His Holiness Pope Tawadros II's Speech at His Visit to The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity in the Vatican

Below you can find the Speech of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, during his visit to the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, on Thursday 11 May 2023.

Beloved brethren in Christ,

Christ has risen... He has truly risen!

We share these holy days in the joys of the resurrection, which is the most important sign of the love that God gave to man through His crucifixion and resurrection. This love is the same force that makes us communicate with each other and unites us in the spirit of Christ. Love makes us able to see others as God sees them and makes us cooperate with them sincerely and honestly. "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:35).

I am delighted to be with you today, along with the Coptic delegation, and to speak to you on behalf of the “Coptic Orthodox Church.” Our church is a renewed church, for in its people, youth, and children, dwells a spirit of originality and modernity. We pray with hymns that are thousands of years old, and we use the latest application of the Coptic Church to communicate with the world. Its deacons wear the same traditional clothing has been worn for centuries, and its youth apply the latest theories in service.

As Coptic Orthodox, we realize that our path to unity is not easy. We have faced many challenges and obstacles over the centuries, including theological differences, cultural barriers, and political divisions. However, we believe that through prayer, dialogue, and mutual respect, God works in His church holding fast to His saying, "And whatever you ask for in prayer, believing, you will receive" (Matthew 21:22).

As we gather here in the Vatican on the land of St. Peter and St. Paul, the apostles, I think it is important to reflect on how we can work together to strengthen our bonds and promote understanding among our diverse Christian communities. To achieve this goal, we must be willing to look for points of convergence and closeness to each other, with a greater understanding for each other, in a spirit of respect and mutual understanding.

In this regard, I believe that the work of the Council for Christian Unity is essential to our efforts to promote unity among the different Christian traditions. Through your efforts, we can discuss our common challenges and explore ways to work together more effectively.

We affirm that the Union of Love is our path to the Union of Faith:

By deepening our understanding of each other's traditions. Which means studying the history, theology and spirituality of our respective churches and striving to learn from each other, also exchanging experiences such as the ecclesiastical and monastic exchange that was carried out by a group of fathers from the Oriental churches at the invitation of the Vatican, also through groups of scholars in art, monasteries, institutional systems, and history in the two churches, with emphasis on the saints and martyrs, who serve as bridges between the East and the West, affirming the day of brotherly love and that it be on a congregational level.

On the other hand, we must work together to confront the challenges facing our world today, including poverty, injustice, and conflicts. This means recognizing that we have a common responsibility to promote the common good, and that we can achieve more when we work together. The Apostle Paul also said in his letter to the Romans: "Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law" (Romans 13:8). And let us not forget what the Catholic Church in Egypt is doing at the grassroots level in terms of establishing schools and hospitals everywhere in Egypt. We thank you for that.

All this succeeds through prayer that works miracles. In our Coptic history, prayer moved Mount Mokattam on the outskirts of Cairo in the tenth century AD.

In closing, I would like to thank you for the opportunity you have given me to speak to you today, and to express my deep respect and appreciation for the work you are doing to promote Christian unity. Let us make love and cooperation the foundation of our spiritual life. Let us remember that we are all members of the same body of Christ and let us work together to build a more just, peaceful, and harmonious world for all people "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7).

This speech was originally published on the Official Facebook Page of the the Coptic Orthodox Church.