His Royal Highness Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan was received by His Grace Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom, during a historic visit and interfaith gathering at The Coptic Orthodox Church Centre on 13 November 2013.

This visit facilitated a gathering of guests from a variety of faith backgrounds who met in the Cathedral of St George to listen and respond to addresses by Bishop Angaelos and Prince Hassan on the subject of interreligious dialogue and cooperation at an interreligious level.

In welcoming Prince Hassan, Bishop Angaelos, a Scholar-Consultant on the Christian Muslim Forum of England and Moderator of the Churches’ Inter Religious Network, said:

“Having recently celebrated Armistice Day, as the end of war and celebration of all those who gave their lives, the words ‘Lest we forget’ should also be applied to heroes of faith and inclusion. We are a reality in each other’s lives and reconciliation is our only way ahead, both in the Middle East and around the world.

I believe that faith and advocacy are inseparable; a faith that does not advocate is not a Godly faith. This is why we are here with the Cathedral of St George as our backdrop. The altar is the place of our greatest worship and what we are doing here is part of that worship, to be able to integrate our belief with our daily witness in our lives.”

His Royal Highness, who is President of the Foundation for Inter-religious and Intercultural Research and Dialogue, spoke in his address of the need for a strategy to stabilise the Middle East, further indicating the need for a process leading to free and responsible Arab citizenship. Following the address, His Royal Highness answered a variety of questions relating to the rapid decline in the number of Christians in the Middle East and the course of action required to address the increasing challenges facing various faith communities in the region.

During a presentation ceremony following the address, Bishop Angaelos presented His Royal Highness with the gift of a traditional Coptic Orthodox icon of Saint George, after which guests were able to further their conversations during an informal reception.

Resulting from the day’s events was a shared desire to engage more at an interreligious level with the furthered prospect of addressing the state of Christians in the Middle East and the challenges they face.

Among the guests were the Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, Chief Inspector Richard Harbon, The Rt Hon Stephen McPartland MP, as well as representatives of Churches Together in England, Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, the Awareness Foundation, and the Muslim Christian Forum. Also in attendance were members of clergy and community of the Coptic Orthodox Church, and representatives from the broad spectrum of the Christian Church and the Muslim and Baha’i communities in the United Kingdom.

His Grace Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom testified at a Congressional Hearing on ‘Human Rights Abuses in Egypt’ in Washington DC on Human Rights Day, 10 December 2013.

Addressing the congressional panel with four other witnesses, during a Joint Subcommittee Hearing comprised of the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organisations, and the Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa, Bishop Angaelos underlined the nature and unprecedented level of violence and attacks against minority groups in Egypt pre and post 2011 uprising.

Highlighting a number of incidents occurring in recent months and years, he spoke of the increased incitement that led to the burning, demolition, and attacks on scores of churches, the kidnapping of Christian girls, restrictions on the choice or expression of faith, and the increasing violent attacks resulting in loss of life, and the displacement and destruction of property over decades.

Speaking on behalf of all minorities Bishop Angaelos said:
“I do not only speak as a Christian, because that would be very un-Christian of me. We speak as Christians for everyone, and our view of human rights is for a human rights perspective that covers every person.”

Saying the following regarding the political situation in Egypt:

“What we need to address at the moment are issues of illiteracy and poverty that make constituents vulnerable when they vote and are manipulated, either financially, or in terms of ideology, and of course religion becomes a part of that. What we also need is foreign investment and tourism to bolster the economy and enable people to sustain their families and communities.”

In conclusion, Bishop Angaelos spoke of Christians in Egypt as those who remain loyal to, and take pride in, their indigenous homeland despite the various challenges faced, saying:

“We speak as Christians with hope, and we have faced persecution far greater than this. We are still there as the largest Christian denomination in the Middle East and as the last actual bastion of Christian presence in the region.”

Shortly after the hearing, and in commenting further on the state of minorities in Egypt, Bishop Angaelos said:
“While we do not seek to place blame on the current leadership, it is evident that over the past decades there has been little done to ensure that these violent acts do not reoccur. Since the uprising, and due to a decrease in law and order resulting from the turbulent period under the rule of Mr Mohammed Morsi, there have been increasing challenges facing Christian and minority groups in Egypt. Having said that, and in looking to the future, we continue to support the current process of rebuilding Egypt with a new constitution and ethos, and support the whole community as it calls for change.

We pray, that with the good intention of all to move past these challenging times in Egypt’s history, the implementation of equality before the law will ensure that Egypt becomes a better place for all citizens on the basis that they are Egyptian before anything else, whether they are the numeric majority or minority, man or woman, young or old, secular or religious, Bahá’i, Christian or Muslim.”

Testifying alongside Bishop Angaelos, Mr Samuel Tadros, Research Fellow at Hudson Institute’s Centre for Religious Freedom presented a number of solutions to address the situation in Egypt, saying:

“In order to prevent recurring attacks there must be a process put in place to identify the most vulnerable villages in Egypt that are likely to experience attacks. The Egyptian government should be urged to implement this and the United States may be able to provide resources to help with that process. The Egyptian police also need a security protocol to deal with mob violence and should establish a crisis office within the Egyptian presidency to deal specifically with that issue, as well as the development of a rapid response unit. We also need reform in the legal system, and localised reward and punishment system.”

Other witnesses included:
Zuhdi Jasser, M.D. Vice Chair, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom
Morad Abou-Sabe, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Rutgers University
Mr. Tad Stahnke, Director of Policy and Programs, Human Rights First

*Ends*
Resources:
Watch the Hearing here: http://1.usa.gov/18P78qK
Transcript and Copy of Testimony submitted to Congress available upon request.
Statement by Bishop Angaelos, highlighting the increasing incitement and violence threatening and claiming the lives of Christians in Egypt. http://bit.ly/1cn7eBf

Royal Mail unveils their 2013 Christmas stamp collection featuring a Coptic Nativity icon by Hertfordshire-based iconographer Fadi Mikhail.

The stamp, entitled ‘Theotokos, Mother of God’ depicts the Virgin Saint Mary embracing the Infant Christ. It is an example of the beauty and deeply rooted Faith and culture of the Coptic Orthodox Church, the largest Christian denomination in the Middle East which traces its roots back to the Apostle Mark in the first Century.

Since its establishment in the United Kingdom in the 1960s the Coptic Orthodox community has been increasing in size, and more recently in activity. The Coptic faithful in the United Kingdom are active members of society who contribute to their wider community through a variety of spiritual and social networks and programmes.

His Grace Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom, said:

“This is an opportunity to not only portray the beautiful iconographic heritage of the Coptic Orthodox Church within British culture, but also its theology and teaching with respect to the message of hope and salvation in the Nativity, a Feast that is often transformed into a purely commercial occasion. It also lives as a testimony to the resilience of the Copts, who continue to live their Faith in the birthplace of Christianity and across the world despite the many challenges they have faced in recent months and years.”

Fadi Mikhail, an active youth member of The Coptic Orthodox Church Centre said:

“Coptic iconography was redeveloped in the 1960s and has enjoyed increased international interest since that time. I’m happy that this stamp is helping to elevate that status. Whether it is through art, music, language, or the reconstruction of churches, there is a movement both within and outside Egypt in which Copts are rebuilding themselves for the future, and I see Coptic iconography as a key factor in heralding this movement forward.”

Along with this historic stamp, an icon from the Coptic Orthodox Cathedral of St George depicting St Mary and the Child Jesus, also written by Fadi Mikhail, has been chosen by Christians Aware as part of their Christmas card collection for 2013.