WCC NEWS: Tribute to late WCC president Pope Shenouda III

From WCC media <noreply@wcc-coe.org>
Date Sun, 18 Mar 2012 20:05:34 +0100

World Council of Churches - News

WCC PAYS TRIBUTE TO LATE PRESIDENT POPE SHENOUDA III

For immediate release: 18 March 2012

Pope Shenouda III, spiritual leader of the Egyptian Coptic Church since
1971 and a president of the World Council of Churches (WCC) from 1991 to
1998, passed away of natural causes on Saturday 17 March. In a letter to
the church dated 18 March, WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit
paid tribute to Pope Shenoudaâs unwavering pursuit of Christian unity
and peace throughout the Middle East and the world.

âAs a leader he taught us that modesty is the best way to serve
Christ,â wrote Tveit, noting that Shenouda is remembered as âa strong
believer in Christian-Muslim conviviality and cooperation. His initiatives
in the field of interreligious dialogue contributed to the unity of the
Egyptian people.â

Shenouda III held the ancient office of Pope of Alexandria and, as such,
was a successor to Saint Mark the Evangelist who, according to tradition,
brought the gospel of Jesus Christ to the great Mediterranean city in the
first century A.D.

Tveit concluded his tribute with this prayer, âMay Pope Shenoudaâs
words, witness and memory strengthen the faith of Christians in Egypt and
the Middle East; and, may his soul rest in the peace of the Kingdom of
God.â

Full text of WCC tribute to Pope Shenouda III (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=b6f7fddff8b17ee572d0 )


The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness 
and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of 
churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 349 Protestant, 
Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 560 million 
Christians in over 110 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman 
Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, 
from the [Lutheran] Church of Norway. Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.



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