Visit by Coptic Orthodox Pope

Thursday 28 November 2002

Official greetings to Pope Shenonda from the city of Christchurch. This city is just about the most far flung branch of the Coptic Church there is. The only Coptic Church closer to the Antarctic is, I believe, in Dunedin.

Understand you have about 100 families of Copts from Egypt and Ethiopia in your Christchurch congregation. Members of this group have generally been here at the most 10 years.

I take this chance to formally welcome both you and the members of your congregation to Christchurch.

The Coptic community adds a welcome addition to the growing diversity of faiths and races who have chosen this city and land as their home.

In times of worldly discord such as this age shows signs of becoming it is all the more vital that we show the courage to celebrate our differences together as a way of discovering our common humanity.

Christchurch like many other international cities is having to come to terms fast with the challenges and pleasures of a multiracial, multicultural city. One of our high schools has over 55 races, groups and faiths amongst its pupils.

It is a time when the older virtues such as tolerance, patience and the readiness to forgive are in high demand in our society.

As a descendant of immigrants myself, I know that few things help ease the pain of migration as effectively as a shared faith and set of rituals as part of that faith. Faith can provide a life-raft of stability for people adjusting to a new land.

I am delighted that you have chosen to strengthen the faith and feelings of continuity amongst your people by coming here for this historic visit.

Will conclude this greeting by sharing with you the wisdom of our earliest immigrants, the tangata whenua of this land who in this area are part of the Ngai Tahu iwi. They have a saying that they believe sums up the purpose of our earthly life. They say it is te tangata, te tangata, te tangata...it is people, it is people, it is people.

It is a belief I share.