# Patriarch Anba Ibrahim Isaac attends Egyptian–Philippine religious leaders program, church says

The Patriarch of Alexandria for the Coptic Catholics said the Egyptian experience is a living testimony to coexistence, the Catholic Church in Egypt said.

![A single palm leaf and a stylized map silhouette of Egypt resting on a wooden table.](https://coptic-news.com/2026/10/patriarch-anba-ibrahim-isaac-attends-egyptian-philippine-religious-leaders/patriarch-anba-ibrahim-isaac-attends-egyptian-philippine-religious-leaders.jpg)

Illustration: Coptic News

By the Church Desk of Coptic News.

- Published: 20 October 2026, 03:13 New York time (2026-10-20T07:13:54+00:00)

The Catholic Church in Egypt said on 8 September 2026 that Patriarch Anba Ibrahim Isaac, Patriarch of Alexandria for the Coptic Catholics and President of the Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Egypt, attended the closing ceremony of the Egyptian–Philippine Religious Leaders Program. He was accompanied by Anba Thomas Adly, Metropolitan of the Giza, Fayoum, and Beni Suef Diocese for the Coptic Catholics, and Hani Barzi, Chairman and CEO of Edita Food Industries Group.

Patriarch Anba Ibrahim Isaac stated that the Egyptian experience and the training program are a living testimony to the uniqueness of the Egyptian experience in coexistence, rather than a passing event. The Patriarch of Alexandria for the Coptic Catholics explained that Egypt is a wide home for humanity and a collective memory of diversity, rather than just a geographical area. He noted that properly understood and respected diversity acts as a bridge for meeting and a source of richness in shared life, not a door to division.

Patriarch Anba Ibrahim Isaac said that Egypt has moved from mere coexistence to a stage of citizenship where citizens live together without discrimination based on religion or social status. Minister of Awqaf Professor Dr. Osama al-Azhari explained that the program is the result of nearly two years of coordination, starting with his first visit to Manila and meeting the Archbishop of the Philippines.

Ambassador Nader Zaki, Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and former Egyptian Ambassador to the Philippines, noted the meeting celebrates 80 years of diplomatic relations between Egypt and the Philippines. Bishop Gilbert Garcera, President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines and Archbishop of Lipa, thanked President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the Ministry of Awqaf, and the Egyptian Churches for the program's organization.

## Sources

1. [غبطة البطريرك الأنبا إبراهيم إسحق يشارك في حفل ختام البرنامج المصري–الفلبيني للقيادات الدينية](<https://catholic-eg.com/%d8%ba%d8%a8%d8%b7%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a8%d8%b7%d8%b1%d9%8a%d8%b1%d9%83-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a3%d9%86%d8%a8%d8%a7-%d8%a5%d8%a8%d8%b1%d8%a7%d9%87%d9%8a%d9%85-%d8%a5%d8%b3%d8%ad%d9%82-%d9%8a%d8%b4%d8%a7-26/>), Catholic Church in Egypt. Published 2026-09-08. Accessed 2026-10-17.

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