Bishop of Egypt visit

Bishop Mouneer Anis

Great St Mary’s is supporting the remarkable work of the Episcopal/Anglican Diocese of Egypt with North Africa and the Horn of Africa within the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East.

The Diocese with a small team reaches out to so many in need, including refugees, over a very wide area, at this challenging time of political instability, and working with other Christian denominations and other Faiths. “To reach the unreached for Christ.”

They run many programmes bringing new life and hope. There is a major programme particularly ministering to those who are deaf from poor families. There are over two million hearing-impaired people in Egypt arising, in part, from poor living conditions and minimal healthcare. Deaf children have limited education opportunities, many young adults are illiterate, and unemployment levels are high. The Diocese run a school for deaf children, a vocational training centre for deaf young adults, a club for deaf children and adults, and two churches with both hearing and deaf congregations. The work is rescuing children from isolation, giving them communication skills and quality vocational training, and all in an atmosphere of kindness, love and friendship: creating hope from despair.

Their refugee programme provides humanitarian assistance, medical care, education, spiritual guidance and encouragement to newly-arrived asylum seekers and refugees in Cairo. They help build self-sufficiency and self-respect in preparation for repatriation, resettlement, or integration into Egyptian society, working with refugees regardless of background or religion.

The Bishop of Egypt, Dr Mouneer Hanna Anis, visited Great St Mary’s on Sunday 3 June, and there was an exhibition of his photographs at Michaelhouse during June.

Forum on the Middle East

Think of demanding places to provide a Christian witness to peace and reconciliation. You would probably include Iraq, Iran, Syria, Palestine and Israel, Egypt, Libya and Somalia. Bishop Mouneer Anis is Presiding Bishop of the province in which all these countries are located. He spoke about the prospects for Christians in these areas at an open forum on Wednesday 6th June at Michaelhouse.