Steve Georganas (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Tonight I rise on this condolence motion in honour of His Holiness Pope Shenouda III to express my deepest sympathy on the untimely death of this great spiritual man, who sadly passed away on Saturday, 17 March 2012. I wish to extend my heartfelt condolences to all Coptic people here in Australia and abroad, to Christians and Muslims alike, and to those who knew and admired His Holiness. My sympathies and condolences also go out to the local Coptic parish community in my electorate and Father Philippos Boghdadi, who is the local parish Coptic Orthodox priest at St Mary and Anba Bishoy Coptic Orthodox Church in Goldfinch Avenue, Cowandilla, in my electorate. Similarly, my sincere condolences extend to His Grace Bishop Suriel, who is the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Australia and New Zealand.

Pope Shenouda certainly achieved many great things during his lifetime. Throughout his term as the patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church he was a widely respected spiritual leader and he will be sadly missed. His Holiness was born Nazeer Gayed on 3 August 1923 to a very pious Coptic Christian family in Egypt. By the age of 15 he was actively engaged in his church community and his Sunday school movement. Thereafter he sought to enrich the Christian teachings in the Coptic Orthodox Church. His Holiness was named Coptic Pope of Alexandria on 14 November 1971 and was subsequently consecrated as His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, the 117th pope of Alexandria and patriarch of the See of St Mark.

As many of you would be aware, Coptic Orthodox churches across the world have close associations with communities here in Australia and abroad, and Orthodox Christians the world over equally share meaningful, special bonds with their Coptic fellow brethren. Although the Copts make up an estimated 10 per cent of Egypt's current population of 85 million, Coptic Christians have existed in Egypt since the early Byzantine period. In fact, St Catherine's Monastery on Mount Sinai, one of the most famous and oldest Christian landmarks in the world, dates back to the 6th century. This monastery has been a prolific source and centre of Christian teachings since the Byzantine era and empire.

I not only trust the memory of the dearly departed Pope Shenouda III will be held in the highest esteem amongst all his followers but also hope that his legacy, his former presence in Egypt and his many peaceful works in the Middle East will collectively serve to remind us of peaceful aspirations towards renewed bonds between the varying faiths and vast religious denominations that exist in the world today. Pope Shenouda III was many things to many people but mostly known as a distinguished, prominent religious leader, a profound theologian and a talented author who wrote many, many books. His Holiness was indeed a man of God his entire life and will be sadly missed by a great multitude of people throughout the world, including the Coptic community here in Australia and in my electorate. I have no doubt that that is the case. Our heartfelt sympathies go to all the Egyptian Coptic communities here in Australia and across the world.

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