Metropolitan Hilarion’s condolences over the death of Patriarch Shenouda III of the Coptic Church

Holy Synod of the Coptic Church

Your Eminences,

Your Graces:

It was with a feeling of profound grief that I have learnt about the demise of His Holiness Patriarch Shenouda III at such a difficult period in the history of the Coptic Church.

The late Patriarch Shenouda III was a great pastor whom the Lord vouchsafed to be at the helm of the church ship for over forty years. He was a man of the Church in the true sense of the word, a man of zealous prayer, and a merciful father to the faithful of the Coptic Church who are persecuted and scattered all over the world. He was a man who wisely led his Church through hard trials befallen her recently and will remain such in human hearts.

The Russian Orthodox Church feels profound sorrow at this grievous loss, yet believes that by God’s grace the Coptic Church will worthily bear the ordeal being passed by Christians of the ancient Egypt.

I pray for the rest of the soul of the newly deceased Patriarch Shenouda in the mansions of the righteous. May the Almighty Lord give him eternal memory!

With love in Christ,

/+Hilarion/

Metropolitan of Volokolamsk

Chairman

Department for External Church Relations

Moscow Patriarchate