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Gianluigi Guercia / AFP - Getty Images
The dead body of Pope Shenouda III, the spiritual leader of the Middle East's largest Christian minority, sits dressed in formal robes on a wooden throne at the Saint Mark's Coptic Cathedral in Cairo's al-Abbassiya district, for the people to bid farewell to him on March 19, 2012.
Tens of thousands of Egyptian Christians converged on Saint Mark's Coptic Cathedral in Cairo to bid farewell to Pope Shenouda III, who died on March 16 at the age of 88 after a long illness, Agence France-Presse reports.
Based on his wishes, Pope Shenouda will be buried on Tuesday at St. Bishoy monastery in Wadi Natrun in the Nile Delta, where he spent his time in exile after a dispute with late president Anwar Sadat.
His death set in motion the process to elect a new patriarch for the Middle East's largest Christian community.
Gianluigi Guercia / AFP - Getty Images
Christian Copts push to enter Saint Mark's Coptic Cathedral in Cairo on March 19, 2012 where tens of thousands bade farewell to Pope Shenouda III.
Gianluigi Guercia / AFP - Getty Images
Coptic nuns mourn the death of Pope Shenouda III in Saint Mark's Coptic Cathedral on March 19, 2012.
Gianluigi Guercia / AFP - Getty Images
Copts wait in line to enter Saint Mark's Coptic Cathedral on March 19, 2012.
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Alexandria, Egypt, was one of the largest and most prominent Christian communities, based in the large Jewish community that lived there and that had seen the Septuagint version of the Jewish scriptures translated into Greek there before the birth of Jesus. It was the seat of the great St. Athanasios, defender of Orthodoxy, who had to flee to Rome when he escaped the Arians five times and the persecution of Constantine's two sons. It used to rack 2nd after Rome, before Byzantion became New Roma or Constantinople as the imperial city and was ranked 2nd. Wadi Natrun is one of the most ancient centers of monasticism, which originated in Egypt. Hopefully, the new Patriarch of Alexandria will be a pope that will not only unite Egytians, but who will help bring about greater unity among the most ancient Christian churches. Peace upon him and upon the Coptic Christians, who are the most ethnically related to the ancient Egyptians.
Wow. How do you follow up after what GeorgeLC said ? I can't !
Kudos on your knowledge George.