Pope Shenouda III (Coptic: Papa Abba Šenoutee pimah šoumt; Arabic: بابا الإسكندرية شنودة الثالث‎; Egyptian Arabic: البابا شنودة, IPA: [elˈbɑːbɑ ʃ(e)ˈnuːdæ]; 3 August 1923 – 17 March 2012^[1]) was the 117th Pope and Patriarch of the Church of Alexandria. His long episcopate lasted 40 years, 4 months and 4 days (14 November 1971 – 17 March 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. 42 AD. 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;^[2] and was also respected within the Muslim community.<sup>[3]

Early life</sup>

Nazeer Gayed Roufail was born on 3 August 1923 in the village of Salaam, which administratively belongs to the Governorate of Asyut in Upper Egypt but ecclestiastically belongs to the Diocese of Manfalut. He was the youngest of a family of eight children, five girls and three boys – among whom were Raphael (Rouphael) and Shawki (Fr. Botros Gayed, 1918–1996). Nazeer's mother died shortly after his birth. He was raised by his older brother, Raphael, in Damanhur in lower Egypt, where he attended a Coptic Elementary School. Soon after, he studied at the American Middle School in Banha. He then moved to Shubra, a suburb of Cairo, where he enrolled at the Faith Senior Secondary (high school).

From the age of 14, Nazeer 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 in Shoubra and then at Saint Mary's Church in Mahmasha.^[4]

In 1943, Nazeer enrolled in Cairo University (then called the University of King Fouad I) studying towards a Bachelor of Arts (B. A.) degree, majoring in English and History. Meanwhile, he spent his summer vacations at the Western Desert Monastery of St. Mary, known as “Deir El-Suryan” (Syrian Monastery). 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 usually open only to University graduates but the dean of the Seminary, Archdeacon Habib Girgis (d. 1951), made an exception in the case of Nazeer. The Personality of Habib Girgis was instrumental in shaping that of the future Pope, and Pope Shenouda always spoke highly of Habib Girgis.

Nazeer graduated from Cairo University with a BA in History in 1947. After graduation, he completed his military service as dux (top of group), 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 of Ancient Egypt and Islamic Egypt. He worked as a high school English and Social Studies teacher by day, and attended classes at the Coptic Theological Seminary by night. Upon graduation from the seminary in 1949, he was appointed to teach New Testament and Old 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 Nazeer resigned from secular employment to take up a full-time lecturing position at the Seminary.

In 1952 He was elected member of the Egyptian Journal Syndicate. In 1953, he was appointed a lecturer at the Monastic College in Helwan, offering courses in Theology there, and in the same year he began his dialogue with Jehovah's Witnesses, writing articles about their beliefs in the Sunday School Magazine.

Nazeer 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 and a man of vast ecumenical insights. He spoke fluent Arabic, English, Coptic and French, and read Greek, Latin and Amharic.

Monastic life and educational service

On 18 July 1954, Nazeer joined the monastic life at the Syrian Monastery of the Ever-Virgin Mary the Theotokos in Scetes in the Nitrian Desert (Western desert in Egypt). He was given the name of Father Antonios el-Syriani (Anthony the Syrian). From 1956 to 1962, he lived as a hermit in a cave about seven miles from the monastery, dedicating his time to meditation, prayer, and asceticism.

On Aug 31, 1958, he was ordained as priest by the Late Bishop Theophilus, then abbot of St Mary Monastery (Syrian Monastery).

Antonios el-Syriani was among the candidates nominated for the papal throne in 1959, but at that time, Pope Cyril VI was chosen for the post.

Bishop

Less than one year after becoming Pope of the Church of Alexandria, in October 1972, Pope Shenouda visited the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople and the Pope of Rome, becoming the first Alexandrian Pope to do so since the Christological schism of the Council of Chalcedon in 451 CE. In May 1973, he penned a Christological statement that was agreed upon with the Roman Catholic Church and the Oriental and Eastern Orthodox Churches on the Nature of Christ, in a step towards settling the 15-century-old dispute of 451 and moving towards Christian unity.

On 10 May 1973, he celebrated the return by the Roman Catholic Church of part of the relics of St Athanasius of Alexandria.

From 25 to 30 September 1974 he went on a pastoral trip to visit the Ethiopian Church during the reign of Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia.

Between 14 April and 23 May 1974, he became the first Archbishop of Alexandria to visit North America when he visited the USA and Canada. It was to become the first of many visits to that part of the world during his long Episcopate.

He also visited Australia six times, in 1989 (18 November – 10 December); in 1991 (5–26 February); in 1993; in 1995 (August–September); in 1996 with his sixth and final trip having taken place in November 2002.

He conducted an extended Silver Jubilee tour from 18 May to 20 December 1996, which took him to the 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 the communist coup in Ethiopia years earlier.