The funeral service for Pope Shenouda III, who died last Saturday at 89, has been held at the St Mark’s cathedral in Cairo. A military plane has flown the coffin to the monastery of Anba Bishoi in the Western Desert where the Pope will be buried, according to his will. Another plane carried the accompanying bishops to the monastery
The funeral service for Pope Shenouda III, who died last Saturday at 89, has been held at the St Mark’s cathedral in Cairo. A military plane has flown the coffin to the monastery of Anba Bishoi in the Western Desert where the Pope will be buried, according to his will. Another plane carried the accompanying bishops to the monastery.
Throngs of Copts had gathered at the monastery, which lies off the Cairo-Alexandria desert highway, to be in reception of the Pope when he arrives. Many were there since last evening, spending the night outside the gates of the monastery, while others were pouring in since this morning.
Attending the funeral were the Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzouri; Speaker of the People’s Assembly Saad al-Katatni; governors of Cairo, Alexandria Giza as well as other Delta and
Upper Egyptian governorates; current and former ministers and politicians; presidential candidates; and public figures. Ambassadors of the Vatican, US, EU, UK, Canada, France, Italy, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Romania, India, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Jordan, Lebanon, UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Palestine also attended. Muslim religious leaders were also there; the Grand Imam of al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayyib sent a representative.
Participating were the patriarchs of the Ethiopian, Eritrean, Syrian, and Armenian churches; as well as representatives of Orthodox, Catholic, and Evangelical churches inside and outside Egypt.
The Military Council had declared a national day of mourning; flags were flown at half-mast and, outside the cathedral tens of thousands of Coptic mourners watched the service on giant screens. The women were in mourning black.
Once the coffin was taken outside the cathedral, the mourners broke into uncontrollable tears, crying:”Maa as-salama ya Sayidna”; literally, “Go in peace, Master.”
Watani International
20 March 2012
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