The Priests of Alexandria during the Papacy of His Holiness Pope Shenouda III (1971 – 2012) (Arabic)

By: His Grace Bishop Ermia

The General Bishop and Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center

Prepared and photographed by: Eng. Emad Nasri

Head of Recording and Documenting the Coptic Legacy Department at the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center

Supervised by: Archpriest Rewis Morcos Mashreqi

The General Deputy of the Patriarchate of Alexandria

Foreword:

Days leave, the past turns its back, events vanish, accidents pass, yet the impacts and impressions remain lasting on our personalities.

The past is buried in the grave of time, where nothing is restored, yet its relation to our present is close, and consequently to our future too. The past is the corner stone, the construction pillar and the fulcrum point.

It is the past of permanent cheerfulness and deep peace, the past of mighty steadfastness against all what is contradictory to God’s word and will, and the past of string relation and good companionship.

Each of us has his book of memories which takes him backwards through time, passing through a smiley tape of meaningful scenes.

Such pages of memories have people who mean a lot to us, restore the mind to its pureness, and the heart to its freshness, we pass around names of those we love and how we passed through those memories whether they were good or bad. Artist Eng. Emad Nasri recorded the memories of the late Pope Shenouda III in Alexandria through his camera lens, in order for us to quietly follow this rich record, being assured that the best is yet to come, and to make the page of memories a beautiful painting at which we look in love.

We express our thanks to our beloved father Archpriest Rewis Morcos Mashreqi, the General Deputy of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, for assisting us in this historic work.

We present this book at the second anniversary of His Holiness Pope Shenouda III’s departure, pleading to God in order to make it a reason of blessing for everyone, and to bless all who have exerted efforts in preparing and introducing it so innovatively, through the intercessions of St. Virgin Mary, the theotokos, St. Mark the Apostle, the preacher of Egyptian homes, and through the prayers of His Holiness Great Pope Tawadros II, the Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, may God keep him for many years and peaceful times.

17^th of March, 2014 AD

The anniversary of Pope Shenouda III’s departure

Bishop Ermia

The General Bishop

Head of Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center