Pope Kyrillos VI’s Glorification | تمجيد البابا كيرلس السادس

His name was Azer, born in the town of Toukh Al-Nasara in Damanhour, Egypt, on Friday, August 2, 1902. His father was Youssef Atta, a lover of the Church, a diligent copyist and reviser of its books, devoted to serving his Orthodox mother Church and keen on preserving its heritage. From early childhood, Azer developed a love for the priesthood and clergy, often sleeping on the monks’ stone beds, which became his portion—especially since the town of Toukh was a religious endowment of the Paramos Monastery at that time. Therefore, the monks were accustomed to visiting his father’s house because of his known devotion and proficiency in church rituals.

He began a virtuous life that our souls long for, emulating the army of our Coptic martyrs and the fathers of our Church, the guardians of faith, who established the principles of Christian faith to the whole world based on their deep study of the Holy Bible. Azer was successful in all his ways, and the Lord was with him; for as much as he succeeded spiritually, he also excelled academically. After obtaining his baccalaureate, he worked at one of Alexandria’s shipping companies named “Cook Shipping” in 1921, exemplifying honesty and dedication, and his work did not hinder him from studying the Holy Scriptures, liturgies, commentaries, and church laws under the guidance of devoted priests.

He continued like this for five years, working and striving in a fully ascetic life, living as a monk in his house and at work without anyone noticing. He slept on the floor beside his bed and ate only a small piece of bread with a little salt.

Departure to the Wilderness
His soul longed for the constant divine communion, to go out into the desert and dwell there. Despite the resistance of his elder brother, Patriarch Anba Youannis XIII helped him and requested his acceptance into the monastic order at Paramos Monastery in Wadi El Natrun, after he submitted his resignation from work in July 1927 (which shocked the company owner, who tried to retain him by offering a higher position, but Azer had already laid his hand on the plow and did not look back).

The Pope sent with him a virtuous monk, Father Bishara El-Barmosy (later: Anba Markos, Metropolitan of Abu Tig), who accompanied him to the monastery. Upon arrival, they were surprised by the lighting of lamps, ringing of bells, the opening of the guest palace, and the exit of the monks, led by Father Shenouda El-Barmosy, the monastery’s steward, to receive him, thinking he was a distinguished visitor! Once they understood the matter, they accepted him immediately into the monastic order, rejoicing in his arrival, as never before had a monk been received with such honor in the monastery’s history. This incident was considered a prophecy of his advancement in the monastic path and his attainment of a high rank in the Church.

He studied under the spiritual fathers, Fathers Abdel-Masih Salib and Father Ya’qoub El-Samit, who were prevalent in the monastery at that time, devoting himself to a life of prayer and asceticism. Less than a year into his probation, he was ordained a monk in the Church of the Virgin Mary within the monastery, prostrating before the altar, with the body of Anba Mousa El-Aswad to his right and Saint Isidore to his left. He was given the monastic name Mina on Saturday, 17 Amshir 1644 (25 February 1928). He heard this blessing from his teacher, Father Ya’qoub El-Samit, who said: “Go with God’s blessing in this gentle and humble spirit, and God will make you faithful over His sacred mysteries, and His Holy Spirit will guide and teach you.”

He developed a deeper yearning for studying the writings of the fathers and the lives of martyrs. He especially loved the writings of Saint Ishaq, adopting many of his sayings as personal mottos, such as “Renounce the world and God will love you,” and “What I flee from in pursuit of honor, I avoid; what flees from it, I follow and guide.” This caused him to grow further in virtue, emulating and imitating his saintly fathers.

He joined the theological school like his fellow monks and was ordained a priest by Anba Youannis in July 1931. God prepared him to stand before the holy altar for the first time in the Church of the Children of Kings, Maximus and Domadius, all before completing three years in the monastery. His heart, inflamed with love for his Creator, grew ever more passionate day by day, especially after his ordination and carrying the divine mysteries in his hands.

His Solitude
His soul longed for solitude in the wilderness. He went to the cave of Father Sarapamon, a hermit whom he briefly studied under, becoming an excellent and faithful servant. He then approached Patriarch Anba Youannis requesting permission to hermitize in the White Monastery and rebuild it if possible. Indeed, he went there and spent a short period, then resided for a while in the cave of Father Abdel-Masih El-Habashi, carrying weekly a water container and a lentil jug from Paramos Monastery to his deep cave in the desert, leaving a mark on his shoulder until his repose.

Patriarch Anba Youannis visited him in 1934, admiring his knowledge, spirituality, and zeal, witnessing his piety and hoping for great good for the Church through him.

His Witness for the Truth
Once, the monastery head became angry with seven monks and ordered their expulsion. When the hermit learned of this, he quickly went to protest and accompany the expelled monks, volunteering to serve them and ease their psychological suffering. He then went with them to the papal headquarters, and when Patriarch Anba Youannis investigated, he ordered their return to the monastery and praised the holy hermit.

Saint Azer asked the Patriarch for permission to restore the old Monastery of Saint Marina in the Mariut Desert, but when approval was not granted, he went to the Mokattam Mountain in Old Cairo—strengthened by fasting and prayer—and rented a mill from the government for six qirsh annually, dwelling there in strong divine communion on Tuesday, 23 June 1936.

Truly, the saint loved living in the mountains, as did his saintly fathers before him, described in the Bible: “The world was not worthy of them, because they wandered in deserts, mountains, caves, and crevices of the earth” (Hebrews 11:38). “For their great love in Christ the King” (Divine Liturgy).

There, his life, through intense fasting, prayer, and vigil, became like a beacon, then a shrine, as the fragrance of Christ emanated from him. The divine word said: a city on a hill cannot be hidden.