for your efforts to communicate with other Christian Churches, and hope to forget about the big distance between us. Pope Francis totally agreed with him.

 

It's worth mentioning that the visit won both international and European media attention as it comes from the biggest Christian Church in the Middle East to the biggest Church all over the world.

 

Such visit comes while many Christians in the Middle East, especially in Egypt, are increasingly suffering under Islamic ruling. Therefore, the Popes have decided to offer joint prayer for peace in the Arab region and all over the world.

 

On the other hand, many people who claimed to be devoting Coptic Christians, but they rather seem to belong to the Muslim Brotherhood, have denounced the visit in general as well as the coptic delegation. I hope they understand that this is such a very important visit, and those “devoted Christians” have never denounced much less important visits by Pope Shenouda III to less important places around the world.

 

Additionally, we should be glad that Pope Francis has promised to visit Egypt soon, or do you have to be on the plane of Pope Tawadros II in order to praise his visit along with wisdom, just as you did with the late Pope Shenouda III!