After HG Bishop A. Markos arrived in early May in Egypt, he tried to phone Fathia at her Maadi residence in Cairo. Instead of finding her, the phone was answered by Samia, Fathia’s daughter, who informed His Grace that her mother had been comatosed and hospitalized from a brain stroke since February. The Bishop arranged to meet Gamal Nkrumah, Fathia’s son, at the El Neel Badrawy Hospital, where she was being cared for; as the Bishop anointed Mrs Fathia with holy oil, he noticed that her medical condition was exceedingly poor.
The Ghanaian President Visits
A few days later, President John Kofuor of Ghana, who was on an official visit with Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak, visited Fathia in hospital; Gamal Nkrumah had arranged previously with the Bishop that he should be present to receive the Ghanaian president at Fathia’s bedside.
While welcoming the President, with Gamal, the Bishop mentioned that Fathia’s Ghanaian charitable works, in her capacity as Ghana’s First Lady, were well known; that the Coptic Orthodox Church (COC), in which Fathia was raised, was willing to continue her charitable work with the people of Ghana; that the COC respectfully sought a land area of 10,000 square metres in Accra to establish a charitable institution in Fathia’s name.
The President reminded the Bishop that they had met each other more than once previously in Accra; the President also welcomed the idea of a COC being established in Accra, introducing his foreign minister and advising the Bishop how to be in contact to achieve this matter.
31 May 2007, Mrs Fathia Nkrumah reposed in the Lord
As a result of the repose of Mrs Fathia Nkrumah, the Bishop contacted HH Pope Shenouda in the papal residence; HH welcomed the idea of opening the Saint Mark Cathedral in Anba Reweis to commemorate such a great woman, and a daughter of the COC, with a funeral prayer.
At midday, 1 June 2007, His Graces Bishop A. Markos and Bishop Youannes, the secretary of the Pope, officiated the funerary prayer on the soul of the late Fathia Nkrumah. It was conducted in English and Arabic, in the presence of Cairo-based ambassadors of numerous African countries including Ghana, plus representatives of the Organisation of African Unity, and the extended family of Fathia with her son- Gamal and daughter- Samia.
On completion of the funeral, Bishop A. Markos addressed Gamal, Samia and Fathia’s brother- Mr Fekry Halim, advising them that it would be preferable for the mortal remains of Fathia to be buried alongside her late husband, the former President Kwame Nkrumah, in the famous mausoleum in Accra. If she were buried in Egypt, most likely her significant role as the hugely successful wife of a great African liberator would be forgotten in the annals of history. The family were highly appreciative of this suggestion, and the Ghanaian Ambassador was requested to contact the Ghanaian President to make the necessary arrangements.
The Bishop left Cairo for Johannesburg that same night, receiving a call from Accra 7 June, requesting him to lead the prayer in a planned state funeral for Fathia in Accra. The Ghanaian Ambassador in Pretoria, Dr Hayman, contacted the Bishop to facilitate his visa and air ticket to Accra 10 June.
The Bishop was given a VIP reception in Ghana, being met by representatives of Foreign Affairs and the State House; Fr John Ramzy- the Coptic Vicar of West Africa- came to join His Grace in the preparation and conduct of the funeral. They were accommodated in the Palm Beach Hotel on the Atlantic Ocean, and spent some of Monday, practising the English funeral prayer with Coptic deacons living in Accra, tuning with the police and army bands, preparing to perform at the scheduled service and revising the State-prepared booklet about the life of Fathia that was intended for circulation at the funeral.
Tuesday 12 June in the open grounds of the Ghanaian State House, a central tent accommodated the departed Fathia’s body. It was surrounded by a great square of tents for funeral attendants, including army, police, State House officials, Foreign Affairs representatives, foreign diplomats, UN representatives, religious leaders of all Christian denominations, the former UN Secretary General Mr Kofi Annan.
At 10 am the President and Prime Minister arrived, and the Coptic Bishop, Priest and Deacons commenced the service, broadcast live on Ghanaian radio and television to the entire west of Africa. The Bishop explained that all Coptic language used would be fully translated into English to enable all to easily follow the prayers.
The Bishop invited the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Church and the Secretary General of the National Council of Churches in Ghana to share in the service’s Bible readings.
Then, the Bishop gave a sermon, and you can read it below.
The placement of the funeral coffin in the Nkrumah mausoleum was accompanied by the Coptic hymn: “Remember me O Lord, when I come in Your heavenly kingdom”.
Many, including the Ghanaian President, expressed their appreciation for the “inspiring” funeral service, while the Minister of the Interior invited the Nkrumah family, with the Coptic delegation, to the Government Guest House for a gathering to express the President’s and the Government’s gratitude for the service. The Minister conveyed the President’s wish to extend the invitation himself, while other commitments prevented this.
14 June, the Bishop travelled with Fr John to Abidjan, where he visited Coptic families, ordained new deacons and prayed a liturgy in French 17 June before returning to Johannesburg.
The Ghanaian President Visits
A few days later, President John Kofuor of Ghana, who was on an official visit with Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak, visited Fathia in hospital; Gamal Nkrumah had arranged previously with the Bishop that he should be present to receive the Ghanaian president at Fathia’s bedside.
While welcoming the President, with Gamal, the Bishop mentioned that Fathia’s Ghanaian charitable works, in her capacity as Ghana’s First Lady, were well known; that the Coptic Orthodox Church (COC), in which Fathia was raised, was willing to continue her charitable work with the people of Ghana; that the COC respectfully sought a land area of 10,000 square metres in Accra to establish a charitable institution in Fathia’s name.
The President reminded the Bishop that they had met each other more than once previously in Accra; the President also welcomed the idea of a COC being established in Accra, introducing his foreign minister and advising the Bishop how to be in contact to achieve this matter.
31 May 2007, Mrs Fathia Nkrumah reposed in the Lord
As a result of the repose of Mrs Fathia Nkrumah, the Bishop contacted HH Pope Shenouda in the papal residence; HH welcomed the idea of opening the Saint Mark Cathedral in Anba Reweis to commemorate such a great woman, and a daughter of the COC, with a funeral prayer.
At midday, 1 June 2007, His Graces Bishop A. Markos and Bishop Youannes, the secretary of the Pope, officiated the funerary prayer on the soul of the late Fathia Nkrumah. It was conducted in English and Arabic, in the presence of Cairo-based ambassadors of numerous African countries including Ghana, plus representatives of the Organisation of African Unity, and the extended family of Fathia with her son- Gamal and daughter- Samia.
On completion of the funeral, Bishop A. Markos addressed Gamal, Samia and Fathia’s brother- Mr Fekry Halim, advising them that it would be preferable for the mortal remains of Fathia to be buried alongside her late husband, the former President Kwame Nkrumah, in the famous mausoleum in Accra. If she were buried in Egypt, most likely her significant role as the hugely successful wife of a great African liberator would be forgotten in the annals of history. The family were highly appreciative of this suggestion, and the Ghanaian Ambassador was requested to contact the Ghanaian President to make the necessary arrangements.
The Bishop left Cairo for Johannesburg that same night, receiving a call from Accra 7 June, requesting him to lead the prayer in a planned state funeral for Fathia in Accra. The Ghanaian Ambassador in Pretoria, Dr Hayman, contacted the Bishop to facilitate his visa and air ticket to Accra 10 June.
The Bishop was given a VIP reception in Ghana, being met by representatives of Foreign Affairs and the State House; Fr John Ramzy- the Coptic Vicar of West Africa- came to join His Grace in the preparation and conduct of the funeral. They were accommodated in the Palm Beach Hotel on the Atlantic Ocean, and spent some of Monday, practising the English funeral prayer with Coptic deacons living in Accra, tuning with the police and army bands, preparing to perform at the scheduled service and revising the State-prepared booklet about the life of Fathia that was intended for circulation at the funeral.
Tuesday 12 June in the open grounds of the Ghanaian State House, a central tent accommodated the departed Fathia’s body. It was surrounded by a great square of tents for funeral attendants, including army, police, State House officials, Foreign Affairs representatives, foreign diplomats, UN representatives, religious leaders of all Christian denominations, the former UN Secretary General Mr Kofi Annan.
At 10 am the President and Prime Minister arrived, and the Coptic Bishop, Priest and Deacons commenced the service, broadcast live on Ghanaian radio and television to the entire west of Africa. The Bishop explained that all Coptic language used would be fully translated into English to enable all to easily follow the prayers.
The Bishop invited the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Church and the Secretary General of the National Council of Churches in Ghana to share in the service’s Bible readings.
Then, the Bishop gave a sermon, and you can read it below.
The placement of the funeral coffin in the Nkrumah mausoleum was accompanied by the Coptic hymn: “Remember me O Lord, when I come in Your heavenly kingdom”.
Many, including the Ghanaian President, expressed their appreciation for the “inspiring” funeral service, while the Minister of the Interior invited the Nkrumah family, with the Coptic delegation, to the Government Guest House for a gathering to express the President’s and the Government’s gratitude for the service. The Minister conveyed the President’s wish to extend the invitation himself, while other commitments prevented this.
14 June, the Bishop travelled with Fr John to Abidjan, where he visited Coptic families, ordained new deacons and prayed a liturgy in French 17 June before returning to Johannesburg.