Governor of the mid-Delta governerate of Gharbiya, Tarek Rahmy, has joined Anba Pola, Bishop of Tanta (the capital city in Gharbiya), in opening the newly renovated historic church of Mar-Girgis (St George) in the village of Berma.
Attending were senior officials and politicians in Gharbiya, and Hossam Abdel-Latif, head of the city of Tanta. From the Coptic Church four bishops attended, later participating with Metropolitan Pola in the consecration Mass. The bishops were Anba Bishoy , Bishop of Aswan; Anba Marcos, Bishop of Dumyat and Kafr al-Sheikh; Anba Ighnatius, Bishop-General of Mehalla al-Kubra; and Anba Anianos, Bishop of Beni Mazar.
Governor Rahmy expressed his happiness at Anba Pola’s invitation for him to participate in opening “this great edifice built not of stone but of history, nobility, and love; of cooperation, ethics, and loyalty.” He thanked and congratulated all who had come from far and wide to be there during the opening, also “the people of Berma for this church which acts as a school for enlightenment.” He concluded by wishing that goodness, love, and stability would endure in Egypt’s New Republic established by President Sisi.
For his part, Anba Pola welcomed his guests, saying: “We welcome you in Berma where time honoured relations of love always bonded Copts and Muslims; where investment always thrived as in the first modern-day poultry farm to be established in Egypt; and which was mentioned several times in the epic work ‘Description de l’Egypt’ written by the French scholars who accompanied Napoleon Bonaparte on his military campaign in Egypt (1798 – 1802).
“Berma is home to the first church consecrated to St George in Egypt.” That was the church that was being reopened that day following renovation.
The event concluded with Anba Pola handing Governor Rahmy and his associates the shield of the church.
The church of Mar-Girgis in Berma was the first church in Egypt which claimed St George as its patron saint. It first opened in 326 at the hands of the 19th Coptic patriarch Pope Alexandros, and was reopened in 1960 by the 116th patriarch St Pope Kyrillos VI. The most recent renovation was at the hands of by Anba Pola, Metropolitan of Tanta, who then conducted the third opening of the church on 27 August 2022.
Watani International
28 August 2022