Guildford: Ecumenical prayers for the Middle East

Bishop Angaelos

The Anglican-Oriental Orthodox International Communion will join the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom in praying for Egypt, Syria and the wider Middle East during a special service in Guildford on Saturday 5 October 2013 at 7pm.

After a long postponement, the International Anglican-Oriental Commission is meeting 3-6 October to discuss matters of Christology and the Holy Spirit. On Saturday, the Commission will meet with the local Coptic Orthodox community in the United Kingdom to pray for Egypt, Syria and the wider Middle East during an Orthodox Vespers service held at a Coptic parish in Guildford.

His Grace Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of The Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom, serving as Co-Secretary of the commission this year said: “It is reassuring to see this consultation reconvene only months after the visit of His Grace Archbishop Justin to His Holiness Pope Tawadros in Egypt in June of this year. With the aim to continue our good relations and establish greater unity between our Churches while still tackling difficult and challenging issues, this is an opportunity to re-establish a valuable platform for common understanding, leading to a greater witness of solidarity, not only for members of our own Churches but for the wider Christian Church and the whole world. Above all, we also come together to pray for so many in the Middle East who are in need of that prayerful solidarity at this painful time."

Senior Commission member, Archbishop Michael Jackson of Dublin said: "The opportunity graciously offered for us to pray together in this act of worship enables us to express our common desire to stand in solidarity under God with those whose witness inspires and humbles us in our own contexts. This prayer and this love will continue as part of the shared life of our families of churches."

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend and Right Honourable Justin Welby is due to meet with members of the consultation on Sunday 6 October 2013, and said: "I am delighted that Anglican and Orthodox Christians will worship together and remember in prayer the very difficult, indeed life-threatening circumstances in which some of the Churches are living.”

Saturday's service takes place at 7pm in St Augustine Coptic Orthodox Church,
Station Approach, Gomshall, Surrey, GU5 9NU