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| Africa North |
| Pope Shenuda III dies |
| 2012-03-18 |
| [Daily Nation (Kenya)] Egypt's Coptic Pope Shenuda III, spiritual leader of the Middle East's largest Christian minority, died on Saturday at the age of 88, state media and cathedral sources said. He had suffered health problems for years and recently stopped receiving treatment for liver failure and tumours or swelling in his lungs because he was too feeble, the Coptic Church said. "The last days were the hardest in the Pope's life, as he was unable to walk," said a statement carried by the official MENA news agency. Shenuda was forced to cancel a weekly sermon last week over health concerns. There was no immediate official word on when the funeral will be held for Shenuda, who was named pope of Alexandria in 1971, but there were unconfirmed reports it will be held on Tuesday. There was also no word on when clergy and laity would convene to begin the process of choosing a successor. Shenuda led the Copts, estimated at 10 percent of Egypt's population of more than 80 million, for the best part of a generation, in which Egypt was hit by a wave of Islamic militancy from which he sought to protect his people. Shortly after the announcement of his death, thousands of Copts flocked to the Abassiya Cathedral in central Cairo to mourn their spiritual leader. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #3 I never heard of him, but he was a great man and he will be missed by those who have heard of him. At least the carpet humpers didn't get him. |
| Posted by: Boss Hupusorong4750 2012-03-18 12:48 |
| #2 BernardZ, Islam and its adherents made sure he had as little to work with as possible. If he did is level best with what he had to work with, then God will properly reward him, not us. To be blunt, the proper reward for any faithful Christian in Islamic lands who dies still a Christian is probably too big for anyone to afford. |
| Posted by: Ptah 2012-03-18 09:19 |
| #1 I do not think much of his policies but he was certainly in a very difficult position as the Coptics have a reducing future in Egypt. |
| Posted by: BernardZ 2012-03-18 06:19 |