His Holiness Pope Shenouda begins with greetings and praises the presence of scholars, leaders, diplomats and media professionals and thanks them for participating in the Ramadan iftar table.

Fasting as a Spiritual Time

He affirms that fasting is not merely abstaining from food but a spiritual period in which hearts rise to God; the spirit is nourished by prayer, contemplation, and the Word of God, and the body shares in this upliftment.

The Concept of Complete Fasting

He explains that fasting includes fasting of the tongue, thought and heart from every fault and base inclination, and that it is a virtue for the soul and spirit before it is for the body.

Love and Encounter Between Religions

He emphasizes that the iftar tables embody love and affection between Christians and Muslims, and that this love is part of a long heritage of popular and historical coexistence that has continued for more than fourteen centuries in Egypt.

Historical Examples of National Unity

He recalls historical episodes (revolts and national stances) when Muslims and Christians stood together for the homeland, stressing that unity appears in crises and is built through joint work and sacrifices.

Education in Love and Unity

He calls for raising children and youth on love at home, in school and at university, because planting love brings order, reduces crime and strengthens national belonging.

Love as Action, Not Appearance

He clarifies that love appears in giving and self-sacrifice without expecting return, and that sincere good deeds pleasing to God come from a loving heart, not for earthly reward.

Thanks and Blessed Conclusion

He thanks the attendees and the diplomats, blesses the month of fasting and asks God to grant everyone a blessed life, calling for the continuation of such gatherings that consolidate bonds among the people of the homeland.

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