H.G. Bishop Suriel, Bishop of Melbourne, received the medal of St. Ignatius from the Academy of St. Ignatius for Theological Seminary for the year 2017, in view of his role and activity in spreading the Orthodox teachings in Australia through the establishment of St. Athanasius Coptic College, which is the first Coptic institution to award accredited and internationally recognized degrees. His Grace is a pioneer in the rapprochement between the Coptic Orthodox Church of Australia and other Orthodox churches as one of the main objectives of the Academy of St. Ignatius in Sweden.
H.G. Bishop Suriel gave a lecture entitled “The Role of St. Habib Girgis in the Establishment of Sunday Schools, Seminary College and the Development of Ecclesiastical Education” after receiving the medal of St. Ignatius on Saturday, which is a new success not only to Bishop Surial and the Diocese of Melbourne but to the Coptic Orthodox Church headed by H.H. Pope Tawadros II and other countries of the Diaspora.
