Coptic Synod in June 2025 assembly
On 5 June 2025, the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church held its general assembly session at the conclusion of its regular convention for the year 2025. The general assembly is traditionally held every year around the date of the Feast of the Pentecost, in a nod to the ministry and service of the Apostles which started following their acceptance of the Holy Spirit on the day of the Pentecost, and extends through the Church to this day.
Pope Tawadros II presided over the session which was attended by 112 Synod members out of a total of 139.
The session began with Pope Tawadros reading a passage from the Book of Revelation (2:1–7), focusing on five phrases from the text: 'I know your works' (v. 2):
This refers to the works directed toward souls, which we perform as shepherds with a pure heart and good conscience—acts of love and mercy. 'Nevertheless I have this against you' (v. 4):
A call for self-examination and conscience searching, delivered to us gently by God so we may become alerted to ourselves. 'To him who overcomes' (v. 7):
An invitation to spiritual struggle against inner inclinations. Our life on earth is a time of testing in which we must overcome. 'He who has an ear, let him hear' (v. 7):
Refers to the ear of the heart, by which we hear and obey. Blessed is he who obeys the commandments of the Holy Bible. 'What the Spirit says to the churches' (v. 7):
This refers to spiritual leadership.
The Synod committee rapporteurs presented the Synod with the recommendations of each committee. These recommendations were discussed thoroughly, and after the discussion of each committee's report, the final content of the recommendation was agreed upon by consensus.
The Synodal Committee for Public Relations recommended developing curricula for all Church services to alert all members of the congregation to the importance and necessity of active participation in national community service and volunteer work, with a view to consolidating the spirit of citizenship while highlighting the societal role of the Copts.
The Synodal Committee for Media and Information recommended the formation of a mini-committee to develop a vision for spreading sound ecclesiastical thought on the Internet, and increasing the familiarity of the congregation and Church servants with Internet technology and artificial intelligence AI. This should be invested in preparing interesting and attractive sermons and Sunday School lessons.
The Synodal Committee for Ecumenical Relations recommended that the Coptic Orthodox Church should seek to address the dispute between the Syriac-Indian Orthodox Church and the Indian Orthodox Church. With this in sight, a meeting is scheduled to be held in Cairo where Pope Tawadros will urge discussion of the differences in order to preserve the unity of the Oriental Orthodox Churches family.
The Coptic Orthodox Church is following with concern the predicament of the Monastery of St Catherine in Sinai and appreciates the Egyptian State's position in not harming the monastery or the monastic life in there.
The Synodal Committee for [Social] Care and Service recommended running a development programme for innovators and athletes from among persons with disabilities, with an exchange of experiences between dioceses.
it also recommended necessarily running meetings for the families of prisoners, and helping released prisoners in all dioceses find jobs.
It was also recommended that welfare and development offices should be formed and activated in each diocese, and that coordination should be encouraged between them and the Development Partners Committee of the Coptic Orthodox Church.
The necessity of raising awareness of the dangers of illegal migration was stressed, as was the setting up of programmes for building gender identity among children, with a focus on training priests, parents and Church servants on prevention and sound psychological and physical education on that score.
The committee also recommended that the computers and modern technology should be made mainstream in Coptic hospitals, for the benefit the hospitals and patients.
Preparations are underway, the Committee stressed, for the project of the General Secretariat of Coptic Hospitals in Cairo, similar to that of the Coptic hospitals in Alexandria.
The Synodal Committee for the family recommended that the 'Groom and bride's pledge' should be carefully read before the marriage ceremony, and that the recently enacted law of the rights of the elderly should be studied to make maximum benefit of it.
The Synodal Committee for Faith and Teaching recommended that work on the catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church should continue.
The Synodal Committee for Rituals recommended that a feast of Zacchaeus the tax collector who is commemorated on 3 Hathor, 13 November, should be added to the Church feasts and his story should be included in the Coptic Synaxarium on that date.
The Synodal Committee for Diocese Affairs recommended that a meeting should be held among the clerical councils for family affairs and Fr Sergius Serguis, deputy-general of the patriarchate in Cairo, to discuss engagement and marriage contacts.
The Synodal Committee for Monasticism and Monasteries recommended that monks should be encouraged to conduct serious academic studies on theology and doctrine. It also recommended issuing a non-periodical publication that would present research papers and articles, and that it would be edited by the various Coptic monasteries in turn.
The Synodal Committee for Diaspora Affairs recommended to continue encouraging trips by service organisations in the Diaspora to the Mother Church in Egypt, with a view to providing services and development projects to dioceses and churches in Egypt.
It also recommended holding regular on-line meetings between the Pope and Coptic Orthodox dioceses in North America and Europe which should be divided into sectors according to the number of churches; these meetings are to be held at the level of priests, Church servants, youth and, if possible families.
Church servants and young people should be familiarised with the use of AI wisely and perceptively, and cautioned against providing inaccurate theological or doctrinal content.
The Holy Synod concluded with approving the revival of monastic life, and officially recognised the monastery of the Archangel Michael in the Eastern Mountain of Girga, Sohag some 500km south of Cairo, as a thriving functioning monastery.
The Synod also decided to add the event of a joint liturgy held by the Patriarchs of the three Oriental Orthodox Churches in the Middle East—commemorating the 17th centenary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea—to the Synaxarium on the 10 Bashans, 19 May.
Finally, the Synod issued a welcoming statement regarding the Coptic Orthodox Church's hosting of the Sixth International Conference of the World Council of Churches, marking the 17th centenary of the Council of Nicaea.
The Synod elected Anba Yu'annis, Bishop of Assiut, as the new Secretary of the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church.
Additionally, three of bishops were elected as Assistant Secretaries: Anba Stephanous, Bishop of Biba and al-Fashn; Anna Markos, Bishop of Damietta, Kafr El-Sheikh, and al-Barari, and Abbot of the Monastery of Saint Demiana in al-Barari; and Anba Marc, Bishop of Paris and Northern France.
The elections were conducted by secret ballot; Anna Yu'annis and the Assistant Secretaries, won by overwhelming majority.
Pope Tawadros and the Synod members extended their heartfelt thanks to Anba Danial, Metropolitan of Maadi, and his Assistant Secretaries, whose term of service concluded according to the Synod's laws. Comments
comments Tags: Coptic Orthodox Holy Synod June 2025Nader Shukry
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