Service of Enthronement of His Holiness the Pope of Alexandria

[Mary Naeem]

Service of Enthronement of His Holiness the Pope of Alexandria

What to expect during the service of the Enthronement of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria:

One of the bishops will start the prayer according to the custom, the lections for the 17th of Hator are read until the Praxis (Acts) and the Synaxarium.

Then the priests go out with their censers and the deacons carrying crosses to the Papal residence, where the metropolitans and the bishops are with the one chosen for the patriarchal throne, then the door of the cathedral is locked and the keys are given to one of the archdeacons to stand at the door, waiting for the new Pope when he comes in order to deliver the keys to him.

The Nomination then begins and is said: In the name of the father and the son and the Holy Spirit, the Holy undivided Trinity, One God, our God we the Orthodox Christians; in Whom we hope till the last breath and unto Whom we send up unto the highest the glory and the honor, forever.

We the metropolitans and the bishops and the priests and the deacons and all the Christ loving congregation of the cities of Alexandria and Cairo and all the region of Egypt, and the city of our God, Jerusalem, and all the countries of Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America, and Australia. When the calamity befell us and we became orphans, when the triple blessed Pope Shenouda III of thrice blessed memory departed us to the heavenly chambers; him who has received all the holy promises, and departed to God whom he loved, and heard from Him that voice full of joy saying unto him: “Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Master.”

When we became orphaned and the holy Church of God became a widow; this which he had shepherded with his teachings, we entreated the Most High to guide us to whom would be worthy of the great arch-priesthood, that he may shepherd us in the way of the Lord, and guide us to the haven of salvation, so with gift from on high and the election of the Holy Spirit, We have all agreed with one heart and elected the God fearing Abba Tawadros, general bishop of Albehera.

From the monks of St. Pishoy monastery as Pope and Patriarch and Archbishop for the Apostolic See, the See of Saint Mark the Evangelist of Egypt, Nubia, Sudan, Pentapolis, and all the regions of the See in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America, and Australia.We have elected him because he is God fearing, hospitable, adorned by knowledge and understanding, pure, diligent in publishing the evangelical percepts, well in governing, watchful in the preservation of the rites and the traditions of the Church.

We have crowned him as principal shepherd, Pope and Patriarch of the holy Church of God, to shepherd us in compassion and meekness.Therefore we have inscribed this nomination and signed it, giving thanks unto the Holy Trinity, the father, the Son and the holy spirit. Amen.