The Pope of Alexandria, Shenouda III, died on Saturday.

Patriarch of Egypt and All Africa since 1971, Shenouda has lead the Coptic Church for 4 decades. He supported his people, about 10% of the population in Egypt, through several periods of sectarian violence, the latest being the burning of Coptic churches and military attacks on Coptic protesters. Shenouda died at age 88 on Saturday, March 17, and hundreds of Christians gathered in and around the Cathedral of St. Mark in Alexandria to mourn his death.