H.Pope Shenouda III presided over the annual meeting of the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church on the Eve of Pentecost, Saturday, 22 May 2010 with eighty-seven members personally present.

The Synod meets in the Church of St. Antony on the second floor of the Papal Residence at Anba Rueis in Abbesaya, Cairo. From the United Kingdom the bishops attending were Metropolitan Seraphim, Bishop Antony and Bishop Angaelos. The meeting lasted from 10 a.m. to 2 pm and discussed the reports of the synodal sub committees for pastoral care, monasticism, the church rites, diocesan affairs and ecumenism. At the conclusion H.H. Pope Shenouda posed for a group photograph with the Synod members before entertaining them to lunch at the Patriarchate.

In the later afternoon Abba Seraphim, accompanied by Shenouda Mandouh and his wife, Mary, visited the Convent of Prince Theodore (Amir Tadros) in Haret-ar-Rum, where they were received by the Abbess, Tamev Adrosios, before returning to Heliopoils to dine with Mr. Mamdouh Abdou and his family.

On Wednesday 19th May 2010, Abba Seraphim, accompanied by Father Peter Farrington, attended the Nikaean Club’s annual ecumenical celebration of Anglican Evening Prayers in the Chapel of Lambeth Palace, the official London residence of the Archbishops of Canterbury followed by a reception hosted by the Archbishop (Dr. Rowan Williams) and his wife. Father Peter attended in his role as the Secretary of the Council of Oriental Orthodox Churches in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

The chapel was crowded with invited guests from a wide variety of Christian backgrounds. Archbishop Gregorios of Thyateira of the Greek Orthodox Archdioicese and Archbishop Mar Athanasios Touma of the Syriac Orthodox Church as well as other Eastern and Oriental Orthodox clergy, were among those present.

Archbishop Rowan Williams gave a short homily during the Evening Prayers, in which he reflected on being surprised by the visitation of God in our lives, and through others.

The reception following was characterised by its warm fraternal spirit with the opportunity to renew old friendships and to forge new ones.

The Nikaean Club was founded inb 1925 under the auspices of Archbishop Davidson to commemorate the centenary of the first Ecumenical Council of Nicaea. It objectives are to “further relations with non-Anglican Christian churches, to assist students from such churches and to offer hospitality on behalf of the Archbishop of Canterbury to representatives of such churches”.

Video about Eritrean Orthodox Christians persecution, supported by In Chains for Christ. Visit us at http://www.inchainsforchrist.org

Abba Seraphim commends this short, but moving film, about our brethren the Christians of Eritrea and asks that we do not forget their suffering. His Holiness Abune Antonios is prayed for as the canonical Eritrean Patriarch in every service of the British and Coptic Church but we must not forget all those others suffering for their faith. Whilst we will uphold the Orthodox Faith to our last breath we cannot countenance the persecution of any one for the sake of their faith and we ask the Lord to comfort all victims of conscience and pray for their speedy release.

Abba Seraphim will join a protest vigil to “Stand in Solidarity with Eritrean Christians” outside the Eritrean Embassy between 3-4 pm on Thursday, 3 June. The vigil has been organised by a number of Christian Human Rights’ organisations: Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Release Eritrea, Church in Chains, Release International and Open Doors. At a similar gathering in May 2008 Abba Seraphim handed in a petition at the Embassy calling for the resoration of His Holiness Abune Antonios, the canonical Patriarch of the Eritrean Orthodox Church and in June 2007 organised an Ecumenical Prayer Service in London for Abune Antonios. The British Orthodox Church also sponsors a website calling for the Patriarch’s restoration: http://www.abuneantonios.com/

The Eritrean Embassy is at 96 White Lion Streert, London, N1 9PF (near the Angel tube).

Despite having to cancel the planned BOC Pilgrimage to Egypt as a result of the BA strike, Abba Seraphim will still attend the annual meeting of the Holy Synod in Cairo. Having re-booked with other airlines he will travel by a tortuous route via Paris (Air France) on the outward journey and Rome (Alitalia) on the return, with journey time being much longer because of the stopovers involved. Abba Seraphim will stay in Cairo just the two nights necessary for him to attend the Holy Synod and the Feast of Pentecost Liturgy at St. Mark’s Cathedral.