# Coptic Orthodox Church reports Pope Tawadros II attends Saint Mark's Coptic Academy anniversary The celebration in Wadi El Natrun included 183 graduates and discussions on the role of education in the era of AI, the church said. ![A stone academy building with a small cross on its dome, surrounded by desert sands and palm trees in Wadi El Natrun.](https://coptic-news.com/2026/11/coptic-orthodox-church-reports-pope-tawadros-ii-attends-saint-mark-s-coptic/coptic-orthodox-church-reports-pope-tawadros-ii-attends-saint-mark-s-coptic.jpg) Illustration: Coptic News By the Church Desk of Coptic News. - Published: 8 November 2026, 04:48 New York time (2026-11-08T09:48:57+00:00) The Coptic Orthodox Church said on 7 November 2026 that Pope Tawadros II attended the first anniversary celebration of the opening of Saint Mark's Coptic Academy. The event was held at the Logos Center in Saint Anba Bishoy Monastery in Wadi El Natrun under the theme “Light for Knowledge.” During the celebration, 183 graduates were honored, including top students from 37 theological colleges and institutes and 35 priests from the Alexandria Theological College's Master's program, the church said. The Saint Ephrem the Syrian Choir from the Virgin Mary Church in the Al-Qasirayn district of Cairo performed hymns and praises. Pope Tawadros II said the Church has always been concerned with education, noting that Saint Mark founded the School of Alexandria and wrote his Gospel for education. The Pope remarked that the Church's role in upgrading education remains vital in the era of AI and information flow, stating that the Church must be proactive in providing knowledge and faith. Archpriest Andrawos Matta, Vice Dean of the Alexandria Theological College, spoke about the college's vision for developing church education and its efforts to gain accreditation from the National Authority for Quality Assurance and Accreditation of Education, the church said. The Monk Rev. Gregorius Ava Mina, General Secretary of the Supreme Council of Theological Colleges and Church Institutes, spoke about transitioning from rote learning to metacognition to foster critical thinking and lifelong learning in theological education. He noted that the Governance and Quality Unit at Saint Mark's Coptic Academy has developed a strategy for its educational work system in a short period, the church said. ## Sources 1. [“نورًا للمعرفة”.. قداسة البابا تواضروس الثاني يشهد احتفالية أكاديمية مارمرقس القبطية بالعيد الأول لافتتاحها](), Coptic Orthodox Church. Published 2026-11-07. Accessed 2026-11-07. --- - Licence: [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) - Canonical URL: https://coptic-news.com/2026/11/coptic-orthodox-church-reports-pope-tawadros-ii-attends-saint-mark-s-coptic/