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"Your
people shall be willing in the day of your power, in the
beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: you
have the dew of your youth. The LORD has sworn, and will
not relent, You are a priest for ever after the order
of Melchizedek." (Ps 110:3) |
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III was born, Nazeer Gayed, on August
3, 1923, from a religious family in the Upper Egyptian province
of Assyut. Since his very early childhood, Nazeer Gayeed was
an active participant in the service of the church. At age 16,
Nazeer began service in the Sunday School program of St. Anthony's
Church in Shoubra, Cairo, where he also attended school. Nazeer
graduated from Cairo University in 1947 with a Bachelor of Arts
degree in English and History. Nazeer then completed his Bachelors
of Coptic Theology and upon his graduation from the Theological
Seminary, was appointed a Seminary instructor of the Old and
New Testaments due to his academic excellence in religious studies.
In l953, he was appointed a lecturer at the Monastic College
in Helwan.
On July 18, l954 Nazeer Gayed dedicated his life to meditation,
prayer, and asceticism entering into the El-Souryan Monastery
within the Western Desert of the Coptic homeland of Egypt.
His name would become Father Antonius El-Souryan and his solitary
life would become one patterned after St. Anthony the Great
who renounced the world and resided further and further into
the arid, dry western desert, whose self-discipline and spiritual
life grew from within a cave during his lifetime and today
whose cave and life is ascribed to by religious scholars world
wide, as the origin of Christian monasticism. History would
record St. Anthony as desiring to spend his lifetime in search
of solitude, desiring only the Lord, but put his desires aside
just enough to become an inspired teacher, a humble example
of practicing rigid self-denial, and a source of practical
wisdom without worldliness to those also seeking an abundant
spiritual life through long suffering and solitude.
From l954 to l962, Father Antonius El-Souryan lived the life
of solitude he desired totally devoted to contemplation, fasting,
and prayer. He would become ordained a priest. Father Antonius
El-Souryan would see an end to his cherished hermetic life
and adhere to the calling to set his desires aside and obediently
accept the ordination of Bishop of Christian Education and
became the director of the Theological Seminary. Father Antonius
was then given the name of Abba Shenouda. His Grace was responsible
for the Christian guidance for the youth and the Christian
education in all the dioceses of Egypt. Under His Grace's
administration in the Theological Seminary, the number of
students attending tripled. On November 14, l971 His Grace
Bishop Shenouda was once again called upon to be obedient
and was then enthroned as our beloved Pope.
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, the 116th*
successor of St. Mark the Apostle, the Pope of Alexandria
and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark Papacy exemplifies
A Life of Considered, Complete, and
Lifelong Commitment to the
Lord Jesus Christ
The Lord Jesus Christ said, "So likewise, whoever of
you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple."
(Luke 14:33) Certainly to be a disciple meant to consider
the cost of following the Lord Jesus Christ and willingly
pay it. The cost of monasticism demands everything a person
has, is, and will become. Divine inspiration proclaimed in
the Holy Book of Wisdom (4:1), "How good is the chaste
generation." St. Paul taught that God calls us in holiness
(Thessalonians 4:3). We can be sure, Pope Shenouda in considering
the monastic way of life desired to live the life of angels
in Heaven while here on earth. The Lord of Glory said, "For
in the Resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage
but are like the angels of God in Heaven" (Matthew 22:30).
The considered virtuous life of His Holiness
Pope Shenouda, it is evident, has not been lived through the
flesh but through the spirit. Father John Cassian wrote, "There
will be no virtue which makes a human resemble the angels
like the virtue of chastity, because the human life with chastity,
while still residing in the body, as if the body does not
exist, will "not be in the flesh but in the Spirit"
with the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 8:9). The human person
who can live in chastity and purity is higher than the angels
who live without bodies which desire against their spirits."
His Holiness stands as a constant example to all people and
to those monastic in particular. St John the celibate disciple
was known as the one "Jesus loved." He was so endeared
to the Lord that he leaned on His bosom at the Last Supper,
and dared to boldly ask what the rest of the disciples certainly
did not, "Lord who is one who betrayed You?" (John
21:20) When the Lord Jesus Christ would later suddenly show
Himself at the Sea of Tiberius, following His Glorious Resurrection,
not one of His chosen disciples who were present would recognize
their beloved Lord, except St. John the celibate who would
in awe exclaim to St. Peter, "It is the Lord" (John
21:1-7). St. Eronimos explained this significant recorded
event as "nobody recognized Him except John, because
it was only the celibate who knew the Celibate, the Son of
the Celibate."
Certainly there is the greatest of honor in the example of
the inspired life led by His Holiness. In his Holy Revelation,
St John the celibate foretold of the superiority of a chaste
and pure life in the Heavenly abode. He told of the one hundred
and forty-four thousand celibates whom he saw standing on
the heavenly Mount Zion, singing a new song which only those
celibate could learn to sing. These one hundred and forty-four
had a special song that belonged to them and them alone and
it was further recorded that they were twice blessed with
another special privilege which was to also "follow the
Lamb wherever He goes" (Revelation 14:1-4).
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III not only is a devoted example
of the monastic way of life but is an example of purity of
spirit to the youth. The need for purity of spirit is made
abundantly clear in the Holy Bible. Because of impurity God
wiped out entire nations in the older world by the flood,
use fire and brimstone to burn down greatly populated cities
such as Sodom and Gomorrah, and brought down the strongest
of men whose enemies plucked out his eyes and degraded him
to the level of an animal. Just as the pigeon which Noah freed
returned to the ark when it found no place among the dead
corpses, the same is with the Holy Spirit of the Lord, it
never dwells in the impure but in those who seek the virtue
of purity. Certainly a youth who is not a prisoner to a life
of desires is one who is successful in all aspects of his
life. As His Holiness well exemplifies, the life of virtue
bears many fruits of spiritual growth.
Complete commitment incorporates an ultimate
love for the Lord Jesus first and above all, then family and
lastly self as evidenced by His teaching, "If anyone
comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife
and children, brothers and sisters, yes and his own life also,
he cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:26). Certainly all
men are called to have honorable relationships with family
but the complete and first prioritized relationship must be
with the Lord our God. This relationship is to incorporate
love, not only in emotion but also in humility.
Humility can be expressed in many different ways. As a peacemaker
is one very significant way. His Holiness Pope Shenouda III
is the first Alexandrian pope to visit Constantinople since
the great schism of 451 AD, and in addition His Holiness is
the first Coptic pope to visit the Vatican since that time
period. In May 1973 His Holiness together with Pope Paul VI
signed a declaration of mutual concern regarding church unity.
His Holiness actively participated in the negotiation process
of unity between Chalcedonian and non Chalcedonian Orthodox
Churches. St. Augustine stated that the Son of God became
incarnate to make peace between man and God, and to cure the
heart of men from the illness of pride.
In humility His Holiness has never stop striving in his complete
commitment, or "death to the worldly." His papal
duties have made His Holiness more diligent to personal teaching
and instruction rather than less. Writing many books translated
in many languages, preaching and teaching by word and example
in many languages, traveling extensively abroad regardless
of health and security concerns reveals His Holiness's humility
patterned after that of the Lord Jesus Christ, as it is written,
"He made himself of no reputation, taking the form of
a servant, and coming in the likeness of man" (Philippians
2:7).
Praise nor oppression nor violent times have deterred this
papacy in His Holiness endeavors to further the growth of
the church. Indeed His Holiness Pope Shenouda the III has
followed in this example given by St. Macarius the Great whom
gave this lesson to a monk who wanted to know how to be saved.
St. Macarius instructed the monk to go to the graves and curse
the dead buried there. The monk went and cursed and stoned
the dead's graves. St. Macarius then asked him, "Did
they answer you back?" The monk answered "no."
He told the monk, "Go tomorrow and praise the dead instead."
Again the monk went and highly praised the dead. St. Macarius
again asked the monk if they answered him back, he replied
"no." Then St Macarius told him, "If you have
really died with Christ and were buried with Him, be like
those dead people, because curses or praises do not affect
the dead. This is how you can be saved."
Lifelong commitment is necessary to be a true
disciple. For those who have committed their life to the Lord
Jesus Christ, being without the Lord in their life at every
moment would be similar to salt without its seasoning capability
as noted in this question to the disciples, "Salt is
good, but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be
seasoned?" (Luke 14:34) For His Holiness lifelong commitment
has been pursued in both an ascetic and scholarly life.
As previously mentioned, His Holiness Pope Shenouda III,
was obedient to the call of scholarly life, and was instrumental
in founding the Sunday School movement within the Coptic Church,
provides weekly educational and spiritual teachings at the
Cathedral of St. Mark in Cairo, and assumes an active role
in teaching the Catechetical School in both Cairo and Alexandria.
Many Coptic Orthodox churches have been established abroad
in Europe, North and South America, Australia. His Holiness
has blessed many with his constant visiting of these newly
established churches giving the joy of celebration to their
congregations.
Irenaeus, Bishop of the Church at Lyons (c.180) wrote
regarding the Apostolic Succession and the papacy: "It
behooves us to learn the truth from those who possess that
succession of the Church which is from the apostles and among
whom exists that which is sound and blameless in conduct,
as well as that which is unadulterated and incorrupt in speech...They
expound the Scriptures to us without danger, neither blaspheming
God not dishonoring the patriarchs, nor despising the prophets"
(Berkot, D. W. 2000. Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs,
p. 30).
We ask and entreat Your
goodness, O Lover of Mankind, to remember, O Lord, our patriarch,
the honored father, the high priest, Abba Shenouda III
Keep
him unto us for many years and peaceful times, fulfilling
that holy high priesthood, with which You have entrusted him,
from Yourself, according to Your Holy and Blessed Will; rightly
defining the Word of Truth; shepherding Your people in purity
and righteousness. Amen.
*His Holiness
Pope Shenouda the III is the 117th Pope of the See of St.
Mark, but considered the 116th successor as St. Mark the founder
of the Coptic Orthodox Church, one of the seventy two apostles
appointed by the Lord Jesus Christ, and one of the four evangelists
was not a successor as he is regarded as the first, therefore
not a successor, of an unbroken chain of 117 patriarchs.
To learn more, visit His Holiness Pope Shenouda's Official
Web site.
Books written by His Holiness Pope
Shenouda III (English) »
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