Anglican Communion News Service

The Most Revd Iraj Mottahedeh, Bishop of Iran, has been appointed the new President Bishop and Primate of the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East. The unanimous resolution came from the Provincial Synod meeting this week in Cairo. The action was taken upon the retirement of the Most Revd Ghais Abdel Malik as Bishop of Egypt and President Bishop since 1996. Also, during the Cairo meeting, the Revd Dr Mouneer Hanna Anis was consecrated and installed as the new Bishop in Egypt.

The new Primate was formally welcomed at a service of Evensong, following the Provincial Synod. Special guest at the proceedings was the Rt Revd Stephen Venner, Bishop of Dover and Canterbury, who was representing the Bishop of Canterbury.

The new Primate was one of the speakers at the 1998 Lambeth Conference where he dramatically told the story of the plight of Christians in his country.

The province of Jerusalem in the Middle East has four dioceses, Cyprus and the Gulf, Egypt, Iran, and Jerusalem, and covers 18 countries including Algeria, Cyprus, Jordan, Israel, Iran, Ethiopia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine National Authority, Syria and Tunisia.

A major international campaign to support the Diocese of Jerusalem and the overall work of the province in the Middle East has been inaugurated recently by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The programme 'Jerusalem 2000' is an attempt to support the diminishing Christian population in parts of the Holy Land, with special emphasis on the uniqueness of the role of Jerusalem for the Christian family around the world.