At the inauguration ceremony of a new bishop in the Episcopal Church

Mouneer Hanna hands the new bishop the baton of care… Samy Fawzy pledges to serve and knocks on doors

Dr. Mouneer Hanna, Archbishop of the Episcopal/Anglican Church, presides over the service inaugurating Archbishop Samy Fawzy as a new bishop of the church at All Saints Cathedral in Zamalek, where the inauguration ceremony witnessed the handing of the baton of care and the reading of the service pledge.

During the service, Bishop Mouneer Hanna prayed to his successor, Samy Fawzi, saying:

“Send your Holy Spirit on your servant, Samy, to serve him as a metropolitan and archbishop in your church”.

Mighty Father, grant your servant this grace and strength that you have given to your messengers, to lead those whom you have entrusted to him to proclaim the gospel of salvation. Through him may your Church grow? Renew her ministry and unite her members in a holy communion of truth and love. Help him to be a true Shepherd who nourishes and governs your flock.

Bishop Mouneer Hanna added: Make him wise as a teacher and a guardian of faith and the sacred secrets. Guide him in his oversight of the worship of your people, and “give him meekness that he may use his power to heal, not to harm, to build, not to destroy. Preserve him from all evil, so that he, as ruler of your people, as an ambassador of Christ, may stand before you without blemish, and finally enter with all your servants your perpetual joy.”

We beg you to hear our prayer, O merciful Father

While Bishop Mouneer Hanna presented to Bishop Samy the stick of care that the Archbishop use in the cathedral, saying: Bishop Samy, I invite you to take care of the flock of God’s people, who appointed you as their shepherd, to be an encouragement to everyone who is saved in his faith. Seek out the lost; build up the body of Christ, so that when our great Shepherd comes again, you will be given the crown of glory.

Hanna continued: I hand you this pastoral staff as a sign of the service that we share together by the grace of Jesus Christ. Let the love of God be the inspiration for you, and let the nation be the example before you, and let it be a source of strength in your service as the shepherd of his church in this parish, and the blessing of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit be with you, and last in you from now and forever.

In the same context, the people sit after this prayer and the choir sings the praises of “Glory to God in the Highest”, while the elected Metropolitan goes to where he wears the episcopal robe, and then goes out to knock on the door of the cathedral.

Then the Archdeacon, Emad Basilios (head of the council of priests), and with him, the priests of the cathedral, go to the door to greet the new bishop, where the new bishop knocks on the door three times with a pastoral stick, the doors open and music is played

The head of the Council of Priests welcomes the bishop, who says:

I, Samy Fawzy, and I have been elected to be the Archbishop of the diocese of Egypt, I pledge to preserve, shepherd, and preserve the constitution and laws of the Church, and I pledge to devote myself to the upholding of the word of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And the new bishop adds: I am your bishop, I thank you for your welcome, and I pray that the Lord will help me to be a faithful shepherd and servant among you, and I come now to sit on the cathedral chair, which is a symbol of my position as Archbishop, but I first ask the people’s prayers for me.

Yesterday, the Episcopal/Anglican Church honored Archbishop Mouneer Hanna and his wife after a 21-year service as Archbishop and another 21 years as a doctor and director of the Church’s Menouf Hospital, provided that Archbishop Samy Fawzy, under this announcement, will serve the church as Archbishop of the Province of Alexandria for the coming period.