Anba Theophilos (1946 – 2019), Bishop of the Red Sea who passed away on 13 February, was buried at the cathedral of Anba Shenouda in the Red Sea city of Hurghada on Friday 15 February. The burial followed a funeral service held there for the Bishop, where his congregation paid him their last respects.
Red Sea Governor, Ahmed Abdullah; a number of bishops, and thousands of the congregation attended the funeral.
Participating in the service were Anba Psada, Bishop of Akhmim; Anba Yoaqim, Bishop of Esna; Anba Takla, Bishop of Deshna; Anba Danial, Abbot of Anba Pola Monastery; and Anba Yustus, Abbot of Anba Antonious Monastery. Attending were senior officials and Muslim religious figures from the Red Sea governorate.
A day earlier, Thursday 14 February, Pope Tawadros II presided over a funeral service for Anba Theophilos in the Cairo church of al-Boutrossiya. Participating in the service were Anba Moussa, Bishop of Youth; Anba Psanti, Bishop of Helwan and Maasara; Anba Angaelos, Bishop of Northern Shubra Churches; Anba Makari, Bishop of Southern Shubra Churches; Anba Ermiya; General Bishop; and Anba Martiros, Bishop of the Churches East of the Railway.
Anba Theophilos was born on 6 April 1942. He graduated from Ain Shams University with a degree in Engineering in 1967, and took orders in October 1976 in the Western Desert monastery of Deir al-Syrian, under the name Aghnatios al-Suriani. He was ordained a priest in January 1978. In 1980, Fr Aghnatios left for France where he served for six years. In 1992 he was consecrated Bishop of the Red Sea at the hands of Pope Shenouda III, patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church from 1971 until 2012. The late bishop died at the age of 77 after a year of deteriorated health condition.
Watani International
15 February 2019