Diocesan Bishop and the See of St. Mark

Copticdeacon

Pikhristos Aftonf,

Hope all is doing well. I know there was already a thread about Selecting A new Pope but this is specific to whether or not a Diocesan Bishop is allowed to be nominated to become Pope.
H.G. Bishop Youssef SUS Diocese
http://suscopts.org/press/2012/apr/28/can-a-diocesan-bishop-be-nominated-for-pope/
but a church father said this
“Neither sword, nor fire, nor exile, nor imprisonment disturbs me. I will not do what should not be done and I will not adopt what I have excommunicated in my own writings. I wrote that a bishop or metropolitan could not become a patriarch. How could I excommunicate myself by legalising today what I have forbidden yesterday, and by accepting what the holy fathers before me refused to accept.”
Abba Khail, Forty-sixth Patriarch of Alexandria AD 743-767.

What is really supposed to happen?

qawe

I don't know the technicalities.
But I don't like the personal ambitions coming into play here.

Copticdeacon

It's quite confusing because apparently people are getting upset and are beginning to think that the Holy Synod are just serving their human desires of pride.

morcousw

The fact of the matter is that each bishop in the Holy Synod was chosen by God to be there. And the Holy Synod as a whole was chosen to lead the church in carrying out God's will.

So whatever the Holy Synod decides, we should obey despite how we feel about it.

What is supposed to happen is that the Holy Synod makes their decision on who is eligible and who is not, then they choose three (or whatever number it is) names to be put in a hat (or something) and some kid picks one. That's it. Then he will be Pope according to God's choice, and the will of the Holy Spirit Who was present in their decisions from the minute HH Pope Shenouda departed.

gregorytheSinner

Someone recently explained this issue to me.  What he said was, a Diocesan Bishop is eligible for the Archdiocese of Alexandria, as long as he still keeps his current diocese [i.e. no switching dioceses, or 'uprgrading'.]  This has happened in the past with Popes Yusab, Youannis, and Macarius.  And as the link stated, he must be chosen or nominated by others, he can't nominate himself.  Lastly, he has the right to decline, if he finds he is incapable of balancing his duties as Bishop of his old diocese and as Pope of Alexandria, [i.e. HE Abba Pachomious recently declined his nomination, stating it would be difficult for him, since he already heads the Dioceses of Beheira/Libya.]

Stavro

Then he will be Pope according to God's choice, and the will of the Holy Spirit Who was present in their decisions from the minute HH Pope Shenouda departed.

Not necessarily.

Bishops, like us, are only holy as far as they unite themselves with God and their decisions are only inspired by the Spirit to the extent they submit their will to the will of God.

There has been disatserous Popes and bishops in the history of all churches. In the Coptic Church, Pope Cyril III (the Third), Shenouda II (the Second), the bishop-turned-Popes from 1928 to 1956 (referred to by gregorythesinner) are obvious examples of individuals selected by men and not by God.

John Chryssostom has a famous saying implying that NOT every priest is selected and ordained by God.

This is just a general note regardless of which bishop will get promoted to the rank of Pope.

mark.naguib7

[quote author=qawe link=topic=13249.msg155180#msg155180 date=1335933013]
I don't know the technicalities.
But I don't like the personal ambitions coming into play here.


I do not see what you are seeing. He quoted the cannons and explained. Let's not be too quick to judge.

[quote author=Stavro link=topic=13249.msg155200#msg155200 date=1335995906]

John Chryssostom has a famous saying implying that NOT every priest is selected and ordained by God.


Would you quote this for me, please?

Stavro

"What then, you say, does God ordain all, even the unworthy? God indeed does not ordain all, but He works through all, though they be themselves unworthy, that the people may be saved." (Homily 2 on Timothy 2)