On Thursday, June 6, 2024, His Grace Bishop Karas, member of the Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches (SCOOCh) and Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Pennsylvania and Its Affiliated Regions, met with His Eminence Archbishop Thaddaeus, Archbishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Archdiocese of the Caribbean and Latin America, via Zoom, continuing the good work that His Eminence Abune Thaddaeus had begun with SCOOCh President, His Grace Bishop David of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of New York & New England, some five years earlier in 2019. The two hierarchs were joined by clergy from both the Coptic and the Ethiopian Churches, including SCOOCh Secretary Archdeacon Gebre Kristos Nicholas Siniari.
It was a cordial and blessed meeting, in which many topics regarding the ministry in Bermuda and throughout the Caribbean Islands were discussed. The two bishops agreed upon the common ministerial goals of the Oriental Orthodox Church and the possibilities for future collaboration in the region.
Five years earlier, His Eminence Archbishop Thaddaeus had received His Grace Bishop David and a delegation of Coptic clergy at Debre Genet Kidus Immanuel Ethiopian Orthodox Cathedral in St. Georges, Bermuda, while both bishops were making pastoral visits to the island. At that time, His Grace Bishop David was overseeing the service of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Bermuda and the Caribbean, a responsibility which has since been transferred to His Grace Bishop Karas by His Holiness Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria.
Under the leadership of His Eminence Archbishop Thaddaeus and His Grace Bishop Karas, the Ethiopian and Coptic Churches have continued to cooperate in a spirit of mutual respect and brotherly love throughout the Islands, with two priests and a number of deacons and faithful recently concelebrating the Divine Liturgy together on the island of Grenada.
The two bishops look forward to meeting together in person in the near future and to celebrating the Divine Liturgy together in the presence of their faithful. In the meantime, they each encourage their respective flocks to work together in a spirit of brotherly love wherever and whenever possible. May God preserve the lives of Our Beloved Fathers His Eminence Archbishop Thaddaeus and His Grace Bishop Karas upon their blessed Thrones for many years in peaceful times for the sake of us their children.