Let me write today on a figure that exerted a deep impact on Egyptian People; Muslims and Copts: A man who lived as a father for all people, he had never let down any pleader who asked for his prayers and support, today, we celebrate the commemoration of his departure after being recognized as a saint.
He had wished to live as a stranger to the world, yet his hagiography become resonating all over the world, he is “Archpriest Mina El Baramosy the Recluse” who was anointed as a Patriarch for the See of St. Mark on April, 19, 1959, under the name of Pope Kyrillos VI, the 116th Patriarch of Alexandria.
A Coptic Egyptian
The life of Pope Kyrillos, since its beginning till his departure from our world, is considered a reflection of a Coptic Egyptian character which acted with ultimate honesty, uprightness and purity, providing the most exalted examples related.
Through a quick glimpse on his life, we find others –Egyptians and Foreigners – bearing obvious testimony throughout many phases of his life; including what was said by the Director General of “Cook Shipping” company for navigation, Alexandria, where he had worked in 1921, the director was a strict Australian whom feared by his staff: “This young man taught me how to respect him, I liked his composure and his good behavior. He did not avoid meeting me as his colleagues did.”
In work, he was known with honesty and faithfulness, so he gained his superiors’ trust and appreciation which clearly manifested when his director had attempted to divert him from submitting his resignation in a desire for monastic life, worship and reclusion in the monastery. Regarding his monasticism, he was an Egyptian model praised by all who knew and met him, Dr. Hassan Fouad, Arab Antiquities Director, said about him: “O father, you have raised the monks’ heads, gave honor to Egyptian man, I send you a warm greeting! I wish I could proof my deep appreciation and respect for you one day.”
While the Director of New York Theological Seminary told him: “the information I gathered in two months are much little compared to what I got to know today.”
He presented an honorable example of Egypt and Egyptians for the whole world. We can’t forget his deep strong relationship with the late President Gamal Abdel Nasser, particularly during the period that followed 1967 War.
A Faithful Honest
He was extremely honest in his life, he was a lover of giving and serving others, he used to give his family’s food to a poor family: It came to happen on the day preceding the Lent that he found the table filled with the best food types, so he asked his parents to give this food to a neighboring poor family, and he did so.
Also, he served seven of the monks who left the monastery, then he met the Pope in order to solve their issue until they returned to their monastery.
He was honest in his life with God, so He entrusted him with a whole congregation care, and thus he gained the trust of everyone he met.
He didn’t seek dignity, but rather he pursued the spiritual path, in love for all, filled with meekness, offering tolerance for all who harmed him, throbbing with compassion towards the weak and the poor. He was a father and a pastor: seeking the astray, searching for the expelled, splinting the broken, healing the wounded, fairly tending his children, caring for all and pursuing the footprints of his master: the Christ.
The General Bishop
Head of Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
