Sunday, March 18, 2012

Coptic Pope Shenouda in Mourning With his Eyes to the Light of The Future

Coptic Pope Shenouda in Mourning With his Eyes to the Light of The Future: A few hours after his death was announced Saturday, thousands of Coptic Christians inconsolable gathered in Cairo and Alexandria churches, came together to mourn the death of the leader and "father" figure, Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria.

Shenouda's body, dressed in a golden crown and evening gown with a gold knob sticks a cradle on his shoulder, was placed vertically on the papal throne in the church in Cairo, where he remained on the screen until "that his funeral on Tuesday.

On the basis of the wishes in his will, Shenouda will be buried in Saint-Bishoy monastery in Wadi Natrun, in the Nile Delta, where he spent his time in exile after a dispute with the late President Anwar Sadat.

In Cairo, thousands of people smashed in the door of the cathedral on Saturday and Sunday, featuring a cross tattooed wrist to pass, a symbol of many Coptic Christians use to succeed in a predominantly Muslim society.

Many common words, the pain, some console themselves, while others shared their concerns.

"Be patient," said the young man, as a group of people were pushing and shouting at each other, to enter into the temple in the vicinity of Cairo Abbaseya. "If you do not put up with each other, now that you know?" He said, weeping.

Shenouda was not only the spiritual leader of the community, but the 88-year-old also served as a representative of the Christian Copts, when it comes to political issues.

Adamant supporters of President Hosni Mubarak dismissed from 1981-2011, Shenouda believed in "peace", known for his supporters for their words of wisdom, love and patience.

Although critics have seen as a restriction of the Christian community in the figure, many Shenouda Coptic Christians saw the bridge, the link to their problems, to dominate the country's Muslim leaders.

"He taught us to forgive even our enemies," Munir Yahya, the Secretary of 54 years in the cathedral in Cairo, told Daily News Egypt.

"It's scary. He was not only a leader, but our father for all of us," said Yahya devastated to face serious.

Camille Seddiq Melli Secretary of the Orthodox Church in Alexandria, said the pope's death was "a great loss to the Egyptian people, Christians, Muslims and earlier. He was known for his patriotism and his concern for the unity of the nation."

As Church leaders gather in Cairo for the funeral on Tuesday - Cairo airport and preparing to receive foreign guests - said Seddiq Cathedral of Alexandria to set a later date to receive condolences. All the prayers in churches across the country today are unofficial and are the result of individual efforts in the ode to the Pope, he said.

Accordance with the rules of the church written in 1957, less than 2,000 prominent churches and communities, including bishops, archbishops and heads of the monastery will decide on the successor to Shenouda.

Meanwhile, the Coptic community in mourning would continue until the "alarm" phase, and the political and social arena, Egypt remains unpredictable.

In Egypt, the first presidential elections since the overthrow Mubarak is scheduled for May, as well as the development of a new constitution started, Yahia feared that no one will act on behalf of the Coptic minority, representing about 10 percent of Egypt's 85 million.

In Egypt, continue to suffer from political changes, since January 25 uprising in 2011, last Christmas, the first time, Shenouda sits inside the cathedral in Cairo with the leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood, whose political arm is dominant after the revolution, the country's parliament.

"There is a radical Islamist front moves in Egypt and their ideas were violations, they want to reach as many people quickly," said Yahya. "Even some of our fellow Muslims reject these radical ideas, so you can imagine how disturbing it is that we start writing our first constitution."

For many Copts, Shenouda was their voice and their savior.

"He used to represent the Copts to the members of the regime, no one could do it, but it," said Hanan Fikry, a founding member of the young nation's development and freedom, without the government, which grows with the participation of Egyptian Christians in the public sphere.

In the eyes of the Coptic community in Egypt and throughout the world, it was a man who genuinely loved and cared for the Christian community in Egypt, the people who often feel vulnerable and voiceless, trying to be heard.

"Although we disagree with some of his policies, there is no doubt in his achievements, whether or not to provide us with the Supreme Council of the armed forces or in parliament," said Fikry, who slammed the SCAF responsibility in the murder of 27 demonstrators during a crackdown on a demonstration in October, mostly Coptic.

SCAF members also took part in the celebration of Christmas at the Cathedral in January.

"The country's leadership must now act with caution when it comes to the Coptic community, because they are orphans," she added.

But despite her grief loss Shenouda, who was Pope Coptic Egypt for 40 years, the Christians of Egypt are hoping that the departure of the patriarch will push the other members of the community for their rights.

"So, after the revolution, the Copts have found their way out of the church and started asking for their rights. Death to Christians Pope even bolder and bolder as their right to their own," said Fikry.

She expressed concern that the SCAF that respect the Coptic Pope Shenouda respect for, can turn away from the Coptic community.

But for Fikry, the Coptic community itself is changing.

"We're starting to see how the Egyptians, and not just followers of the Pope. We saw [the way] to ask for their rights."

In addition, Andrew Isaac, a Christian activist and director of 25 years, is hoping that the departure of the pope will promote Egyptian Christians to revolt against the Church in any official they find oppressive or a representative of their interests.

"I hope that whoever replaces him will never interfere in politics. What people say about the pope today its participation and support of the regime should be a warning for the future consequences of the Pope involved in politics," said Isaac.

He was referring to criticism of the Pope's support for the Mubarak regime. Muslim clerics and religious leaders have advised citizens not to participate in the uprising that finally toppled Mubarak in 2011.

Isaac believes that because Shenouda was a leader and a pious man who really loved to give the Coptic community, its political "mistakes" that the Christian community remained silent for decades can not remember.

"It will be remembered for his good works, which are many. But I want to see the Coptic community to take to the streets and demand their rights," he added.

"I want to see the Coptic community revolt and demand their rights, and not follow the spiritual leader that tells them when to protest, and when not to talk."

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