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Famous Copts
I don't know if it's been done before, but i was wondering if we can make a list of famous coptic people around the world. It doesn't necessarily have to be someone who has a claim to fame, but it can be someone who has really accomplished things not many other people were able to.
This is just something to inspire success.
We all know that the real fame is for the glory of God.
This is just something to inspire success.
We all know that the real fame is for the glory of God.
Comments
The list does not need to go beyond that as far as I am concerned.
His Holliness Pope Shenouda III
Apart from countless church saints past and present
Professor Sir Magdy Yacoub
Mr Naguib Sawiris
Dr Boutrous Boutrous-Ghali
As for the other three gentlemen, I guess you can make a case that they are famous; with full admiration for Dr. Yacoub.
His Holiness, is an embodiment of the entire Coptic Orthodox existence, never wavering on any representation of that existence. No one, including the other three, combined come close to Pope Shenouda III. Sometimes it is difficult to make comparisons and contrasts, but no one comes close to His Holiness, no one.
If you made a top ten list, he would be number one, and number two would be a distance from Pluto (although no longer a planet) to the Sun. Sorry to be obnoxious, but the truth is clear; not to negate from the others' accomplishments.
You simply can NOT and should NOT ignore the achievements of (Prof Sir Magdy Yacoub, Mr Naguib Sawiris, Dr Boutrous Boutrous-Ghali) If you really knew anything about them I don't think you'll be so quick to dismiss them like this
One can be a great surgeon, such as Dr. Yacoub, whom I hold in great esteem, but is not the basis and foundation by which the rest of the community at large have been elevated. He does not go out of his way to identify his Coptic heritage; sometimes on a small basis I have heard.
His Excellency, Boutros Ghali, distances himself from the Coptic Community for the sake of political aspirations. By definition, politicians should not be trusted. That is in every country.
I will even go as far as to say that His Holiness has elevated the status of Egypt as a whole, and has prevented strife that would have been detrimental to the whole of Egypt's Society. His Holiness, has given life to our existence, when we entered the lands of emigration, and has given us a constant source of inspiration with spiritual food. His achievements, Blessed by the Almighty, are for the entire Coptic Community, and not as a single or solitary person.
I do not deny the achievements of people of Coptic Ancestry, but Pope Shenouda has his ancestry in the Apostle, St. Mark, in the stewardship of the Mother Church, a wisdom of Solomon, the creative character beyond comprehension, a sense of duty and love unparalleled by any.
As I said previously, he is the number one on the list, the ideal...why bother having a list when he is in the number one slot.
He has tasted exile. He has tasted ferocious pain. He has been betrayed. He has watched his children slaughtered, abused, persecuted, defiled, raped, and has always found a way to comfort them, find refuge for them, taken on the government. The difference between Pope Shenouda and anyone else on the "famous list" is his divinely inspired fatherhood. My father is my hero, my inspiration, and my love. It would be impossible to start listing his ecclesiastical accomplishments.
Again, I do not negate that others have achieved, but common on, Pope Shenouda is the epitome and the ideal, do not put anyone else in the list. No one has faced what the man has faced, I feel, excepting for tremendous characters in the Coptic history such as St. Athanasius the Apostolic, St. Paul, and the like.
I would say that the other Coptics mentioned are famous by some stretch of criteria, but Pope Shenouda III a glory of a man, gifted to us by the Holy Spirit so that we may raise our heads up with dignity among the other peoples. Not to mention that his life is given freely and without compensation for the sake of the millions that call him "Father". A "Father" does not get paid, or knighted, or seek higher office.
My gift in life, is that I have had the chance to see him, greet him, see his smile, listen to his words, read his thoughts, learn from him, take care of him, and to appreciate my Coptic existence sacramentally, and spiritually with a foundation historically.
Pope Shenouda, symbollically, is the Coptic Community. Anything that hurts him, hurts us, and anything that hurts us, hurts him. That is the basis of Community... the basis of Ecclesia...and family.
I guess if you were to have a list not inclusive of a "walking angel" like Pope Shenouda, you could have other names listed.
As an example, Cher, the singer and actress, is famous, but she is an outright embarassment to the Armenian Community.
I would say that the other Coptics mentioned are famous by some stretch of criteria, but Pope Shenouda III a glory of a man, gifted to us by the Holy Spirit so that we may raise our heads up with dignity among the other peoples....
I like all of your points, ilovesaintmark, save for this one. To suggest that H.H. is the only reason we can "raise our heads up with dignity among the other peoples" is rather preposterous, in retrospect. As a people, we have a lot more that we can draw upon than just H.H., you know?
God Bless and Pray for me and my weakness
As a matter of fact, I think it an understatement to say: 'that he has raised our heads among the peoples of the world'. Even in the frailty of his age and health, he shows even more character, dignity, and glorious strength than when he was half his age.
We do not need history to judge him. We are living the history that he is authoring for our people. History is already upon us.
Who stands up before the Egyptian Government when issues occur...Pope Shenouda. When the Egyptian press tries to set traps journalistically and politically for our people...who takes them on and embarasses them....Pope Shenouda. When heretics take to the stage and try to take from the faithful and lead them to Satan, who stands up to them...Pope Shenouda. When stupid and malicious people raise lawsuits in the judicial system to question matrimonial status and attack the sacraments...who stands up to them and repudiates them, but, Pope Shenouda. He is the one who maintained his dignity and cheeriness when he was exiled and humiliated (attempted) by the Egyptian Government...Pope Shenouda. When our girls are kidnapped, and even their families are afraid to bring up the issues, who spoke up and demanded justice but Pope Shenouda.
Who ushered the building of: monasteries, schools, hospitals, clinics, handicapped facilities, churches, convents, seminaries, and service buildings? He has authored: books, poems, hymns, a multitude of papal decrees.
He has presided over more makings of the chrism oil than were carried out in the 19th and 20th centuries combined. This highlights the growth of the Church, in its consecrations and sacramental expansion/expression/utilization.
I think I can keep typing all night to make my case. The fact that God, the Almighty, has allowed him such a long reign identifies our need for his presence on this earth.
If that is not enough to raise you head with pride and hope, I do not know what is?
It is a rarity that such a confluence of talent is imbued by Our Almighty God in one person. I put my faith and hope in God and in the blessings that are granted to us through Pope Shenouda. I am looking forward to his 100th anniversary as Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark!
I do not think my comments are misplaced. I am not speaking praise of Pope Shenouda. All I am giving is a synopsis and encyclopedic listing of the man who is the Pope and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark.
Can you think of a political figure in our lifetime with such a love and dignity? Can you think of any Church Head, who is stacked with the theological understanding and erudtition? Can you think of anyone with the courage of defending and negotiating for millions on a daily basis?
I am just stating the facts. I am not putting anyone down. I am stating the facts. My point previously, that distinguished Pope Shenouda from anyone else, was that his efforts are indefatigable and for the cause of the entire community, and not for a single or personal gain.
I do not fault, Cantor Ibrahim Ayad, for inserting at times in the chants: "Al-aadhim fi el Batareka". The Patriarchs of the other churches look for his leadership on so many matters. That is not conjecture, it is fact.
God Bless and Pray for me and my weakness
I was not taking any insult from you or Severus, just making a case. I am very passionate about the Apostolic Presence of Pope Shenouda in the Life of the Coptic Orthodox Church.
I think what you are doing is honorable for HH but misplaced, i don't think you can compare anyone to HH, that is why he is HH. But on the same token you only hurt him by speaking this way about him. You will cause envy in the devil and his temptations and life will get harder by your praise. But also don't put down others accomplishments either. Not everyone can be like HH but that doesn't make their accomplishments less important or something of that sort,
God Bless and Pray for me and my weakness
I don't understand exactly... Will the devil be waiting for someone to praise the Pope to hurt him? I thought that when we pray for God to protect us from envy what is meant is our own envy toward someone, to protect our heart from falling into the sin of envy and not protecting us from someone else's envy... In Egypt the belief that if someone wishes something bad on you this may hurt you, or if someone is envious of you this may hurt you, I always found this strange... Should we be afraid and worried when someone praises us? Can the devil even come near to us without God giving him permission to do so?
Please elaborate as I wish to understand this issue better..
Gb
A few were mentioned.
Also, I would sure hope that the pope of the coptic church be a famous copt........
And again, this is just to inspire success on earth for the glory of God. The real fame belongs to those who achieve spiritual success.
Naguib El Re7any
Did you know that the rapper from the band LINKIN PARK is a COPT ?
I'm serious! his name is Mike Shenouda, and he has the famous tattoo of the cross on his wrist..
Um, I don't think that's correct: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Shinoda
davidschanter the list of prominant copts is endless, for example the inventor of the vending machine is a copt, the inventor of the steam engine is a copt, the person that first developped the industerial revolution in the sense we know now was a (yes u guessed correctly) a copt, youssef mansour who was a kung fu champion is a copt, sam solomon whom is a famous australian boxer/kickboxer is a copt, one of the team that represented britain in the european Hapkido championships in 2008 had 3 copts in it, rami malek whom is an actor (the pharo in night at the museam) is a copt and mina erian (another hollywood actor) is a copt and there are numerous professors and academics in all fields of life that are copts etc... it is a big mistake to limit our culture and tradition to religious aspects. so please try and look beyond the church figures. I would be grateful if people added more to the list.
Father Peter
Actually I find the history of these things to provide many lessons. At one time Egypt was the greatest civilisation in the world, and for many centuries Alexandria was the most important (that's not really the right word in the context of the Church) see, but with the passage of time various European countries became more powerful, dominant and technologically advanced.
Now perhaps it is the time of the US, but time will pass and as one society diminishes others will rise up. We can only put our trust in God in the end.
Father Peter
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Copts
Lots of interesting ones on there.
Oh and btw, its one of my elder relatives threw himself in front of a bullet for Saad Zaghloul in Egypt when he was leading his revolution, which doesn't make him famous but means he could well have changed history...
PFM
Sam