In a moving, spontaneous outpouring of collective emotion thousands of Copts gathered at dawn last Monday to give Pope Shenouda III, the Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of Saint Mark an emotional ‘welcome home’. His Holiness arrived to
Local Development Minister Abdel-Salam al-Mahgoub received the 84-year-old Pope at the
In your hearts
Apart from the crowds waiting for the pope at the airport, some ten thousand had spent the night in the huge courtyard of St Mark’s cathedral in Abassiya,
The pope thanked them saying: “I never left you. I carried you in my heart every moment I was abroad. You are welcoming me today at the ‘papal premises’, but my premises are your hearts.”
On Wednesday evening the pope gave his customary weekly sermon at the cathedral.
Tasks waiting
Awaiting the pope are several tasks, Anba Moussa, Bishop of Youth told Watani. Foremost is the annual meeting of the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church, which had been scheduled for last June and was postponed following the pope’s fall and his leaving to
It was traditional for the pope to ordain new priests or to consecrate bishops and archbishops on the eve of the Pentecost every year. This year, since the pope had already left
Unresolved crises
Apart from the ecclesiastical duties, other issues will need the immediate attention of Pope Shenouda. Kamil Seddiq, member of the Melli or Community Council of Alexandria, says the pope may have to look at a few unresolved sectarian crises. Among these is that of Abu-Fana monastery; the detention of the two brothers Rifaat and Ibrahim Fawzy who were charged with killing Khalil Mohamed has been extended for another ten days despite the fact that the after-death investigation of Mohamed has proved them innocent of the charge. Another case which awaits the pope’s attention is that of Fr Metta’os of the church of the Holy Virgin in
WATANI International
26 October 2008