Pope Shenouda III

Pope Shenouda III was the 117th Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of Saint Mark, the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church. He was enthroned on 14 November 1971 and led the church for more than forty years, until his death on 17 March 2012. His successor is Pope Tawadros II.

Before he became pope

He was born Nazir Gayed on 3 August 1923 in Asyut Governorate, in Upper Egypt. The Coptic Encyclopedia records that he graduated from Cairo University in 1947 and from the church's Clerical College in 1949, taught theology at a seminary in Helwan, and in 1952 was elected a member of the Egyptian Journalists' Syndicate while editing the Sunday School monthly magazine. The Patriarchate's own history gives a different year for the syndicate, 1966.

On 18 July 1954 he entered the Monastery of the Syrians in Wadi El Natrun, the Patriarchate's history says, and was tonsured a monk with the name Antonios el-Souryani. He was ordained a priest on 31 August 1958. On 30 September 1962 Pope Cyril VI consecrated him a general bishop for Christian education, with the name Shenouda, and he became dean of the church's theological seminary.

Papacy

He was chosen for the patriarchate in 1971 and enthroned on Sunday 14 November that year. The Patriarchate's biography says that he restored the General Religious Council in 1973 and that during his papacy the church's monasteries grew to 28, with 7 convents, and that he ordained 117 bishops and about 1,000 priests. Every bishop of the church sits in the Holy Synod, over which the pope presides.

Confinement at the Monastery of Saint Bishoy

In September 1981 President Anwar Sadat issued a decree placing him under house arrest, the Patriarchate's history says, at the papal residence of the Monastery of Saint Bishoy in Wadi El Natrun. Wikipedia's account is that the decree rescinded the state's 1971 recognition of him as pope. The Patriarchate puts the confinement at forty months, until his return to the papal see in January 1985, after President Hosni Mubarak released those whom his predecessor had detained.

The church abroad

Wikipedia records that he appointed the first Coptic bishops for North America, Europe, Australia and South America, and that the church in North America grew from four churches in 1971 to more than 250 parishes. The Patriarchate's biography counts about 550 churches outside Egypt by the end of his papacy, and 17 branches of the theological seminary.

Writings

The Patriarchate's biography credits him with 140 books on spirituality, doctrine, the virtues and heresies, and with nine honorary doctorates from universities in Europe and the United States; Wikipedia's bibliography lists 106 titles.

Death and burial

He died on the evening of 17 March 2012, aged 88. He was buried on 20 March at the Monastery of Saint Bishoy in Wadi El Natrun, the monastery of his confinement, as he had asked.

1. 3 August 1923

   Born Nazir Gayed in Asyut Governorate.

2. 18 July 1954

   Enters the Monastery of the Syrians in Wadi El Natrun as the monk Antonios.

3. 30 September 1962

   Consecrated a general bishop for Christian education, as Bishop Shenouda.

4. 14 November 1971

   Enthroned as the 117th Pope of Alexandria.

5. September 1981

   Confined to the Monastery of Saint Bishoy by presidential decree.

6. January 1985

   Returns to the papal see.

7. 17 March 2012

   Dies, aged 88.

8. 20 March 2012

   Buried at the Monastery of Saint Bishoy.