Pázmány Péter Catholic University was appointed honorary doctor II. Coptic Pope Tavadrosz. Géza Kuminetz, the rector of the university, presented the honorary degree to the leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church on Monday in Budapest.
Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén, who is also responsible for church relations, told journalists after the ceremony: Hungarian-Egyptian relations are excellent, not only from an economic and political point of view, but also from a cultural, intellectual and spiritual point of view.
The proof of this is II. Tavadrosz's visit to Hungary.
The Deputy Prime Minister expressed his thanks and appreciation to Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi for his support of Christians and for the political stability, security and development that we can witness in Egypt.
II. Thanking Tavadrosz for the honorary doctorate, he said that the university recognizes the meritorious activities of the Coptic Church in Egypt and throughout the world.
In his presentation at the ceremony, the head of the Coptic Church emphasized that the Coptic Orthodox Church is committed to science, education and social development. This is what the Coptic Church's schools, hospitals, student dormitories, institutions serving refugees and the homeless serve.
II. Tavadrosz praised the fact that Hungary also places great emphasis on education and science, and thanked the scholarship opportunities provided to Egyptian students.
He also touched on the fact that Christian social development is based on five types of love: love of God as creator, love of nature created by God, love of neighbor, love of country and love of eternity.
The head of the Coptic Church called it the task of Christians to choose love even if they go against the "greedy and selfish world".
He emphasized the importance of standing up for the values of the family and called for common, decisive action against those who insult the human nature created by God.
Géza Kuminetz, the rector of the university, said in his welcome speech that the doctoral inauguration is a distinguished moment in the life of the university, and the honorary doctorate inauguration is a rare, qualified event. By awarding an honorary doctorate, the university not only rewards merit arising from the cultivation of strictly positive sciences, but also "greater wisdom".
II. Tavadrosz studied to be a practitioner of the positive sciences and a pharmacist, but at one point in his life he decided to become a monk in order to acquire the "greater wisdom" and develop its cultivation to an artistic level, added the rector of the university.
The ceremony was attended by András Zs. Varga, President of the Curia, Tristan Azbej, Secretary of State responsible for programs to help persecuted Christians of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Tamás Tóth, Secretary of the Hungarian Catholic Bishops' Conference, Greek Catholic Archbishop-Metropolitan of Hajdúdorog Fülöp Kocsis and Apostolic Nuncio Michael Wallace Banach. .
MTI
