Pope Tawadros was born on Thursday 4 November 1952 (this was the same day of Anba Tawadros’ selection for the patriarchy in 2012). His father was an engineer. He was the oldest brother. His mother(1) was taught in Saint Demiana monastery and she was the youngest sister. The father liked order very much and he liked languages (English and French) because he used to deal with foreigner engineers. The mother took good care of her children and their connection to the church as well as the family ties. It was an ordinary family whose world was the church, service, love of God and the Bible. The two families were close and visited their relatives and participated in special occasions. They loved reading very much.
The family lived in Mansoura (till the age of five) then moved to Sohag (till the age of eight and nine) then to Damanhour (1961) then to Alexandria. The Pope had 3 sisters; the eldest died young, another one three years younger called “Hoda” and another one eleven or twelve years called “Dina” who was born in Damanhour and passed away in 2009. His father died on 3rd June 1967 the day of his 3rd Preparatory exam and two days before the war.
There was a story told about a visit of the family while the children were young to Pope Cyril VI and he told Wagih “You will be great”. Nevertheless this story was untrue. His Holiness said that when he was in 3rd or 4th grade when they were still new in Damanhour, the mother took her child to Pope Cyril VI when he was ordaining deacons because she wanted her son to become one. The archdeacon got Wagih out of the row roughly because he was a stranger. The mother went home in tears while the boy was not concerned about that. When the father came back from work and found her in such a state, he told her “He will be a bishop”.
He began service while he was in Secondary school in 1968 in the ancient church of the Archangel in Damanhour with Father Mikhael Guirges who was ordained in 1963 and was Wagih’s father in confession till he entered the monastery. At that time Pope Shenouda III used to go there to spend a week as the Bishop of Education. He graduated from school in 1970.
He received his BSc. in pharmacy in 1975 with grade “Very Good” with honours. He used to dream of becoming a pharmacist as His Holiness said, “The pharmacist is the person who comforts people.” This was because his father had a peptic ulcer and the doctor used to give Wagih the prescription when he was in the primary stage and he would go to the pharmacist to buy the medicine then his father would take the medicine that relieves him of pain. Thus this scene was always in His Holiness’ mind that a pharmacist relieves people of pain.
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