Sarabamon (Coptic bishop of Saint Pishoy Monastery)

Bishop Sarabamon or Serapamon (Arabic: نيافة الأنبا صرابامون, Coptic: Ⲁⲃⲃⲁ Ⲥⲉⲣⲁⲡⲁⲙⲟⲛ) was the Bishop and Abbot of the Monastery of Saint Pishoy in Wadi El Natrun, Beheira Governorate, Egypt from 1977 until his death on 8 March 2020.[1]

His Grace

Sarabamon
Bishop and Abbot of the Monastery of Saint Pishoy
Bishop Sarabamon
Native name
  • Ⲁⲃⲃⲁ Ⲥⲉⲣⲁⲡⲁⲙⲟⲛ
  • الأنبا صرابامون‎
ChurchCoptic Orthodox Church
DioceseMonastery of Saint Pishoy, Scetes, Egypt
Installed29 May 1977
Term ended8 March 2020
Orders
Ordination24 February 1963 (Presbyter)
Consecration17 June 1973 (Bishop)
Personal details
Born
Azer Qalid Bastarous
عازر قليد بسطاورس

(1937-02-20)20 February 1937
Died8 March 2020(2020-03-08) (aged 83)
BuriedMonastery of Saint Pishoy, Scetes, Egypt
NationalityEgyptian
DenominationCoptic Orthodox Christian
ResidenceCoptic Orthodox Patriarchal Residence

Early life

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He was born Azer Qalid Bastarous (Arabic: عازر قليد بسطاورس) in Armant, Luxor, Kingdom of Egypt, on February 20, 1937.[2] He joined the Monastery of the Virgin Mary of the Syrians, and was tonsured as a monk on Tuesday, December 8, 1959. He chose the name Sarabamon (arabized version of Serapamon) as the date of his consecration corresponded to the 28th of Hathor, which was the feast day of the Martyrdom of Saint Serapamon the Bishop of Nikiou.[1]

On Sunday, February 24, 1963, he was ordained a Presbyter. He was later elevated to the dignity of Hegumen on Sunday, June 25, 1967, and was designated as the monastery's confessor.[2]

Episcopate

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On Sunday, June 17, 1973, corresponding to the Feast of Pentecost, he was consecrated a General Bishop by the hands of Pope Shenouda III. Later, on Sunday, May 29, 1977, he was enthroned as Bishop and Abbot of the Monastery of Saint Pishoy.[1][2]

On Wednesday, January 31, 1996, he was granted the Great Schema, in recognition of his completion of over 30 years of monastic piety, and service. The Monastery also held a celebration commemorating his 60th year of monasticism on December 2, 2019.[2]

During his episcopate, he was a member of the Holy Synod's Monasteries and Monastic Affairs Committee, Rites Committee, and Diocesan Affairs Committee. He was also responsible for overseeing the construction of new monasteries in Europe and North America.[2]

He received the Order of the Two Niles from Sudan.[3]

Death

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On Sunday, March 8, 2020, Bishop Sarabamon died after a four-day hospitalization. Funerary rites were prayed on Tuesday, March 10, 2020, and he was laid to rest in a tomb adjacent to the Pope Shenouda III Memorial in the Monastery of Saint Pishoy.[1][2][4]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Anba Sarapamoun (1937 – 2020), Abbot of monastery of Anba Bishoy, passes away". Watani. 2020-03-08. Retrieved 2021-06-14.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "الأنبا صرابامون أسقف ورئيس دير الأنبا بيشوي، وادي النطرون، البحيرة، مصر | St-Takla.org". st-takla.org (in Arabic). Retrieved 2021-06-14.
  3. ^ "عتاب للرئيس مبارك - تاريخ أقباط مصر". Coptic History. Archived from the original on 17 January 2022. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  4. ^ "وفاة الأنبا صرابامون أسقف ورئيس دير الأنبا بيشوي عن 83 عامًا". Al-Masry Al-Youm (in Arabic). 2020-03-08. Retrieved 2021-06-14.