His All-Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I,

Your Eminences, Metropolitans and Bishops, Reverend Fathers , beloved brothers in Christ

Christ is Risen… Truly He is Risen.

It is with great joy that I stand among you today in this holy place. I offer my sincere thanks to Your All-Holiness for this gracious invitation, which I receive not merely as an official visit, but as a message sealed with love.

The delegation accompanying me joins in expressing our deepest gratitude for the warmth of your reception and the love evident in every detail of your generous hospitality since the moment of our arrival.

I have had the blessing of meeting Your All-Holiness on several occasions before, however, this is my first visit to your historic See here in Turkey, in this beautiful land. I have been profoundly blessed by this visit, which stands as aμcontinuation of the long-standing history and deeply rooted bonds of love between our two Churches, the See of Saint Mark the Apostle and the See of Saint Andrew the Apostle.

I come to you from Egypt, from the Coptic Orthodox Church from the land sanctified by the visit of the Holy Family in the first century; from the land of Saint Mark the Apostle, who sealed his witness with martyrdom in Alexandria.

Through the centuries, the Coptic Church has preserved the faith with steadfastness and has raised great father of Orthodoxy, among them Saint Athanasius the Apostolic and Saint Cyril, Pillar of the Faith.She has been known throughout history as the Church of Martyrs.

From her land also arose Saint Anthony the Great, the father of monasticism, whose example inspired the spread of monastic life

throughout the entire world. I cannot stand here without expressing my deep appreciation for the witness and ministry of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and for the tireless efforts of Your All-Holiness in the service of Orthodox unity.

You carry this sacred witness with remarkable faithfulness and a spiritual joy that inspires us all. I greatly value your commitment to unity and peace, especially your profound call that the Church must be “a sign of unity, a witness of love, and a servant of peace.”

I pray that the Lord Christ may grant Your All-Holiness continued health and strength and sustain you in this holy mission. I also cherish the historic relations between our two countries and peoples, bound together by deep and enduring ties that span generations.

It is a true joy to meet with Your All-Holiness today, together with the beloved Fathers of your blessed Church. We look forward with great anticipation to welcoming you among us in Egypt at the suited time.

In closing, let us pray together, serve together, and bear witness together before a world that awaits from us something far deeper than words. For, as the Apostle Paul declares, God “is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” (Ephesians 3:20). This is the foundation of our hope.

Christ is Risen… Truly He is Risen. Thank you