EGYPT / 2012 / MAXICARD / MAXIMUM / POPE SHENOUDA III OF ALEXANDRIA / RELIGION / CHRISTIANITY / CHURCH / 1ST DAY OF ISSUE CANCELLATION / VERY RARE ( ONLY 10 COPIES EXISTS ) / VF
Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria
Pope Shenouda III ; 3 August 1923 – 17 March 2012was the 117th Pope and Patriarch of the Church of Alexandria. His long episcopate lasted 40 years, four months, and 4 days [From 14 November 1971 till his death on March 17 2012].
As Pope of the Church of Alexandria, he headed one of the most ancient churches in the world, a Church that traces its founding to St Mark the Evangelist, who brought Christianity to Egypt during the reign of Roman Emperor Claudius c. 49 AD [cf. Acts 15:36-41]. The Church of Alexandria is recognized in early Christianity as the Church of outstanding Church fathers and scholars like Pope Dionysius of Alexandria (Episcopate 248–265), Athanasius of Alexandria (Episcopate 328–373), Cyril I of Alexandria (Episcopate 412–444), Clement of Alexandria (lived 150–215) and Origen (lived 184/185–253/254).
His official title was Pope of Alexandria and the Patriarch of All Africa on the Holy Apostolic Seat of Saint Mark the Evangelist of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria. He was also the head of the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria. He was a conservative figure within the Church; and was also respected within the Muslim community.
Born Nazeer Gayed Roufail on 3 August 1923, he became a monk in 1954 under the name Father Antonios the Syrian after joining the Syrian Monastery of the Ever-Virgin Mary the Theotokos. In 1958, he was elevated to the priesthood. In 1962, Pope Cyril VI summoned Fr. Antonios and consecrated him General Bishop for Christian Education and as Dean of the Coptic Orthodox Theological Seminary, whereupon he assumed the name Shenouda, which was the name of the Coptic saint, Shenoute the Archimandrite (lived 347/348–465/466), as well as two previous popes: Shenouda I (Episcopate 859–880) and Shenouda II (Episcopate 1047–1077). Saint Shenoute the Archimandrite was instrumental in flourishing the Monastic Movement, active in Ecumenical issues, a noted Church teacher and writer, and an Egyptian Leader. Pope Shenouda III maintained the legacy of the name he carried.
Following the death of Pope Cyril VI on 9 March 1971, the selection process resulted in Bishop Shenouda´s becoming the new Pope. He was consecrated on 14 November 1971, presiding over a worldwide expansion of the Coptic Orthodox Church. During his papacy, he appointed the first-ever bishops to preside over North American dioceses, which now contain over two hundred parishes (200 in the United States, 23 in Canada and one in Mexico), up from four in 1971. He also appointed the first Coptic bishops in Europe, Australia and South America. Within Egypt, he struggled for the welfare of his people and the Church. Pope Shenouda III was known for his commitment to ecumenism and had, since the 1970s, advocated inter-denominational Christian dialogue. He devoted his writings, teachings and actions to spreading and propagating guidelines for understanding, peace, dialogue and forgiveness.
At the time of his death, Pope Shenouda III was viewed as one of the Great Patriarchs of the ancient Church of Alexandria, a well-known church father and teacher, a chief defender of the faith, and a noted Egyptian leader of the 20th and 21st centuries.
from wikipedia
