Beni Sweif University, a State university, today granted Pope Tawadros II, patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church, an honorary doctorate degree. The dean of the university, Amin al-Sayed Lutfi, said that the Pope was granted the degree because of his positive role in consolidating social peace.
The Pope received the degree in a celebration held this morning, Tuesday 31 March, at the Cairo premises of the university. On hand to welcome the Pope was Dr Lutfi together with members of the university faculty as well as a number of deans and faculty members of Egyptian universities. The Pope arrived; with him were Bishop of Youth Anba Moussa, Secretary-General of the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church Anba Raphaeil, Bishop of Beni Sweif Anba Stafanos, and Bishop of Hirafiyeen Anba Maximos.
The Secretary-General of Egyptian Universities Ashraf Hatem al-Amin said that Pope Tawadros had achieved a balance in the Egyptian community by spreading love among the people. “His patriotism has inspired us throughout the hard times,” Dr Amin said. “His words about Egypt are unforgettable, among them that ‘Egypt is in the heart of God’ and that ‘we [Copts] can live in a homeland without churches but not in churches without a homeland’.” This last saying was uttered by the Pope when the Muslim Brothers (MB) on 14 August 2013 torched and looted some 100 churches and church-owned establishments throughout Egypt to get back at Egyptians for overthrowing the MB ruling regime in July 2013.
For the occasion, Beni Sweif University published a book under the title Al-Baba Tawadros al-Thani, Ra’id al-Selm al-Igtimaie (Pope Tawadros II, Pioneer of Social Peace). The book includes a register of the Pope’s stances that promote love and social peace, and a rich collection of photographs.
Watani International
31 March 2015