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- Papal Bull, Dated 1958, Close up of Bull
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- Papal Bull, Dated 1958
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- Cardinal Stefanos I Sidarouss
This papal bull, the most modern one in the collection, is on parchment and is dated 1958.
The bull concerns the appointment of Cardinal Stephanos I Sidarouss as the Titular Bishop of Alexandria.
About Cardinal Stephanos I Sidarouss:
Former Patriarch of the Coptic See of Alexandria, Cardinal Stephanos I Sidarouss CM., was born on February 22, 1904, in Cairo, Egypt, and joined the Congregation of the Mission, more commonly known as that of the Lazarist Fathers, at their Houses of Studies in France.
Ordained to the Priesthood at 35 years of age on July 22, 1939, in Dax, France, Sidarouss served as Faculty Member of the Seminary of Evreux, and the Scholasticates of Dax and Montmagny between 1939 and 1946, and later as Director of the Ecclesiastical Institute of Catholic Copts in Tantah, Egypt from 1946 until 1947.
Pope Pius XII elected him as Auxiliary of Coptic Patriarchate of Alexandria at 43 years of age, receiving his Episcopal Consecration with the Titular See of Sais on January 25, 1948, in Alexandria, from Msgr. Marco II Khouzam, Patriarch of Alexandria of the Copts, assisted by Msgr. Alexandros Scandar, Bishop of Assiut of the Copts, and by Msgr. Pierre Dib, Bishop of Cairo of the Maronites.
Following the demise of the named Msgr. Khouzam, Bishop Sidarouss was elected as his Successor as Patriarch of Alexandria of Copts on May 10, 1958. Participating in the Second Vatican Council, he was created Cardinal Patriarch in the Consistory of February 22, 1965, by Pope Paul VI.
Participating in the Conclaves of 1978, which elected Popes John Paul I and John Paul II as Vicars of Rome, the Cardinal retired from Office at 82 years of age on May 24, 1986, and was succeeded by Future Cardinal Stéphanos II Andraos Ghattas CM.
Sidarouss died shortly afterwards in Cairo of illness on Sunday, August 23, 1987, aged 83.
Burial:
Notre Dame d’Egypte Cathedral
Madinat an Nasr
Al Qahirah, Egypt
The word, bull comes from the Latin, bubble. It is the lead seal that was appended to the end of a document acting as the signature of the pope. On one side, it contains the pope’s name and on the other, images of Saints Peter and Paul from whom he is given his authority.
The bull is generally an official document of the Holy Father. We know by the choice of threading used, either silk or twine, the importance of any particular bull.
