Saint Pope Kyrollos VI

A Man of Prayer

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”
(Philippians 4:6)

The Story In A Minute

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Background

Pope Kyrillos VI was born on August 2, 1902 and was called Azer Ata. His father Ata was a church deacon and belonged to a middle class family. After completing high school, Azer went to work for a shipping company in Alexandria.

Much against his family’s wishes, he resigned his job with the intention of becoming a monk and entered the Monastery of El-Baramous on July 27, 1927. He was ordained monk on February 25, 1928 and was named Mina after the name of Saint Mina, his patron saint. He was ordained priest on July 18, 1931.

His Love for God

Father Mina’s love for God was so great that he desired a life of solitude. Only thirty years old at the time, the monks refused his request saying,

“You are only thirty years old and your monastic life is only five years. Do you want to pursue the life of solitude in the desert whereas many others before you have struggled for the same goal for thirty or forty years and failed?”

The assembly of monks did not change Father Mina’s decision and he lived in a cave near the monastery, at El-Natron Valley in Egypt.

Obstacles - God’s Work

It goes without saying that Father Mina had many obstacles to overcome which Satan set up. First Satan instigated the guard of Antiquities not to carry water to the monk. Afterward, God sent one of his saints in a dream to rebuke the guard. So he woke up and carried water to Father Mina who was in urgent need for it.

In another incident, Satan sent robbers to the windmill. The robbers beat Father Mina and injured his head. When Father Mina regained consciousness, he noticed he was bleeding. He crawled to the icon of Saint Mina and put the icon on his head. The bleeding stopped at once. Father Mina then went to the hospital to be treated. The doctors were surprised when they found out that he walked 15 miles from the windmill.

Miracles

Books and volumes of books have been written, and tapes and multitudes of tapes have been recorded of wondrous miracles that have taken place in Egypt and all over the world, wherever anyone cried out for his help. These miracles have been translated from the series Believe It and You Must Believe It.

Protection

There was a family in Chicago who put the picture of Pope Kyrillos at the front door of their flat. A thief opened the door while they were out one day and was surprised at this picture right in front of him as soon as he entered.

The thief was shocked and fell down on his chest and his tongue was tied, he could not get up and remained in that position until the owners came home. They took hold of him and said, “What are you doing there?” He replied,

“I came in and found that man in front of me. I fell and he tied me up. I couldn’t move until you came”.

Gift

Mrs. Nageeb was married in 1938. All the children she bore, over ten years, died shortly after birth. Some of her relatives suggested that she visits Father Mina (Pope Kyrollos). With hope in her heart she went to see the Pope and after she told him her story, he told her,

“God will give you what you asked for. You will have a child, and you will name him Mina.”

Nine months later at the end of November 1948, Mrs. Nageeb had twins, Mina and Nageeb. Her husband went to Father Mina to tell him the good news. Then Father Mina went straight to the altar, got down on his knees and prayed for a long time. Some time afterwards, Mrs. Nageeb had a daughter as well.

Healing

A lady went with her husband and little daughter to the beach in Egypt. As soon as her husband left them to travel to work, her daughter’s temperature went up and she said, to herself, “I am in a desert. Where can I go here for help?” She gave a tablet to her daughter, but it was no use; the temperature would not go down. She remembered that she had some oil of Pope Kyrillos in her handbag. So she took it out and anointed her daughter with the oil who was still boiling hot.

The little girl fell asleep and when she woke up, her mother said to her, “Dodda my love, can I get you a cup of milk?” The little girl, who was just about talking, said, “No I won’t drink milk”. “Why not?” “Pope Lollos just gave me a drink”. “Where did you see him, my love?” “While I was sleeping”, said the little girl,

“He told me, ‘Get up, Dodda’ ”.

The mother put her hand on the girl’s forehead to check her temperature and found that her daughter was perfectly well.

Achievements

+ He was responsible for the renovation of the ancient Cathedral of Saint Mark, the establishment of the Monastery of Saint Mina at Mariout, and the new Saint Mark's Cathedral at Anba Rouis.
+ For the first time in the history of the Coptic Orthodox Church, he established Coptic Orthodox churches in Asia, America, Canada and Australia.
+ He sent priests to undertake religious services in Europe and Africa.
+ It is also during his era that the Blessed Virgin Mary transfigured at Zeitoun. He restored the body of Saint Mark from Italy.

His Feast

The church celebrates the commemoration of the departure of Pope Kyrollos the sixth on March 9th every year - the 30th day of the Coptic month of Meshir.

References

Pope Kyrillos VI (Cyril VI): 116th Pope of Alexandria (1959-1971) - St. Mina Hamilton

Miracles of the Great Saint: Pope Kyrillos VI- St. John Miami

Miracles- St. Mina Monastery