King Charles III expressed his “greatest admiration for the Coptic community” during a visit to the Coptic Orthodox Church center in Hertfordshire, maintaining a keen personal interest in the religion since his days as a prince.
There are around 40,000 Coptic Orthodox Christians in the UK, represented by Archbishop Angaelos of London.
During the December 5 visit, the archbishop presented King Charles with a stone fragment from the Coptic Orthodox altar of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, speaking of its “unprecedented importance” in Christian history.
The King attended an Advent service attended by over six hundred guests from the House of Lords and Commons, the diplomatic corps, the Commonwealth Foreign Office, humanitarian and defense organizations , ecumenical and interfaith guests, as well as members of the clergy and the Coptic Orthodox community. UK.
The service included prayers, readings from the Gospel and the Orthodox Creed, and was followed by a cello and violin performance performed by sisters Sarah and Laura Ayouba.
Charles was then led to the parish hall, where he stopped to speak with people at four stands showcasing the various services provided by the church in his diocese, and shook hands as he moved through the congregation.
“If I can say so, this has been a very special occasion and I only want to wish you a very Merry Christmas,” Charles said. reports Node.
The archbishop said it had been “a real joy” to welcome the king in the same year as his coronation, adding that “the response we received from our community to attend a mid-morning service “It’s been an overwhelming week with genuine love and enthusiasm expressed.” was comforting.
“Seeing His Majesty move among the people and engage with them with such warmth and sincerity is a testament to his commitment to being the Servant King. He touched and left a lasting impression on the hearts of so many individuals and families within our community.
The Archbishop concluded by saying: “We are very grateful to His Majesty for his visit, his time and his genuine sincerity and warmth, and we pray for a blessing upon him, upon the Nation, upon the Commonwealth and upon the world during this Advent season, which is an Advent season. time of hope amid the many global challenges affecting so many people right now. »
The Coptic Orthodox Church is part of the Eastern Orthodox family, which broke with the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches as early as the 5th century, when they rejected the definitions of the Council of Chalcedon in 451.
Charles is no stranger to the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom, having visited its headquarters in London on December 17, 2013, while still a prince.
During this visit, he expressed his “deepest concern, deepest sympathy and solidarity” with the country’s Coptic community, as it maintains relations in Egypt, “a country where Coptic Christians have played an essential role since hundreds and hundreds of years.
Coptic Orthodox Christians make up about 15 percent of Egypt’s population, or about 15 million people, and have endured persecution for their faith.
Charles also spoke at a historic service at Westminster Abbey in 2018 to celebrate the contribution of Christians to the Middle East.
His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, 118th Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, met Charles at Clarence House on May 17, 2017, during his first pastoral visit to the United Kingdom. Charles also met Tawadros during a visit to Egypt in November 2021.
“I have been so full of admiration and respect for the way in which the Coptic Christians have shown so much patience and forbearance, it is quite remarkable, and the lack of retaliation is even more remarkable” , Charles said during the 2013 visit. “And for that, I think we owe you all a remarkable debt, not only of gratitude, but also of respect for living your Christian faith in the way that you do . »
(Pictured: His Majesty King Charles III attending an Advent service and Christmas reception at the Coptic Orthodox Church Center in Hertfordshire on 5 December 2023. Credit: Coptic Orthodox Church UK.)
