Very Rev. Fr. Antonios Ragheb | Coptic Orthodox Directory

Very Rev. Fr. Antonios Ragheb Hegomen

Jersey City, New Jersey USA

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Eye Color: Hazel

Height: 5' 10"

Ordained: 1972-05-28

Served for 27 years.

Diocese of Ordination:

Archdiocese of the Coptic Church

Elevated: 1974-00-00

Served for 25 years.

Diocese of Elevation:

Archdiocese of the Coptic Church

Served:

Archdiocese of North America

St. George & St. Shenouda Church
Jersey City, New Jersey

Biography:

Hegomen Antonios Ragheb

He was born in April 4^th, 1921 in the name of Labib Ragheb Fahmy in Shoubra, Cairo, Egypt.
He graduated from the University of Cairo with a Bachelor in Electrical Engineering in 1943, and joined the Theological Seminary in Mahmasha in 1948.
He was sent to scientific missions and many Engineering assignments in Europe, and the Americas from 1953 to 1969.
He designed, executed and constructed the electrification projects of the Egyptian railroads in Helwan, Assiut, Kalyoub and Cairo.
He was given the First Class Medal of honor and a monetary bonus by President Gamal Abdelnasser for his great services to Egypt.
He was the Sunday School Trustee at St. Antonios Church in Shoubra, in which Pope Shenouda III (Nazeer Gayed) was serving.
He was the first priest ordained by Pope Shenouda III in May 28^th, 1972, and was given the beloved name (Antonios), to serve the altar of St. George Church, Geyoushy, Shoubra.
He was the only priest that travelled with Pope Shenouda III in his first trip to the U.S.A in 1977.
He served in St. Mark Church in Washington, D.C. (1978), St. George and St. Shenouda Church in Jersey City (1979) where he led the reconstruction efforts of the church after it was damaged in a fire, St. Mary Church in Minnesota (1981) then he came back to St. George and St. Shenouda Church in Jersey City (1985).
He was well known for his leadership that is full of wisdom, his quiet demeanor, his meekness, his kind heart, his fatherhood and his smile that never departed from him.
He departed to the victorious church on Friday, September 3^rd, 1999.
Pope Shenouda III attended his funeral in the U.S. and said about him, “When I sent you the Very Reverand Father Antonios Ragheb, I sent him as a gift to the lands of immigration. He was truly indispensable to Egypt.”