Poem Commemorating Pope Shenouda III

This piece was originally written for a music competition in the month of March. I publish it here in its unedited form.

Sallam tells of one who came

Nazir Gayed was his name

Humbly born with no fame

will his future stay the same?

His mother dies when he’s born

And The village for her mourned

But this will show how he will

From his struggles fight and win

My father, how harsh was life

How many times you had to move

With many struggles you proved

That God shelters those who seek him

Like a disciple, you loved to learn

And through the Bible You stood firm

And with His guidance your heart yearns

For the eternal life with God

You lived as one not of the world

Because your life was in God’s word

You saw nothing in the world

Worth Losing out on eternal life

Stranger you are, Stranger you lived

And a stranger you wished to go

But God had different plans for you

To feed his church and make it grow

From epsicopate you tried to flee

But God saw you were fit to be

Pope and Patriarch of the Holy See

Of the Coptic Orthodox Church

Like your Lord you preached and healed

Fought for the faith and to us revealed

Patristic mysteries concealed

In many books and sermons

You built churches with pure souls

Longing for the beloved Lord

you fed them from the well of truth

And taught them Orthodox Doctrine 17th March came with sadness

The bells rang slowly with heviness

Pope Shenouda went in gladness

To the paradise of heavenly joy

Our father the great archpriest

Avva Shenouti bi ma shomt

Defending faith against heresies

For our church intercede

In the world a stranger you lived

And from your heart, the Lord you loved

Pray to the Lord on our behalf

Abba Shenouda the 117