Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church

---

His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, born as Nazeer Gayed is the 117th Pope of Alexandria and the Patriarch of All Africa on the Holy Apostolic See of Saint Mark the Evangelist.

Born on August 3, 1923 in Asyut, Upper Egypt, he is the youngest of a family of eight children. By the age of 16, Nazeer was very active in his church and served as a Sunday School teacher, first at Saint Anthony's Church in Shoubra and then at Saint Mary's Church in Mahmasha.

After graduating from Cairo University with a degree in history, he worked as a high school English and Social Studies teacher in Cairo by day, and attended classes at the Coptic Theological Seminary by night. Upon graduation from the seminary in 1949, he was chosen to teach New Testament Studies.

On July 18, 1954, Nazeer was led to the monastic life at "El-Suryan" Monastery in the western desert of Egypt; he was given the name of Father Antonyos El-Suryaani. For six years, from 1956 to 1962, he lived a life of solitude in a cave about seven miles away from the monastery, dedicating all his time to meditation, prayer, and asceticism.

While Fr. Antonious was living as a hermit, Pope Cyril VI appointed him to be bishop of Christian Education and Dean of the Coptic Orthodox Theological University, whereupon he assumed the name of Bishop Shenouda. Under his leadership, the number of students at the university tripled.

He was elevated and enthroned as Pope Shenouda III, the 117th Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark on November 14, 1971, nearly 9 months after the departure of Pope Kyrollos VI.

Worldwide growth of Coptic Orthodox Church

During his papacy, he continued the worldwide expansion of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, which Pope Kyrollos VI had started. While there were only four Coptic Orthodox churches in all of North America in 1971, today there are more than two hundred. The growth of the American Coptic Orthodox Church has been such that in 1996, Pope Shenouda installed the first two Diocesan Bishops for the United States — one for Los Angeles, California and the other for the Southern United States plus two General Bishops.

In the Caribbean, Mission churches have been founded in Bermuda, St. Kitts, and in the U.S. Virgin Islands in St. Thomas. Moreover, Pope Shenouda's tenure has also included the founding of the first Coptic Orthodox Church in South America (in São Paulo, Brazil), and the second, in Bolivia. In February 2006, His Holiness visited and consecrated the church of St. Mark in Sao Paulo, Brazil and the church of St. Mary and St. Mark in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Later, on the Feast of Pentecost 2006, the two monk priests of the two churches were consecrated bishops, Bishop Agathon of Brazil and Bishop Yousef of Bolivia.

In Australia and New Zealand, there are currently 28 churches, and in 1999, Pope Shenouda enthroned Bishop Suriel, the first bishop for Melbourne, Canberra, Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia and New Zealand. Recently, Bishop Suriel established two churches in Fiji.

In June 2002, Bishop Daniel was officially ordained and appointed the first bishop with jurisdiction for the Australian states of New South Wales, Queensland, and the Northern Territory, as well as South and North East Asia.

In Europe, there are currently over fifty churches and ten bishops.

Africa currently has two bishops serving in missions in ten African countries. The countries are divided between H.G. Bishop Antonious Markos and H.G. Bishop Paul; thus there are two distinct regions, each of which is under the care of one Bishop.

To read more about the H.H. Pope Shenouda III, visit www.copticpope.org