For ten days, from August 29 to September 7, 2026, a delegation of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines participated in the Egyptian–Filipino Program for Religious Leaders on Dialogue, Coexistence, and Peacebuilding, organized and hosted by Egypt’s Ministry of Religious Endowments.
The
delegation was headed by Most Rev. Gilbert A. Garcera, Archbishop of Lipa and
President of the CBCP. Joining him were Most Rev. Ricardo L. Baccay, Archbishop
of Tuguegarao and Chairman of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Public Affairs;
Most Rev. Ronald Anthony P. Timoner, Bishop of Pagadian and Chairman of the
CBCP Episcopal Commission on Culture; Most Rev.
Leo M. Dalmao, CMF, Bishop-Prelate of Isabela de Basilan; and Most Rev. Antonio
J. Ledesma, SJ, Archbishop Emeritus of Cagayan de Oro.
The
priest-members of the delegation were Msgr. Bernardo R. Pantin, CBCP Secretary
General; Fr. Bryand Restituto, Assistant Secretary General of the CBCP; Fr.
Romeo Saniel, OMI, Executive Secretary of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on
Interreligious Dialogue; Fr. Miguel Samaniego, CBCP Human Resources Director;
and Fr. Jerome Secillano, Executive Secretary of the CBCP Episcopal Commission
on Public Affairs.
Together,
the five bishops and five priests took part in lectures, interreligious
encounters, meetings with Muslim and Christian leaders, visits to important
religious and historical sites, and discussions on how the Egyptian experience
of peaceful coexistence might offer insights for Christian-Muslim relations in
the Philippines.
August 29 — Arrival in Cairo
We
arrived in Cairo and were warmly received at the airport by representatives of
the Ministry of Endowments. Among those who accompanied us throughout the
program were Dr. Mohamed Magdy, who was in charge of the training program; our
translators Abdurrahman and Ahmed Khaled; and our guides Mohamed Tarek, whom
we came to know as Teka, and Ahmad Salah. We were brought to the luxurious
Al Masah Hotel in Nasr City, Cairo, a sprawling resort set on 22 hectares of beautifully landscaped
grounds filled with lush gardens and trees. With five restaurants, outdoor
lounges, and various facilities spread across the vast property, getting from
one place to another often meant taking a golf cart. This impressive resort
became our home for the duration of our stay in Cairo. Our first Egyptian meal
already introduced us to the country's generous hospitality: an abundance of
salads, hummus, bread, beef and chicken kebabs, and desserts at the El-Khedwy Restaurant.
The Al Masah Hotel
Breakfast lounge at the Al Masah Hotel
Since our conference room was just near the breakfast lounge, there were times that we took our lunch at this restaurant.
View of the hotel from the gardens
August 30 — Encounter with the
Coptic Catholic Church
Our first
full day brought us into contact with Egypt's ancient Christian community. We
visited the Home for Elderly Priests of the Coptic Catholic Church, located
beside the seminary, where we celebrated Mass according to the Coptic Catholic
rite with Bishop Toma Adly Zaki of Giza. Bishop Markos William of the Eparchy of Al-Qusiya was also
present.
After
Mass, His Beatitude Patriarch Ibrahim Isaac Sidrak, Coptic Catholic Patriarch
of Alexandria, joined us and presented each member of the delegation with an
icon. We then shared lunch prepared by the Sisters.
It was an
appropriate beginning to our encounter with Egypt: before studying coexistence
in lecture halls, we experienced the hospitality of the local Catholic Church.
August 31 — Opening at the Misr
Grand Mosque
The
formal program opened at the magnificent Misr Grand Mosque in Egypt's
New Administrative Capital. Dr. Osama Al-Azhary, Minister of Religious
Endowments, welcomed the delegation together with the Philippine Ambassador and
senior Egyptian government and religious officials.
Dr.
Al-Azhary explained that the program was the fruit of almost two years of
preparation following his visits to Manila. Its purpose was not simply
academic: it sought to correct stereotypes, deepen mutual knowledge, provide
spaces for dialogue, exchange experiences, and promote peace and social
stability in both countries.
One of
the day's speakers, an Egyptian Coptic Orthodox writer, shared her experience
during the difficult period surrounding the Arab Spring. Her encounter with the
Grand Imam of Al-Azhar strengthened her conviction that Egyptians should be
regarded first as citizens of one country rather than classified according
to religion.
Egypt's Islamic Cultural Center
in the New Administrative Capital embraces Masjid Misr or the Grand Mosque. The
mosque is the largest in Egypt and the world’s third largest, in terms of size,
after that of Mecca and Medina.
The first speaker was a Coptic Catholic writer Dr. Mariem Tawfik.
A picture with Dr. Mariem Tawfik at the closing ceremonies of the seminar.
A formal picture with our interpreters Ahmed Khaled (left) and Shayk Abdurrahman (right) and the General Manager of Trainings Dr. Muhammad Majdi (6th from right).
The mosque is built on a plateau, covering an area of 476-thousand square meters. It can accommodate up to 137-thousand worshippers and has a main corridor on a 2050 square meter area.
It encompasses the following:
Two minarets, each with a height of 148 meters. This is in addition to the dome, with a height of 30 meters and a weight of 500 tons. It is one of the 10 largest domes in the world.
The mosque has 3 entrances. Each entrance has 3 doors, each one is 6 meters high. The doors are handmade from wood with copper fillings.
At the back on the right is considered one of the largest wooden pulpits in the world. It was handcrafted from the finest types of wood with a strong, natural, aromatic scent. It consists of 40 steps and stands at a height of 15.5 meters.
September 1 — Citizenship Before Religious Difference
Our first
lecturer was Prof. Dr. Muhammad al-Duwaini, who spoke on citizenship in Islam.
His principal point was particularly relevant to our entire encounter: Egypt is
a civil state, and citizenship does not depend upon whether one is Muslim or
Christian. All citizens possess rights and responsibilities.
He
discussed equality of rights and duties, equal opportunities in education and
employment, social justice, moderation, and peaceful coexistence. He also
referred to the Constitution of Medina as an early example of a political
community in which people of different backgrounds could live together.
In the afternoon, we visited a Coptic Catholic
Church of the Virgin Mary in New Cairo. We learned that the government had
donated the valuable land on which the church stood, while the Christian
community raised the funds for its construction over several years.
September 2 — One Homeland, One
People
The first
speaker was H.E. Nabila Makram, former Egyptian Minister of State for
Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates’ Affairs. She spoke from her experience in
government and diplomacy about citizenship and the place of Christians in
Egyptian society.
She was
followed by Bishop Emmanuel Ayad Bishay, Coptic Catholic Bishop of
Luxor, whose ecclesiastical jurisdiction includes Luxor, Qena, Aswan and the
Red Sea area.
The
recurring thought that morning could be expressed simply: Egyptians may differ
in religion, but they share one land, one history, one language, common joys
and sorrows, common challenges and one future. Coexistence therefore does
not require everyone to become alike. It means preserving one's religious
identity while recognizing the common humanity and citizenship of the other.
Dinner at the Morgana Restaurant.
September 3 — Meeting the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar
The
morning included a presentation by businessman Hany Barazi on the impact
of peaceful coexistence on society and the economy and the contribution of the
Catholic Church and business leaders to economic development.
One of
the most significant moments of our entire visit followed: our audience with His
Eminence Prof. Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar.
The Grand
Imam spoke about his long friendship and dialogue with the late Pope Francis,
which culminated in the signing in Abu Dhabi in 2019 of the Document on
Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together. He repeatedly
stressed that the prophets are brothers and that authentic religion calls
people toward mercy, peace, justice and respect for human dignity—not violence
and hatred.
He also
spoke about the Egyptian Family House, a permanent structure for
Muslim-Christian cooperation. It is jointly led by the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar
and the Coptic Orthodox Pope and includes the participation of Egypt's other
Christian Churches. Its work seeks to preserve the national social fabric,
prevent sectarian conflict, promote citizenship and mutual respect, educate the
young for peace, and intervene when communal tensions arise.
Afterwards,
we toured the historic Al-Azhar Mosque, founded in the tenth century.
Later, Dr. Manal Awad Mikhail, Minister of Local Development and Environment,
addressed us. As a woman and a Coptic Christian occupying a major government
position, she presented her own experience as an example of advancement through
competence rather than religious affiliation.
With the businessman Hany Barazi. He started with textiles as his father was into that business. Then he branched to food business. He is a Coptic Catholic. His family is the donor of the chapel at the Cairo Nunciature.
A formal picture with the Grand Imam.
Al Azhar Mosque in the old part of Cairo
Paid courtesy visit to the Imam in-charge of the Al Azhar.
September 4 — Encountering
Ancient Egypt
Our
program also allowed us to encounter the extraordinary civilization that forms
the historical background of modern Egypt. We visited the Grand Egyptian
Museum, where we saw, among many other treasures, the artifacts associated
with Tutankhamun.
The visit
reminded us that the Egypt we were encountering is a civilization extending
across millennia—Pharaonic, Jewish, Christian and Islamic—whose different
historical layers continue to shape its identity.
Then in the afternoon, the Minister of Endowments treated us to a dinner along the Nile River. A cruise ship was exclusively rented for the use of our group for the two-hour dinner. When we disembarked after the dinner there was already a long line of tourists waiting to board the cruise ship for the next trip.
The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) 
The Grand Egyptian Museum, standing close to the Pyramids of Giza, is a magnificent modern home for the treasures of ancient Egypt. Housing more than 100,000 artifacts, it takes visitors through thousands of years of Egyptian civilization. We were welcomed by the colossal statue of Ramses II in the great atrium before making our way through galleries filled with statues, sarcophagi, royal objects, and other remarkable witnesses to Egypt’s ancient past.
September 5 — History, the
Egyptian Family House and the Holy Family
Our first
lecturer was Dr. Emad Helal, Professor of History at Suez Canal University.
His historical perspective helped situate the contemporary Egyptian experience
of coexistence within the much longer history of the country.
He was
followed by Dr. Hasan Khalil, Assistant Secretary-General of the Islamic
Research Academy, who spoke specifically about the Egyptian Family House.
What interested us particularly was that this is not merely an occasional
interreligious gathering or seminar. It is an institutional structure,
supported by the state, devoted to strengthening Muslim-Christian relations and
preserving national unity.
In the
afternoon, our attention shifted from dialogue to pilgrimage as we visited two
of the most important Christian sites in Old Cairo.
We first
visited the Hanging Church, one of Egypt's celebrated ancient churches.
We then proceeded to the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus, also
known as Abu Serga or the Cavern Church. Beneath the church is the crypt
traditionally associated with the Holy Family's stay in Egypt. According
to the tradition presented to us, Mary, Joseph and the Child Jesus stayed there
for about three months. In the crypt, beneath protective glass, we could see
part of the ancient floor associated with the site.
For
Christians, the visit had a significance beyond history and archaeology. Egypt
was the land that received Jesus, Mary and Joseph when they sought refuge. The
country we had spent these days learning from about hospitality and coexistence
was also, according to the Gospel, a land of refuge for the Holy Family.
We ended
the day with dinner at Morgana Restaurant.
Dr. Emad Helal, Professor of History at Suez Canal University.
September 6 — Closing, Eucharist
and Farewell
This
morning we returned to the Misr Grand Mosque for the formal closing
ceremonies. Senior Egyptian government officials, representatives of Al-Azhar,
Christian leaders and diplomats joined the Filipino delegation. Also present
were around 80 Filipino scholars studying at Al-Azhar, part of an
estimated 300 Filipino students presently studying there.
The
addresses approached coexistence from different perspectives but converged on a
common message. Dialogue must move beyond speeches to genuine encounter.
Diversity should be a source of strength rather than conflict. Citizenship
should transcend religious differences. Religious leaders have a responsibility
to confront extremism, hatred, racism and discrimination.
Former
Egyptian Ambassador to the Philippines Nader Zaki situated the
initiative within 80 years of Egyptian–Philippine diplomatic relations. Dr.
Al-Azhary, meanwhile, recalled how the program had grown out of the exchanges
begun during his visits to Manila and linked what Egypt and the Philippines
were doing to the path of human fraternity pursued by Pope Francis and the
Grand Imam.
CBCP
President Archbishop Garcera, speaking for our delegation, expressed
gratitude to the Egyptian government and especially the Ministry of Endowments.
He reflected on how the experience had opened possibilities for strengthening
peaceful coexistence between Christians and Muslims in the Philippines. Of
particular interest was the possibility that something inspired by the Egyptian
Family House might eventually be developed in the Philippine context.
After the
closing ceremony, on our way back to the hotel, we passed by Coptic Orthodox Cathedral
of the Nativity of Christ in Egypt's New Administrative Capital. Inaugurated in
2019 by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in the presence of Pope Tawadros II, the
cathedral is one of the largest Christian churches in the Middle East. Its
immense dome, soaring bell towers and beautiful Coptic icons immediately give
one a sense of the long and vibrant Christian presence in Egypt.
Near the
Cathedral was the great Al-Fattah
Al-Aleem Mosque. Both were inaugurated on the same day as symbols of the unity
of the Egyptian people. After several days of discussions on Christian-Muslim
coexistence, seeing these two great houses of worship standing in Egypt's new
capital gave concrete expression to what we had been hearing: that Christians
and Muslims, while professing different faiths, can live together as brothers
and sisters and as citizens of the same nation.
In the
afternoon, for our Sunday mass, we went to the St. Joseph Church in Zamalek, a
Latin Catholic parish entrusted to the Comboni Missionaries. Tucked away in
this busy part of Cairo, the church serves a wonderfully international
community, with Masses celebrated in several languages.
For us
Filipinos, however, the visit had a special warmth. Here we met members of the
Filipino Catholic community who regularly gather for the celebration of the
Eucharist. Far from home, it was moving to find our kababayans keeping their
faith alive and finding in the Church a spiritual home and a community of
friendship and support. We celebrated Mass with them, making this little corner
of Cairo feel, for a moment, very much like home.
Dinner
was prepared for us after Mass, but we could not stay long. We had to return
immediately to the Almasah Hotel because Dr. Osama Al-Azhary himself was
coming to bid us farewell.
It was a
fitting final gesture. The Egyptian Minister who had helped initiate the
encounter in Manila nearly two years earlier came personally to say goodbye as
the program reached its conclusion.
The St. Joseph Church in Zemalek where Filipinos would gather to celebrate mass.
More Than a Seminar
Looking
back over these ten days, what we experienced in Egypt cannot adequately be
described simply as a seminar on Islam or interreligious dialogue. We listened
to scholars, government officials, Muslim leaders and Christian bishops. We
entered mosques and churches. We met the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar. We encountered
Coptic Christians and Egyptian Muslims. We visited monuments of ancient Egypt
and stood in the crypt traditionally associated with the refuge of the Holy
Family.
Perhaps
the most important lesson was something much simpler: coexistence begins
with encounter.
We came
to Egypt to learn how Muslims and Christians might live together despite their
differences. We leave having learned that genuine coexistence does not demand
the removal of those differences. It asks us instead to know one another,
respect one another's faith and dignity, build friendships, and discover what
we can accomplish together.
For us
Filipinos, the question now is how to bring that experience home—especially to
those parts of our country where Christians and Muslims have lived beside one
another for generations.
Egypt
once provided a place of refuge for the Holy Family. During these ten days, it
also provided us with a place of encounter, dialogue and friendship—and perhaps
some ideas for building an even stronger culture of Christian-Muslim fraternity
in the Philippines.
With our guides, Ahmed Salah (above) and Teka (below)
