Today, we celebrate a great spiritual figure in the Coptic Church, which left us a fragrant history, a precious heritage, and a great influence, as it influenced Egyptian and Coptic history. H.H. is late Pope Shenouda III, who was a lover of the Bible, monasticism and monastery , and a lover of ecumenical relations with the churches of the world.
H.H. late Pope Shenouda III was distinguished by three characteristics , which are:
1- Education: H.H. was interested in education and interpreted the Bible, faith and theological topics in a simple yet deep way.
2- Spreading of Monasticism : H.H. loved monasticism with all his heart, so H.H. used to spend a great amount time in the monastery while H.H. was a Bishop and Patriarch, and H.H. built monasteries inside and outside Egypt in America, Europe, Australia and Africa.
3- Ecumenical Relations:
– Our church was one of the first churches to participate in the World Council of Churches in Geneva, Switzerland, during the days of the H.H. late Pope Yusab II, and ecumenical work continued during the days of H.H. Pope Kyrollos VI, and H.H. Pope Shenouda III, who worked to establish the Council of Churches of the Middle East in Beirut, as well as the Council of Churches of All Africa in Nairobi, Kenya. A few months before the departure of H.H, H.H. began his consultations and preparation for the establishment of the Council of Churches of Egypt, and the council was inaugurated about a year after the departure of H.H.
– H.H. is the first Coptic patriarch to visit the Vatican and establish relations with the Catholic Church in May 1973. The visit resulted in an official statement signed by H.H. Pope Shenouda and H.H. Pope Paul VI. This statement is considered a strong basis for the relations between the two churches.
On the basis of the statement, theological conversations were established between the Eastern (Oriental) Churches and with the Catholic Church. The strong fruit of all this is the mutual understanding between the two Churches.
H.H. was interested in the communication with the Byzantine churches, and this communication resulted in an agreement on the nature of Christ.
– H.H. visited most of the Chalcedonian, non-Chalcedonian, Catholic, Evangelical and Episcopal churches of the world, exchanging visits with them, and was interested in these good relations that bring everyone together, and H.H. was interested in theological dialogues, visits of love, and receiving the fathers and leaders of these churches here in Egypt, so that they would learn about the correct history of our Egyptian Church. H.H. was truly a strong supporter of these relations, which include the churches of the world.
– H.H. received the biggest award in Christian education granted by Protestant institutions as a distinguished Christian preacher, and that was in the late seventies.
– The presence of the Pope, with his great experience in the Bible and the writings of the Fathers, and knowledge of faiths, and in addition to his literary talents in history, poetry and literature, all of these gathered in H.H. and helped him and strengthened him in order for our Church to have a place in theological conversations.
– Making the Coptic Church a “beacon” so that when it is present in any place it is not afraid of anything, but rather presents its experience, history, knowledge and upright faith to everyone.
Indeed, H.H. Pope Shenouda III was a significant figure in the history of our Coptic Church and our homeland, Egypt, and his name will remain engraved in the record of time and history, due to his long life and the many deeds with which he served Christ through a long strife.