Egypt. 10-16 March 2025. Visit to Alexandria. Visit to Saint Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai. Spring Meeting of the International Secretariat of the IAO in Cairo.
The members of the International Secretariat of the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy (IAO), under the IAO Secretary General, Dr. Maximos Charakopoulos, held an official visit to Egypt from 10 – 16 March 2025, where the works of the spring meeting of the IAO International Secretariat was also hosted.
The IAO delegation included parliamentarians from thirteen countries: Egypt, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Jordan, Cyprus, Montenegro, Palestine, Romania, Serbia and Sudan, as well as the IAO Advisor, Dr. Kostas Mygdalis. His Eminence the Archbishop Ioannis of Zambia and Mozambique, participated in his capacity as the Liaison between the IAO and the Pan-African Parliament (PAP). Moreover, the Deputy Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament, Mr. Athanasios Bouras, the Member of Parliament from Estonia, Ms. Annely Akkermann and the Chairman of the International Affairs Committee of the Parliament of Georgia, Mr. Nikoloz Samkharadze participated as special guests.
Ι) Visit to Alexandria
The visit of the members of the IAO International Secretariat had as its starting point the Great City of Alexandria.
During their stay in Alexandria, the IAO delegation was given a tour of the Library of Alexandria and met with its Director and member of the Egyptian Senate, Professor Dr. Ahmed Abdullah Zayed Hegab. The IAO Secretary General during the meeting expressed his wish that “the Library, with its actions, will continue to radiate light, helping people understand the value of mutual respect, mutual understanding and peace.” The members of the IAO International Secretariat were given a tour of the Library, where all modern knowledge and history harmoniously coexist, as its halls exhibit findings from Egypt’s rich history.
During its stay in Alexandria, the IAO delegation visited the “Greek Quarter” of Alexandria and was received by the President of the Greek Community of Alexandria, Mr. Andreas Vafeiadis. The delegation was then given a tour of the premises of the Averopheian School by the Deputy Secretary General of the Community, Mr. Dimitris Kavouras, where they were welcomed by the Director of the Averopheian School, Ms. Afroditi Peveretou.
The IAO delegation also made a pilgrimage to the Holy Monastery of Saint Savvas the Sanctified, where they were welcomed and told about the long and rich history of the Monastery, where the stone on which Saint Catherine was martyred is located, by Metropolitan Germanos of Tamiatheos.
A turning point in the IAO’s stay in Alexandria was the visit to the ancient Second Throne Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa and the meeting with His Beatitude the Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, Theodore II. The Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, awarded the Senior Taxiarch of the Order of the Lion of Alexandria and a sealed Patriarchal Sigil to the IAO Secretary General for his significant contribution to the promotion of Orthodox values and his support for the work of the Patriarchate of Alexandria. The Secretary General, receiving the medal from His Beatitude, thanked “for the highest honor, which you generously bestow upon my unworthiness, which I perceive as recognition of the timeless efforts of the the IAO for the promotion of the values of Orthodoxy and the unity of the Orthodox world”. In addition, the President of the IAO General Assembly, member of the Romanian Parliament, Mr. Ioan Vulpescu, handed over to His Beatitude the Declaration on the Common Easter, which the IAO has adopted with a number of other Christian organizations in Europe. The meeting with the Alexandrian Primate was also attended by the Consul General of Greece in Alexandria, Mr. Ioannis Pyrgakis.
Finally, the delegation visited the Coptic Monastery of Saint Bishoy, west of the Nile, in the Nitra Valley and was informed by Fr. Onufrios about the history of the Monastery and the situation of the Coptic Christians. “The IAO is attended by members of parliament from 25 parliaments, including members of the pre-Chalcedonian churches, from Egypt, Armenia, and Ethiopia. We are particularly happy because we have found that in the middle of the desert there is a spiritual oasis, such as your monastery.” With these words, the head of the IAO addressed Fr. Onufrios, thanking him for the welcome and the guided tour of the Organization’s delegation to the 4th century Coptic monastery dedicated to Saint Bishoy.
ΙΙ) Visit to the Saint Catherine’s Monastery in South Sinai Mountain
The IAO delegation made a pilgrimage to the Holy Monastery of St. Catherine in Sinai where they attended the devout Vespers, while they were subsequently given a tour of the Holy Monastery by Fr. Stefanos, such as the Ossuary of the monks, the Collection with the priceless spiritual and historical icons, the burning bush of Moses. They also visited the Library of the Holy Monastery, where thousands of manuscripts are kept, where they were welcomed by the person in charge, Fr. Justinos, who comes from Texas, USA, and became Orthodox and a monk, after his studies in Byzantine history.
The head of the IAO, during his address to the Fathers of the Holy Monastery of St. Catherine, stated “It is our special joy and emotion to be here in the historic and blessed Monastery of St. Catherine in Sinai, the oldest Christian monastery in the world. In this oasis of Orthodoxy, which in the middle of the desert continuously gushes forth the spiritual name for every one thirsting for the truth. In this acropolis of our Byzantine civilization where over the centuries our untiring monks have guarded the Orthodox faith”. He also referred to the relationship of the Monastery with the Muslim element, as evidenced by the Muslim mosque within the precincts of the Monastery, in combination with the hand of Muhammad in the documents of concessions of privileges to the Monastery. He further emphasized “the good cooperation that you cultivate both with the local Bedouins and with the Egyptian state, which respects the ancient privileges of the Monastery, and continues to preserve them. This relationship is based on a distillate of wisdom but also an excess of love. And it makes you an example to follow. An example also for those, like the IAO, who yearn for a world of reconciliation and cooperation, without intolerance and religious fanaticism.”
On behalf of the Fathers of the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine, Fr. Akkakios read the inspired speech of Archbishop Sinai, Faran and Raitho, Mr. Damianos, who was unable to attend due to illness. In his speech, His Eminence, among other things, points out that “Our Monastery, small in location but privileged in time, is to this day a guardian and living reminder of the generative causes and cohesive bonds of the European Continent, of the Western world as a whole. It constitutes the capsule, the bank of memory, that Europe secured and kept outside of itself, in a sacred place, to remind it in a realistic way of everything that time, or even the whims of time, often contribute to its forgetting, to its being cut off from its roots. Our Monastery constitutes an occasion for prudence, spiritual reflection and self-awareness of European and Western civilization in general. We preserve our sacred and your sacred relics, with the most prominent being the collection of our holy icons and manuscripts, the spiritual property of Byzantium, but also of Europe, as a legacy of culture and historicity”.
Upon their return from the Holy Monastery of St. Catherine in the city of Sharm el-Sheikh, the members of the International Secretariat of the IAO were met the Governor of South Sinai, Dr. Haled Mubarak. The governor reported that the Sinai region has emerged as a place of religious tolerance and tolerance, while many projects are being carried out for its regeneration, with new highways, tourist facilities and other infrastructure. The most important of these is the new St. Catherine airport, which will be inaugurated in April 2026. As, in fact, Easter will then coincide with UNESCO World Day, the governor invited the members of the IAO to attend the inauguration and celebrations. The Secretary General of the IAO noted that “through you, we also want to thank the President of Egypt, Mr. Abdel Fatah Al Sisi, for the special interest he shows in the preservation and promotion of the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine. As is known, there is the famous ‘Ahdname’, the document that grants special privileges to the Holy Monastery, sealed with the palm of Muhammad himself. In this event there is a special symbolism that refers to peaceful coexistence”.
III) Visit to the Coptic Patriarchate in Cairo and Presentation of the Volume “Hagia Sophia. The Churches of the Wisdom of God around the world”
The IAO delegation had the opportunity to visit the headquarters of the Coptic Church in Cairo and to meet with His Holiness and Beatitude the Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the Communion of Saint Mark of the Coptic Church, Mr. Tawadros II.
During his address, the Secretary General emphasized that “The entire world, and especially the so-called Christian world, is responsible for the future of the Christians of the Middle East. It cannot remain indifferent to what is happening. On the contrary, every kind of support is required so that the refugees can return to their homes, and the conditions of peace, prosperity and development are created. What we see in Egypt fills us with optimism that when there is will and wisdom from the state authorities, then the free expression of the religious beliefs of all citizens, and peaceful coexistence and cooperation, is possible. For this reason, we believe that your role in the joint campaign to rescue the Christians of the Middle East is and must be pivotal.”
For his part, the Patriarch of the Coptic Christians welcomed the representatives of the parliaments participating in the International Secretariat of the IAO, and stated, “I am happy for this friendship that is beginning. Egypt maintains good relations with the countries you represent. We have good, strategic cooperation and we are consolidating our relations based on love.”
Following the speeches, the head of the IAO presented the Coptic Patriarch with a miniature of the icon of the Holy Monastery of Saint Dionysios on Mount Athos, which represents the escape of the Holy Family to Egypt. Also, the IAO leadership, together with a delegation of the Focolare movement, consisting of Mrs. Batoul Fares and Rima Saikali, as well as Fr. Refaat from the Jesus Christ 2033 Organization, presented the Primate of the Coptic Church with the Declaration on the Common Easter.
The presentation of the Arabic edition of the Volume “Hagia Sophia: The Churches of Wisdom of God around the World” was also held at the headquarters of the Coptic Patriarchate. In addition to the Secretary General and the Coptic Patriarch, the presentation of the Volume was attended by His Eminence the Archbishop Ioannis of Zambia and Mozambique, as a representative of the Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, the Egyptian parliamentarian and member of the International Secretariat of the Coptic Orthodox Church, Ms. Manal Helal, the parliamentarian from Sudan, Mr. Joseph Iskander, and the political scientist and interpreter, Mr. Samuel Bissaras.
During the presentation of the Volume, the Secretary General pointed out that “Egypt simultaneously condenses a multitude of important characteristics. It is a country of key importance. For the Eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East, North Africa, but also in general the Arab and Islamic world. A country that plays a prominent role in peacemaking efforts on the many, unfortunately, active war fronts and the conflicts and confrontations of the wider region. Primarily in the Middle East, and especially in the tragic Gaza Strip. This steadfast peace-loving stance, the promotion of the demand for reconciliation and mutual understanding, which Egypt follows, are also the basic values that govern the actions of the IAO. Because we too look forward to a sincere cooperation that can bring together people from different nations and different religions”.
For his part, the Coptic Patriarch Tawadros II emphasized, among other things, that “we firmly believe in the word of Jesus Christ, who says, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.’ Each of us, a true son of God, must be a peacemaker. Here in the psalms that we sing in our churches, we invoke the King of peace, to send us peace, to live in peace, Oh King of peace. Egypt is in favor of peace and of course, as you know, you learned about the efforts made by Egypt for peace in the region, Egypt’s insistence that people not be expelled from Gaza, in order to prevent the Palestinian issue from collapsing. The presence of the IAO, which is an organization consisting of various countries, actually contributes to the spread of the culture of peace throughout the world”.
Among others, the event was attended by the Ambassador of Greece to Egypt, Mr. Nikolaos Papageorgiou, the Ambassador of Romania, Ms. Olivia Toderean, and the Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Cyprus, Mr. Onoufrios Economides. From the Coptic Church, the General Bishops Eklimandos, Angelos, and Makari, Bishop Mansora Axios, and the Secretary General, Fr. Emmanuel, were present.
IV) Spring Meeting of the IAO International Secretariat
The spring meeting of the IAO International Secretariat was held in the historic building of the Egyptian House of Representatives, and it was the first time that it was given over to an international organization for a meeting.
At the opening of the meeting of the International Secretariat, the Secretary General proceeded to an analytical review of the Organization’s actions during the previous six months. Referring to the efforts made to achieve peace both in the Gaza Strip and in the war in Ukraine, he emphasized that “the position of the IAO has always been based primarily on supporting diplomacy, reconciliation and the pursuit of peace and cooperation. These are, after all, the Christian principles, on which we also expect to act together. And with them we approach every international problem, but we also cooperate with representatives of other religions. Therefore, we support every diplomatic initiative aimed at pacifying military confrontations, enforcing the rules of international law and respecting human rights at the unilateral and collective levels”.
The IAO head referred in the past activities overview report to the Organization’s diverse activity, which includes a series of international initiatives aimed at inter-parliamentary cooperation, promoting dialogue, establishing channels of cooperation and strengthening Christian values in Europe.
At the beginning of the proceedings, the Secretary General of the Egyptian Parliament, Mr. Ahmed Ezzat Manna, as well as the Chairman of the Religious Affairs Committee and former Grand Mufti of Egypt, Mr. Ali Gomaa, welcomed the members of the IAO International Secretariat and praised its initiatives for peace and cooperation between Christians and Muslims. Greetings were also delivered by the Deputy Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament, Mr. Athanasios Bouras, and the Member of the Egyptian Parliament and Member of the IAO International Secretariat, Ms. Manal Helal, who is also the first female Member of Parliament to participate in this body.
During the works of the International Secretariat, representatives of national parliamentary delegations took the floor and a fruitful reflection was developed on many burning issues, such as the situation in Gaza and in Palestine in general, the situation of Christians in Syria, values in Europe, and the need for participation in IAO the actions by parliamentary representatives of other countries.
In the second part of the work of the IAO International Secretariat, the Secretary General developed the planning of the Organization’s actions for the coming period, which includes: a) more active participation in European developments, b) presentations of the Volume on the Hagia Sophia Churches, c) International Cooperation for Interreligious Dialogue and the Dialogue of the political world with religious expressions, d) Events for the celebration of Easter 2025 and for the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, and e) the expansion of the IAO and international cooperation.
The International Secretariat was attended by the members of the Hellenic Parliament, Theofilos Leontaridis, Apostolos Panas, Charis Mamoulakis and Ioannis Sarakiotis, Mr. Ioan Vulpescu, who is also the President of the IAO General Assembly, from the Parliament of Romania, Mr. Irakli Kadagishvili from Georgian Parliament, Ms. Manal Helal from the House of Representatives of Egypt, Mr. Peter Nikolaev Petrov from the Parliament of Bulgaria, parliamentarians from Jordan, Wasfi Hilal Abdallah Haddad, Hayel Ayash, Eyad Jebreen, Jammal Issa Jeries Gammon, Jehad Abdel Majiid Khamis Abawi, and Rand Jihad Fuad Alkhzouz, Mr. Muheeb Salama from the National Legislative Council of Palestine, Mr. Joseph Iskander and Ms. Teresa Yassa from Sudan, Mr. Mile Talevski and Ms. Ivanka Vasilevska from the Assembly of North Macedonia, Mr. Dejan Đurovic and Mr. Dragan Bojovic from the Parliament of Montenegro, Ms. Annely Akkermann from the Parliament of Estonia, Ms. Ana Ivanovic from the Parliament of Serbia, the Archbishop Ioannis of Zambia and Mozambique, and the IAO Advisor, Dr. Kostas Mygdalis.
Following the conclusion of works of the IAO International Secretariat, a meeting was held with the President of the Egyptian House of Representatives, Mr. Hanafy Ali El Gebaly.
In his response to the President, the head of the interparliamentary organization stated that “We believe in dialogue and diplomacy, which constitute the best weapons against state, ethnic and religious conflicts, war and destruction. We believe these values are decisive for overcoming the serious problems that plague the modern world. Values, moreover, that are of particular importance for the wider Middle East region, taking into account what tragically happened in the Gaza Strip, where hundreds of thousands of our fellow human beings are experiencing unbearable conditions. And for this reason we consider it important that the voices that support peace and cooperation grow stronger, but also cooperate. And in your person we see an institution and a country that, demonstrably, desires both peace and beneficial cooperation between states and peoples.”
The President of the Egyptian Parliament emphasized that “We confirm the stable relations that connect us with the IAO and your friendly countries and we confirm our interest in further strengthening them, for the benefit of our peoples. We also confirm our full support for the activities of the IAO and its pioneering role in achieving spaces for dialogue, and we extol its role in affirming the values of Christianity and the highest human values, which urges love and reconciliation.”
The Deputy Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament, Mr. Athanasios Bouras, conveyed an official invitation from the Speaker, Mr. Nikitas Kaklamanis, to Mr. El Gebaly to visit Athens, a proposal which the latter graciously accepted. After the end of the work of the IAO International Secretariat, the President of the Egyptian Parliament hosted an official meal (Iftar, due to Ramadan) for the members of the International Secretariat.
Earlier on the same day, members of the IAO International Secretariat visited the Holy Monastery of Saint George, located in the area of ancient Babylon in Egypt, and participated in the Divine Liturgy, which was presided over by the Archbishop Ioannis of Zambia and Mozambique. The Divine Liturgy was celebrated in Greek, Arabic, and also in Romanian, by the Romanian priest, Fr. Sorin Andreescu. Subsequently, the members of the IAO were hosted in the Archontariki of the Monastery, by the Metropolitan Savvas of Nubia and Exarch of All Sudan, who also guided them to the Museum of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, which houses a collection of icons and ecclesiastical relics, as well as to the chapels and tombs of the Patriarchs of Alexandria, located in the basements of the Monastery. Finally, the members of the IAO worshipped at the chapel located at the place where, according to tradition, the Holy Family took refuge during their escape to Egypt.
