Press Release: Coptic Orthodox Church Service at St Margaret's, Westminster Abbey

From left to right: His Grace Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of The Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom,  Reverend Cannon Andrew Tremlett, rector of St Margaret's church, and the Rt Hon Alistair Burt, Parliamentary Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs

PRESS RELEASE

For immediate use
October 31 2012

The Coptic Orthodox Church Centre UK

Media and Public Relations Office

A special service was held at St Margaret’s Church, Westminster on 30 October 2012 to commemorate the Coptic Feast of Nayrouz, marking the new Coptic Year. The service was the first of its kind for the Coptic community in the United Kingdom.

The service was attended by members of the House of Lords, the Speaker of the House of Commons, as well as heads and representatives of numerous Christian churches and denominations, and inter-religious governmental and non-governmental organisations.

Reverend Cannon Andrew Tremlett, rector of St Margaret’s church welcomed all on behalf of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster Abbey, and a message from the Right Reverend Archbishop of Canterbury was read by Canon Jonathan Goodall, his personal secretary.

During the service, which was prayed predominantly in English with some Coptic, His Grace Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of The Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom, addressed the changing political climate in Egypt, the challenges faced in the Middle East, and the new application of a new found democracy. Bishop Angaelos also spoke about the papal selection process and the general state of Christians in Egypt.

"At this significant time in the contemporary history of the Coptic Orthodox Church, we are prayerfully waiting for the announcement of the 118th Pope of Alexandria while at the same time hopeful that God can use this opportunity of change in Egypt to provide a heart for all where the rights, liberties, entitlements, and responsibilities of every person are considered equally before society and the law."

At the end of the service there were addresses from the Rt Hon John Bercow, Speaker of the House of Commons, and the Rt Hon Alistair Burt, Parliamentary Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs. After the service there was a drinks reception for all those who attended.

*Ends*

For more information please contact:

Angela Mikhail
Media and Communications Officer 
The Coptic Orthodox Church UK 
Tel: +44 (0)207 1937076 

Media and Public Relations Office 
The Coptic Orthodox Church Centre 
Shephalbury Manor
Broadhall Way, Stevenage
Hertfordshire SG2 8NP
England, United Kingdom

Tel.: +44 (0)207 1937076
Fax: +44 (0)1438 313879
Office Email: Media@CopticCentre.com
Website: www.CopticCentre.com
Blog: www.CopticCentre.Blogspot.com
Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/CopticMediaUK
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/CopticMediaUK

Press Release: Final three candidates for papacy announced

PRESS RELEASE
For immediate use
29 October 2012

The Coptic Orthodox Church UK

Media and Public Relations Office

 
Three candidates remain after votes were counted as part of the penultimate stage of the Papal Selection Process for The Coptic Orthodox Church. The 118^th Pope will be announced on 4 November 2012.

The Holy Synod has announced the final 3 papal candidates as part of the process to select the 118th Pope for the Coptic Orthodox Church. The three remaining candidates who were chosen by the 2411 eligible voters are:

Bishop Roufail

Bishop Tawadros
Father Rafael Ava-Mina

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

‘As we near the end of this historic process, our own prayerful work and deliberation has now come to an end and the next stage requires prayer alone. Through these prayers and the altar ballot on 4 November, we place everything in the faithful hands of God, confident that He is the true Shepherd of the Church, and that He will continue to faithfully guide His Church in Egypt as He has for over two thousand years.’

In a process that has taken nine months, the new Pope will be selected in an altar ballot during a Liturgical service at The Grand Cathedral of St Mark in Cairo on 4 November 2012.

For details of the Papal Selection Process please visit CopticCentre.Blogspot.com, or click here.

**ENDS**

New dates for Papal Selection Process

Church-wide fast:    22-24 October
Papal Election:        29 October in Cairo
Church-wide fast:    31 October - 2 November
Altar ballot:              4 November (118th Pope announced)
Enthronement:        18 November

For questions relating to the Papal Selection Process, Press can contact the Media and Communications Officer for the Coptic Orthodox Church UK via Media@CopticCentre.com.

Press Release: New dates for Papal Selection Process

PRESS RELEASE
For immediate use
Date: 16 Oct 2012

The Coptic Orthodox Church Centre UK

Media and Public Relations Office

The new Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church will be chosen on 4 November 2012, as announced by the Nominations Committee on 16 October 2012.

The Nominations Committee in Cairo announced the new dates for the papal selection process, with the election on 29 October 2012, and the altar ballot 6 days later on 4 November. 

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

‘Due to the early conclusion of the eliminations stage, the Nominations Committee has seen it fit to expedite the remainder of the process, so that the 118th Pope of Alexandria will be enthroned in November, earlier than expected.’

*Ends*

For more information please contact:

Angela Mikhail
Media and Communications Officer 
The Coptic Orthodox Church UK 
Tel: +44 (0)207 1937076 

Media and Public Relations Office 
The Coptic Orthodox Church Centre 
Shephalbury Manor
Broadhall Way, Stevenage
Hertfordshire SG2 8NP
England, United Kingdom

Tel.: +44 (0)207 1937076
Fax: +44 (0)1438 313879
Office Email: Media@CopticCentre.com
Website: www.CopticCentre.com
Blog: www.CopticCentre.Blogspot.com
Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/CopticMediaUK
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/CopticMediaUK

Press Release: Final five Papal candidates announced

PRESS RELEASE
For immediate use
Date: 13 Oct 2012

The Coptic Orthodox Church Centre UK

Media and Communications Office

His Grace Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom, announced the final 5 candidates for papacy following the official announcement of the Coptic Orthodox Church Nominations Committee.

On 13 October 2012, His Grace Bishop Angaelos announced the final 5 candidates for papacy following the official announcement, in Egypt, of the Coptic Orthodox Church Nominations Committee. 

Two of the papal candidates are bishops and three are monks. The candidates are:

Bishop Roufail
Bishop Tawadros
Father Rafael Ava-Mina
Father Pakhamious El-Souriani
Father Seraphim El-Souriani   

The final 5 candidates will be put forward for the papal election on 24 November, where the list will be reduced to 3 candidates. The new pope to succeed the late Pope Shenouda III will be chosen on 2 December 2012 from among those three by altar ballot, and enthroned later that month. Pope Shenouda III departed on 17 March 2012 after forty-one years of papacy.

*Ends*

For more information please contact:

Angela Mikhail
Media and Communications Officer 
The Coptic Orthodox Church UK 
Tel: +44 (0)207 1937076 

Media and Public Relations Office 
The Coptic Orthodox Church Centre 
Shephalbury Manor
Broadhall Way, Stevenage
Hertfordshire SG2 8NP
England, United Kingdom

Tel.: +44 (0)207 1937076
Fax: +44 (0)1438 313879
Office Email: Media@CopticCentre.com
Website: www.CopticCentre.com
Blog: www.CopticCentre.Blogspot.com
Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/CopticMediaUK
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/CopticMediaUK