Egypt's Coptic Christian pope, Shenouda III, died on Saturday, March 17, 2012. Leaders of some 12 million Christians in Egypt are the people died from the disease in old age.
"She died from complications of health and old age," said adviser Coptic church, Hany Aziz, was quoted by Reuters. Previously, Shenouda had just returned from medical treatment abroad.
Thousands of people thronged the various cathedral Copts in Egypt, one in Cairo. Some of the pilgrims looked so sad not help but collapsed, while others shed tears.
Shenouda, 88, was the 117th Pope of Alexandria who was appointed in November 1971. He was renowned as a leader and innovator of solidarity between Muslims and Christians in Egypt for 40 years at the helm. His name is known to people of all faiths fragrant in the country.
"Egypt has lost a rare man in a sensitive moment, in the moments that require a lot of wisdom, expertise and purity of mind," said the imam of al-Azhar, Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayib.
Since taking office, the famous Shenouda critical of the government. In the handling of the Islamic insurgency in the 1970s, he criticized the government for targeting Anwar Sadat Christians.
In addition, he is also anti-Israel, seen in its rejection of the Egypt-Israel peace treaty in 1979 which was pioneered by Sadat.
By his criticism, Sadat exiled Shenouda Wadi el Natrun to the temple in west Cairo and dismantle the whole authority. It was only since Hosni Mubarak came to power, relations between the Coptic church and the government began to harmony. viva
