Nayrouz Coptic New Year Service at St Margaret's, Westminster

Source: Coptic Orthodox Church Centre

Messages for the Coptic Orthodox Church and community, and His Eminence Archbishop Angaelos OBE, Coptic Orthodox Archbishop of London and Papal Legate to the United Kingdom were received from His Majesty King Charles III, The Most Rev and Rt Hon Lord Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, and Keir Starmer MP, Prime Minister, as the 13th anniversary of the annual Nayrouz (Coptic New Year) Service was held in St Margaret's, Westminster Abbey yesterday, 23 October 2025.

The annual service officially marks the beginning of the Coptic New Year, which is celebrated in the Coptic calendar on 11 September. The event serves to celebrate new beginnings and life, while commemorating the saints and martyrs of the Coptic Orthodox Church who, since the first century, made the ultimate sacrifice and remained steadfast in their Faith. The commemoration also allows the Coptic Orthodox community to use its heritage of experience with religious persecution to advocate for people of all faiths and beliefs, through Refcemi, its advocacy and public policy office, and to raise awareness of the plight of so many across the world who suffer violations of religious freedom.

The service began with vespers prayers which included a sermon by Archbishop Angaelos, and was followed by messages and addresses.

In his sermon, Archbishop Angaelos, Founder and Director of Refcemi said: "This year has brought global successes and failures. We have had things to rejoice in and things to lament, and what we know, and the reason we are here, is that individually, as people, as institutions, as faith groups, we can do nothing on our own, and the fact that we are gathered here today in a spirit of peaceful partnership and collaboration is in and of itself a form of action. In the Epistle to the Galatians 5:13, we read, "For you, brethren, have been called to liberty…through love serve one another." What we have learned during the course of this year is that when we serve one another, when we love one another, when we are reconciled with one another, when we sacrifice for one another, that is where we see the true fruits of our fellowship."

His Eminence went on to speak about the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea: "This year we mark the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, when the Church came together because the Faith was challenged. The response to the challenge was not to take up arms or to fight or kill, but to pray, deliberate, decide, and then to provide a formula that we use until today, and that is the Nicene Creed. This was a proclamation of faith that has lasted 1700 years, and despite the small differences between our representations of the Christian family, it is something we all stand side by side on, that we can all recite together, and can all proclaim as a foundation for our Faith. The Creed remains a unifying force and continues to be central to our Faith and worship."

He concluded: "We are gathered here today, not addressing a heresy or formulating a creed, but our gathering today will be spoken of beyond these walls. Our unity, our cooperation, our reconciliation, our working and standing and speaking for one another will continue beyond this night and will continue beyond this place."

The message from His Majesty King Charles III was read by The Rt Re. the Lord Bishop of Southwark, Christopher Chessun, House of Lords, and read: "Now, and in some ways more than ever, our world is in need of ongoing efforts that promote the peaceful coming together of people from all walks of life. I deeply value the continuing service of the Coptic Orthodox community in the United Kingdom, which continues to gather people in a spirit of peace, partnership and solidarity.

This year, as the Christian Church around the world marks the 1700thanniversary of the historic Council of Nicaea, it is especially good to know that your ecumenical service, within the precincts of Westminster Abbey, gathers people in a spirit of hope and prayer.

As you remember the countless members of your community who have, over the years, witnessed to their Christian Faith in the most challenging of circumstances, I wish every blessing to the Coptic Orthodox Church community here in Britain and across the world for this new year."

The message from The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell was read by The Rt Rev Anthony Poggo, Secretary General of the Anglican Communion: "This Feast, marking the Coptic New Year and the memory of the martyrs, reminds us that the Church is ever renewed through witness - through faith, hope, and love that endure in the face of suffering. Your ancient tradition continues to bear powerful testimony to the life-giving presence of Christ, the true light that shines both in Egypt and throughout the world."

"Only a day later, from 24 to 28 October, theologians and Church leaders will gather near Alexandria to commemorate the Council of Nicaea (325). The Coptic Orthodox Church traces its roots directly to the ancient Church of Alexandria, and the Patriarch of Alexandria, St Athanasius the Great, was a chief theological architect of the Nicene definition of faith and a steadfast defender of Christian Orthodoxy. We therefore join with you in spirit as you give thanks for the past and trust in God's providence for the year ahead. May this service be a celebration and a foretaste of that new day and the new creation in Christ - the One who makes all things new (Rev 21:5)."

Keir Starmer included the following in his message, which was read by The Lord Rook OBE: "Amid the joy and new beginnings, I am deeply conscious that you will have in your minds and prayers those who continue to experience suffering and persecution on account of their faith. People of all faiths and none should be free to peacefully express their religion or beliefs and live without fear of harassment or oppression."

Acknowledging the role of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom, The Prime Minister said: "Thank you for the contribution you make to communities across the UK."

Lord Rook OBE, Member of the House of Lords, said in his address: "As one of the oldest and most steadfast branches of the Christian family, your witness has shone bright through all the ages and lightens our lives today. From the preaching of St Mark in Alexandria, through the wisdom of the Desert Fathers and mothers, to the long story of endurance and renewal, you have given a testimony of Faith under pressure. A Faith that endures not through status, but through service. A Faith that is conquered not through conquest, but through hope, patience and love. At a time when Christianity is too easily co-opted by some, seeking to divide and conquer, disrupt and rule, you have stood firm, refusing to compromise and ready to pay the price. Nayrouz, the feature of the Feast of the Martyrs, reminds us all that real renewal does not come from political manifestos or successful election campaigns. It springs from sacrifice and service.

He concluded: "I will never forget the first time when an African church leader told me that the blood of the martyrs had fertilised the seed of his church. Sadly, but ultimately victoriously and joyfully, the Coptic Orthodox Church can provide almost 2 millennia of testimonies to this timeless truth. Here in Britain, the Coptic Orthodox community is a blessing to us all. Your parishes are places of hospitality and prayer. Your youth work and charitable services strengthen local communities. Your witness enriches the tapestry of British Christianity. In a society that too easily forgets its spiritual roots, the Coptic Church reminds us of what it means to follow Christ and your presence calls us to be a more Christian country. This is nowhere more evident than in your commitment to promote and protect the rights of all human beings to practice religion or belief."

Bishop Philip Mounstephen, Lord Bishop of Winchester, House of Lords, said in his address: "The Coptic Orthodox Church represents, by some very considerable margin, the largest Christian presence in the Middle East, and an honoured part of Egyptian society. Egypt represents therefore a healthy plurality which is surely essential if that region is to have any lasting peace. As tonight witnesses, the Coptic Orthodox Church is here, in England, in the United Kingdom. Its presence here, quite literally, brings both the reality of persecution and of that vibrant Faith home to the rest of us."

Bishop Philip concluded by speaking about the Council of Nicaea: "In this year in which we remember that critical landmark moment in the Church's history, the Council of Nicaea, we rejoice in our common Faith in Jesus Christ: of one being with the Father. A Faith that binds us together and reminds us that when one part of the body suffers, the whole body suffers, and when one part rejoices, the whole body rejoices, and that belonging together, united by our common Faith in Jesus, reminds me of something else. In polarised times, when migration has become such an issue, I want to say unequivocally that I thank God from the bottom of my heart for the presence in this country of brothers and sisters and other friends who trace their history and heritage from elsewhere in the world. How much poorer the Church in this country would be without that astonishing gift of God, in which I rejoice."

His Excellency Ambassador Ashraf Swelam, Ambassador of the United Arab Republic of Egypt to the Court of Saint James, said in his address: "His Eminence and other speakers talked about Nayrouz being the celebration of martyrdom, the sacrifices for the right causes, obviously, and this is something that this Church and our country has done over and over again. In the face of hardship, we have always chosen hope. In the face of division, we have always chosen unity. In the face of pain, we have always chosen the difficult but powerful path of forgiveness.

These choices demand immense strength, vision, humility, and a deep belief in the dignity of every human being. Nayrouz is not only an opportunity to look back, as his Eminence said, it's also a moment of looking forward with hope. Just as the martyrs stood firm in their trials, we are encouraged to face our own struggles, with courage and faith in God. It's a call to renewal, repentance, and spiritual growth at the start of a new year."

His Excellency Iván Romero-Martínez, Ambassador of Honduras to the Court of Saint James, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, said in his address: "It is an honour to join you on this special occasion to mark the Coptic Feast of Nayrouz, a celebration that carries a message of renewal, faith and hope. Tonight, we also honour the resilience of a community whose history is deeply marked by fortitude in the face of persecution, and whose testimony continues to inspire the world.... "This is why gatherings like this one are so meaningful. They remind us that diversity is a strength, a bridge that brings us closer to one another. The Coptic Orthodox Church, with its profound heritage and unwavering Faith, stands as a beacon of courage and perseverance.

"Yet, around the world, millions of people still face persecution, discrimination, and violence simply because of their beliefs. It is our shared responsibility --- governments, civil society, and faith communities, to defend this fundamental right. When we stand together, we affirm that intolerance has no place in our societies."

Bishop Mike Royal, General Secretary of Churches Together in England said in his address: "This gathering has particular ecumenical significance at a time when we are celebrating 1700 years since the Council of Nicaea and the subsequent Nicene Creed. It was a great joy to witness His Eminence Archbishop Angaelos together with Archbishop Bernard Longley, from the Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham, and Archbishop Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, in dialogue about the Nicene Creed on BBC Songs of Praise this week.

'I want to take this opportunity to thank Archbishop Angaelos for the significant ecumenical contribution he and the wider Coptic Orthodox Church family makes to the churches within Churches Together in England. We are inspired by the ongoing affirmation of Orthodox Christology that your Church brings to our Nation.

'The centrality of the Nicene Creed recited in Coptic Orthodox Churches each week is a reminder that as we are faithful to God, God in his mercy and grace is also faithful to us His people.

'It was St Athanasius of Alexandra who at Nicaea defended the truth about Jesus Christ, who helped preserve the integrity of the Christian Faith we hold so dear today. The Faith we are called to deliver to the saints."

As is custom, reflecting the tapestry of cultural heritage in the United Kingdom, attendees to this year's Nayrouz service included Members of the House of Lords and House of Commons, the Diplomatic Corps, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the Home Office, humanitarian and advocacy organisations, ecumenical and interreligious guests, as well as members of the Coptic Orthodox community and clergy in the United Kingdom.

His Eminence Archbishop Angaelos concluded the service by thanking his team and volunteers for their efforts. He also delivered a call to action which echoed his final statement in his sermon:

"I close with a verse from the Book of Micah 6:8 that many of you will be familiar with: "And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." We must work towards justice, and towards mercy in a spirit of humility. So today, and until we meet again, let us continue to commit ourselves to this new beginning, friendship, partnership, blessing. A partnership that focuses on justice, that fights for mercy, and that exemplifies humility as we walk together with and for one another."

LINK

Coptic Orthodox Church Centre - www.copticcentre.com/