TWO POPES, A ROMAN CATHOLIC AND COPTIC ORTHODOX, SPEAK AT WEEKLY GENERAL AUDIENCE

Wednesday, May 10, 2023 – Feast Day of St. Damien of Molokai

In the next several hours I have my live radio show with Teresa Tomeo on Catholic Connection, interviews out of the office for my weekend radio show, “Vatican Insider,” and a parish council meeting. I thus sincerely doubt there will be time for a decent blog today, a great moment in the Vatican. So just my translation of the papal remarks (I have translated into English the Italian translation of Tawadros’ words in Arabic but have no time to summarize them) and this link to the Vatican news story with some of Pope Tawadros’ words: Coptic Pope addresses pilgrims at General Audience with Pope Francis – Vatican News   

I have been following the historic general audience today at which there were two popes present, Pope Francis and Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II. They have known each other for 10 years and communicate frequently but this is the first time ever the head of another Church has spoken at a general audience.

Normally the Vatican News website features the video of the entire weekly audience but, as I wrote these words, that is not up yet. You might want to check back occasionally at vaticannews.va

TWO POPES, A ROMAN CATHOLIC AND COPTIC ORTHODOX, SPEAK AT WEEKLY GENERAL AUDIENCE

Pope Francis, arriving at the dais after circling St. Peter’s Square in the jeep in the rain, greeted everyone present: “Brothers and sisters!” he began. “It is with great joy today that I greet His Holiness Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of San Marco, and the illustrious delegation accompanying him. (Vatican media)

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“His Holiness Tawadros has accepted my invitation to come to Rome to celebrate with me the 50th anniversary of the historic meeting of Pope St. Paul VI and Pope Shenouda III, in 1973. It was the first meeting between a Bishop of Rome and a Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church and culminated in the signing of a memorable common Christological declaration, exactly on May 10th.

“In memory of this event, His Holiness Tawadros came to see me

for the first time on May 10 ten years ago, a few months after his and my election, and he proposed we celebrate every May 10^th as “Coptic-Catholic Friendship Day” which we have been celebrating every year since.

“We call each other on the phone, we send each other greetings, and we remain good brothers, we’ve never argued!

“Dear friend and brother Tawadros, Thank you for having accepted my invitation in this double anniversary. I pray that the light of the Holy Spirit illuminate your visit to Rome, the important meetings you will have here, and especially our personal conversations. I sincerely thank you for the His commitment to the growing friendship between the Coptic Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church.

“Your Holiness, dear Bishops and friends, together with you I implore Almighty God for the intercession of the Saints and Martyrs of the Coptic Church, to help us grow in communion, in one and holy bond of faith, hope and Christian love. And speaking of martyrs of the Coptic Church – who are ours too – I want to remember the martyrs on the Libyan beach, who were made martyrs a few years ago.

“I ask all present to pray to God to bless Pope Tawadros’ visit to Rome and protect the entire Coptic Orthodox Church. May this visit bring us quicker to the day blessed when we are one in Christ! Thank you!”

 

COPTIC POPE TO VISIT ROME TO MARK 50 YEARS SINCE HISTORIC COPTIC-CATHOLIC AGREEMENT – POPE FRANCIS AND POPE TAWADROS II PRAISE ONGOING CATHOLIC-COPTIC DIALOGUE

An important ecumenical visit this week by Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros who, in a first for the Vatican, will speak at Pope Francis’ general audience on Wednesday.

COPTIC POPE TO VISIT ROME TO MARK 50 YEARS SINCE HISTORIC COPTIC-CATHOLIC AGREEMENT

As Pope Tawadros II prepares to travel to Rome to meet Pope Francis, the Coptic Orthodox Archbishop of London speaks to Vatican News about the “great love and respect” between the two leaders.

By Joseph Tulloch (Vatican news)

Exactly fifty years ago, the heads of the Coptic Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches signed a historic Christological agreement, putting an end to a 1,500-year old theological controversy and ushering in a new era of Coptic-Catholic relations.

To mark the occasion, Pope Tawadros II, the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church, will be in Rome this week.

Pope Francis with Pope Tawadros during his journey to Egypt in 2017

He will speak at Pope Francis’ general audience on Wednesday – the first time the head of another Church has done so – and pray with him privately on Thursday. On Sunday, he will preside over a liturgy in the basilica of St John Lateran, the Pope’s official cathedral.

At his side throughout the week will be Archbishop Angaelos, the Coptic Orthodox Bishop of London.

He spoke to Vatican News about the upcoming visit, stressing that the initial encounter in 1973 between the two Popes was “pivotal” to the ecumenical movement.

Archbishop Angaelos also described the “great love and respect” between the current leaders of the Coptic Orthodox and Catholic Churches.

The following transcript has been lightly edited for reasons of style and brevity. TO CONTINUE: Coptic Pope to visit Rome to mark 50 years since historic Coptic-Catholic agreement – Vatican News

POPE FRANCIS AND POPE TAWADROS II PRAISE ONGOING CATHOLIC-COPTIC DIALOGUE

Pope Francis and the Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II release a jointly-written preface for a new book, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the historic “Joint Christological Declaration” that continues to strengthen ties between the Catholic and Coptic Churches.

By Devin Watkins (Vatican news)

As the Catholic and Coptic Orthodox Churches mark fifty years since the first modern meeting between their leaders, Pope Francis and Pope Tawadros II have penned a joint preface for a new book.

Set to hit bookshelves on Wednesday, the book is entitled “The Catholic Church and the Coptic Orthodox Church. 50th Anniversary of the Meeting between Pope Paul VI and Pope Shenouda III (1973-2023).”!

The preface, released on Tuesday, traces the path of dialogue that led to that historic encounter and the fruits that it has borne over the last half century.

Ongoing journey towards full communion

The two Popes begin the preface by expressing the desire of their Churches to “journey towards full communion”, while also recalling the progress that has been made thus far.

“We also need to give thanks to God by remembering the steps already taken and the distance already travelled, which are often much more important than we imagine,” they write, adding that this recollection of history represents the purpose of the book.

Pope Paul VI met with Pope Shenouda III in the Vatican on 9-13 May 1973, the first such meeting between “a Bishop of Rome and a Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church” in over 1,000 years, during which they signed the landmark Joint Christological Declaration.

Pope Paul VI and Pope Shenouda III sign the Joint Christological Declaration in 1973

The declaration crowned years of ecumenical and theological dialogue between the Catholic and Coptic Orthodox Churches following the Second Vatican Council.

It also marked the end of the Christological controversy that had arisen in the wake of the Council of Chalcedon in 451. TO CONTINUE: Pope Francis and Pope Tawadros II praise ongoing Catholic-Coptic dialogue – Vatican News