By Cassie Ferguson

Gazette Staff

Miranda Yousef '98 grew up hearing about the Coptic Pope, but she never imagined she'd have a chance to meet him in person, let alone have dinner with him.

But Yousef, former president of the Harvard Orthodox Christian Fellowship, found herself doing just that on Friday, when His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, came to Harvard courtesy of the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations.

"His visit had incredible importance to me," said Yousef, of Winthrop House and Newton, Mass. "It was amazing to see him in person and to sit just a few seats away from him at the banquet."

The Pope spoke at the Divinity School before a standing-room-only crowd of about 250. He encouraged peace among religions in his remarks on the contributions of the Coptic Orthodox Church to Christian theology.

The talk was followed by a reception and dinner with undergraduates at Mather House. During the dinner, Master of Mather House Sandra Naddaff '75 gave the Pope a warm welcome, which was followed by student tributes and music.

Ramy Adeeb '00, of Winthrop House and Cairo, Egypt, played a role in inviting Pope Shenouda to Harvard. When he heard the Pope was coming to the Boston area to consecrate a retreat center for the local Coptic Orthodox Church, Adeeb thought it would be great if the Pope could visit here. He enlisted the help of the Harvard Foundation which then invited Diana Eck, professor of comparative religion and Indian studies, to take part in the event. The event was also co-sponsored by the Society for Arab Students and the Harvard

Orthodox Christian Fellowship.

The thick-bearded Pope, traveling from Cairo, decided to add a day to his itinerary to deliver his speech, attend receptions, exchange gifts with University Marshal Richard M. Hunt, and meet with students. A number of Coptic bishops from around the country also attended.

Adeeb, who'd met the Pope on previous occasions, said the visit was not only important to Coptic students but provided a chance to raise awareness of the Coptic Church in the broader community.

The Coptic Church, a branch of Christianity, has 9 million members worldwide, including 400,000 in North America. The Pope has been active in guiding the Church toward a closer relationship with Roman Catholicism and in speaking on behalf of reconciliation with Muslims.

"This was one of the finest events the Harvard Foundation has ever organized," said S. Allen Counter, director of the Harvard Foundation and associate professor of neurology.

"We saw a community of undergraduates and faculty, both Coptic and non-Coptic, deeply moved by this opportunity to meet with a prominent religious leader, who discussed positive values for people of all backgrounds. He reached out to different religions, stressing the importance of coming together in the interest of peace and humanity."