Press Release
For immediate use
14 November 2013
Coptic Orthodox Church UK
Media and Communications Office
Coptic Orthodox Church (Europe)
Media and Communications Office
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.
