To His Eminence Metropolitan BISHOY,
General Secretary of the Holy Synod,
Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate
Your Eminence,
It is with deep Christian sorrow that we have learned of the passing away from this world, on the 17th of March 2012, after a long illness, of the venerable Pope and Patriarch Shenouda III, Head of the Coptic Church, a dear and longstanding friend of the Romanian Orthodox Church.
His spiritual testimony and worldwide renown effort in fostering closer relationships between Christians of different traditions will remain in the souls of all those who have met him as a vivid example and a lasting reminder of our mission to permanently proclaim the Love of Christ, for the entire humanity.
In these moments of grief, on behalf of the hierarchs, clergy and faithful of the Romanian Orthodox Church, we express our sympathy with the Coptic Orthodox Church and pray to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to grant to the soul of late Pope and Patriarch Shenouda III a peaceful rest in the heavenly places.
May his memory be eternal!
† DANIEL
Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church
