› ›

Pope Shenouda's final words

TITLTITL
edited March 2012 in Coptic Orthodox Church
I am your father and teacher, all of you my children, listen to my commandments, for I ask you my beloved children, preserve and look after the faith of the Holy Trinity.
I ask my beloved children, love one another with a true love.
I ask you my beloved, do good with all humanity.
I ask my beloved children, do not let the world deceive you.
I ask you my beloved children, do not fall short or “be not eager” in the service of the Lord.
I ask you my beloved children, to pray without ceasing and tirelessly.
I ask you o my beloved children, preserve your tongues from causing any division.
I ask of you my beloved children, to preserve the Holy Baptism that was granted to you.
I ask of you my beloved children, preserve your body pure for the Lord.
I ask of you my beloved children, do not ever lamp weaken without light.
I ask of you my beloved children, preserve the commandments that God gave to you.
I ask of you my beloved children, that the fear of God be within you.

God is witness, my beloved children, that I did not keep any of God’s words from away you…that I never ever slept my children, and be blamed by any one of you…that if you preserve and keep what I have told you, you will crush the head of the serpent and dragon. So hence, if you preserve and keep what I have said to you, you will eat of the goodness of the earth. So hence, if you preserve and keep what I have said to you, the shinning Cherubim will guard you. So hence, if you preserve and keep what I have said to you, you will never lack of the Heavenly gifts.

I ask of you my beloved children, to ask of Christ for my soul, that it may have comfort in front of Him, and do not count my short falls, unknowingly and unwillingly. (Then he directs his talks to the Bishops, clergy and priests) I ask for your love and I plead to your reverence, to absolve me from everyone. And now, I am far from you and left you, and I cannot see your faces. And now I ask of you all, that you exhaust yourselves in prayers for me, remembrance in the Holy Liturgies, that my Master may accept me to Him, and forgive me.

And I ask Christ, the Great Shepherds of Shepherds, that he may elect for you a righteous shepherd according to His Will and heart, that he may shepherd you and your matters and watch for the salvation of your souls.
«1

Comments

  • copticuser20copticuser20
    Can anyone provide a link of the video of the burial?
  • TITLTITL
  • copticuser20copticuser20
    That is the funeral. Is there a video of the burial in the monastery?
  • ilovesaintmarkilovesaintmark
    Total chaos.

    Everybody was on their mobile phones.  I don't think anyone had time to video.
  • [Deleted User]
    Does that mean we can pray to God through the intercessions of Pope Shenouda now?
  • copticuser20copticuser20
    [quote author=ilovesaintmark link=topic=13055.msg153394#msg153394 date=1332286948]
    Total chaos.

    Everybody was on their mobile phones.  I don't think anyone had time to video.

    Yeah well most of the services were chaotic...I was in school so I wasn't sure what happened. If they were on TV aren't they recorded somewhere? I can't read arabic so my youtube searching won't work.
  • copticuser20copticuser20
    Found it! Its at like minute 30:

    So a monk and a man are standing on the coffin, a monk jumps on top of another monk, the man jumps on a monk and there is constant yelling and screaming of immovable men. Why wasn't there a private burial?  Why didn't the Bishops wait until night or something when everyone leaves to take the body out of the cathedral and bury it?

    It is actually very disrespectful.
  • geomike
    [quote author=copticuser20 link=topic=13055.msg153402#msg153402 date=1332288372]
    Found it! Its at like minute 30:

    So a monk and a man are standing on the coffin, a monk jumps on top of another monk, the man jumps on a monk and there is constant yelling and screaming of immovable men. Why wasn't there a private burial?  Why didn't the Bishops wait until night or something when everyone leaves to take the body out of the cathedral and bury it?

    It is actually very disrespectful.


    They were closing the box. That's why they were on top because there was no room around it.
  • TITLTITL
    The purpose of this thread was for people to contemplate on His Holiness' commandments and talk about how much he's affected each of our lives (at least that's what I had in mind when I posted it). I think it's my mistake with the title. I'll change it.
  • peter_saadpeter_saad
    Do you have his recording of this?
  • markh113
    [quote author=TITL link=topic=13055.msg153360#msg153360 date=1332257040]
    I am your father and teacher, all of you my children, listen to my commandments, for I ask you my beloved children, preserve and look after the faith of the Holy Trinity.
    I ask my beloved children, love one another with a true love.
    I ask you my beloved, do good with all humanity.
    I ask my beloved children, do not let the world deceive you.
    I ask you my beloved children, do not fall short or “be not eager” in the service of the Lord.
    I ask you my beloved children, to pray without ceasing and tirelessly.
    I ask you o my beloved children, preserve your tongues from causing any division.
    I ask of you my beloved children, to preserve the Holy Baptism that was granted to you.
    I ask of you my beloved children, preserve your body pure for the Lord.
    I ask of you my beloved children, do not ever lamp weaken without light.
    I ask of you my beloved children, preserve the commandments that God gave to you.
    I ask of you my beloved children, that the fear of God be within you.

    God is witness, my beloved children, that I did not keep any of God’s words from away you…that I never ever slept my children, and be blamed by any one of you…that if you preserve and keep what I have told you, you will crush the head of the serpent and dragon. So hence, if you preserve and keep what I have said to you, you will eat of the goodness of the earth. So hence, if you preserve and keep what I have said to you, the shinning Cherubim will guard you. So hence, if you preserve and keep what I have said to you, you will never lack of the Heavenly gifts.

    I ask of you my beloved children, to ask of Christ for my soul, that it may have comfort in front of Him, and do not count my short falls, unknowingly and unwillingly. (Then he directs his talks to the Bishops, clergy and priests) I ask for your love and I plead to your reverence, to absolve me from everyone. And now, I am far from you and left you, and I cannot see your faces. And now I ask of you all, that you exhaust yourselves in prayers for me, remembrance in the Holy Liturgies, that my Master may accept me to Him, and forgive me.

    And I ask Christ, the Great Shepherds of Shepherds, that he may elect for you a righteous shepherd according to His Will and heart, that he may shepherd you and your matters and watch for the salvation of your souls.


    To be honest, I think these sayings are part of the rites of the pope's funeral. A priest told me that this is read in the first person during the prayer, and that the same thing was said at Pope Kyrillos VI's funeral.
  • ilovesaintmarkilovesaintmark
    Yes.

    Whoever constructed them had his heart in his hand as he penned the words.
  • TITLTITL
    Anba David said Pope Shenouda wrote it immediately before his departure.
  • peter_saadpeter_saad
    They had a small clip of it on CTV with his voice.
  • RemnkemiRemnkemi
    No. It is from the funeral rite of the Patriarch. It's in Coptic. The Coptic version is on Facebook. I'll try to find the link.
  • TITLTITL
    edited September 2014
    It doesn't sound very special anymore. I was going to print it out, put it on a poster board and hang it somewhere important.
  • George_Mina_Awad
    If you look at it, as elegantly put as it is, it does not seem to match H.H.'s style of writing or speaking. But I find it strange that HG Anba David wouldn't already be aware of this.
  • RemnkemiRemnkemi
    Does it matter who wrote it? The words are not only in the spirit of HH Pope Shenouda but they are also inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is really irrelevant if the are personal words authored by Pope Shenouda. It is no different than the Bible. None of us wrote the words in the Bible but the message is in every way personal to us as they were to the Apostles and prophets.

    TITL, print it out and hang it in the most important place you can find. It will remind us to follow the commandment that the Holy Spirit, the Church, all the patriarchs and most importantly Pope Shenouda commissioned to us.
  • TITLTITL
    It adds a personal touch when your father writes you a message rather than handing you a note from someone else with similar thoughts.

    So yes, it does matter who wrote it. They are nonetheless beautiful words, but it would have a different meaning if it came from Pope Shenouda.

    You can say it's all in my head.
  • ilovesaintmarkilovesaintmark
    There have not been, thankfully, too many Patriarchal Funeral Rites--recently or in the last 41 years.
  • George_Mina_Awad
    [quote author=Remnkemi link=topic=13055.msg153456#msg153456 date=1332345337]
    No. It is from the funeral rite of the Patriarch. It's in Coptic. The Coptic version is on Facebook. I'll try to find the link.


    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=189567047825215&set=a.136904439758143.27902.100003157632301&type=1&theater
  • mark.naguib7
    [quote author=George_Mina_Awad link=topic=13055.msg153480#msg153480 date=1332370271]
    [quote author=Remnkemi link=topic=13055.msg153456#msg153456 date=1332345337]
    No. It is from the funeral rite of the Patriarch. It's in Coptic. The Coptic version is on Facebook. I'll try to find the link.


    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=189567047825215&set=a.136904439758143.27902.100003157632301&type=1&theater


    It says the photo is unavailable.
  • copticuser20copticuser20
    [quote author=Copticandproud link=topic=13055.msg153481#msg153481 date=1332372866]
    [quote author=George_Mina_Awad link=topic=13055.msg153480#msg153480 date=1332370271]
    [quote author=Remnkemi link=topic=13055.msg153456#msg153456 date=1332345337]
    No. It is from the funeral rite of the Patriarch. It's in Coptic. The Coptic version is on Facebook. I'll try to find the link.


    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=189567047825215&set=a.136904439758143.27902.100003157632301&type=1&theater


    It says the photo is unavailable.


    You may need to be logged into facebook to see it. If you are, then you probably need to be friends with Saint Mary Coptic Church NJ (East Brunswick): https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003157632301

    *I tried uploading the picture in a post and it said the upload folder is full, contact an administrator. Please fix this! Thanks*
  • SWMSANMG
    Indeed, the words are beautiful regardless of who wrote it. The issue here, is that the Bishop who read it, introduced the message as words written by H.H. Pope Shenouda, so people have been thinking that.
  • George_Mina_Awad
    [quote author=Copticandproud link=topic=13055.msg153481#msg153481 date=1332372866]
    [quote author=George_Mina_Awad link=topic=13055.msg153480#msg153480 date=1332370271]
    [quote author=Remnkemi link=topic=13055.msg153456#msg153456 date=1332345337]
    No. It is from the funeral rite of the Patriarch. It's in Coptic. The Coptic version is on Facebook. I'll try to find the link.


    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=189567047825215&set=a.136904439758143.27902.100003157632301&type=1&theater


    It says the photo is unavailable.


    Sorry for that, here's a link to the actual image:

    https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/s720x720/532196_189567047825215_100003157632301_306557_2133043173_n.jpg
  • Bimbo123Bimbo123
    [quote author=TITL link=topic=13055.msg153461#msg153461 date=1332352772]
    It adds a personal touch when your father writes you a message rather than handing you a note from someone else with similar thoughts.

    So yes, it does matter who wrote it. They are nonetheless beautiful words, but it would have a different meaning if it came from Pope Shenouda.

    You can say it's all in my head.


    Like many of us, I also heard it being read by the bishop and thought it was HH's words he wrote... I thought it was amazing. Moments later I was told that it is part of the funeral prayers and that it wasn't written by HH.

    It doesn't matter who wrote it... Maybe it was the right thing that the Bishop didn't say anything about who wrote it in the way that it gave the FULL effect that HH in fact wrote it.
    I loved it, and I still love it.. my feelings towards those words have not changed.

    I will assume you are a young adult... one that has only been around to be under the fatherhood of only one patriarch.. that is HH Pope Shenouda. If he certainly has impacted your life like no other Patriarch (because you haven't met any other) then you will take these words as something you've never heard of before - Like myself and many others. Take this message as it is one from your FATHER - as it should be. This was the purpose of that message. If it touched you the first time, it's important that you let it keep touching you...
    Most of it is from the bible anyways... just written as a brilliant letter read as if it was from the reposed patriarch... I therefore think it's crucial that you do take this in as you initially heard it and felt about it because THAT WAS THE INTENTION.

    I agree Remnkemi 100%

    Print it out and remember it from HH Pope Shenouda... Remember he is your subject when you read it.. and nothing and no one else. We often forget the verses of the bible, but being said beautifully from your FATHER HH Pope Shenouda helps us to get closer to God - certainly.
  • marinacopt
    I also heard that after the pope dies they read this out
  • peter_saadpeter_saad
    [quote author=marinacopt link=topic=13055.msg153498#msg153498 date=1332404019]
    I also heard that after the pope dies they read this out
    It was read out loud at the funeral.
  • mark.naguib7
    [quote author=George_Mina_Awad link=topic=13055.msg153490#msg153490 date=1332386038]
    [quote author=Copticandproud link=topic=13055.msg153481#msg153481 date=1332372866]
    [quote author=George_Mina_Awad link=topic=13055.msg153480#msg153480 date=1332370271]
    [quote author=Remnkemi link=topic=13055.msg153456#msg153456 date=1332345337]
    No. It is from the funeral rite of the Patriarch. It's in Coptic. The Coptic version is on Facebook. I'll try to find the link.


    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=189567047825215&set=a.136904439758143.27902.100003157632301&type=1&theater


    It says the photo is unavailable.


    Sorry for that, here's a link to the actual image:

    https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/s720x720/532196_189567047825215_100003157632301_306557_2133043173_n.jpg


    Thank you :)
  • SWMSANMG
    Who the Bishop who read this by the way?
Sign In or Register to comment.