Anba Epiphanius

Anba Epiphanius
Bishop and Abbot of the Monastery of Saint Macarius the Great
Installed 2013
Other posts Member of the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church
Orders
Ordination 1984
Consecration Consecrated by Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria
Personal details
Birth name Anba Epiphanius
Born (1954-06-27)June 27, 1954
Tanta, Egypt
Died (2018-07-29)29 July 2018
Monastery of Saint Macarius the Great، Egypt
Nationality Egyptian
Denomination Oriental Orthodoxy
Residence Egypt
Alma mater University of Tanta

Anba Epiphanius (June 27, 1954 - July 29, 2018) (Coptic: Ⲁⲃⲃⲁ ⲉⲡⲓⲫⲁⲛⲓⲟⲥ; Arabic: الأنبا أبيفانيوس‎) was an Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church bishop. He was appointed as the bishop and abbot of the Monastery of St. Macarius in 2013, a position he held until his death on July 29th, 2018.[1][2][3]

Life

Anba Epiphanius was born in Tanta, Egypt, in 1954. He studied medicine at the University of Tanta and specialized in otorhinolaryngology. Epiphanius obtained his baccalaureate degree in 1978. He was ordained as a monk in 1984, after entering the Monastery of St. Macarius the Great. Epiphanius was appointed as a Coptic Orthodox bishop in October 2002.

Bishop Epiphanius was considered to be a reformist ally to Tawadros II of Alexandria [4].

Death

On Monday, July 30, 2018 it was reported that the bishop had died under strange circumstances and the death was being investigated by the police as a homicide.[5] When the bishop's body was discovered in one of the corridors of the monastery on the morning of Sunday July 29, 2018, it reportedly showed signs of a physical blow. The body was lying in a pool of blood with a head wound that looked to have been caused by a heavy, sharp object.[6] Three other wounded individuals were also found at the scene, alive but dazed.[7] According to some sources it is speculated that the attack had a terrorist element.[8]

Funeral and aftermath

Funeral rites were held for the bishop on Tuesday, July 31, 2018.[9] Soon after the bishop's death and funeral, a monk named "Asheyaa" El-Makary was defrocked by the Coptic Church as a result of an investigation by the Church's monastic affairs committee. It was not clear at the time whether the decision to defrock the monk was related with the bishop's very recent death under suspicious circumstances.[10][11]

References

  1. ↑ "Egypt investigates 'mysterious' death of Coptic Bishop". news24.com. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  2. ↑ الأنبا أبيفانيوس أسقف ورئيس دير الأنبا مقار، دخل في 6 أغسطس 2018.
  3. ↑ لغز "الأنبا إبيفانيوس".. من القاتل؟، مصراوي، نشر في 6 أغسطس 2018، دخل في 6 أغسطس 2018.
  4. ↑ "Egypt Coptic Church defrocks monk in the wake of bishop's murder". middleeasteye.net. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  5. ↑ "Egypt probes 'mysterious' death of Coptic bishop". chronicle.co.zw. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  6. ↑ "Suspicion surrounds murder of Coptic Orthodox bishop in Egypt". vaticannews.va. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  7. ↑ "Mystery surrounds the killing of Coptic Orthodox bishop in Egypt". asianews.it. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  8. ↑ "Suspicion surrounds murder of Coptic Orthodox bishop in Egypt". vaticannews.va. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  9. ↑ "Grieving Pope Tawadros II, mourners bid murdered Bishop Epiphanius farewell". english.ahram.org.eg. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  10. ↑ "Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church defrocks monk after mysterious death of bishop". english.ahram.org.eg. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  11. ↑ لكنيسة: ملابسات غامضة أحاطت بوفاة الأنبا إبيفانيوس والجهات الرسمية تجري تحقيقاتها، الأهرام، نشر في 29 يوليو 2018، دخل في 6 اغسطس 2018.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.