This morning, Sunday 22 May, saw Requiem Mass held at Boutrossiya church
in Cairo for the victims of EgyptAir flight MS804 which crashed over the
Mediterranean in the early hours of Thursday 19 May killing all 66 passengers
and crew on board.
Presiding over Mass was Anba Danial, Bishop of Maadi and Papal Secretary,
who was joined by Anba Yulius, Bishop of Old Cairo, and a number of Coptic
clergy. Anba Danial was representing Pope Tawadros II who is currently in
Austria on a visit that serves the double purpose of pastoral and medical care.
During the sermon, Anba Danial relayed the condolences of Pope Tawadros to
the victims’ families and friends. The Pope, Anba Danial said, called from
Vienna to express his deep sympathy with the bereaved, saying they were
continuously in his prayers.
Anba Danial cited the names of the victims for which the Requiem Mass was
being held. They were nine Copts: Yara Tawfiq, Magdy Ayad, Wahuih Hanna,
Osama Faheem, Isabelle Henein, Raymond Samuel, Medhat Tanius, Wefqy
Ishaq, and Daoud Mikhail. He said that they have indeed died in the flesh, but
will wake to eternity in bodies of light. He prayed for comfort to all who loved
and missed them.
WATANI International
22 May 2016