COLUMBUS, Ohio: The leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt was hospitalized Monday, hours before he was to visit an Ohio church.
Pope Shenouda III, 84, was at the Cleveland Clinic research hospital, but no further information was to be released, said clinic spokeswoman Heather Phillips.
The religious leader was scheduled to visit St. Mary’s Coptic Church in Columbus, Mary Sedarous, the pastor’s daughter, told The Columbus Dispatch. She said he was taken to the hospital Monday night.
Pope Shenouda, who suffers from chronic cholecystitis, or stones in his gall bladder that cause a high fever and severe pain, was hospitalized in Cairo in November. He had spinal surgery at the Cleveland Clinic in October 2006.
Pope Shenouda has led the church of about 27 million believers worldwide since 1971.
Under his leadership, the church has established congregations in the United States, South America, New Zealand and Australia. Its four North American congregations in 1971 have grown to more than 100. -Thomas J.
Sheeran contributed to this report.
