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For Coptic Christians, one of the oldest Christian communities in the world who make up 10 per cent of of Egypt`s 80 million population, the pope was a religious thinker and a charismatic leader. He was seen as the guardian of community amid tension with the majority Muslim population.
Since the ouster of unpopular Hosni Mubarak more than a year back, Christians grew increasingly worried over the domination of Muslim conservatives, particularly in the parliamentary elections.
Born Nazeer Gayed into a devout Christian family on 3 August 1923 in Asyut, Upper Egypt, Pope Shenouda became a monk in 1954. He was enthroned as Pope of Alexandria after Pope Cyril died in 1971, BBC reported.