On Saturday 17th of March 2012, the long trip of pain, which the holiness Pope Shenouda the third has lived, had ended and the trip of the glories, the manifest and the hidden from the human eyes, has begun.
Those days on which Egypt has been lived with his departure to the paradise were called “Meeting of millions”. That meeting included the majority of Egyptian categories; if not all of them. It included Christians with all the denominations and Muslims, leaders and people. He had been the messenger of peace struggling in a difficult era, and a peaceful man even in his departure from this world.
They all expressed with all their heart the deep grief, and a lot of world’s presidents and institutions shared in uniquely and wonderfully.
His marvelous love to the leadership in the Arab countries, makes most of them say: “He isn’t the Pope of only the Christians, but he is the Pope of all the Arab countries”.
In his farewell, the people crowded in which three people died, and six ambulances carried those who couldn’t handle the terrible crowd. One of the broadcasters said: “I don’t wonder if some people prefer to die while they crowd to have the blessings from his corpse”.
Indeed, the unique way that we have seen in his farewell after he departed from this world is a natural fruit for the seeds of love which he planted in his life and resulted in love.

To my father, whom I truly love
Your soul never stopped working for the sake of every soul, when it was imprisoned in your weak body - even in the bitterest moments of pain. It will never stop working even, now, after leaving the body and fleeing towards heaven to enjoy complete freedom in God's bosom and with the saints.
When you were living in faith, God's peace filled your heart and pushed you to the pastoral work with great conviction - that everybody may experience unity with the suffering and the risen Jesus Christ. Now that you are in the Savior's bosom, seeing Him clearly, don't you long as much for the redemption of all humanity?!
I can't say that you have left your church and that you do not stand with us at God's altar, at which you were ordained. I can't say that your people have lost your care and strive for their salvation. Today you are closer to your church's altar and your people than before. You are of a more significant benefit for all of us. You are standing before God's altar, which is not man-made, praying with the heavenly unseen 24 priests. God uses you to fulfill His will, so you are able to perform what you could not complete before.
Indeed, I feel obligated to record these memories - not to praise, for with heaven and its glory you are in no need of the earthly. Rather, these memories are a living image of dedicated pastoral work and the constitution (law) of faithful spiritual service.
Pray for me my father so that God may grant me two of your spirits as he granted Elisha two souls of Elijah’s the prophet.
Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty
March 23rd, 1979