For immediate use
9 November 2012
The Coptic Orthodox Church Centre UK
Media and Public Relations Office
Media and Public Relations Office
His Grace Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of The Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom congratulates the Bishop of Durham, the Rt Revd Justin Welby, on his appointment as the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury.
Upon receiving news that the Bishop of Durham, the Rt Revd Justin Welby has been appointed as the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury, His Grace Bishop Angaelos said:
“Based on the strong fraternal relations between our Churches in the United Kingdom, both as leadership and people, and on my own personal relationship with Lambeth Palace, I look forward to our continued collaborative efforts on matters that unite us and our congregations.
We ourselves have just completed our own process of selecting the 118th Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of Saint Mark, and thus have even more that binds us and our faithful in this significant historic experience that we have shared. I therefore also convey to Bishop Justin the regards and respect of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Metropolitan Pakhomious, Patriarchal Locum Tenens, and the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church, as well as the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom.
At this time I must also pay tribute to a very faithful Church leader and a dear friend in His Grace Archbishop Rowan, thanking him for his tireless efforts for the Church of God and Christian minorities all over the world. I pray that God continues to empower and utilise him for His work and the glory of His name.
We are well aware of the significant challenges that face Bishop Justin as he takes on this new role, but are also prayerfully confident that, led by the Holy Spirit, the Lord will provide him with wisdom and discernment to faithfully serve the Church of England, the world-wide Anglican Communion, and above all, the Church of God.”
**ENDS**
