It was beautiful to attend the Consecration ceremony of Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II. First Bishop Tawadros walked, dressed in black, from the papal residence to the Cathedral, between bishops who were all dressed in liturgical dress.  Gradually he received the dress, staff and papal crown that belong to the function of the Coptic Orthodox pope. Impressive was the moment that the old Syrian Orthodox Patriarch Ignatius Zaki I in a wheelchair came and repeatedly called Axios, a Greek word meaning “he is worthy.”

Picture from the Consecration (taken by Drs. Cornelis Hulsman):