Remembering Pope Shenouda III

In a memorial service held this morning in honour of Pope Shenouda III who passed away on 17 March last year, Pope Tawadros II presided over Holy Mass at St Mark’s cathedral in Abassiya, Cairo. Participating in the service, which was attended by thousands of the Coptic congregation, were a large number of bishops and priests. 

In his sermon, Pope Tawadros said that Pope Shenouda, who physically departed from among us a year ago, was still ever present in spirit. “We look up, with the eye of faith, at those who left us,” Pope Tawadros said. “We learn from the manner in which they lived their lives and imitate them. To this day, we look up to Pope Shenouda and learn from him.” 

The month of March, Pope Tawadros said, marks the anniversary of the passing away during the last few decades of several figures who were among those who lit the path before us in the Coptic Church. The list includes Pope Kyrillos VI who died in 1971, Fr Bishoi Kamel in 1979, and Fr Mikhail Ibrahim in 1975. “We commemorate them with joy not grief,” the Pope said, “since they are now in everlasting heavenly bliss. And we learn from them.”

Pope Tawadros will also preside over another memorial service on Tuesday 19 March at the Western Desert monastery of Anba Bishoi at which Pope Shenouda used to retreat and at which he is buried. 

Wisdom prize

To commemorate Pope Shenouda III, the 117th patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church who acted as pope for more than 40 years, an annual prize for wisdom has been instated in the name of Pope Shenouda III. Pope Tawadros II is granting this prize for the first time this evening to Dr Martin Schreiber MD of Cleveland Clinic who for years supervised the treatment of Pope Shenouda. Dr Schrieiber has behind him 33 years experience in Internal Medecine and Nephrology.

A series of celebrations commemorating the passing of one year since the Pope Shenouda’s death has been ongoing during the weekend in churches all over Egypt. The Youth Bishopric held an event at St Mark’s last evening, under the auspices of Bishop of Youth Anba Moussa, in which public and political figures from across the Egyptian spectrum participated. Pope Tawadros was there, and he opened at the Anba Athanasius Hall at St Mark’s an exhibition of photographs of Pope Shenouda III and books written by him. Pope Tawadros also officially opened the Pope Shenouda museum at the Coptic Cultural Centre at St Mark’s.

The Youth Bishopric published a book on Pope Shenouda III, under the title Ashiq Turaab Misr (Lover of Egypt’s Soil). The book focuses on the patriotic stances of Pope Shenouda—and they were many—and his achievements. It offers a glimpse of the late Pope’s life, his love for Egypt, his stance on the Palestinian Israeli conflict, and his relation with Egypt’s rulers and with world leaders. The book outlines the Pope’s relationship with Islamic figures and clergy, and with prominent Egyptian figures and luminaries in all fields. There is also a collection of quotes and poetry by the Pope and, finally, details of his death and burial and how people remembered him.    

Watani International

17 March 2013