Posted on 03/17/2012 3:16:07 PM PDT by marshmallow
Egypt's Coptic Christian Pope Shenouda III has died at the age of 88, state television has announced.
The leader of the Middle East's largest Christian minority was reported to suffer from cancer that had spread to several organs.
Coptic Christians make up 10% of Egypt's population of 80 million.
After attacks on Coptic Christians in recent years, Pope Shenouda urged officials to do more to address the community's concerns.
Pope Shenouda led the church, one of the oldest Christian communities in the world, for four decades.
His political adviser Hany Aziz told Reuters news agency that Shenouda "died from complications in health and from old age".
He had returned recently to Egypt after seeking treatment abroad.
Pope Shenouda was born Nazeer Gayed into a devout Christian family on 3 August 1923 in Asyut, Upper Egypt, and became a monk in 1954, taking the name Shenouda.
After Pope Cyril died in 1971, Shenouda was enthroned as Pope of Alexandria.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
Personal family funny. My grandmother and her family fled Egypt when she was a baby —late 1880’s —the family is/was Coptic Christian. Most of the family converted to Catholicism when they got here.
When we had mandatory “diversity training” at work and the moderator asked about our “orgins” I said I was African American. Of course she blanched. I explained about my Grandmother’s immigration and I snarkily said I was closer to the “motherland” than most of the other folks there who claimed to be AA. I wanted to make the point that being of “African” descent should not be a code word for “black”...
Heh...my officemate at the time, who is black, always cackled when I said I was more “AA” than she was... I’m fishbelly white :-)
Pat
But would those African Americans from South Africa be entitled to affirmative action benefits?
Rest in Peace, Pope Shenuda. Memory eternal.
Rest in Peace, Pope Shenuda. Memory eternal.
The Copts are not in communion with Rome and, if I’m not mistaken, are Monophysites, which is a matter of fundamental doctrine that would have to be cleared up first.
That said, they’re about the bravest Christians on earth to have held out against Muslim oppression and terrorism for fifteen hundred years.
Pope Shenouda, RIP.
RIP.
I heard Pope Shenouda III speak when he was on a tour of the US, many years ago. He was very impressive.
I think when he first became the leader of the Coptic Church Newsweek had a snarky article about him trying to make him out to be some kind of wacko or clown.
“Afrocentrists” like to claim that the ancient Egyptians were black, so that the pyramids and all the other Egyptian accomplishments are the achievements of black people.
Shenouda supported the "palestinians" as "brother Arabs" and opposed even Anwar Sadat's loaded "peace" with Israel, preferring the hard-line position. He even forbade Copts from going to Jerusalem on pilgrimage until there was a "peace agreement" because Israel was "occupied moslem and chr*stian land."
I know most philo-Semitic American chr*stians are in love with Middle Eastern chr*stians (they're so "authentic" and the muzzies are persecuting them!), but Middle Eastern chr*stians are not the friends of Israel, Jews, or America. I'm sorry that's the way it is, but that's the way it is.
Pope Shenouda III on Israel according to Wikipedia
Whoever his successor is, he will be just as bad.
Are you actually surprised that any Christian denomination or sect is not in complete communion with ultra-orthodox Judaism or that an Egyptian citizen is not a fan of the secular Israeli government?
Not at all. I'm surprised at the poor saps among Jews and American chr*stians who shout their lungs out for people who hate them.
Although when you consider the Copts, as victims of islam, could have allied with the Israelis but instead attack them, you get the idea of an ancient hatred so great that it is literally beyond the comprehension of most Americans of any faith.
All you pro-Israel chr*stians out there: this is what real, historical chr*stianity looks like.
Would you care to share with us who the first Christian martyrs were killed by (i.e.; St. Stephen) and how the early Christian Church was treated by the Jews (i.e.; Saul of Tarsus)? Perhaps there really is some baggage and history behind this 2,000 year old feud that needs to be aired our.
Not at all. They were killed because they were Jews who violated the Torah and were duly executed in accordance with the laws of that Torah (which G-d Himself had given to Moses and Israel at Mt. Sinai). That is, assuming any of those accounts in the "new testament" is even true to begin with.
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