Pope Shenouda III, the head of Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church sit on throne for one last time

A memorial service for Egypt's late Pope Shenouda III plunged into chaos when mourners trying to catch a glimpse of his embalmed corpse were crushed to death. Tens of thousands visited Cairo's main Abbasiya cathedral as the body of the 88-year-old leader of the nation's Orthodox Church sat on an ornate throne.
But the desire to see the spiritual leader of the Coptic Christians soon turned to tragedy - as three devotees suffocated to death and dozens were injured in the crowded church.

'He has been our protector since the day I was born,' said a tearful Antonios Lateef as he waited in line to take one last look at the pope, who spent 40 years at the helm of the Coptic Orthodox Church.

The crowds outside the cathedral in central Cairo carried crosses and portraits of Shenouda. 'Ya Allah!' or 'Oh God!', they chanted in unison. Shenouda, seated on the throne of St. Mark, or Mar Morkos, was clad in the elaborate regalia he traditionally wore to oversee services. His head slightly tilting to the right and he held a scepter.