The national postal authority on Thursday launched a commemorative stamp for the recently deceased head of the Coptic Orthodox Church, Pope Shenouda III.
Mossaad Abdel Ghany, head of the authority, said the stamp’s launch comes 40 days after the pope’s death, and that several public figures and church representatives attended the launch ceremony.
Shenouda died on 17 March at the age of 89, after a long struggle with disease. In January, Shenouda underwent his last medical treatment for kidney disease and diabetes in the United States.
His death marked the end of an era, during which he played a pivotal role in the unprecedented expansion of the Coptic Orthodox Church abroad. Under his tenure, the Coptic Church spread in the West, especially in the US, where the number of Coptic churches jumped from four in 1971 to over 100 by the time of his death. The pope also established branches in Australia and the United Kingdom.
This article is an edited translation from MENA
