'Connected': Coptic youth in service

Watani

2 days ago

The month of July 2025 witnessed a host of activities that gathered young diaspora Copts into the embrace of their Mother Church in their Egyptian motherland.
On the evening of Saturday 26 July, Pope Tawadros II opened the Fifth LOGOS Coptic Youth Forum for young Copts in the diaspora.
Participating were 250 young men and women from Coptic Orthodox dioceses in Europe, North and South America, Asia, Africa, and Australia; also a number of Coptic bishops and priests.
From generation to generation
Logos Youth Forums for young Copts from around the world consistently bear the motto 'Back to the Roots'.
This year's forum was held under the theme 'Connected', a theme intended to affirm that the Coptic Orthodox Church is grounded in an uninterrupted connection between forefathers and children, whereby the faith is passed down from generation to generation. Connection encompasses individuals and communities, with openness rooted in faith, using modern-day communication facilities, fulfilling the commandment of the Lord Jesus Christ: 'You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world' (Matthew 5:13–14).
This year's forum coincided with the Church's celebration of the 17th centennial of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea. The opening ceremony featured a performance that included five relevant scenes of theatre, voice-over narration, and hymns. The scenes depicted key moments in the Council of Nicaea, focusing on the heroes of orthodox faith throughout the ages: Pope Athanasius the Apostolic, Cyril I, and Dioscorus. The central message was the significance of preserving the sound Christian faith along generations.
The performance included segments in Arabic, Coptic, English, and French.
In tribute to the Thrice-Blessed Metropolitan Pachomius (1935 – 2025) of Beheira, a singular character in the contemporary history of the Coptic Church, who had led the Church in 2012 as Acting Patriarch during a critical time of Islamist dominance in Egypt, a documentary was screened, highlighting his most significant works.
Enriching experience
Fr. Younan Samir, coordinator of the Fifth Forum, and Dr Mina Ramsis, representative of the LOGOS Forums Office, each delivered a word during the event. The ceremony concluded with a word from Pope Tawadros, in which he warmly welcomed the youth to the Fifth Logos Forum, and offered his appreciation and gratitude to their bishops, priests, and families for facilitating their coming to Egypt and reconnecting with their roots.
The Pope said that, throughout the forum, the participants will be able to gain knowledge, learn, study, and visit important sites—an experience that would enrich their lives.
The following day, Sunday 27 July, the Pope celebrated Mass with the youth of the 5th Logos Youth Forum.
From then on, the youth embarked on a busy programme of spiritual activity and visits during which they toured Egyptian landmarks and Coptic sites.
The visits included a tour of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) on the Pyramids Plateau in Giza. GEM, the world's biggest repository of ancient Egyptian antiquities boasts significant monumental pieces in addition to the famous Tutankhamun collection. It is scheduled to officially open in a grand international celebration later this year.
Official opening of Grand Egyptian Museum postponed
The Logos youth also visited Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Abbassiya, Cairo, which was built in 1968 as the patriarchal seat in Cairo, and was renovated and reconsecrated in 2018. Its crypt houses the relics of St Mark who preached Christianity to Egypt and was martyred in Alexandria in AD68, and the remains of Pope St Athanasius the Apostolic, the world famous theologian and 20th Coptic patriarch who died in 373.
Pope Tawadros personally welcomed the young men and women on the steps of the cathedral, and took a commemorative photograph with them.
Officials and institutions
Upon invitation from the Pope, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy visited the Logos Youth Forum as the young people gathered at St Mark's in Abbassiya. Accompanying him was Nabil Habashy, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Migration and Egyptians Abroad, along with other officials. In attendance were metropolitans, bishops, and politicians.
Mr Fathy addressed the young people, explaining about Egypt's world-famous cultural tourist destinations and official efforts to preserve them as precious heritage sites; also to present them to the world.
Mr Fathy and Mr Habashy then joined Pope Tawadros to open the LOGOS Exhibition for service, cultural, and social institutions, held on the sidelines of the Fifth LOGOS Youth Forum. Some 16 institutions took part, among them the Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority, Fahim Foundation for persons with mental disabilities, Coptic Institute for Church Management, Official Website of the Coptic Orthodox Church HIGH Office for Service Weeks, Arab Academy for Maritime Science and Technology, Alexandria Youth Council, Papal Office for Projects, Tyrannus School of Education, Bible Society, Pope Cyril the Pillar of Faith Centre for Theological Studies, St Paul the Apostle Medical Services, and Anafora Retreat Centre.
Service Week
Earlier in July, Pope Tawadros II had inaugurated the fifth Service Week for Coptic Orthodox Youth from around the world at Karma House in Ikingi Maryut, southwest Alexandria. Some 80 young men and women from around the world took part in the Service Week.
The opening ceremony included a documentary showcasing the history of the Logos youth gatherings from 2018 until 2025. The young men and women then engaged in discussions with the Pope, tackling topics related to voluntary service, the work of the apostles, and comparisons between past and present.
Pope Tawadros spoke about the theme of the Service Weeks, 'GPS,' and offered new spiritual reflections on its meaning: G for Glory, P for Power, S for Sky.
In a moving gesture, the young people celebrated the 37th anniversary of the Pope's monastic vows, which coincides with the end of July.
World Service Week for Youth of the Coptic Orthodox Church is the fifth such week organised for young people following the Logos Gatherings of 2018 and 2022. The week was held under the patronage of the HIGH Office for Service Weeks, and the theme of this year's event was 'Discipleship.'
The voluntary service of the young people involved work with the poor and underprivileged, with children, the elderly and the handicapped.
The youth were also treated to visits of Coptic landmarks.
The Coptic Orthodox HIGH office is in charge of coordinating among dioceses of the Coptic Church outside Egypt and the areas most in need of services inside Egypt's dioceses. HIGH, which stands for 'Hands in God's Hand', was established through a decision issued by the Holy Synod in March 2024.
Newcastle Coptic Youth
On 23 July, Pope Tawadros II received at the papal headquarters in Alexandria a group of youth from the church of Mar-Girgis (St George) and Pope Athanasius in Newcastle in the Diocese of Ireland, Scotland, and North East England.
The young people had come to Egypt on a visit of service in which they offered educational and awareness-raising services in several churches across the land. They were accompanied by the church's priest, Fr Bishoy Karam. The visit was in coordination between the Diocese of Ireland, Scotland, and North East England, and HIGH.
The Pope expressed delight at the young people's visit and their keenness to serve their brothers and sisters in Egypt. He talked about Egypt's unique cultural, historical, and geographical position, noting that the Church of Alexandria is characterised by what he called 'three pyramids of living faith'; these being 'the pyramid of education and service (sweat); 'the pyramid of martyrdom (blood); and 'the pyramid of monasticism (tears).
The Pope took time to hear the youth out, replying to their questions and concerns.
Before they left, he presented them with souvenirs and a symbolic HIGH passport.
Watani International
30 July 2025 Comments
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