Amidst sadness gripping all Egyptians – Christians and Muslims alike, prayers over the deceased pope is beginning on Tuesday morning at the Saint Mark Cathedral in the Cairo district of al-‘Abbāssīyah.

Bishops and top clergymen, who met on Sunday (March 18) for two hours, announced that the pope will be buried in the Bishop Bīshūy Monastery in Wādī al-Natrūn area, where Pope Shenouda used to live during the time of his monasticism.

Leading the prayers over Pope Shenouda will be Bishop Bākhūmius, who is temporarily running church affairs pending the ordainment of a new pope as the Holy Synod announced on Sunday that nominations for the post will start as of Friday (March 23).

Hundreds of thousands of Copts flowed into the cathedral to have the farewell look on the pope who was seated in full patriarch attire on the chair of Saint Mark. [Ashraf Sādiq, al-Ahrām, March 19, p. 1] Read original text in Arabic