Pope Benedict's traditional Urbi et Orbi Christmas address from St Peter's Rome wished peace and justice for Syria and other troubled parts of the globe.

The World Council of Churches has sent greetings to the new pope of the Egyptian Coptic Church, the largest Christian community in the Arab world.

'Church leaders' are easily (if not inevitably) mired in politics, expectation and institutional intrigued. Those that shine through do so because of the pre-eminent qualities of love, commitment and example. This is one of the personal lesson Dr Harry Hagopian draws from the life of Pope Shenouda III, the highly respected Coptic Orthodox leader, who died recently.

Thousands of Egyptians are mourning the death of Pope Shenouda III, the longtime leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church, who died on 17 March.