CHURCHNEWS an electronic magazine for Immigrant Egyptian Churches in the world _________________________________________________________________________ 'ChurchNews' is a selected translation of the News section in the Coptic Church magazine 'El-Keraza'. The arabic main magazine has Pope Shenouda III Editor in Chief. Suggestions about the main text would be directed to: coptpope@tecmina.com About this Electronic news translation direct suggestions to: cop@idsc.gov.eg To obtain English hard copies with pictures address: elkeraza.stevenage@ukonline.co.uk Old releases dating back from December 1995 on may be retrieved at the CoptNet Electronic Archives http://www.coptic.net/cn/public/news/ _________________________________________________________________________ Keraza No.: 19, 20 I | X Date: Friday 11 June 1999 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< -- + -- >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Y | O Read in this issue: ------------------ - The Coptic church ensures the re-election of President Mubarak ....... - Why consecrating 5 general bishops ................................... - Departure of HE Metropolitan Agathon of Ismailia & Abbot of St Paul Monastery .................................................... - Snippets ............................................................. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Coptic church ensures the re-election of President Mubarak: -------------------------------------------------------------- On 3 June 1999, HH Pope Shenouda drove on to the Presidential Palace. Accompanied by their Graces Bishops Philippos, Bishoy, Pachomios, Joannes [all for Lower Egypt] and bishops Hedra, Arsenios [for Upper Egypt] It was decided that Metropolitan Athanasios should go with them but he asked to be excused because of his illness and Abba Suriel accompanied them (representing the immigration countries). They were accompanied by Dr Tharwat Bassili Deputy of the General Congragational Council and Advisor Edward Ghaleb the Secretary of the Council. They had two recommendations ensuring Mubarak's re-election, one from the Holy Synod and the other from the General Congregational Council. It was a nice meeting with President Mubarak, dominated by the spirit of love and of the one family. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Why consecrating 5 general bishops: ---------------------------------- Since a long time HE Metropolitan Athanasios of Beni-Sueif asks for someone to assist him after the ministry of HG Abba Gabriel succeeded. HG Abba Thomas asks for a bishop to minister with him since especially after his health deteriorated. He nominated monk Emanuel El-Moharaky who is ministring as his deputy since two years. Cairo is a big expanding city with many surrounding new cities emerging and many random suburbs. All that needs ministry and the ministry of General Bishops proved to be successful in some suburbs. For that, Pope Shenouda held a meeting with Abbots of monasteries: Their Graces Bishops Sarabamon, Matthaus, Isodorus, Severus along with Abba Bishoy and Abba Joannes. He asked them about the most suitable monks in their monsteries for this ministry. Nominated names were discussed and the 5 candidates were chosen. Pope Shenouda changed Monk Emmanuel's name to Timotheos. He joined the Monk Moussa El-Moharaky, the head of the Theological Seminary at Virgin Mary (Muharaq) Monastery whose name was changed to Estaphanos (Stephen). >From St Bishoy Monastery, two monks were nominated: Heg Ruweis (whose name was changed to Selwanes) and Heg Boutros to successfully ministered in Abu Dabie (whose name was changed to Georgios). >From the Baramous Monastery Heg Maximos El-Suriany who ministered successfully at Virgin Mary (Garden City, Cairo) was nominated. On Saturday, Pentcost Eve, the Metropolitans and Bishops blessed with Pope Shenouda, the new bishops' vestments. On Sunday, Pentcost Day, the consectration (laying of hands) took place. The same morning 9 new priests were consecrated for Cairo and Melbourne (Australia). [Pictures] T1he new bishops: Abba Maximos (General Bishop for Cairo) Abba Selwanes (General Bishop for Cairo) Abba Georgios (General Bishop for Cairo) Abba Estaphanos (General Bishop for Beni-Sueif) Abba Timotheos (General Bishop for Kossia) On Saturday 5 June 1999, the five new bishops traveled with HH to St Bishoy Monastery where their ministry shall be arranged along with the passing of a spiritual retreat period before beginning the ministry. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Departure of HE Metropolitan Agathon of Ismailia and Abbot of St Paul Monastery ---------------------------------------------------------------------- We are touched to learn the departure of HE Abba Agathon, Metropolitan of Ismailia and abbot of St Paul Monastery after a long struggle with illness that lasted for several weeks. He got his last breath out at midnight of the eve of Pentcost. He was laying at his cell at the Patriarchate with his diciple Fr Macary Anba-Paula. The news began being spread in silence, while some bishops visited his cell and clothed the body in his clerical vestments. In the morning, HH knew it, he visited his cell and prayed on him. on Sunday 30 April 99 morning, from the Patriarchate the body was transfered to St Bishoy Cathedral at Sheikh-Zayed Suburb in Ismailia. Accompanied by HG Bishop Kyrollos of Nage-Hamady, Bishop Marcos of Shubra El-Khema and Bishop Joannes. The funeral was officiated with the presence of Pope Shenouda and 39 Metropolitan and Bishop and many officials as the Mayor of Ismailia, the Head of the Security Departement and a deputy of the Suez Canal Company and a member of the Parliament. >From Ismailia, the cars took the body accompanied by 7 bishops and 25 monk of Virgin Mary (El-Moharaq) Monastery to be buried at St Paul Monastery (East Desert). The late Abba Agathon became bishop of the diocese of Ismailia having only 6 churches and now there are 13. He ordained some 24 priest for Ismailia and activated the Monastery of St Paul. He was the first to activate the monasteries of St George (Ruzaikat), St Pachomius (El-Shayeb) and have a big ministry in Australia, America and Mustorod. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Snippets: -------- On Wednesday 26 May 1999, Pope Shenouda received Arch. Bishop Paola Jiflio the Ambassador of the Vatican in Egypt he delivered an invitation to Pope Shenouda to attend the Vatican's celebations on 19 January 2000. Pope Shenouda asked to be excused as it would be the Thophania in the Coptic church and promised to send a deputy to attend the celebration. On Tuesday 25 May 1999, Pope Shenouda received His Excellency Mr David Blatherwick the Ambassador of the United Kingdom in Egypt on the occasion of the end of his service in Egypt. Pope Shenouda thanked him for his nice feelings and wished him success. Bishops Joannes and Gabriel attended the meeting as well as the secretary of the United Kingdom Embassy in Egypt. On Thursday 27 May 1999, Pope Shenouda received His Excellency Gomaa El-Ghazaly the Libyian Ambassador in Egypt with the Cultural Attaché. It was a nice meeting. The meeting was attended by Their Graces Bishops Joannes and Gabriel. Heg Agathon Anba-Paula baptized 7 new adult Brazilian people and 2 children who attended the church regularly on the day of the "Sunday of Baptism". On Easter the church was extrafull with over 100 people most of them are Brazilian people. The Church is about to buy a piece of land there in Bolivia. The actual church is at: Igreja Copta Orthodoxa de Sao Marcos Rua Sao Borja No 201 Cid. Vargas-Jabaquara 04320-060 Sao Paulo - Brasil Tel. 011-55883672 The Holy Synod of the Coptic church in his last meeting in Pentcost recognized two Coptic monasteries in the holy land under the supervision of HE Metropolitan Abraham of Jerusalem: St Antonios Monastery and St George Convent. The Holy Synod recognized the returning of monastic life to Archangel Gabriel Monastery (El-Naqlun Mountain, Fayoum). The Monastery is an ancient one and HG Bishop Abraam of Fayoum built a living monastery around the old one. On Monday 7 June 1999, Pope Shenouda ordained 4 new monk priests: Fr Sherubim Anba-Bishoy, Fr Abakir Anba-Bishoy and Fr Mauritius Anba-Bishoy. Participated in the ordination Bishops Sarabamon, Tadros, Anthony, Joannes and the five new bishops. -------------------------------------------------------------------------