Pope Francis has expressed his condolences upon learning of the death of Cardinal Antonios Naguib, Patriarch emeritus of the Coptic Catholic Church, who passed away on March 28, 2022.

A leading figure of the 250,000-strong Catholic Coptic community, Cardinal Naguib died at 87 in the Italian hospital in Cairo, following a long illness.

In the following telegram addressed to Patriarch Ibrahim Isaac Sedrak of Alexandria, Pope Francis expressed his closeness to the entire Patriarchal Church for its loss.

Telegram of the Holy Father

TO HIS BEATITUDE

IBRAHIM ISAAC SEDRAK

PATRIARCH OF ALEXANDRIA OF THE COPTS,

ON LEARNING THE NEWS OF THE DEATH OF HIS BEATITUDE CARDINAL ANTONIOS NAGUIB, PATRIARCH EMERITUS OF ALEXANDRIA OF THE COPTS, I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY CONDOLENCES TO YOUR BEATITUDE, TO THE PRIESTS, TO THE FAMILY OF THE LATE CARDINAL AND TO ALL THE FAITHFUL, ASSURING YOU OF MY CLOSENESS IN PRAYER AND SORROW, WHICH HAS AFFLICTED THE ENTIRE PATRIARCHAL CHURCH. I REMEMBER THIS DEAR BROTHER, WHO TOOK VERITAS-CARITAS AS THE MOTTO OF HIS EPISCOPATE, FOR HIS FAITH AND PRIESTLY ZEAL, WHICH LED HIM TO BE ATTENTIVE TO THE FORMATION OF PRIESTS AND TO MAKE IT HIS FIRST PRIORITY. I THINK OF HIS GENEROUS COMMITMENT IN THE FIELD OF DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL SERVICE: HE FOUNDED AN APOSTOLATE GROUP DEDICATED TO THE SERVICE OF THE NEEDY AND THE SUFFERING, AND WAS AN EXAMPLE OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD IN THE CHURCH. HE WAS GENERAL RAPPORTEUR AT THE SPECIAL ASSEMBLY FOR THE MIDDLE EAST OF THE SYNOD OF BISHOPS. I THEREFORE RAISE MY PRAYERS TO GOD AND ASK HIM, BY THE INTERCESSION OF OUR LADY, THE VIRGIN MARY, TO WELCOME HIS FAITHFUL SERVANT WITH THE ANGELS AND SAINTS INTO THE HEAVENLY JERUSALEM. I PRAY WITH YOU, GIVE YOU MY BLESSING AND ASK YOU TO PRAY FOR ME.

FRANCIS