Pope Cyril VI of Alexandria
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Pope Kyrillos VI, 116th Pope of Alexandria

Pope Cyril VI of Alexandria also called Kyrillos VI, born Azer Youssef Atta (August 8, 1902 – March 9, 1971), was the Pope and Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria (10 May 1959 - 9 March 1971).

Early life

Pope Cyril VI was born in Damanhour, Egypt, into a Coptic Orthodox family. He resigned a civil service position to become a monk in July 1927. He passed his probationary period and, on February 24, 1928, took his monastic vows at the Paromeos (Roman) Monastery and assumed the name of Father Mina el-Baramosy (Mina of the Roman Monastery).

In 1947, Father Mina built the Church of Saint Menas in Cairo and used to pray in the Church of the Holy Virgin (Babylon El-Darag) before assuming papacy.^[1]

Coptic Pope

He became Pope of Alexandria on May 10, 1959 (2 Pashons, 1675 A.M.) On June 28, 1959,

In accordance with the old Coptic church tradition, Pope Cyril VI was the only Monk in the 20th century to be chosen to be the Coptic Pope without being a Bishop /Metropolitan before becoming the Pope. Before him, there was three Bishops / Metropolitans who became Popes: John XIX (1928-1942) , Macarius III (1942-1944) and Pope Yousab II, and after him Pope Shenouda III was a Bishop before becoming a Pope.^[2]

Pope Cyril VI elevated the Archbishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church to the title of Patriarch-Catholicos. Abuna Baslios, who was the first Ethiopian to be appointed Archbishop of Ethiopia by the previous Pope, Pope Joseph II, became Ethiopia's first Patriarch. Pope Cyril VI was awarded the Grand Cordon of the Star of Solomon by Emperor Haile Selassie in gratitude. In November 1959 he laid the foundation stone of the new Monastery of Saint Mina in the Mariout Desert.

In January 1965, Pope Cyril VI presided over the Committee of Oriental Orthodox Churches in Addis Ababa, the first ecumenical and non-Chalcedonian synod of these churches held in modern times.

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In June 1968, Pope Cyril received the relics of Saint Mark the Evangelist and Apostle, which had been taken from Alexandria to Venice over eleven centuries earlier. The Saint's relics were interred beneath the newly built Cathedral of Saint Mark in Cairo, which was built by Pope Cyril and was inaugurated in a ceremony attended by President Nasser, Emperor Haile Selassie, and delegates from most of the world's churches.

At his death bed, Pope Cyril VI said this to the clergy: "I am leaving to the Lord... With vigilance defend the Church... may the Lord shepherd you." He died on March 9, 1971, after a short illness.

Attesting to the sanctity of his predecessor, Pope Shenouda III stated that "There is no man in all the history of the church like Pope Cyril VI, who was able to pray this many liturgies. He prayed more than 12,000 liturgies. This matter never happened before in the history of any pope of the popes of Alexandria or the world, or even among the monks. He was wondrous in his prayers."

The seat of the Pope during his papacy in Cairo remained in the Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Azbakeya in Cairo but he built the Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Abbasseya Cairo which is curretly the Seat of the Coptic Orthodox Pope.

External links

• Pope St. Kyrillos VI Multimedia Web Gallery
• Pope Kyrillos VI (St. Mina Monastery page)
• Pope Kyrillos VI Miracles (St. Mina Monastery page)
• Full History of Pope Kyrillos VI
• Rare footage of Pope Kirellos VI

See also

• List of Patriarchs of Alexandria
• List of Coptic Popes

Sources

• Short Bio of Pope St. Kyrillos VI
• Bio of Pope St. Kyrillos VI, long version (Zipped PDF)

1. ^ St Mary Mons
2. ^ History of the Coptic Church, Iris Habib Elmasry Volume five.

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