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Hegumen Fr. Antonios Ragheb was born Labib Ragheb Fahmy on April 4, 1921 in Shubra, Cairo, Egypt. He graduated from the University of Cairo in 1943 with a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, and thereafter joined the Coptic Orthodox Theological Seminary in Mahmasha, Egypt, in 1948, where he studied in part under St. Archdeacon Habib Girgis for three years until St. Habib Girgis’ death in 1951. Upon completing his theological studies, Fr. Antonios was sent, between 1953 and 1969, to participate in scientific missions and several engineering assignments in Europe and the Americas. His many achievements include designing, executing and constructing the electrification projects of the Egyptian railroads in Helwan, Assiut, Kalyoub, and Cairo, which in part led President Gamal Abdel Nasser to award him the First Class Medal of Honor in recognition of his exemplary service to Egypt. Besides his civic service, he was entrusted to serve as the Sunday School Trustee of St. Antonios Church in Shubra, in which His Holiness Pope Shenouda III of blessed memory, then Nazir Gayed, was serving while still a layman.
On May 28, 1972, Fr. Antonios was the first priest ordained by Pope Shenouda III, who gave him the name Antonios – a special honor as this was His Holiness’ monastic name prior to his ordination to the episcopacy. He was ordained to serve the altar of St. George Church in Geyoushi, Shubra. Some years later, in 1977, he was the only priest to accompany His Holiness Pope Shenouda III on his first pastoral visit to the United States. Pope Shenouda III subsequently designated Fr. Antonios to serve in the United States, where he first served St. Mark Church in Washington, D.C. in 1978, and then St. George & St. Shenouda Church in Jersey City, NJ between 1979 and 1981, where he oversaw the reconstruction of the church building after it had been destroyed in a fire. Afterwards he served at St. Mary Church in Minnesota from 1981 to 1985, and then returned to St. George & St. Shenouda Church from 1985 until his departure to Paradise on Friday, September 3, 1999.
Fr. Antonios was a spiritual father and mentor to countless men and women during the course of his service, both as a layman and as a priest. He was distinguished by his wisdom, quiet demeanor, meekness, kindheartedness, fatherly spirit, and constant smile. At his funeral, His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, who was himself a son of Fr. Antonios in confession for many years, said about him: “When I sent you the Very Reverend Father Antonios Ragheb, I sent him as a gift to the lands of immigration. He was truly indispensable to Egypt.”
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