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Your Beatitude and Holiness Tawadros II, Pope and Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church, dear brother in Christ,
Your Eminences, Excellencies, and Graces,
Reverend Fathers,
Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Χριστὸς Ἀνέστη! Christ is Risen!
With much joy in the Risen Lord, we welcome Your Beatitude to the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Your presence among us is both a blessing and a sign of hope — a hope rooted not in human striving alone, but in the grace of the Holy Spirit, who, through the love of Christ, draws us toward unity (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:14). It is in this same spirit that the holy Apostle exhorts us: “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).
Your coming here today is far more than a ceremonial occasion; it bears profound historical significance, marking your first visit to the Phanar. This meeting is a direct fruit of the fraternal gathering you graciously hosted in September 2024 at the venerable Monastery of Saint Bishoy in Egypt, which stood as a powerful sign of harmony and concord. There, assembled in prayer and mutual charity, representatives of the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches reaffirmed their shared calling: to deepen understanding, to strengthen the bonds of charity, to seek the restoration of unity in communion, and to offer a common and credible witness in today’s world. Thus, the path before us continues, not as an abstract theological aspiration, but as a living ecclesial reality.
For centuries, our Churches have journeyed along parallel paths, at times separated by the weight of historical circumstances and doctrinal misunderstandings. Yet, through sincere and patient dialogue, we have come to recognize anew that what unites us far surpasses what once divided us. The Christological agreements reached in recent decades have made manifest our shared faith in the mystery of the Incarnate Word, expressed through distinct theological idioms, yet firmly rooted in the apostolic and undivided Tradition of the Church.
The time has come, therefore, to move from agreement to encounter, from theological convergence to spiritual concord. This is our collective responsibility. We are called to translate the fruits of dialogue into tangible pastoral realities: to cultivate mutual recognition and familiarity among our faithful; to encourage collaboration in proclaiming the faith, especially in regions where Christians endure persecution and marginalization; and to raise a united voice on matters concerning the dignity of the human person, the sanctity of creation, the centrality of the family, and the urgent pursuit of peace.
As was so eloquently affirmed during the 2024 gathering, we are invited to deepen our fellowship in Christ, to enrich our understanding, and to persevere in prayer, that we may be led ever closer to participating together in the mystical Body and precious Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Your Beatitude,
The bonds between the Eastern Orthodox and the Oriental Orthodox Churches in general, and between the Coptic Church and the Ecumenical Patriarchate in particular, are ancient and hallowed. They are rooted in the witness of Christians from the early centuries, nourished by reverence for the patristic tradition, sanctified by the blood of the martyrs, and animated by a shared liturgical and ascetic ethos. Today, these sacred ties are being renewed and healed — not through the erasure of history, but through transcending our differences, and even overcoming our past disagreements, in the radiant light of Christ’s truth and love.
As we receive Your Beatitude and your honourable delegation at this historic See of Constantinople, we fervently pray that this occasion may advance the fraternal relationship between our Churches and inspire renewed steps toward the full manifestation of our unity.
May the Risen Lord bless your steps, guide our Churches, and grant that, in His good time, we may glorify Him with one heart and one voice, gathered around the one holy chalice, unto His eternal glory.
Χριστὸς Ἀνέστη! Christ is Risen!
