Egypt's Coptic Christian Pope Shenouda III dies

Egypt's Coptic Christian Pope Shenouda III has died at the age of 88, state television has announced.

The cause of his death was not reported, but the leader of the Middle East's largest Christian minority had suffered from health problems.

Coptic Christians make up 10% of Egypt's 80 million population.

After attacks on Coptic Christians in recent years, Pope Shenouda urged officials to do more to address the community's concerns.

Pope Shenouda led the church, one of the oldest Christian communities in the world, for four decades.

His political adviser Hany Aziz told Reuters news agency that Shenouda "died from complications in health and from old age".

He had returned recently to Egypt after seeking treatment abroad.

Pope Shenouda was born Nazeer Gayed into a devout Christian family on 3 August 1923 in Asyut, Upper Egypt, and became a monk in 1954, taking the name Shenouda.

After Pope Cyril died in 1971, Shenouda was enthroned as Pope of Alexandria.

@BBC

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