It will be presented by Pedro Martínez-Avial, the General Director of Casa Árabe.

At this conference, we will be analyzing the history of the Coptic Church in Egypt, from the origins of Christian churches to the Christian community’s situation after centuries in the country, not without its difficulties. We will discuss the tale told by religious texts on different episodes, such as the Holy Family’s fleeing to Egypt, thereby fulfilling the prophecies in the Old Testament, the journey to escape from King Herod the Great’s soldiers, the cities they visited and the welcome received at the different sites where they traveled. The Coptic iconography that can be seen in many churches, as well as many art works that have achieved worldwide renown, illustrate many of these episodes. In the second part of the conference, there will be a brief review of the problems encountered by the Coptic Christian community in modern-day Egypt, including various episodes of violence from the nineteenth century up to today.

From his position at the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center and through other positions he held at other organizations beforehand, Bishop Ermia has worked on several programs for international cooperation and to promote education and social development. From 2013 to the present, he has been a member of the Holy Synod’s Committee for Christian-Muslim Dialogue. He has authored many books and publications and regularly writes articles for the daily press and magazines with different types of content.