Pope condoles death of Coptic Cardinal Ghattas

(Jan. 21, 2009): Pope Benedict XVI has expressed his condolence on hearing of the death of Cardinal Stéphanos II of Ghattas, retired Coptic Patriarch of Alexandra in Egypt, who passed away on Tuesday. (Jan 20). In the condolence telegram sent Wed. to Coptic Patriarch Antonios Naguib of Cairo, the Pope praised Cardinal Ghattas as a faithful and zealous servant of the Church, especially his service in the Congregation of the Mission.
Born 16 Jan. 1920 in Sheikh Zein-el-Dine in Egypt, late Cardinal Ghattas was ordained priest 25 March 1944, after his philosophical and theological studies in Rome. On May 8, 1967, the Coptic Catholic Synod elected him Bishop of Thebes-Luxor, and he received his Episcopal ordination on June 9. He was named the Apostolic Administrator on 24 Feb. 1984 of the Patriarchate to substitute for the ailing Patriarch Stéphanos I Sidarous. After the latter resigned, the Coptic Catholic Synod on 9 June 1986, unanimously elected Bishop Andraos Ghattas as the Patriarch of Alexandria. He took the name Stéphanos II out of affection towards his distinguished predecessor and as a sign of continuity. He was proclaimed cardinal by late Pope John Paul ii in the consistory of 21 February, 2001. With his death the College of Cardinals now stands at 189, of whom 116 are eligible to vote for a new pope.