Part Ten: In a memorial service held in his honour on the 28th of September 1951, many of his disciples stood up to express their deep feelings and respect for this great man. None was more moving than that of Dr. Wahib Attalla (Bishop Gregorius).

"... How shall I begin and what shall I say, we are used to never praising a living person, but today the time has come for us to talk. There is a time for silence and a time to speak out... what shall we then say... I cannot preach in the spiritual presence of this great preacher, I loathe even repeating the words he has taught us lest those words loose their strength when I utter them, for they came out so strongly when he spoke them. You had a heart so open with love for all, friend and foe alike. You have borne all things and served all people. You were wonderful, master, in your capacity for love and forgiveness. Your solid faith in God kept despair out of your heart despite the numerous obstacles that stood in your way. You possessed a great mind, one that grasped the matters of the world and the spirit... You struggled all your life to maintain your purity both in heart and thought, banishing any love of money or fame..."

In the same event the relatively young poet Nazeer Gayed (H.H. Pope Shenouda III) stood to eulogize his beloved teacher with a most beautiful poem...

Such was your piety

Your faith and your love

Here is your world

All thorns and crucifixion

But who are you?

Are you a messenger?

For you are brighter than a messenger

You are the throbbing heart

The heart embracing a whole nation

A deep spring of compassion and charitable elation

O great saint!

What a strength without violence

Meekness without weakness

Nobility of temperament

Ever ready to forgive offenses

A father on whose chest we all crawled.

Thus departed a man of many talents; a writer, a poet, a preacher, a teacher and an administrator, all in one.

Departed a man who held many positions in the Church; a member of the Coptic Community Council, a professor of theology, Principal of the Theological College, Vice-president of the Sunday School Central Committee, publisher of the "El Karma" and active member of a multitude of charitable societies.

One who was a most notable Archdeacon of the church since St. Stephen the Martyr. One who still inspires all theology students, Sunday School servants and generations of Christians to come.  One who is and will remain an honour to all laity servants. Habeeb Guirguis, now a member of the church triumphant.

May his memory inspire many more generations to come.

From the book: - “archdeacon Habib Guirgis” by Michael Gibrael and translation by Shaheer Gobran.[ Book ]