Guardians of Principles and Values
Guardians of Principles and Values
Principles and values are a trust upon the neck of this generation; it must guard them with all care and hand them over intact to the coming generations.
The Church has been keen to preserve the principles it received from the Fathers and the canons they left. Among the most important of these principles is “the right of the people to choose their shepherd.” For all who are ordained—bishops and priests—are ordained with the consent and desire of the people, and His Holiness the Pope does not complete the ordination until he hears the declaration of this consent, publicly before all.
Among the principles that His Holiness the Pope has also guarded is the principle he had previously proclaimed: “the bishop is inherited by his diocese, not by the Patriarchate.” Thus, the funds left by the late Anba Isaac, Metropolitan of Gharbia and Beheira, passed to the Diocese of Gharbia and the Diocese of Beheira, and the Patriarchate took nothing from them. Likewise, the funds left by the late Anba Andraous, Bishop of Damietta and Kafr El-Sheikh, and the late Anba Yousab, Bishop of El-Balina. The same will also happen with regard to what exists in the Dioceses of Luxor, Esna, and Aswan after the repose of their Metropolitan, Anba Abram.
Among the principles that His Holiness the Pope has guarded is the stability of the priest in the church upon whose altar he was ordained. During the past three years, not a single priest has been transferred from the altar upon which he was ordained, so that pastoral care may be stable and the priests may be stable.
For the sake of preserving principles and values, His Holiness abolished the wearing of the bas al-iskim for the new bishop.
An article by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III – Al-Keraza Magazine – Fifth Year – Issue Eleven – 14-12-1974
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