I am very saddened by the passing
away today of Pope Shenouda III, the outstanding Patriarch of the Coptic
Orthodox Church (and, according to the Coptic Orthodox tradition, officially Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark.) His Holiness Shenouda III contributed significantly to the
theological dialogue between the Orthodox Churches and the Catholic Church. His
pastoral work and charismatic preaching influenced many thinkers especially in
the Churches of the Middle East.
His personality was such a humble
and rich person who was able to bring thousands of followers and admirers to
not only hear him in his weekly sermons at St. Mark Cathedral in Cairo and in Alexandria but also to share and laugh with him when he joked about things
including himself.
For forty years, I followed
closely the words of this charismatic man, first as an attendee of his
sermons and lectures in Cairo, then in Toronto when he visited his people a few
times in the 1980s, 1990s, and later in the 21st century, or on YouTube through
the Internet.
May God give him peace in heaven
and continue the ecumenical work that this distinguished leader brought forward
in the Churches.
No comments:
Post a Comment