“Rest assured and do not think too much about any matter. Leave it to God who is in control.”
“God exists, All is for Good, It is sure to end”
These are the quotes that are all Egyptians memorize by heart. Why not? They are said by the Men of Prayer; St. Pope Kyrillos VI and the Golden-Mouthed of our modern age; H.H Pope Shenouda III. It is difficult to stop talking about these two persons whose abundant and deep love covered all they met and dealt with. Even till our present day, their love and prayer support everyone who asks for their intersection from heaven. Christians celebrated the departure day of St. Pope Kyrillos VI on 9th of March and they are going to celebrate the departure day of H.H. Pope Shenouda III on 17th of March. Both not only shared the same month of departure, but also many other matters.
Their Birth Month
August was the month of birth of Azer Yusuf Atta “Pope Kyrillos” who was born on 8th of August 1902 in Toukh al-Nasara, Damanhur where his family first settled then moved to Alexandria to study at his Secondary school. The same month was when Nazir Gayed Roufail “H.H. pope Shenouda III” was born on 3rd of August 1923.He spent his childhood at the village of Salaam in Asyut then moved to Damanhur to live with “Roufail Gayed” his elder brother. Then he moved between Damanhur, Asyut and Banha to settle at last in Cairo. This is how August was honored to have these two persons born in.
Honesty and Loyalty
Pope Kyrillos VI and H.H. Pope Shenouda III shred the qualities of loyalty and honesty in all their life issues. In 1921, Azer Yusuf worked in Cook Shipping for Marine Navigation in Alexandria. He succeeded in his career for his noteworthy for his honesty and loyalty thus gained credit and trust of his superiors. Pope Shenouda III was also known for his success due to his honesty in doing all the tasks he was asked to do since his childhood till he became a teacher. He was gifted by a golden Bible when he was in fourth grade for memorizing Psalm19 “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork”; one of the longest and hardest psalms to be memorized. Nazir was on top of his class during secondary school and college. He was appointed as a professor at the Theological College due to his hard work in the Infantry School of the army.
Fervent love of God
Love of God occupied their minds so much that they preferred to lead life of solitude and worshipping even before joining life of monasticism. Azer Yusuf turned his bedroom to a cell “where a monk lives” for prayer, Bible reading and life of spiritual meditation. A monk said that Azer has prepared himself for being a monk by staying in this room. Nazir mentioned his perpetual yearning for monasticism when he said, “My spiritual interests abundantly grew since college. I was preparing myself for seeking this path so much that all my poems showed this growing interest. I loved my friends and I had fun with them. But my heart was yearning for something more than my college life.” Hence both of them abandoned the ordinary life and chose the path of monasticism before they totally dedicated their life to God.
Nazir Gayed was ordained as a monk at the Monastery of Saint Mary in Wadi al-Natrun that is known as Monastery of Al-Baramus in 1928. Nazir was also ordained as a monk in the Monastery of Saint Mary El-Sourian in Wadi al-Natrun in July 1954. Speaking of the life of these Great Patriarchs is endless….for stories of Beautiful Egypt can never end….
General Bishop
President of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center