Thousands of Egyptians bid farewell to Coptic pope

By Nehal El-Sherif, dpa

   Cairo (dpa) - Thousands of mourners on Tuesday bid farewell to Pope Shenouda III, who had led Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church for 40 years, as he was buried in a monastery in northern Cairo.

   Shenouda died Saturday at the age of 88, following a long illness. His remains were transported by a military plane to the northern area of Wadi al-Natroun where the St Bishoy Monastery is located.

   The casket carrying the body was then transferred by an ambulance to the monastery, where thousands of people had been waiting since the morning.

   People jostled to reach the ambulance and the coffin, until military police and bishops managed to get the casket inside the monastery.

   Earlier, a funeral was held at Cairo's St Mark's Cathedral which was attended by thousands who were chanting, "Our pope, we love you."

   Crowds of mourners had gathered outside the cathedral, many of them crying and saying, "Never say the pope died, he is in heaven," as they threw flowers on the coffin.

   "I ask you to preserve peace," Bishop Pefnotios said, as he read a letter written by Shenouda before his death. "I ask Jesus to send you a good patron, to settle your needs and watch over the salvation of your souls."

   Coptic clergy from around the world were joined by a delegation from the Vatican, diplomats, political figures and Egyptian Christians at St Mark's.

   Parliamentary speaker Saad al-Katatni, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, and Coptic businessman Naguib Sawiris were among the attendees.

   "He had completed all what he had been called for. He lived a good, true life, now he is resting," said Abune Paulos, the patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, after reciting prayers and hymns.

   Dressed in his ceremonial robe and crown, Shenouda's body had been placed in a casket inside the cathedral, after it was displayed in his papal chair for two days.

   Egypt's military rulers have declared Tuesday a national day of mourning. Tight security is in place around the cathedral, to which tens of thousands of people have streamed since Shenouda's death.

   Bishop Pachomious has taken over the papal duties for two months.  A new pope will be chosen by a council made up of senior Coptic clergymen in a process that could take months.

   Shenouda was enthroned as the 117th patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church in November 1971, leading most of Egypt's Christians, who make up about 10 per cent of the population of 80 million.

   His death comes amid increasing fears among the Christian minority that an Islamist state will replace the regime of president Hosny Mubarak.

   Islamists now dominate more than two-thirds of parliament, and are expected to play a key role in drafting the new constitution.

   Shenouda was seen as a distinguished religious leader, who advocated Christian unity, peace and forgiveness.

   However, he was also criticized for being close to Mubarak's government. In 2011, his call to anti-Mubarak protesters to end their rallies was condemned by Christian activists. Shenouda later praised the youth who took part in the revolution, which eventually toppled Mubarak.