Coptics rejoice; North American clergy seminar held in Charlton.

Byline: Bill Fortier

CHARLTON - The 86-year-old spiritual leader of the 15 million-member Coptic Orthodox Church spent much of yesterday in one-on-one sessions with many of the 200 priests, 14 bishops and dozens of monks at the bucolic Holy Virgin Mary Spiritual Vineyard on Gould Road.

Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria then, amid applause, got into a golf cart for the short ride from the meeting room and chapel to the Assembly Hall of St. Theodoss for what was expected to be at least a two-hour service.

Security was tight for this year's North American Annual Coptic Clergy Seminar yesterday at the 187-acre vineyard, which opened in 1998 and serves as a retreat and meeting area for members of the Coptic Church. The Coptic Church, which started in 45 A.D., according to Bishop Suriel, is an original and conservative expression of Christian faith that has its roots in Alexandria, Egypt. The church has its headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, Bishop Suriel said.

As Pope Shenouda III, the 117th Pope of the Coptic Church, entered the hall he was greeted by singing by the clergy members. He then sat in the middle of a large table at the front of the church and signed several documents before beginning what appeared to be a lecture in Arabic in a strong voice.

Among those in the audience for the afternoon Mass were the wives and children of the priests who, according to the Coptic faith, are allowed to have families.

Pope Shenouda's schedule also called for an approximately 90-minute meeting in the assembly hall in the early evening with the membership of St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Church in Natick.

Members of the approximately 1,000-member Natick-based church were expected to submit written questions to Pope Shenouda, who was scheduled to leave the three-day seminar last night for a visit to Cleveland to see doctors, according to Father Youhamma Gobran, 40, one of the five priests at St. Mark's.

Father Gobran and Bishop Suriel, head of the approximately 20,000-member Melbourne, Australia, Coptic Diocese, said Pope Shenouda is in good health. However, several members of the church working at the seminar said he fell last year and hurt his hip. He did not attend last year's seminar.

After the visit to the Cleveland, Pope Shenouda's agenda includes a trip to a Coptic Church in Mississauga, Ontario. He is expected to return to Cairo next week.

Pope Shenouda on Tuesday consecrated the St. Mary and Archangel Michael Church in Nashua, N.H., that was recently purchased by the Coptic Church.

Pope Shenouda started his Coptic religious career as a monk in 1954, was named the church's bishop for Christian education in 1962 and has held the title of pope since 1971. He has written many books poems and is known to his colleagues as a man with a keen sense of humor. Father Gobran said he will be the pope for the rest of his life.

"We are willing to give up some of our lives to add to his life," Father Gobran said as Bishop Suriel nodded his head in agreement during an interview in the vineyard's office building. "That is not an exaggeration. If we can, we'll do it."

Three Charlton police officers stood by the main gate to the facility early yesterday morning and a police presence and a security contingent made up of members of St. Mark's Church was very visible throughout the grounds on a cool, windy, cloudy day.

"Our first two days here were sunny and warm," said Bishop Serapion, leader of the Southern California Coptic Diocese. "Today's weather reminds us that we aren't in Southern California."

The Southern California Diocese is celebrating its 40th anniversary in November and among the items on the pope's schedule yesterday was filming a message that will be broadcast to the members of the diocese, Bishop Serapion said.

St. Mark's Church member Raouf Zaki was also attempting to record an interview with Pope Shenouda about Coptic hermit monks that is expected to serve as the introduction to a film he is making titled "Desert Stars."

Both filmings were planned for yesterday morning but private sessions with members of the clergy prevented tem from happening.

Bishop Suriel said one of Pope Shenouda's main goals is to increase the number of people in the Coptic Church.

A spokesman for Pope Shenouda said he was too busy to talk to a member of the media yesterday.

ART: PHOTO; CHART

CUTLINE: (PHOTO) Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria is driven in a cart through a crowd during the North American Annual Coptic Clergy Seminar at the Holy Virgin Mary Spiritual Vineyard yesterday. See slideshow at telegram.com. (CHART) Coptic Orthodox Church

PHOTOG: (PHOTO) T&G Staff/RICK CINCLAIR (CHART) T&G Staff