HONG KONG (SE): “True worship is not confined to a single church, temple, or synagogue, but is expressed in spirit and in truth, brought together by the Holy Spirit,” said Cardinal Stephen Chow S.J., bishop of Hong Kong, during joint vespers of the Catholic Church and the Coptic Orthodox Church in Hong Kong. The celebration was held on Pentecost Sunday, June 8, at St. Mark and St. Thomas Coptic Orthodox Church, Kwun Tong.
The collaboration came about because this year, Eastern and Western Churches celebrated Easter on the same day—something that happens only once every three to four years because of they follow different calendars—Julian [East] and Gregorian [West].
Father Dawoud Hanna of the Coptic Church, said he gladly accepted the invitation of the Diocesan Ecumenical Commission of the Catholic Church to jointly organise the Easter activity as a sign of Christian unity, and a chance to show our common faith in the salvation of Jesus Christ. “Why not gather together and pray to God to help bring changes to the world. It is our mission,” he said.
Father Hanna highlighted two significant anniversaries on Pentecost Sunday: the anniversary of the New Testament, marking the day the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles and empowered them to preach the gospel everywhere, and the anniversary of the church’s consecration, which took place last June, with Cardinal Stephen attending and giving his blessing by his presence.
He pointed out that the Holy Spirit worked in the early Church, empowering many saints like St. Paul and St. Peter in Rome, and St. Mark in Egypt, and that the same Spirit still fills every believer today through baptism and confirmation.
He emphasised that on Pentecost, Christians should continue the mission of the early Church, as the Holy Spirit always ready to work within us.
“We need to cooperate to deliver the Good News to people. Let us gather, hold meetings, think together, make activities and use every single talent we have for the great mission,” he said.
At the same time, he introduced the faith and the history of the Coptic Orthodox Church which started in Egypt after St. Mark came to Alexandria, Pope Tawadros II of the Coptic Church, the martyrs, and its Holy Bread with five holes symbolising the five wounds on Jesus’ body.
We need to cooperate to deliver the Good News to people. Let us gather, hold meetings, think together, make activities and use every single talent we have for the great mission
Father Dawoud Hanna of the Coptic Church
In his message, Cardinal Stephen said Pentecost as a symbol of the unifying force of the Holy Spirit, which brings believers together. He acknowledged the variety within Christianity and warned against intellectual laziness that claims all religions are the same.
“We are not the same. But there are a lot of similarities. A lot of things that are in common, so we can work together,” Cardinal Stephen said.
The cardinal said he supported Pope Leo XIV’s call for all Christian Churches to celebrate Easter on the same day. He pointed out that, although Christians currently do not share the same communion, which was a tragedy rooted in the past, there is hope that one day they will recognise each other’s communion.
He also reminded those present that the Jubilee Year marked the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea, the first Christian ecumenical council. He noted that many lives were sacrificed to achieve unity and a common understanding of faith, urging Christians to treasure it.
The Pentecost gathering commenced with a vespers service led by the Coptic Church community, as they chanted the prostration prayer, the Psalm, the doxologies for St. Mark and St. Thomas the Apostle and the Orthodox Creed with the accompaniment of a cymbal at times.
True worship is not confined to a single church, temple, or synagogue, but is expressed in spirit and in truth, brought together by the Holy Spirit
Cardinal Stephen
The Ethiopian Coptic community later sang a hymn for God’s blessing, using traditional instruments like the begena and a big drum known as the kebero, each part of the instruments has a symbolic faith meanings. For example, the kebero’s binding is a reminder of the suffering of Jesus.
The gospel reading was proclaimed by vicar general Father Joseph Chan. Rosary prayers and the Catholic Easter hymn, Regina Caeli, were also led by the Catholic Church.
The gathering ended with an exchange of gifts between the two Churches, and a blessing by Cardinal Stephen, Father Hanna and Father Abouna Kirolos Rezk of the Coptic Church.
The 150 people from Catholic, Protestant and Coptic Churches then had dinner kindly prepared by the Coptic Church volunteers and the wife of Father Hanna.
In Hong Kong, the first Coptic Church premises was consecrated in 2006 in Sheung Wan. It moved to a new location in Kwun Tong last year to accommodate its increasing number of believers. At present the church gathers around four times a week with over 100 people attending each time from different nationalities, such as India, America, Egypt, Ethiopia and Eritrea.
The Coptic community maintains connections with the Catholic and Protestant communities and has hosted joint lectures. Different Christian denominations have been invited to join in their yearly pilgrimage to Egypt and meet Pope Tawadros II.
Father Edward Hsueh, a member of the ecumencial commission said he was happy to join the gathering that day held in English and Chinese helping everyone to understand more about the Coptic Church. He said he appreciated its prayer traditions and atmosphere, which reflect ancient Church vigour.
“It has created deep spiritual connections uniting Churches,” Father Hsueh said.
Peter Poon, another member of the Diocesan Ecumencial Commission, said the Coptic community in Hong Kong has provided valuable insights for future cooperation between Eastern and Western Churches by organising joint activities and pilgrimages.
