The Pope’s Funeral :Wait for another big Egyptian funeral

Pope Shenouda III’s funeral will be held tomorrow starting at 11 AM Cairo Local time at the Saint Marks Cathedral in Cairo.
The Pope has been already taken from the Papal Seat and was put in his coffin which arrived from Rome as a gift from the Vatican if I was not mistaken.

Al Masry Al Youm :Transferring Pope Shenouda III to a coffin

According to the Holy Synod the funeral of the Pope will be by invitations only , of course many Christians are angry for that decision yet others understand it. The angry Christians are sad that only prominent figures , foreign and Egyptian officials will let in while they are left outside.
Of course God knows how the streets surrounding the Cathedral will be packed with sad mourners tomorrow.

Outside the Cathedral "Getty"

Here is a map with the directions for the area , to be honest I did  not understand much from it !!
Officially tomorrow according to SCAF’s decree issued today will be a general mourning through out the country. The armed forces has assigned a military plane to transfer the coffin to its final burial place at St.Pishoy monastery per the late pope’s will. The old monastery built in the 4th century AD  played an important role in the life of Shenouda III , he was staying there in 1971 when he was informed that he was elected as the 118th Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria.
Here are the tombstone and the grave prepared from ONA 

The tombstone "ONA"

The tomb "ONA"

After 10 years he was exiled there by the orders of President Sadat because of their famous fight and he had to stay there for another 3 years till he restored his papal position. It was among his favorite spots where he used to go and stay there for praying. The last time he went there was after the two saints Church bombing in a move interrupted as anger from Mubarak’s regime.
Today the Egyptian parliament stood a moment of silence dedicated to the late Pope Shenouda III it was a good a respectable gesture but unfortunately most of the Salafist members of Parliaments had either left the session or did not stand because according to Al Nour Party  a moment of silence is not part of Islam and this is just a moment that will pass. Of course it is worth to mention that Prophet Mohamed “PBUH” stood in front of his house when he saw the funeral of his Jewish neighbor passing by.

Egyptian Parliament stands a moment for silence for late Pope Shenouda

I think that Egyptian Muslim lady who gave water from her balcony to the Christian mourners standing in long queue for hours follow Prophet Mohamed “PBUH” for real unlike those Salafist MPs.

Giving water to the thirsty 

The Church has already requested thousands of mourners outside the Cathedral to leave in order to prepare for the funeral but I think it is hard considering the thousands waiting for hours on foot in order to have one last glimpse of the body of late Pope on his papal chairs.Thousands of Egyptian Orthodox Christians came not only from all over Egypt but from outside as well.

Pope Shenouda III passes away by dear Friend Mosaab El Shami

In the past 48 hours 3 Egyptian Christians died from suffocation and tens were injured because of the stampede outside the Cathedral , the big irony that the military police is securing the church as well it had secured the body of the late Pope on the Papal chair.

Securing the dead Pope "Mohamed Mohsen"

Downtown Cairo traffic as well the desert and agricultural highways are crowded with buses. Already from what I understand bishoprics through over the country are preparing for delegations to attend the huge event after couple of hours. I have not seen a single Orthodox Christian lady or girl today that was not wearing black. 

Standing a queue in the long street "Getty"

Pope Shenouda III was the first Pope to be enthroned at the Saint Marks Cathedral in Cairo and he is the second Pope to have a funeral in the same cathedral inaugurated in 1971.
It is expected that the funeral will be a big one , the biggest so far for a religious icon in the 21st century.
Wait for more coverage tomorrow ISA.

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