Secretary of the Department for External Church Relations for Inter-Christian Affairs took Ppart in a Theological Conference in Egypt

DECR Communication Service, 10.02.2026.

From February 5 to 7, with the blessing of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II of the Coptic Orthodox Church, an international conference dedicated to the personality and legacy of St Cyril, Archbishop of Alexandria - a theologian and Teacher of the Church who headed the Alexandrian See from 412 to 444 - was held at the Coptic Patriarchate’s academic and educational center “Anafora” in the Nitrian Desert (Egypt).

The Chairman of the organizing committee and moderator of the forum was Metropolitan Thoma of El-Qusiya and Mir, Chairman of the Synodal Commission for Inter-Christian Relations of the Coptic Church and Co-Chairman of the Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches. The conference brought together hierarchs and clergy of the Coptic Church and other Christian denominations, as well as church scholars, historians, and theologians from various countries around the world.

At the invitation of the Coptic side and with the blessing of the Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, the conference was attended by Hieromonk Stefan (Igumnov), Secretary of the DECR for Inter-Christian Relations. He presented a paper entitled “The Significance of the Legacy of St Cyril of Alexandria in the Development of Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches.” In his address, Hieromonk Stefan emphasized, among other things, that the authority of St Cyril and his theological views remain one of the important foundations for the pan-Orthodox–Oriental dialogue, which itself has not lost its relevance. As an example, the DECR representative cited the work of the Working Group for Theological Consultations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Coptic Church.

During the forum’s plenary sessions, various aspects of the rich legacy of St Cyril were discussed, including those related to biblical exegesis, apologetics, dogmatics, and liturgics.

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Secretary of the Department for External Church Relations for Inter-Christian Affairs took Ppart in a Theological Conference in Egypt

Patriarch

Department Chairman

Sermons

Patriarch

Department Chairman

Sermons