Habib Girgis

This lecture by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III presents a deep and comprehensive biography of Archdeacon Habib Girgis, showing the historical and spiritual role he played in reviving Coptic Church education during one of the darkest and most troubled eras in the Church’s history.

Lecture Summary

✦ 1. A Dark Historical Background

• Habib Girgis lived in a time of severe weakness in the Church: no teaching, no preaching, no Sunday Schools, and a failing seminary.
• Foreign denominations spread, doctrine weakened, and internal conflicts increased within the Church.

✦ 2. A Light Born in Darkness

• Pope Shenouda compared Habib Girgis to God’s words: “Let there be light.”
• Born in 1876, raised by a pious mother, educated in the Coptic School, and his brilliance appeared early.
• Entered the seminary despite its weakness, and became a religion teacher while still a student due to the lack of any qualified teacher.

✦ 3. The Path of Positive Work

• While others cried, complained, or criticized, Habib Girgis chose the path of positive constructive work.
• He laid two foundational stones for the Church’s revival:
  1- The Theological Seminary
  2- Sunday Schools

✦ 4. Revival of the Seminary

• Rebuilt the seminary from scratch: collected donations, bought land, built new facilities, and introduced strong academic programs.
• Graduated generations of teachers, priests, bishops, and scholars.

✦ 5. Founding Sunday Schools

• Officially founded Sunday Schools in 1900, created curricula, books, illustrations, and trained teachers.
• As the Pope said: “If not for him, we would not be servants or teachers.”

✦ 6. Preaching and Social Ministry

• Became one of the greatest preachers, travelling through villages and cities teaching and fundraising for the seminary.
• Founded spiritual and social associations that spread preaching and even established churches.

✦ 7. Writing and Publishing

• Authored more than 30 books and 17 volumes of Al-Karma magazine.
• Wrote on theology, spirituality, history, hymns, and Sunday School education.

✦ 8. His Spiritual Virtues

• Lived celibate, poor, gentle, humble, never criticized anyone.
• Taught by example, and treated even his critics with love and grace.

✦ 9. His Departure and Honor

• Reposed on the eve of the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin’s Body, and was buried on the feast day.

The Pope described him as “the light God separated from the darkness,” and that he shaped the Church’s history in the first half of the twentieth century

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