Today at 1pm at St. Mark’s Cathedral in Abbasia, It was held the funeral prayers for H.G. Bishop Loukas, Bishop of Abnoub, Fattah & New Assiut and Abbot of St. Mina Monastery, Abnoub, who passed away yesterday.
H.H. Pope Tawadros II prayed in the funeral with the participation of a great number of Metropolitans and Bishops, and the monks synod of St. Mina Monastery, Abnoub, and a number of priests of the diocese of Abnoub and what is around it and a large number of people from the diocese and lovers of H.G Anba Lucas. The prayers were held with in precise precautionary measures, which were implemented by the scouting teams.
H.H. condolence on the departing of the bishop to the assembly of the priests of his diocese, its people and to the assembly of the monks of his monastery, then he talked about the lessons learned from death, which are:
• It makes us recognize how shallow are life matters that people struggle over, as all life struggles end in death.
• It makes us look forward to heaven.
• It brings us to real comfort, so we call it “El-Neyaha,” a Syriac word that means perfect comfort.
• It brings us an invitation to prepare to depart from earthly life.
H.H. the pope said about H.G Bishop Loukas: “We bid him farewell to a loving and beloved bishop who lived among us. He was distinguished by his keen interest in his diocese in order to develop it spiritually. He was keen on the participation of the diocese’s people and priests in all ecclesiastical activities. As he also was keen to the St. Mina Monastery, Abnoub and succeeded in regaining the monastic life to it again in addition to that he participated in many conciliar committees such as the committees of care, family, diocesan affairs and monasteries affairs.” H.H added that: “He established distinguished relations with all officials in Assiut Governorate, and was chosen as the head of the family house in Assiut”
At the end, H.H. announced that H.G. Bishop Arsanious, Bishop of New Valley and the Oasis, to be in charge of the Papal Vicar of the diocese.
H.G. Bishop Loukas passed away yesterday evening at the age of 72, after a long struggle with illness, after 45 years in monastic life, of which he spent 36 years as a bishop.

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