The Enthronement of H.G. Bishop David

HG-Booklet-Front_CoverHis Grace Bishop David will be formally enthroned on his seat on Saturday, December 7, 2013 at the Coptic Orthodox Church of St. Abraam of Long Island, located at 90 Woodbury Road, Woodbury, NY 11797 by the hands of a number of His Grace’s brethren of the Metropolitans and Bishops who will arrive from overseas especially for this ceremony that will begin at 12 noon.

To attend this ceremony, reservations have been made for 1000 persons, including members of the Holy Synod, dignitaries, priests, deacons and congregation. No one would be allowed to attend without invitation. The ceremony will be live broadcasted over the various  Coptic TV channels such as CYC and Logos, as well as over the formal website of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of New York and New England.

Live Coverage of the Enthronement Vespers

December 7, 2013 @ 12:00 PM EDT

Live Coverage of the Enthronement Liturgy

December 8, 2013 @ 8:00 AM EDT

May God keep for us the life and standing of our beloved Pope Tawadros II, H.G. Bishop David, and all of our fathers the metropolitans and bishops. Amen.

His Grace Bishop David

HGBDHis Grace Bishop David was born on August 7, 1967 in Cairo, Egypt.  In 1984, at the age of 17, he emigrated to Toronto, Canada with his family, where he attended York University.  His Grace graduated from York University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology in 1991.

In March 1992, His Grace joined Saint Bishoy Monastery as a novice, and was ordained a monk on January 22, 1995.  His Grace was ordained a priest on October 21, 1995 and served at the Diocese of Birmingham in the United Kingdom from November 1995 until November 1999.  In November 1999, His Grace was ordained as a General Bishop by the Thrice-Blessed Pope Shenouda III of Blessed Memory.  Additionally, His Grace was appointed as the Patriarchal Exarch of the Archdiocese of North America in Cedar Grove, New Jersey and entrusted to oversee the papal residence and non-diocesan Coptic communities throughout North America.  His Grace has since earned two Master’s Degrees, his first in Pastoral Counseling from Fordham University in New York in May 2010, and his most recent in Theological Studies from Holy Cross School of Theology in Boston in May 2013.

His Grace has represented the Coptic Orthodox Church in various conferences, including, most recently, the Assembly of the World Council of Churches in South Korea in October 2013.  His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, with the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church, consecrated His Grace as the first Shepherd and Diocesan Bishop of the newly formed Coptic Orthodox Diocese of New York and New England in formal ceremonies taking place in Cairo, Egypt on November 16-17, 2013.

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H.H. Pope Tawadros Interviewed By Fr. Antonios Baky – December 2013

HHPT2_Interview_dec_2013H.H. Pope Tawadros II interviewed by Fr. Antonios Baky on various topics such as: The organized Church, The Church in America, Visiting Israel, Reviewing his 1st year as Pope.  The video interview was conducted in late November 2013 and published on December 1, 2013.

H.H. Pope Tawadros II Video Interview with Fr. Antonios Baky

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Orthodox Church in Egypt threatens to withdraw from Constitution Committee

The Orthodox Church representative on the so-called Committee of 50 charged with drafting Egypt’s new constitution has threatened to withdraw for the second time in protest at the drafting process. His Grace Bishop Paula said that he was surprised that the words “civil country” were dropped without consultation. “This was unacceptable,” he added, “as was the explanation of the phrase, ‘principles of Sharia’ in Article 219 without getting back to us.” That, said the bishop, was enough to justify the withdrawal of the church’s three representatives.

Bishop Paula had earlier submitted a memorandum demanding the cancellation of any explanation of the Islamic law in the draft Constitution since, he alleged, it classifies Christians as “second class citizens”.

Sources within the Egyptian Coptic Church, meanwhile, have said that Pope Tawadros II has refused demands by independent Christian activists for a 15 per cent representation for their faith in parliament and public offices. A Church Legal Committee member, Counsellor Monsif Najib Suleiman, said during a press conference at the Bar Association that having positive discrimination with a quota for minorities fuels sectarianism, which he described as the easiest way to divide a country.

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