09/09/2020

Melkite Greek Catholic Archdiocese to allow Coptic Catholics to use Church of Our Lady of the Annunciation in Tanta, Egypt

TANTA, Egypt — Under the patronage of Patriarch Youssef al-Absi and Ibrahim Ishaq, Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchal Vicar for Egypt and Sudan Georges Bakar and Coptic Catholic Patriarchal Vicar Anba Bakhoum signed an agreement allowing the Coptic Catholic Archdiocese to use the Church of Our Lady of the Annunciation of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church in the Egyptian city of Tanta.

A Coptic Catholic priest was appointed for spiritual service and for Byzantine Divine Liturgies on Sundays and on feasts.

“This agreement comes within the spirit of communion among the Eastern Catholic Churches, to enhance the spiritual and pastoral cooperation between the Churches,” spokesperson of the Catholic Church in Egypt declared. “It aims to serve the children of the two Churches and preserve and respect their Eastern rituals, in addition to preserving the Catholic presence even with the geographical changes of the churches’ children.”

The Parish feast, the Feast of the Annunciation, will remain on 25 March and will be celebrated in the presence of representatives of the two denominations according to the Byzantine rite, “a sign of perfect communion.”

Patriarchal Vicar Bakhoum met the Priests Consultative Council of the Archdiocese at the House of Our Lady of Peace (Dar Sayidat al-Salam) to discuss diocesan and pastoral affairs, including supporting the churches of the Nile Delta region. The pastoral project for the new year, “Word of God”, was also discussed.