<\/p>\n
In the previous article entitled, \u201cCostliness and Turmoil\u201d, we spoke of Pope Jacob, the 50th patriarch (819-830 A.D.) who witnessed a hard time due to the wars and turmoil Egypt and her people had gone through, especially the era during which war between Egyptians and Andalusians grew fiercer. At the beginning of his papacy, Pope Jacob wrote an article against the heretics in which he excommunicated them. He constantly cared about educating and strengthening his congregation\u2019s adherence to the Orthodox creed which had been passed on to the first Church by Christ, the apostles, and the fathers, as well as accredited by the three ecumenical councils. He was on quite good terms with the Church of Antioch.<\/span><\/strong><\/span> He continued to suffer from gout until his departure. Historians consent that his papacy was one of peace and quietude. Yet, his departure marked the start of a turbulent era which lasted for two years until the enthronement of Pope Youssab, the fifty-second patriarch. Such stories never end in Beautiful Egypt.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n General Bishop\u00a0<\/strong><\/span> <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In the previous article entitled, \u201cCostliness and Turmoil\u201d, we spoke of Pope Jacob, the 50th patriarch (819-830 A.D.) who witnessed a hard time due to the wars and turmoil Egypt and her people had gone through, especially the era during which war between Egyptians and Andalusians grew fiercer. At the beginning of his papacy, Pope […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":58,"featured_media":19638,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[51],"tags":[14114,8313,682],"class_list":["post-45947","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","tag-14114","tag-8313","tag-682"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45947"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/58"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=45947"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45947\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":46400,"href":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45947\/revisions\/46400"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19638"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45947"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45947"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/copticocc.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45947"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nAt that time also, the al-Jarawi monopolized wheat, which brought about a great costliness, and the price of wheat rose immensely throughout Egypt. This killed a lot of people. After al-Jarawi had been killed, his son Ali took over. Yet, he did not behave in the same way. Rather, he was just, which relieved many people. Also a great prosperity was brought about and the hardship was a bit alleviated.<\/span><\/strong><\/span>
\nCare and Pastorship<\/span><\/strong><\/span>
\nPope Jacob cared about the entirety of the congregation, including the monks. After monastic life had been restored to Sceti Desert (having witnessed great desolation during Pope Mark II\u2019s tenure), Pope Jacob built cells and churches there. Also, realizing that St. Shenouda\u2019s Church could no longer accommodate the increasing number of monks, he started building a church that bore St. Makarius\u2019 name.<\/span><\/strong><\/span>
\nLikewise, Pope Jacob paid several pastoral visits to Upper Egypt in order to strengthen his children in the correct teachings. In fact, God granted the Pope lots of talents due to his righteousness. So much so that he worked several healing miracles to which lots of people did testify. Among them was that which took place with Maqar of Nabaroh who was a charitable man who was quite generous to the needy. It came to pass that he wanted to see the patriarch and invited him to his place in order to take his blessing. The Pope consented; so Maqar was quite pleased, made a feast, and offered a lot of charity. While everybody was happy, Maqar\u2019s son got sick and died! Everybody, except the Pope, got distressed. He asked Maqar to bring him the boy. He prayed for him until he came back to life. The father rejoiced and gave more charity. He also built a church in Jerusalem known as the Magdalenes\u2019.<\/span><\/strong><\/span>
\nA Good Reputation<\/span><\/strong><\/span>
\nThe patriarch\u2019s good reputation spread in the other countries. So much so that patriarch Dionysius of Antioch, aka., the ninth-century sage, yearned to see him. Yet, the wars that Egypt witnessed for about fourteen years prevented him. However, he came to Egypt eventually during the tenure of Abdullah bin Tahir (211-212 Hijri) (826-827 A.D.) to complain to him his brother\u2019s injustice in Edessa which is also known as Urha, located in Upper Mesopotamia. In effect, Abdullah sent his brother a letter, warning him from attacking churches and demanding that he treat Christians well and justly.<\/span><\/strong><\/span>
\nHistorian Iris Habib al-Masry writes, \u201c\u2026 Bin Tahir gave him a letter to his brother in which he advised him not to attack churches and encouraged him to treat Christians well. He also showed him how he gave Copts the freedom to build churches and handle their own legal and administrative affairs in accordance with their creed.\u201d In fact, Abdullah bin Tahir was just, which is why bin al-Muqafa\u2019 writes, \u201cHe was a charitable, merciful man who loved justice and detested injustice. In effect, God made the disobedient succumb to him and brought about the Andalusians\u2019 defeat. Bin Tahir did settle down in Egypt.\u201d Thus, peace and justice were reaffirmed by Abdullah bin Tahir and other proconsuls, and the country remained calm for a while.<\/span><\/strong><\/span>
\nThe patriarch of Antioch visited Egypt twice: First, when he met Abdullah bin Tahir, the proconsul; second, when he visited Pope Jacob. The pope and congregation received him warmly at San, Sharqia. After his return, the patriarch said the following about the Pope and Copts, \u201cThe patriarch and bishops are humble, virtuous, love and awe God with all their hearts. They were quite kind and generous to us during our stay. We do thank them cordially.\u201d Likewise, he spoke of Pope Jacob\u2019s holiness, chastity, and awe, saying, \u201cWe saw what we have heard. I believe I saw a person who is so precious to God that he can intercede for Egypt.\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/span>
\nPope Jacob was in the habit of praying all night and abstaining before he ordained bishops that God might reveal their worth and toil to him. During his papacy, one of Upper Egypt\u2019s bishops departed. So, the city\u2019s congregation sent him someone to ordain bishop. Yet, in fear lest the Pope not ordain him, the man asked the tax-collector to intervene!<\/span><\/strong><\/span>
\nHe was called Elijah bin Yazid. He bribed him in order to compel the patriarch to ordain him. But, the patriarch would not violate the church\u2019s laws. Yet, the bishops intervened lest tribulation alight on the church. However, that man died before reaching his diocese. Likewise, the Pope cared for the remembrance of his predecessors, from St. Mark the apostle to Pope Mark, his godfather.<\/span><\/strong><\/span>
\nShortly before his departure, Pope Jacob got a bit sick. He reposed on Amshir 546 A.M. (830 A.D.), leaving the world\u2019s pains, after a ten-year-and-eight-month-papacy. He was succeeded by Pope Simon.<\/span><\/strong><\/span>
\nPope Simon (830 A.D.)<\/span><\/strong><\/span>
\nHe is the fifty-first patriarch. He was a monk, deacon, as well as a disciple of Pope Jacob\u2019s. He resided at the patriarch\u2019s cell. Ever since his youth, he was brought up with Pope Mark II, and remained with Pope Jacob. He was known for his love for everybody and zeal on the Orthodox creed. Shortly after the departure of Pope Jacob, he was chosen patriarch in his stead and ordained patriarch. Yet, his papacy did not last long, as he departed after a few months which some historians maintain were seven, while others assert were just five and a half.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n
\nHead of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n