Keraza Nos.13, 14 - Friday 6 April 2001 Keraza Nos.13, 14 - Friday 6 April 2001 Report about relations to the Russian Orthodox Church Following an invitation from HH Alexei II, Patriarch of Moscow, the Oriental Orthodox churches sent a delegation (HE Metropolitan Bishoy from the Coptic church, Metropolitan Mor Ustasios from the Syrian Church and Archmandrite Narik Alimazian from the Armenian Catholicosate of Celicia). The delegation flew to Moscow to attend the meeting of the Coordination committee affiliated to "Russian-Oriental Orthodox Common Relations Committee". This Coordination Committee is formed of three members form both sides while the Relations committee is formed of 9 members from both sides. In the Coordination Committee, the Russian side was represented by the Secretary of the Ecumenical Relations Office in the Russian Church Fr Elarion Alfiev, his assistant Fr Vladimir and the dean of the Theological Seminary in Moscow Fr Valentine. Durng the first day, the Russian side listened to Metropolitan Bishoy who clarified the Official Theological Agreements reached so far between the Orthodox families through the Dialogue Common Committee that held several meetings in St Bishoy Monastery Egypt in 1989 and Chambesy Switzerland in 1990. Then Metropolitan Bishoy answered their theological questions. The Russian reaction was very positive towards the interpretation presented. Then Patriarch Alexei II received and welcomed members of the Coordination Committee who presented him with a copy of the last meeting's common declaration of the heads of the Oriental Orthodox Churches in the Middle East. HH the Patriarch said that Russia does not isolate from the Inter-Orthodox dialogue but shall resume it's participation there. He said it is important for the church in Russia to strengthen binds with the Oriental Orthodox Family. Patriarch Alexei remembered Pope Shenouda's attendance to the millenium of Russia's baptism in 1988 which was the start of a big change there. HH remembered also the hospitality in which he was received by the crowds at St Mark Cathedral in Cairo during the Pope Shenouda's weekly lecture and how all people rushed to receive his blessing. Metropolitan Bishoy presented Patriarch Alexei II with a present on behalf of Pope Shenouda, HH presented presents for Pope Shenouda and for all members of the committee. During the second day, the Coordination Committee set a plan for the work of the Common Relations Committee that shall gather in Moscow in the period 24-28 September 2001 and then in Cairo in the period 3-8 December 2001. The Common Relations Committee program shall be as follows: 1- Introductions about the Coptic, Syrian and Armenian (House of Celicia) Orthodox Churches. 2- Revision and Evaluation of the theological dialogue between the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches. 3- Evaluation of the text of the First Agreement reached in St Bishoy Monastery in Egypt 20-24 June 1989 and the Second Agreement in Chambesy Switzerland 23-28 September 1990 which were signed by both the Eastern and the Oriental Orthodox Churches. The meeting shall be opened by welcoming guests and introducing the Russian and Oriental Orthodox Churches. A big number of interested Russian audience shall be invited for the meeting. Papers shall be presented from both sides on different matters. A whole day shall be consecrated for discussions while the half of the last day shall be consecrated to evaluation of results and preparing the forthcoming meeting agenda by the Coordination Committee. This latter shall take in details major points mentioned in the two declarations and their theological foundations. It was also agreed to strengthen the relations between the Russian and Oriental Ortodox Churches through: 1- Exchange of visits of church heads 2- Exchange of visits of bishops, clergy, monks, nuns, choirs and parishioners of respective churches. 3- Exchange of Ecumenical Information and cooperation in ecumenical gatherings. 4- Exchange of professors, students and educational resources concerning Theological Institutes. 5- Exchange of church educational resources in a wider sense. 6- Organizing common seminars. 7- Cooperation in the fields of Youth Activities, Sunday School, Ministry of the Poor, Inter-religious relations, social services, relation with the community, facing globalization...etc The Committee agreed to meet with Metropolitan Kyril (Head of the Ecumenical Relations Office at the Russian Church) who welcomed the results of the committee common meeting and expressed his wishes to attend the coming meeting of the Relations Committee next September in Moscow. Miscellaneous News On Monday 26 March 2001, Pope Shenouda drove on to El-Haya Hospital in Heliopolis where he paid a visit to HH Abune Philippos Patriarch of Eritrea who is there under treatment. Pope Shenouda asked the physicians about the health of HH. Pope Shenouda took also the chance of being there to visit Dr Ragheb Moftah and Mr Hanna Salib who are also under treatment at the same hospital. On Friday 23 March 2001 morning, Pope Shenouda ordained 2 priests for Alexandria at the new Cathedral at St Bishoy Monastery: Fr Bishoy Kamel Soliman for the Mute/deaf and Fr Mikheil Ibrahim Hanna for Virgin Mary and St Moses Church in Mansheya. By those ordinations, Pope Shenouda would have ordained a total of 606 priests to date apart from the monks. On Tuesday 20 March 2001, Pope Shenouda sent HG Bishop Joannes and Fr Appollo El-Baramosy who received the piece of land that the State donated to the church. The land is in the city of Tor (Capital of the governorate of South Sinai) on the area of 2000 square meters. On 12 February 2001, a presidential decree no.36/2001 was issued to build 2 additional floors above the building of the diocese at Virgin Mary Church Tahrir street - Governorate of Damiet. On Saturday 24 March 2001, Prof Dr Magdy Yacoub in England operated the heart of HG Bishop Ignatius of Suez. This operation changed three artery and a valve at his heart and lasted for several hours. The prof. surgeon took care of leaving him in best health. We ask the Lord for his full recovery and good health. Pope Shenouda delegated HG Bishop Joannes to travel to the USA to clarify matters for Copts living there. On Saturday 24 March 2001 evening, HG Arrived at New York where he visited Virgin Mary Church (East Brunswick), St George (Bergen) and St Mark (Washington DC). HG had many meetings with priests, Copts leaders among whom was Mr Magued Riyad El-Deiry as preparation for the visit of President Mubarak to Washington on 2 April 2001. On Friday 23 March morning, Pope Shenouda received at the Papal Residence of St Bishoy Monastery the director of the Hungarian delegation responsible for the digging of El-Zogag (Glass) Monastery in Abu-Seer, Mr Gyozo Voros. The meeting was attended by Fr Lucas Anba-Bishoy. On Thursday 22 March 2001 morning, Pope Shenouda received a delegation from the American Congress for religious freedom at the Papal Residence in Abbaseya Cairo. He answered their questions. The meeting was attended by Bishops Morcos, Joannes and Fr Jeremiah Avva-Mina. A new church was bought in the north of Sydney. This is considered the 11th church in Sydney and shall be consecrated in the name of Sts Paul & Ruweis. The approval for buying it happened in a miraculous way: There was a number of candidates to buy it. We visited the land and spread blessed water on the church building. Ten minutes after, we received a phone call from the sellers telling that they would sell it to us. In Sydney also Virgin Mary church inaugurated the new building of the church. This church is one of the most Coptic style churches in immigration countries (architecture, icons, woodwork, icon screen, chairs and stained glass). Bishop Suriel participated at the inauguration celebration as well as the Egyptian Ambassador in Canberra, the Consul General and Bishop Paula who talked about the activity of the church in immigration countries at the time of Pope Shenouda and the Coptic style of everything in the church. HG Bishop Angelos celebrated a liturgy at the Coptic Church in Stevenage with some Ethiopian priests and laymen living in London UK. They expressed their joy with the relation with the Coptic church. ------------------------------------