His Holiness Pope Shenouda III | |
|---|---|
| Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of All Africa on the Holy Apostolic Throne of St. Mark the Evangelist of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria | |
.jpg) Pope Shenouda III in 2009 | |
| Native name |
|
| Church | Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria |
| Archdiocese | Alexandria |
| See | Alexandria |
| Papacy began | 14 November 1971 |
| Papacy ended | 17 March 2012 |
| Predecessor | Cyril VI |
| Successor | Tawadros II |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1954 (priesthood) |
| Consecration | 30 September 1962 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Nazir Gayed Roufail نظير جيد روفائيل (1923-08-03)3 August 1923 |
| Died | 17 March 2012(2012-03-17) (aged 88) Cairo, Egypt |
| Buried | Monastery of Saint Pishoy,Scetes,Egypt |
| Nationality | Egyptian |
| Denomination | Coptic Orthodox Christian |
| Residence | Coptic Orthodox Patriarchal Residence |
Pope Shenouda III[a] (bornNazir Gayed Roufail;[b] 3 August 1923 – 17 March 2012) was the117th Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark. His papacy lasted 40 years, 4 months, and 4 days, from 14 November 1971 until his death in 2012.
His official title wasPope of Alexandria and the Patriarch of All Africa on the Holy Apostolic Throne of Saint Mark the Evangelist, Father of fathers, Shepherd of shepherds, Successor of Saint Mark, thirteenth among the Apostles, Ecumenical Judge, Beloved of Christ. He was also the head of theHoly Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church. He was known as a conservative figure within the church,[1] and was respected within the Muslim community.[2]
He became a monk in 1954 under the name Father Antonios after joining theSyrian Monastery inWadi El-Natrun. In 1958, he was elevated to thepriesthood. In 1962,Pope Cyril VI summoned Fr. Antonios and consecrated himGeneral Bishop for Christian Education and as Dean of the Coptic Orthodox Theological Seminary, whereupon he assumed thepapal name Shenouda, which was the name of the Coptic saintShenoute the Archimandrite, as well as two previous popes:Shenouda I andShenouda II.
Following the death of Pope Cyril VI on 9 March 1971, the selection process resulted in Bishop Shenouda becoming the new Pope. He was consecrated on 14 November 1971. During his papacy, theCoptic Orthodox Church grew significantly outside of Egypt. He appointed the first bishops forNorth American dioceses, which now contain more than 250 parishes, up from four in 1971. He also appointed the first Coptic bishops inEurope,Australia andSouth America. WithinEgypt, he struggled for the welfare of his people and the church. Pope Shenouda III was known for his commitment toecumenism and advocated inter-denominational Christian dialogue. He devoted his writings, teachings, and actions to propagating 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. He was given the title ‘Teacher of Generations’ for his great talent at relaying complicated theological and other religious concepts in a simple, understandable and deeply spiritual manner.
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| Papal styles of Pope Shenouda III | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Reference style | His Most Blessed Beatitude andHis Holiness |
| Spoken style | Your Holiness |
| Religious style | Pope andPatriarch |
| Posthumous style | The Thrice Blessed Pope |
Shenouda III was born as Nazir Gayed Roufail in the village of Salaam, which administratively belongs to the Governorate ofAsyut in Upper Egypt but ecclesiastically belongs to the Diocese ofManfalut. He was the youngest of a family of eight children, five girls and three boys. Among his siblings were Raphael (Rouphael) and Shawki (Fr. Botros Gayed, 1918–1996). Roufail's mother died shortly after his birth. He was raised by his older brother, Raphael, inDamanhur in lower Egypt, where he attended a Coptic elementary school. Soon after, he studied at the American Middle School inBanha. He then moved to Shubra, a suburb ofCairo, where he enrolled at the Faith Senior Secondary.
From the age of 14, Roufail began reading poetry and he wrote many poems himself, especially between 1946 and 1962. By the age of 16, he was active in the Coptic Sunday School movement. He served as a Sunday school teacher, first at Saint Anthony's Church inShoubra and then at Saint Mary's Church in Mahmasha.[3]
In 1943, Roufail enrolled inCairo University (then called the University of King Fouad I) studying towards a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in English and History. Meanwhile, he spent his summer vacations at themonastery of Saint Mary El-Sourian, also called the Syrian Monastery, inWadi El-Natrun. While a university student, he was a trainee in the Egyptian Military Reserve Corps.
In 1946, while still in his final year of undergraduate studies, he was allowed to enroll in the evening classes at the Coptic Theological Seminary. The seminary was usually open only to university graduates, but the dean of the Seminary,ArchdeaconHabib Girgis, made an exception in the case of Roufail. The personality of Habib Girgis was instrumental in shaping that of the future pope, and Pope Shenouda always spoke highly of Habib Girgis.
Roufail graduated from Cairo University with a BA in History in 1947. After graduation, he completed his military service, and began work as a teacher of English, history, and social sciences in a high school in Cairo. Meanwhile, he attended graduate courses in archaeology and classics at Cairo University, specializing in the History ofAncient Egypt and Islamic Egypt. He worked as a high school teacher by day, and attended classes at the Coptic Theological Seminary by night. Upon graduation from the seminary in 1949, he was appointed to teachNew Testament andOld Testament Studies at the Seminary.[original research?]. In the same year, he became the editor-in-chief of the Sunday School Monthly Magazine. In 1950, Roufail resigned from secular employment to take up a full-time lecturing position at the seminary.
In 1952 he was elected a member of the Egyptian Journal Syndicate. In 1953, he was appointed a lecturer at the Monastic College in Helwan, offering courses in theology there. In the same year, he began his dialogue withJehovah's Witnesses, writing articles about their beliefs in the Sunday School Magazine.
Nazir with others laboured for several years to establish a strong Sunday school and youth group at St Anthony's Church in Shubra. His ministry produced many devoted servants, who began establishing youth groups in neighbouring parishes.
An avid reader, he was a keen student of languages. He spoke fluentArabic (Standard,Egyptian andSa'idi variants), English, French, andAmharic. He could read Greek (ancient andmodern) andLatin as well.
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On 18 July 1954, Roufail joined theMonastery of Saint Mary El-Souriani (commonly called the Syrian Monastery) inWadi El-Natrun in theNitrian Desert. He was given the name of Father Antonios el-Syriani (Anthony the Syrian). From 1956 to 1962, he lived as ahermit in a cave about seven miles from themonastery, dedicating his time to meditation, prayer, andasceticism. His austerity was known to be exceptional even by monastic standards.
On 31 August 1958, he was ordained as a priest by Bishop Theophilus, then abbot of the Syrian Monastery.
Antonios el-Syriani was among the candidates nominated for the papal throne in 1959, but Father Mina el-Baramosy becamePope Cyril VI.[original research?]
On 30 September 1962, Pope Cyril VI appointed him, by force and surprise, to the bishopric of Christian Education and as Dean of the Coptic Orthodox Theological Seminary. Cyril VI also renamed him Shenouda, in honour ofSaint Shenouda the Archimandrite, a famous scholar and writer of theCoptic language.[4]
Under Bishop Shenouda's leadership, the number of students at the Coptic Orthodox Theological Seminary tripled.[4] Bishop Shenouda was suspended in 1966 by Pope Cyril VI,[5][6] essentially because of "campaigns for change" instigated by Shenouda and his students. These campaigns, among other things, called for the popular election of bishops and priests, a principle that Bishop Shenouda later applied when he becamePope of Alexandria. This conflict between Pope Cyril VI and Bishop Shenouda was later resolved.[citation needed]
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He was enthroned as Pope Shenouda III, the 117th Pope of Alexandria andpatriarch of theSee of St. Mark on 14 November 1971, nearly nine months after the death of Pope Cyril VI of Alexandria. The ceremony was the first enthroning of a Coptic pope to take place in the newSaint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo.[citation needed] He was the third Alexandrian Patriarch to take the name Shenouda; his namesakes wereShenouda I (859–880) andShenouda II (1047–1077).
Less than one year after becoming Pope of the Church of Alexandria, in October 1972, Pope Shenouda visited theEcumenical Patriarch of Constantinople and thePope of Rome, becoming the first Alexandrian Pope to do so since theChalcedonian Schism in 451 CE.[citation needed]
In May 1973, he penned a statement on the Nature of Christ that was agreed upon with the Roman Catholic Church in a step towards settling the Christological dispute and moving towards Christian unity.[7] On 10 May 1973, he celebrated the return by the Roman Catholic Church of part of the relics of PopeAthanasius of Alexandria.[citation needed]
From 25 to 30 September 1974, he went on a pastoral trip to visit the Ethiopian Church during the reign of EmperorHaile Selassie of Ethiopia. Between 14 April and 23 May 1974, he became the first Coptic pope to visit North America when he visited the US and Canada. It was to become the first of many visits to that part of the world during his long Papacy. He also visited Australia six times: in 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, and 2002. He conducted an extended Silver Jubilee tour from 18 May to 20 December 1996 which took him to Europe, Canada, USA and Australia. From 11 to 13 April 2008, he made a second historical trip to Ethiopia following the resolution of the strain in the relationship between the two churches caused by thecommunist coup inEthiopia decades earlier.[citation needed]
Ten years into his papacy, in 1981, Pope Shenouda III had famously fallen out with PresidentAnwar Sadat of Egypt. The relationship between the two men deteriorated for several reasons.[8]
Sadat was seen by Pope Shenouda as becoming increasingly dictatorial following his acclaim in the international arena for the peace accord with Israel. In September 1981 Sadat rescinded the presidential decree of 1971 recognizing Pope Shenouda as Pope of Alexandria, and Pope Shenouda was banished by Sadat tothe ancient desert monastery of St. Pishoy.[9] However, the Christians of Egypt continued to view Pope Shenouda as their Pope and only leader, and he continued to conduct his duties from the monastery; ecclesiastically, Sadat's decision was ineffective. Sadat was assassinated a month later, on 6 October 1981, byIslamic extremists, and in January 1985 Pope Shenouda III was fully reinstated by Sadat's successor,Hosni Mubarak.[9]
Pope Shenouda III came into conflict with then-President Anwar Sadat over both theCamp David Accords and what he said was the president's deficient response to growingIslamism.[10] After a series of protests that led president Sadat to depose Pope Shenouda III, he was exiled by Sadat and sent to theNitrian Desert, to return three years after Sadat's assassination following an amnesty by Sadat's successor Hosni Mubarak.
His stance toward Israel was encapsulated by his words:
From the Arabic national point we should not abandon our Palestinian brothers and our Arabic brothers by normalising our relations with the Jews ... From the church point of view, Copts who go to Jerusalem betray their church in the case of "Al-Sultan Monastery" that Israel refuses to give to the Copts.
He also stated:
"I will never go to Jerusalem except hand-in-hand with my Muslim brothers after the end of the Israeli occupation."[11]
He also warned that Copts who visited Jerusalem would faceexcommunication on the premise that there was "no pilgrimage duty in Christianity and it is not a religious pillar, so since this visit can do harm to our national cause and [to the] Muslim and Christian people then we better not visit Jerusalem." He added that Copts should only go to Jerusalem afterpeace was established in the region.[12] Some of the Coptic property within the compound of theChurch of the Holy Sepulchre (including the Coptic monastery known asDeir El-Sultan) wasdelegated to theEthiopian Orthodox Church. The Coptic Orthodox Holy Synod, based on the direction of Pope Shenouda III, also decided to ask Copts not to visit Jerusalem until the church possessions and the monastery be returned. In 2006, the Holy Synod renewed the decree, urging Copts not to visit the Christian holy places inIsrael, includingJerusalem.[13]
In the light of theSeptember 11 attacks, he said of suicide bombing as a tactic that:[12]
People who support and found reasons to feel good over these incidents are doing more than one wrong thing: first, ignoring the tragedy of killing an innocent group of people. Second, not thinking about the reaction of showing they found satisfaction in the incidents. Third, they are considered accomplices in the crime. Fourth, they are committing a wrongful act not approved by religion.
Persecution against Christians during Pope Shenouda III's reign was chiefly conducted by private individuals and organizations, especially radicalSalafis, although the state continued to enforce long-standing discriminatory policies and engage in occasional Christian-baiting.[clarification needed] Particularly in Upper Egypt, the rise in extremist Salafi groups such as theGama'at Islamiya during the 1980s was accompanied by attacks on Copts and on Coptic churches. The police have been accused of siding with the attackers in some of these cases.[14]
Hundreds of Coptic Christian girls have been kidnapped and forcibly converted to Islam, as well as being victims of rape and forced marriage to Muslim men.[15][16]
On Sunday, 2 January 2000, 21 CopticChristians in Kosheh village, 450 kilometres south of Cairo, weremassacred by Salafists. Christian properties were also burned.[17][citation needed] Later, a criminal court inSohag governorate released all 89 defendants charged in the Kosheh massacre without bail. Pope Shenouda III rejected the verdict openly, and told reporters, "We want to challenge this ruling. We don't accept it." As the court sentence could not be appealed, Pope Shenouda III said: "We will appeal this sentence before God."[18]
In April 2006, one person was killed and twelve injured in simultaneous knife attacks on three Coptic churches in Alexandria.[19]
In November 2008, several thousand Muslims attacked a Coptic church in a suburb of Cairo on the day of its inauguration, forcing 800 Coptic Christians to barricade themselves in.[20]
In April 2009, two Christian men were shot dead and another was injured byMuslim men after anEaster vigil in the south ofEgypt.[21]
On 18 September 2009, a Muslim man named Osama Araban beheaded aCoptic Christian man in the village of Bagour and injured 2 others in 2 different villages. He was arrested the following day.[22]
On the eve of 7 January 2010, as worshippers were leaving the Mar-Yuhanna (St. John) church inNag Hammadi after EasternChristmas Mass (which finishes around midnight), three Muslim men in a car opened fire,killing 8 Christians and injuring another 10.[23][24]
On New Year's Day 2011, just 20 minutes after midnight as Christians were leaving a Coptic Orthodox Church in the city ofAlexandria after a New Year's Eve servicea car bomb exploded in front of the church killing more than 23 and injuring more than 75.[25][26][27]
On 7 May 2011, an armed group of Islamists, including Salafists,attacked and set fire to two churches includingSaint Menas Coptic Orthodox Christian Church and the Coptic Church of the Holy Virgin, in Cairo. The attacks resulted in the deaths of 12 people and more than 230 wounded. It is reported that the events were triggered by a mixed marriage between a Christian woman and a Muslim man.[28]
Successive Egyptian governments have long held in place laws that hampered the freedom of Christian worship and restricted the right to build or even renovate churches. They maintained and enforced Ottoman-eraHamayouni Decree restrictions on building or repairing churches. These governments also restricted Christians from senior government, diplomatic, military, and educational positions, and there has been increasing discrimination in the private sector.[15][29] The government allowed various media outlets to attack Christianity and restricted Christians' access to the state-controlled media to defend themselves or speak their minds.[29]
Security agencies sporadically persecuted Muslim converts to Christianity.[29] In Egypt the government does not officially recognize conversions from Islam to Christianity; because certain interfaith marriages are not allowed either, this prevents marriages between converts to Christianity and those born in Christian communities, and also results in the children of Christian converts being classified as Muslims and given a Muslim education.[29]
The papacy of Pope Shenouda III saw an expansion of theCoptic Orthodox Church in North America. While there were only four Coptic Orthodox churches in all of North America in 1971, today there are more than 250 parishes (214 in the United States, 38 in Canada and one in Mexico).[30][31] Pope Shenouda established the first diocese in the lands of immigration for the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate in 1991, theDiocese of Birmingham; and appointed the general bishop for the United Kingdom at the time,Bishop Missael to oversee it by consecrating and enthroning him as its bishop.
Pope Shenouda III was well known for his commitment toecumenism.[32] In 1973, Pope Shenouda III became the firstCoptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria to meet theBishop of Rome in over 1,500 years. In this visit, Pope Shenouda III andPope Paul VI signed a common declaration on the issue ofChristology and agreed to further discussions on Christianity.[33] There were also dialogues with various Protestant churches worldwide.[citation needed]
In an address he gave at an ecumenical forum during the International Week of Prayer in 1974, he declared, "The whole Christian world is anxious to see the church unite. Christian people, being fed up with divisions, are pushing their church leaders to do something about church unity and I am sure that theHoly Spirit is inspiring us."[34]
Following the arrest and imprisonment ofAbune Tewophilos, Patriarch of Ethiopia, by theDerg regime that had deposed EmperorHaile Selassie in 1974, Pope Shenouda III refused to recogniseAbune Takla Haymanot, who was installed as Tewophilos' successor. He, along with the Holy Synod, argued that the removal of Patriarch Abune Tewophilos was illegal and contrary tocanon law, as it was an act of political interference. In the eyes of the Coptic Church, Abune Tewophilos remained the legitimate patriarch of Ethiopia.
Though Patriarch Tewophilos was said to have been executed, thegovernment of Ethiopia did not acknowledge that this had happened. Thus, the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria refused to recognise any other Patriarch as long as Abune Tewophilos' death had not been confirmed. Formal ties between the Coptic Church and Ethiopia were then severed, although they remained in fullcommunion. Formal relations between the two churches resumed on 13 July 2007.[35]
Pope Shenouda III was involved in theological disagreements concerning the issue oftheosis—the transforming effect of divine grace. He published eight booklets explaining his view of theosis and lectured on the issue in the theological seminary of Cairo and also in the seminary of Alexandria. Following the death of FatherMatta El Meskeen, who held an opposing view, Pope Shenouda III issued warnings against those views.[36][37] In addition to his dispute with Fr. Matta El Meskeen, Shenouda got into theological disputes with Hany Mina Mikhail,George Habib Bebawi—whom he infamously excommunicated—and Henein Abd El Messih.[citation needed]
In the months prior to Pope Shenouda's death, rumours, which were denied by the Holy Synod, had spread through Cairo's Coptic community that he had fallen into a coma. He regularly flew to the United States for medical treatment and, according to his doctor he "[suffered] from kidney disease and diabetes."[38][39]
Pope Shenouda III died on 17 March 2012[40] (8 Paremhat 1728 in theCoptic calendar)[41] of lung and liver complications[42] at his official residence shortly after returning from medical treatment abroad.[43] He had stopped taking medication because he was too weak.[44] However,Sherine Tadros, a Coptic reporter forAl Jazeera English, reported that he had been in good spirits prior to his death.[2] The funeral took place after three days oflying in state;[45] on 20 March, he was buried at the Monastery of Saint Pishoy[44] inWadi el-Natrun,[46] in accordance with his wishes.Metropolitan Pachomious ofBeheira andPentapolis was appointed to take over papal duties until the election of a new Pope, being the second-most-seniorMetropolitan in theHoly Synod in age afterAnba Mikhail. Due to his failing health and age, Mikhail delegated this duty to Metropolitan Pachomios during the first meeting of the Holy Synod after Shenouda's death.[45]
During the night, an estimated one million or more mourners[43] were said to have visited his body atSt. Mark's Cathedral, causing traffic jams stretching for kilometres.[45] The body was taken out of the coffin and lay in a seated position on a ceremonial throne dressed in gold- and red-embroidered vestments, a goldenmitre upon his head with a gold-tipped staff in his hand. Many Coptic figures from across the world started to return to the country to pay their respects and work towards the selection of a new pope.[43] Mourners from across Egypt went to Saint Mark Cathedral inAbbaseya to pay their respects.[47] Bells tolled in Cairo's Abbasiya district, where the primary cathedral of the Coptic Church is located.[48] So large was the crowd of mourners gathering in Cathedral Square to pay their respects that three were killed and 137 injured in a crush as the queue to view the body of the deceased pope stretched for more than one kilometer.[49][50][51] Viewing was cut short after the tragedy, and the cathedral was closed to the public.[50]
Political and religious reactions to his death came from across the Egyptian spectrum and internationally. TheSupreme Council of the Armed Forces issued a statement onFacebook that expressed their wish of "preserving the unity of Egypt and the unity of its social fabric".[43] It added that with the loss, the country should "consolidate with each other in order to pass with Egypt towards security and stability."[52] Its leader, Field MarshalMohamed Hussein Tantawi, decreed three days of mourning for Christians working for state institutions.[46] The Muslim Brotherhood'sFreedom and Justice Party's Speaker of ParliamentSaad Katatni said of Shenouda's death that Egypt had lost "one of its national icons, a man who left a void in the political arena at a critical time."[53] The party also issued a statement signed by the party's chairmanMohamed Morsi that stated Shenouda's life was "a long journey of big contribution in various fields domestically and abroad." Prime MinisterKamal el-Ganzouri's statement read: "I give my sincere condolences to the Coptic brothers home and abroad. [He was a] national character and a symbol for patriotism and he gained wide respect and appreciation from the Egyptian people." Former Prime MinisterEssam Sharaf called Shenouda a "devout clergyman, a good citizen and a valuable leader. ... His vision was always that Egypt is not the country that we live in; but the country that lives in us."Upcoming presidential candidates also issued statements.Ahmed Shafiq said that his death was a loss to Egypt because he was a "unique religious leader and a distinguished character in the national history. Coptic church will pass this hard moment because of the great legacy of Pope Shenouda;"Amr Moussa said that Pope Shenouda III was "a great man who was working for the interests of the country. He was working for Egypt to stand as a unified front against the challenges facing the nation;" andAbdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh's campaign issued a statement saying that Fotouh had spoken with the church's bishop for youth, Bishop Moussa, to express his condolences to both the Coptic Church and Copts.[52]
Al-Nour Party's Members of Parliament walked out when a minute's silence was held for Shenouda, with a party spokesman saying that "a minute of silence does not exist in Islam."[53]
SheikhAhmed el-Tayeb, the grand imam ofal-Azhar University, said that "Egypt has lost one of its rare men at asensitive moment when it most needs the wisest of its wise – their expertise and their purity of minds;"[45] he also added that he "greatly remembers his vision towards Jerusalem and its history."[43]Social media was said to be abuzz with memorials as well as criticism of Shenouda.[54]
Holy See – In a message of condolence to Copts, theRoman CatholicPope Benedict XVI said: "I recall with gratitude his commitment to Christian Unity, his memorable visit to my predecessor Pope Paul VI, and their signing of the Joint Declaration of Faith in the Incarnation of the Son of God together in Rome, on 10 May 1973, as well as his Cairo meeting with Pope John Paul II during the Great Jubilee of the Incarnation, on 24 February 2000. I can say how the Catholic Church as a whole shares the grief that afflicts the Orthodox Copts, and how she stands in fervent prayer asking thatHe, who is the Resurrection and the Life, might welcome his faithful servant."[55] He offered prayers for the thrice blessed Pope Shenouda on the day of his death[56] and was said to share the pain of Copts over Pope Shenouda's repose.[57]
Iran – Deputy Foreign MinisterHossein Amir-Abdollahian praised Shenouda for "constructive and lasting efforts to achieve peace and justice" and offered his condolences to the Coptic Orthodox Church and Copts.[citation needed]
United States of America – PresidentBarack Obama said of Shenouda that "we will remember Pope Shenouda III as a man of deep faith, a leader of a great faith, and an advocate for unity and reconciliation...a beloved leader of Egypt's Coptic Christians and an advocate for tolerance and religious dialogue."[46] He also added that "Michelle and I are saddened to learn of the passing of Coptic Christian Pope Shenouda III, a beloved leader of Egypt's Coptic Christians and an advocate for tolerance and religious dialogue. We stand alongside Coptic Christians and Egyptians as they honour his contributions in support of peace and cooperation. [His] commitment to Egypt's national unity is also a testament to what can be accomplished when people of all religions and creeds work together."[52]
Armenia – Foreign MinisterEduard Nalbandyan visited the Egyptian Embassy in Armenia on Thursday in order to extend condolences on the death of Pope Shenouda III.[60] Leaders of theArmenian Apostolic Church,Karekin II ofEtchmiadzin andAram I ofCilicia, offered condolences on the passing of Pope Shenouda III. Both Armenian church leaders sent a delegation to Pope Shenouda's funeral. Both Karekin II and Aram I praised Shenouda for his leadership of the Coptic Church and his unequivocal ability to work with all denominations to promote Christian unity.[61]
United Kingdom – TheForeign, Commonwealth and Development Office published a text citingWilliam Hague saying, that Pope Shenouda III will be remembered "as a man of great wisdom, an advocate of dialogue and tolerance, and a symbol of national unity and reconciliation."[62] | This sectiondoes notcite anysources. Please helpimprove this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved.(November 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
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In 2000, Pope Shenouda III was awarded theUNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize for the Promotion of Tolerance and Non-Violence byUNESCO Director-GeneralKoichiro Matsuura on the recommendation of an international jury. The award was "for promoting exchange and understanding between Christianity and Islam in today's Middle East and his deep concern to pursue dialogue with all the great religious faiths and his major role in forging ecumenical links with all other members of the Christian family throughout the planet."[64] In 2003 he received theAl-Gaddafi International Prize for Human Rights.[65]
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| Ribbon bar | Country | Honour |
|---|---|---|
 | Egypt | Grand Collar of theOrder of the Nile |
 | Egypt | Grand Cordon of theOrder of the Arab Republic of Egypt |
 | Egypt | Grand Cross of theOrder of Merit |
 | Ethiopia | Grand Cross of theOrder of the Star of Ethiopia |
 | Ethiopia | Grand Cordon of theOrder of Solomon |
 | Sudan | Grand Cordon of theNational Order of El-Nilein |
 | Syriac Catholic Church | Grand Cross of theOrder of Saint Ignatius of Antioch |
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