Copts in Lebanon mourn Pope Shenouda III death

Copts in Egypt, Lebanon and around the world are mourning the death of Pope Shenouda III, the spiritual leader of Orthodox Copts, who died of a heart attack Saturday at the age of 88. Shenouda had been plagued by health problems for the past several years. He will be buried in his native Egypt, where Copts are estimated to make up 10 percent of the country's population of approximately 80 million. Prominent Lebanese across the political and religious spectrum have offered the Egyptian people and the Copts specifically their condolences. President Sleiman praised the Coptic leader for his openness to other religions, and said he hoped his example would pave the way for further dialogue in the future. Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri also expressed his condolences, praising Shenouda for his commitment to interfaith dialogue. "Egypt and the Arab nation lost yesterday a great figure in Muslim-Christian dialogue: Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of Saint Mark Episcopate Shenouda III, who spent an active life defending Arab causes and safeguarding national unity in Egypt, thereby deservedly earning the title Pope of the Arabs." Shenouda is also being fondly remembered by Muslim religious figures. Deputy head of the Shiite Supreme Council Abdel-Amir Qabalan extended his condolences, describing the Coptic patriarch as a man of wisdom and dialogue, and saying that he embodied moderation. Qabalan also praised Shenouda for his commitment to the Palestinian cause. Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea addressed the Egyptian people as a whole, but especially the Coptic community and Field Marshal of the Egyptian Army Hussein Tantawi, expressing his condolences over a "loss that cannot be compensated for." In lauding Shenouda's patriotism and his role as an Egyptian and Arab national figure for both Christians and Muslims, Geagea briefly addressed the prickly question of how precisely to categorize the Copts of Egypt, urging them to take their cue from Shenouda in refusing to be designated a minority. He also called on Copts to reject any outside intervention in their affairs. Although Copts are a minority numerically, many reject being considered such given their age-old association with Egypt. In Lebanon, the Copts are one of 18 religious communities officially recognized by the state, having won this status in 1996. Of the estimated 5,000 or so Copts living in the country, most are migrant workers from Egypt, but a handful are Lebanese citizens who were born and raised in Lebanon, or have lived here for decades. At St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox church in Jisr al-Basha, which was constructed in 1972 and remains the only Coptic church in the country, church deacon Hanna spoke with The Daily Star. "All Copts are very sad, they loved Father Shenouda, and Father Shenouda loved all people. He was willing to bear any person's problem and prayed for them all," said Hanna, adding that the church's resident priest had traveled to Egypt for Shenouda's funeral. The deacon observed that Shenouda had been a "good shepherd for Christians -- at first Orthodox then all Christians in Egypt and all the world." Though clearly downcast, Hanna also said that the Pope has been freed from suffering. "We can say it's a good day," he mused, "because Father Shenouda is at rest today, from sickness and from problems." In a telephone interview, Edmond Boutros, Vice President of Lebanon's Coptic League, said, "The absence of Father Shenouda is critical because we have a big conflict and we were not supposing he would leave us right now but it was the Lord's will." He lamented that "now there is an absence of a charismatic man -- a big gap in Egyptian society." Boutros also praised Shenouda as a champion of dialogue, mutual tolerance and forgiveness, referring to the spiritual leader's calls for calm and his forbidding of revenge attacks following the killing of Copts in sporadic Muslim-Christian clashes in Egypt. "He was not only a leader but the father of all Christians in Egypt and the Middle East," said Boutros.