Today, Archbishop Dr. Samy Fawzy, Archbishop of the Province of Alexandria of the Anglican Episcopal Church, inaugurated the 2025 Synod of the Diocese of Egypt, under the diocesan theme: “A Living Church for a Better Society.” The event took place at All Saints’ Cathedral in Zamalek, in the presence of Bishop Anthony Poggo, Secretary General of the Anglican Communion.
At the outset, the Archbishop led the Holy Eucharist before the first session, stating: “The Church of Antioch was established as a living sign of a church filled with the Holy Spirit. Today, we gather to reflect on the characteristics of that church so that we may emulate it and fulfill our mission as ‘A Living Church for a Better Society.’ The Church of Antioch was a church that offered love and brought people together. Therefore, we must ask ourselves: Does our church today offer love to the stranger and the poor? Are we a church rooted in teaching? Because no spiritual work can endure without teaching. A living church is not only a missional one, but also a teaching one—where teaching is a pastoral necessity.”
The Archbishop added: “As for identity, the Church of Antioch emerged in a pagan environment, in a society that did not know Christ. Yet a group of people lived like Christ, and the only name people could call them was ‘Christians.’ They weren’t called devout or believers, and they probably didn’t choose that name for themselves, but people saw in them the image of the living Christ. This is the true church: a living, witnessing, calm church that responds to needs, offers fulfilling nourishment, and prepares faithful ministers for continuous service.”
The Archbishop also reviewed reports from the past year from the church’s community institutions and various sectors, spoke about developments in ecumenical relations, interfaith dialogue activities, and the Province’s participation in numerous international conferences. He then discussed the local churches, their services, and key highlights from the past year.
During the Synod meetings, Canon Rev. Medhat Sabry was elected to serve as Synod Secretary, in recognition of his extensive experience and ongoing dedication to the church’s ministry.