Coptic Pope visits Hounslow
filed in Uncategorized on 23 May 2017
It was a day of celebration in May for one local church community when the Coptic Pope Tawadros II consecrated their new church in Hounslow. His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, 118th Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of Saint Mark, was in the UK for a weeklong pastoral visit during which he met the Queen and Prince Charles and was received at Lambeth Palace by Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury. In Hounslow he was accompanied by Bishop Angaelos and a number of bishops from Egypt for the 8am service.
The Pope was warmly greeted by the congregation. The male choir sang joyfully and the ladies in the congregation ululated enthusiastically at key moments in the service. The Pope and other clergy spread the holy oil on the altar in the sanctuary and each icon was anointed with a long roller. Ruth Cadbury, (parliamentary candidate and incumbent) and Charanjit Ajit Singh, Chair of the Interfaith Group made brief speeches of congratulations.
The church has already made a contribution to the local area and weekly provides food for homeless people. It was the one of the venues for the HFOF Walk of Peace and Friendship in 2016. We welcome Father Morkos and the Coptic congregation to the faith community in Hounslow and wish the church every success in their work.