Coptic Orthodox Patriarch Tawadros II visited the Church of the Virgin Mary in the Shubra district of Cairo, where he delivered his weekly sermon and inaugurated several new community facilities, the Coptic Church’s official website reported. The service and sermon were broadcast live on Christian television channels and through the Church’s media center online platforms.

Before meeting with parishioners, Patriarch Tawadros formally opened the new St. Wanas Children’s House, located adjacent to the church, as well as a newly built church theater, Al-Karoz. He toured the facilities, spoke with staff and children, and held a meeting with clergy from the parishes of South Shubra.

Following the tour of the church complex, the Patriarch presided over an evening service together with several bishops and priests. During the gathering, he honored parishioners who had recently earned academic degrees or sports distinctions, praising the vibrant parish life and the strong spirit of service demonstrated by the local community.

In his address after the liturgy, Patriarch Tawadros spoke about the various ways in which, according to Church teaching, God responds to human prayer—from immediate answers to delayed ones, from denial of unsuitable requests to joyful fulfillment. He emphasized that divine delay should never be seen as neglect, but rather as a means of spiritual strengthening.

The Church of the Virgin Mary in Masarra, where the event took place, is the oldest Coptic church in Shubra. Built between 1923 and 1925 during the patriarchate of Cyril V, it has long served as one of the key centers of the Orthodox community in Cairo.