بابا‎

SCRUTATIO SCRIPTURAE

بابا‎

(BABA)

 A Scrutatio for the 5th Sunday of the CHRISTIAN SEASON OF ORDINARY TIME/TIME OF THE CHURCH

Readings from the Anglican Book of Common Prayer

Zechariah 12:8-10 and 13:1 / Psalm 63:1-8 / Galatians 3:23-29 / Luke 9:18-24

Readings for the Pauline/Vatican II Rite of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

Zechariah 12:10-11 and 13:1 / Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, and 8-9 / Galatians 3:26-29 / Luke 9:18-24

Readings for the Tridentine Rite of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

Introit: Psalm 27:7-9 and 1 

Epistle: I Peter 3:8-15

Gradual and Alleluia: Psalm 84:9, 8 and 21:1

Gospel 

Matthew 5:20-24

Offertory:

Psalm 16:7-8

Communion Antiphon: Psalm 27:4

Nazeer Gayed Roufail was born on August 3, 1923 in Asyut, Upper Egypt.

The 8th child of his mother and father, at the tender age of 16, Nazeer was very much active in the Sunday School/Cathechetical ministries of the Coptic Orthodox Parishes of St. Anthony in Shoubra and St. Mary's in Mahmasha.

After his graduation from college from the University of Cairo with a Degree in History, Nazeer worked as a High School English and Social Studies Teacher as well as a Journalist by day, while attending the Coptic Theological Seminary by night, just like Nicodemus who would heed the call to listen to JESUS at the middle of the night.

Though he served in the army for a short period of time, he still continued his studies as a GOOD SOLDIER OF CHRIST in the seminary, graduating in 1949 and was commissioned to teach New Testament Studies.

By July 18, 1954, Nazeer joined the Syriac Monastic Community of Wadi El Narum and was given the name, Abouna Antonios El-Syriani. He lived as a hermit in a cave, about seven miles from the monastery, dedicating his life to prayer, meditation and asceticism from 1956 to 1962. Abouna Antonios was later on Ordained to the Sacred Priesthood. 

At the Holy Synod of 1959 convened to elect the 116th Successor of St. Mark as Coptic Patriarch of Alexandria, Abouna Antonios' name was among the candidates, though the saintly Abouna Mina was the one who got elected and served as Pope Cyril VI for 10 years.

On September 30, 1962, Pope Cyril VI appointed Abouna Antonios to the Bishopric of Christian Education and Dean of the Coptic Orthodox Theological Seminary, changing his name from Abouna Antonios to His Grace, Bishop Shenouda after the renowned scholar and writer, Saint Shenouda the Archimandrite. Under Bishop Shenouda's tenure, the number of the Seminarians tripled, though he had a conflict with Pope Cyril for his "campaigns of change", which, among other things, he called for the popular election of Bishops and Priests, and for this he was suspended, though this issue was shortly resolved.

Nine months after the passing of Pope Cyril VI on March 9, 1971, Bishop Shenouda was elected and enthroned on November 14 as the 117th Coptic Patriarch of Alexandria in the newly consecrated 2nd Cathedral of St. Mark in Cairo. It was also in this very same Cathedral that Pope Paul VI

of the Holy Catholic Church returned the remains of St.Mark after it was taken to Venice in A.D. 828.

Known for his Patriotism, he was well known for statements such as: "Egypt is a nation that LIVES WITHIN US and NOT a nation that WE LIVE IN."

He was also well known for his efforts on Christian Reconciliation, Religious Freedom and Ecumenical Dialogue with our Islamic Brothers and Sisters.

 

 

It was also during his tenure that the Christological controversies between the Coptic Church and the Roman Church, since the Council of Chalcedon in A.D. 451 was ended. In his meeting with Pope Paul VI in May of 1973, Pope Shenouda was the 1st Coptic Patriarch of Alexandria to visit his Brother Patriarch in Rome for 1500 years!

 

By May 6, after celebrating the Divine Liturgy of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, Pope Paul VI gifted Pope Shenouda III with a relic of his predecessor, St. Athanasius.

 

By May 10, at the Tower of St. John at the Vatican Gardens, both Pope Paul VI and Pope Shenouda III signed the Common declaration, thus ending the Christological disputes between the two Ancient and Apostolic Churches.

 

It is also noteworthy that Pope Shenouda opened the dialogue of the Coptic Orthodox Church with the Protestant Basic Ecclesial Communities!

A great protector of Christians in Egypt, he was also seen as the Powerful Voice of Hope that lessened the religious persecutions in Egypt.

 

He was also a prominent voice in his advocacy for equality and social justice!

Because of all his efforts, he was considered by the whole nation of Egypt, even by the Islamic Extremists as their very own BABA/DADDY!

During his visit in Egypt on February of 2000, Pope John Paul II visited Pope Shenouda III in his Patriarchal Residence in Cairo.

Since his election in 1971, Pope Shenouda gives his weekly Wednesday Sermon at the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. Mark.

After over 40 years and 4 months of Service as CHRIST'S SOLDIER, JOURNALIST AND TEACHER for the Nation of Egypt, the GREAT BABA/DADDY of both Christians and Muslims alike passed on to his ETERNAL REWARD on March 17, 2012 and was laid to rest on March 20, in the Monastery of St. Pishon in accordance with his own wishes.