[Episcopal/Anglican Province of Alexandria] The bells of All Saints Cathedral in Cairo, Egypt, rang out to announce the start of prayers for the inauguration of new territory for the Anglican Communion, the Province of Alexandria, where the prayers were led by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.

The Anglican Communion announced the establishment of the Province of Alexandria in July 2020, to become the 41st province of the Anglican Communion, but the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic postponed the inauguration ceremony until Oct. 10.

During the inaugural prayers at All Saints Cathedral, Welby said that Egypt was a land of refugees, as it had saved the Holy Family and had received Joseph and Jacob before that.

Welby said that the new province bears the name of Alexandria because it had a great place in the ancient world and covered a very large area from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea, adding: “Alexandria preserved the Christian faith for us in times of hardship and turmoil.”