Walk in the Light

During his five-week STEP placement at Cairo cathedral, Revd Mike Buchanan of Rathfarnham Parish wrote a daily blog. On June 5th, he shared a wonderful story of meeting two young women who had experienced a miraculous encounter of their own...

“This morning marked my first time preaching—not a word I am particularly fond of—in the Cathedral at the 10:30 AM service.

While I have celebrated alone here before, and even served alongside the bishop, today was my turn to go entirely solo. It was a little daunting, I must admit, as I had no idea how the message would be received. But of course, once I began, I had nothing to worry about! It was Trinity Sunday, and even though the readings deviated from the lectionary, I managed to produce

something suitable, appropriate, and—judging by the comments afterwards—engaging.

We had a wonderful congregation filled with both regular attenders and new faces. The readers were prepared, the hymns were set, and Karim played brilliantly as always, drawing an excellent response. Afterwards, it was time for coffee as usual,

shared with both the Granita crew and our Sudanese congregants.

A Quiet Encounter in the Dark

When I returned to the vestry to collect my things, I found the church in relative darkness, which was unusual. Two young girls, likely in their mid-teens and wearing headscarves, were kneeling in prayer at the communion rail. One of them held a lighted candle.

Emmanuel, the church warden, explained what happened afterwards. They had arrived after the service and asked to enter to pray. Because the Cathedral is always open, that was never an issue, but the story behind their visit was truly remarkable:

 They had been quietly contemplating becoming Christian. One of them had experienced a vivid dream in which God instructed her to go to a church and light a candle.

True to the dream, they came this morning, carried out the act together, and later told Emmanuel they felt an incredible, overwhelming sense of peace. They plan to return to pray and take the next step.  On reflection, the risk that they are taking is enormous. They risk not only isolation, from family and friends, but real danger by following the Christian path.

A Reflection on the Journey

As I reflect on that quiet moment in the dim light of the Cathedral, I am reminded that God moves in ways far beyond our carefully planned sermons and Sunday routines. Those two young women walked in searching for an answer, guided only by a dream and a flickering flame, and found a profound peace waiting for them in the dark.

My five weeks in Cairo have been full of blessings, but witnessing this quiet miracle stands out as a true highlight. It is a powerful reminder that our ministry here—and everywhere—is simply to keep the doors open, the light burning, and to let the Spirit do the rest. Please keep these brave young women in your prayers as they continue their journey of faith."