As the metropolitan of Beheira, Matrouh, and the five western cities and abbot of St. Macarius of Alexanderia's Monastery in Mount Al-Qalali, Behira, Pakhomious dedicated over 70 years to serving the church through various roles.
He served as a consecrated deacon, monk, bishop, and metropolitan, with approximately 54 years spent in episcopal ministry.
Bidding final farewell
Pope Tawadros II, accompanied by metropolitans and bishops, will preside over the funeral prayers at 3:00pm on Sunday at St. Mark’s Cathedral in Cairo's Abbasiya district.
After the service, his body will be moved to Damanhour to rest in St. Mark the Apostle’s Church (Diocesan Headquarters).
His congregation will have the opportunity to pay their final respects from 8:00 pm until midnight.
On Monday, the Divine Liturgy will be held from 6:00 to 9:00am, followed by the funeral service at 10:00am.
After that, his body will be transported to St. Macarius of Alexandria’s Monastery, where the burial rites will take place at 2:00pm.
Life and legacy
The late revered father, Pakhomious, was born as Samir Kheir Sokar on 17 December 1935 in Shibin El-Kom, Nile Delta.
He graduated from the Faculty of Commerce, Ain Shams University, in 1956.
He was the first deacon to serve in Kuwait in 1961, at the invitation of the late Pope Kyrillos VI, in the first Coptic church to be established abroad.
He entered monastic life at the Virgin Mary's Monastery, known as Deir El-Sourian, in Wadi El-Natroun, in Egypt's western desert.
On 11 November 1962, he was ordained a monk and took the name Antonius El-Souriani.
Although he did not seek a priestly rank in the monastery, he was ordained a priest on 2 January 1966.
He also served in Sudan from 1967 to May 1971 and was ordained a hegoman priest there on 28 July 1968.
Then, late Pope Kyrillos VI sent him to serve in Ethiopia in 1971.
Pakhomious represented the Coptic Church in several religious conferences and was a member of the World Council of Churches, the Middle East Council of Churches, and the Council for Churches in Africa.
On 12 December 1971, he was ordained the bishop of Beheira, Matrouh, and the five western cities, alongside the late Metropolitan Yoannis, who served as the former metropolitan of Gharbia.
Their ordination was significant as they were the first bishops consecrated by the late Pope Shenouda III, less than a month after he ascended the See of St. Mark.
Pakhomious was later promoted to a metropolitan on 2 September 1990.
Following Pope Shenouda III's passing on 17 March 2012, he became the acting patriarch (after Metropolitan Michael of Assiut apologized due to his advanced age).
He remained in the position for approximately eight months, from 22 March to 18 November 2012, guiding the church through a critical transitional period until His Holiness Pope Tawadros II's enthronement in November of the same year.
His tenure was distinguished by wisdom and effective leadership, earning him widespread recognition and deep respect in Egypt and internationally.
Throughout his ministerial journey, Metropolitan Pakhomious played an instrumental role in shaping generations of clergy, who later became priests, monks, and bishops — including Pope Tawadros II.
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