hospitality to strangers

The lecture speaks about the virtue of hospitality to strangers as a sign of Christian love and spiritual generosity, presenting biblical, patristic, and real-life examples that reveal the depth of this teaching in the Coptic Church.
Pope Shenouda III begins with the story of Abraham, who hurried to honor his guests with three measures of fine flour and a whole calf, showing that this act expresses true love for the guest and generosity in hospitality.
He mentions Hatim al-Ta’i as an example of generosity even in pre-Christian times, how fires were lit to guide strangers, likening this to church towers that guide the lost to find refuge and love.
Then he recounts saints known for hospitality, such as Aulus the stonecutter who daily fed a stranger, and Saint Anba Abram, bishop of Fayoum, who gave even the furniture of his bishopric to the poor.
His Holiness affirms that welcoming the stranger is not only a social act but a biblical commandment, as Christ said: “I was a stranger and you took Me in,” meaning that whoever welcomes a stranger welcomes Christ Himself.
He urges the Church to live this virtue practically through guest houses for students, the poor, tourists, and the sick, giving them both material and spiritual care.
He encourages creating a “Guide for Strangers” that introduces churches, monasteries, and services, as an expression of the love and service spirit of the Coptic Church.
He warns that hospitality should not turn into chaos or exploitation, calling for order and teaching strangers to behave with respect and dignity.
He concludes by emphasizing that strangers are not only those from afar, but also those who feel alienated in their own homes or communities — and the Church’s duty is to embrace every stranger with love and care.