Archbishop Dr. Sami Fawzy, Archbishop of the Province of Alexandria of the Episcopal/Anglican Church, presided over the Divine Liturgy at All Saints Episcopal Church in the Stanley district of Alexandria. During the service, he conducted the Confirmation Rite for a number of new members, with the participation of Rev. Serag Nabil, the church’s pastor.
In his sermon, the Archbishop said:
“The Holy Bible teaches us that God often accomplishes His greatest works through people who are unknown to the world and whose names are scarcely recorded in history. Simeon the Elder stands as a living witness to this truth. The Gospel mentions very little about him, and no details of his life or biography were recorded. It is as though the Holy Spirit intends to direct our attention to the fact that a person’s value is not measured by what is written about them, but by their standing before God.
He continued:
“The name Simeon means ‘one who listens’ or ‘one who obeys.’ He symbolizes faithful believers who patiently awaited the fulfillment of God’s promises and the coming of the Lord’s Messiah. The Holy Spirit had given him a clear promise that he would not see death before seeing the Messiah. He therefore lived his entire life anticipating that encounter. In the fullness of time, as he went to the Temple in his daily routine, the Holy Spirit led him to that decisive moment. There he saw the child Jesus and recognized in Him God’s salvation. Then he uttered his timeless song of praise: ‘Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation.’
He concluded:
“Simeon was righteous, devout, and filled with the Holy Spirit. Righteousness reflects integrity in one’s conduct before others, while devotion expresses a reverent and worshipful heart before God. A true believer combines both. Added to this were his patience, living faith, and thankful spirit, which recognized meeting Christ as the greatest gift. Because of these qualities, God chose him to bear witness to the coming of the Savior and to proclaim that Christ is a light to the nations and salvation for all peoples. Today, if we desire a genuine encounter with Christ, we are called to walk in the path of righteousness, devotion, patience, faith, and fullness of the Holy Spirit, so that our lives may become a continual song of praise proclaiming the Lord’s salvation to the world.”
It is worth noting that the Confirmation Rite serves as a public declaration of an individual’s membership in the Episcopal Church. During the service, the new member pledges before the bishop, pastor, and congregation to remain steadfast in the faith, deepen their study of God’s Word, maintain a regular life of prayer, and actively participate in the life and ministry of the Church.