A Letter from the Bishop

While living in Cairo, I attended the Episcopal church of St. John the Baptist, an Anglican church (member of the Diocese of Egypt and North Africa) with both English-speaking and Arabic-speaking congregations.  In 2009, I had the privilege of attending the Diocesan Synod, held in Cairo, as a representative of St. John's.  Today, the congregation of St. John's received a letter from the Bishop of Egypt, Bishop Mouneer H. Anis, about his recent meeting with the new president of Egypt, Mohammed Mursi.  I thought I would share it below.  While meetings between religious figures and government figures are relatively standard procedure in Egypt, I still find it encouraging, and in light of how some Christians - both in Egypt and abroad - are feeling about the situation in Egypt these days, a little encouragement is always a good thing.  

The Episcopal / Anglican Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East
The Episcopal / Anglican Diocese of Egypt
with North Africa and the Horn of Africa
Bishop: The Most Rev. Dr. Mouneer Hanna Anis


Wednesday, 27 June 2012


Dear Friends,


Greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Yesterday I received a phone call from the Presidential Palace asking me to meet with the new President of Egypt, Dr. Mohammed Mursi. The President also invited the heads of other the Christian denominations for the meeting.

We were received with a warm welcome from the President. Each one of us gave congratulations to the President and he assured us that Christians are equal citizens in Egypt and it is his duty to make sure that every citizen receives his or her rights. The President also told us stories from the history of Islam of how Muslim leaders were very keen to ensure the right of citizenship of all Christians in Egypt.


I assured the President of our prayers for him and also asked him to make the topic of “National Unity” a priority. By “National Unity” I mean, of course, equality between Christians and Muslims and applying the rule of law on all citizens. He immediately responded that there were attempts to disrupt this National Unity in the past and create a strained relation between Christians and Muslims. He promised to do his best to ensure the rights of Christians, especially in regard to building churches.


I also asked the President to consider attending one of the meetings of “Beit el Aila” the House of the Family, which is an initiative of the Grand Imam to bring Christian and Muslims leaders together to discuss ways to enhance the religious harmony. He immediately
agreed to host one of these meetings. I shared this news with the Grand Imam who was happy to hear that the President will give a serious attention to “Beit el Aila.”


I came out of the thirty-five minute meeting very encouraged. I must say that this initiative of the President carries in itself the desire to assure Christians that he will be the President of all Egyptians.


We will continue to pray for him and for our beloved country Egypt.


May the Lord bless you!


Yours in Christ,


+ Mouneer Egypt


The Most Rev. Dr. Mouneer Hanna Anis


Bishop of the Episcopal / Anglican Diocese of Egypt
with North Africa and the Horn of Africa
President Bishop of the Episcopal / Anglican
Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East