The Departure of His Holiness Pope St. Kyrillos VI

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[center]The Departure of His Holiness Pope Saint Kyrillos VI[/center]

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On this day, March 9 (Amshir 30), we commemorate the departure of the Great Pope and Saint, Papa Abba Kyrillos (Cyril) VI, the 116th successor of the Throne of St. Mark the Evangelist, and the Pope and Patriarch of the See of Alexandria. He was a holy man who excelled first and foremost in spiritual virtue by dedicating his soul to the life of fasting and prayer; this inner lifestyle was steadfastly and incessantly maintained throughout his whole life regardless of changing circumstances and conditions. Various gifts were bestowed upon him by The Goodness and Grace of our Lord, including prescience, clairvoyance, bilocation, and the ability to heal the sick, though it was the most important of gifts: Love, which truly earned this Holy man the title of Saint. His papacy was also marked by the unprecedented Apparitions of the Blessed Holy Virgin Theotokos St Mary in Zeitun, Egypt, as well as the return of the Holy Relics of founder of the Coptic Church: St Mark the Evangelist.

(What follows is a short, simple, very basic and ultimately insufficient biography - which hence doesn't really do much justice to the amazing life and numerous qualities of this Saint - thus I recommend that the interested reader check the "Further Readings" section at the bottom of this post, for a more indepth understanding of the fruits and virtues of this Saint - I recommend the two books "The Fruits of Love" and "Spiritual Leadership" - which are available online for free (see the list) as a good initial start)


Pope St Kyrillos with the relics of St Mark the Evengelist The Apparition of the Theotokos over St Mary's Coptic Orthodox Church in Zeitoun

He was born in 1902 under the name Aza Ater, and at the age of twenty-eight he was drawn to the monastic life, and was consequently ordained a monk under the name of his patron Saint, St Menas the Martyr. His spiritual vigilance and rigorous asceticism lead him to desire and request a life of complete solitude only two years after entering monasticism. The attempts of many to dissuade him from taking this difficult path failed, and he ultimately moved into a very dangerously situated and abandoned windmill in El-Moukatam Mountain at the outskirts of Cairo. This windmill was located many miles from the nearest city, and it was known to be inhabited by dangerous scorpions and snakes. It is this place that St Kyrillos VI found to be the ideal place to pray and contemplate on the great Love he had for our Saviour.


Pope St Kyrillos, humbled on a donkey. Pope St Kyrillos' windmill.

He was later called upon to build a Church in Ancient Cairo under the name of his patron Saint, St Menas the Martyr. Finding himself surrounded by Coptic school students, many of whom were from outside of Cairo, he served the students by establishing the first Church-affiliated dormitory, which came to produce many of today’s greatest Bishops and Theologians. Not only was he the establisher and founder of this dormitory, but he was also the humble janitor. He would even humiliate himself to the extent of voluntarily being solely responsible for cleaning the lavatories without letting anyone know, and consequently fulfilling the commandment of Christ in Matthew 20:26.

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In 1959 Fr. Mina was ordained Pope and Patriarch of the See of St Mark, and adopted the name Pope Kyrillos VI (after the great Saint Cyril of Alexandria). Pope Kyrillos did not abandon his ascetic ideals nor his life of continuous prayer and fasting when he became Patriarch. In recalling one aspect of his prayer life, the late Bishop Mina El-Samueli who spent a few years of his monastic life with Father Mina said, "Father Mina the Hermit (the late Pope Kyrillos VI) used to wake up at 2:00 am, start the midnight Agpeya prayers, bake the 'korban', raise incense then serve the holy mass which would end around 8:00 am. This meant spending six continuous hours in prayer. Afterwards, he would meet with those who were hungry and thirsty for God's mercy.” This early start to the day to glorify and worship the Lord continued throughout Pope Kyrillos’ papacy, starting each and every day at approximately 3:00 am with the Holy Paslmody, and continuing with the performance of the Divine Liturgy. His heart was so attached to the Divine Liturgy, that even in his last days on this temporal earth, when he was gravely ill with phlebitis, they hooked a speaker from the great Cathedral to his bedroom at his request because he could not bear not being able to perform liturgy daily as before.

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Pope Kyrillos VI furthermore retained the complete humility that was exercised in his voluntary diminution to the role of toilet cleaner whilst still a monk-priest. Pope St Kyrillos is famously quoted as having said in his first pastoral letter as Patriarch: “Let us disappear for God to appear with His blessed glory.” During a consultation that he had with a foreign priest in the Saints’ private room of the old St Mark Cathedral, the priest, seeing that the room was in such a humble condition, offered to decorate and furnish the room to a standard befitting the Saints’ position as Patriarch. In response, Pope St Kyrillos laughed, and stated: "The room in its current state is still much better than the manger where Christ The Lord of Glory was born."

Other examples of the Pope’s humility and holiness are recalled by his personal deacon Roufaiel Sobhi (the current Rafael Ava Mena). In following the 17th Pope of Alexandria St Peter the Seal of the Martyrs, Pope St Kyrillos would refuse to sit on the throne of St. Mark, preferring to sit at the foot of the Throne on the floor, for he could see St Mark the First Coptic Patriarch of Alexandria sitting on his own Throne. Rafael Ava Mena recalls another story in which during a procession, the Pope all of the sudden ordered him to walk with the papal staff in front of him, as opposed to behind him (as is dictated by our custom). Thinking that he had committed an error, Rafael Ava Mena apologised to the Pope; the Pope however responded with the real reason as to why he was ordered to walk in front of him, with a statement to the effect of: “Do you not know that according to custom you are to walk with the papal staff behind the Pope? Yet, there was St Mark the Apostle, the first and true Pope of Alexandria, and you were walking behind me!”
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Despite his newly invested authority, in true meekness and humility, this great Saint sought to break any and all forms of barriers between himself and his sons and daughters - the congregation. After every Liturgy, he would stand for hours upon hours as the multitudes embraced him for his blessings. The Metropolitans and Bishops witnessing his evident fatigue and sweat, urged him, in their pity, to take rest. However, St Kyrillos, in his selfless love, would not even dare to upset a single member of his congregation by turning them away. Furthermore, the Pope opened his doors to anyone and everyone that needed him, placing no restrictions on time; there was no such thing as “after hours” in this Patriarch’s schedule. Even when St Kyrillos himself had been asleep, he would be awakened by his patron Saint and informed of the matter of the one who seeks him, before even speaking a word to that very person in the first place. There have been many recorded instances (most notably recorded by the personal deacon of St Kyrillos, Deacon Roufaiel Sobhi - the current Rafael Ava Mena) where people have either voluntarily turned away, or turned away by those servicing the papal residence, on account of the fact that the Pope was asleep, only to find the Pope himself suddenly awake and dressed before them, calling the inquiring person by name and pre-informed of every relevant detail of the issues at hand.

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Pope St Kyrillos has been characteristically labelled the “Friend of the Saints”, for he was known to have a unique personal relationship with St Mary the Theotokos, the Apostle St Mark whom he succeeded on the throne, St Demiana, St George the Prince of Martyrs, and especially his patron Saint St Menas the Martyr, seeing them and communicating with them on numerous occasions.

The number of documented miracles performed by this Saint during his earthly life and after his departure to Christ, especially those that are in someway also affiliated with his beloved patron Saint - St Menas - is immense to say the least. It has been said, and most probably without exaggeration, that each and every faithful Orthodox Copt that lived in the days of St Kyrillos’ Papacy, had either witnessed or experienced a personal miracle through his prayers; those miracles continue to occur by the Grace of God till the present day. He performed (and continues to perform) miracles for the weakest of children to the most powerful of men, including the earlier president of Egypt himself – Gamal Abdel Nassar. The 'Pope Kyrillos the VI Society' has in fact printed more than eighteen volumes of documented miracles performed by Pope St Kyrillos, all of which have been translated into English, French, and other non-Arabic languages.

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Picture 1: We find that upon the development of this photo taken of St Kyrillos' picture as located in his old monastic cell, that a faint yet sure outline of His Holiness’ patron saint St Menas appears.

Picture 2: We find that upon the developement of this photo, the departed Pope Kyrillos VI appears behind the man who is contemplating on the departed Pope’s photo, giving us a sure message that the departed Saints always present with us, ready to offer our prayers and intercede on our behalf before the Throne of God.

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[center]Picture 3: A sick woman brought to the Pope's residence in an ambulance, is cured by him. [/center]
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I would like to quote just three of hundreds of the miracles that he performed, from Volume II of a series published on recorded miracles of Pope St Kyrillos VI:

1) Pope Kyrillos & St George the Roman:

St George Opens His Churches to His Holiness The Pope:

His Holiness Pope Kyrillos VI is a Saint who knows how to communicate with the Saints through fasting and prayer. They give him as he wishes by intercessions readily available to the Throne of Grace. He talks with the great Martyr St George the Roman with intimacy and the Saint listens to him.

The Pope once wanted to visit St George’s Church at El Max in Alexandria. The time was seven o’clock on a wintery evening. The chauffer, Brother Azmi, drove on to find the suburb shrouded in darkness for there had been a blackout. Pope Kyrillos stood at the Church’s door as the caretaker rushed to the Priest’s house, though the priest was not home. His Holiness the Pope talked intimately to St George and in a kind of reproach said to him, “Do we come all this way especially for you O St George and you hold back your light from us?” In true faith, the Pope ordered the caretaker to switch on the light, and immediately the lights glittered inside the Church like sunshine at Midday. The Pope offered incense and as soon as he concluded his prayers and left the Church the darkness of the blackout wrapped the suburb again.

Also:

On a Thursday of the Nativity of Fasting of 1964, His Holiness the Pope went at 7 o Clock in the morning to the church of St George and St Antonios at Moharam Bey, Alexandria. The main gate was closed as a heavy chain and large padlock secured it, for the caretaker had not yet opened it. In the same way the Pope talked to St George as if talking with a close friend, and turning to those who accompanied him he said: “I don’t believe that we have come to serve the liturgy for St George only to find the door locked.” He then instructed Rev. Father Yacoub El Baramousi to push hard against the gate which was locked by the huge steel chain and secured by a large padlock. Miraculously the steel chain fell off as if it was cut by a powerful saw…

From The Miracles of Pope Kyrillos VI, Volume II, Pages 76-77

Miracle before Departure:

Mr Fakhri Azer Mancarious of 3 Ashraf St Tanta tell us:

“After six years of marriage God had not give us any children. My wife was treated by many gynecologists…, but neither medication nor radiology could mend the deformity in my wife’s procreative system. Then we heard of Pope Kyrillos’ sanctity and the miracles performed through his prayers. We went to see him at the Patriarchate in Cairo, where he placed his hands over our heads and prayed. When he finished his prayers he said “God willing…this day of next year the two of you will be three and everything is completed by the Holy Trinity.” Before we left, he added that the child would be a male, and asked us to name him Mena. We gave thanks to the Lord who worked through the Pope’s prayers, giving us a son at the exact date predicted by His Holiness.

From The Miracles of Pope Kyrillos VI, Volume II, page 17

Miracle after departure:

Dr Mikhail Gobran, Director of the Medical Centre, Geziret Badran, Shoubra, says:

In December 1973..a teacher at Kishk High School lodged with me an application for sick leave. Asking what his ailment was, he said that he suffered from an inflamed fistula and that he could not undergo the operation because his heart valved were infected with rheumatism, a condition with which the anesthetic could not be used…I authorized the required sick leave…While in my office he saw the book Miracle of Pope Kyrillos on my desk. He ridiculed the belief in miracles in the time of science and scientific research and added that a real proof would be the removal of the fistula by the methods of the departed Pope Kyrillos.

Ten days later the teacher was looking for me until he found me in the office of the health inspector. He told us what happened to him, telling us that in his sleep one night he felt two men carry him and put him on a table to examine his chest. He thought to himself why they were examining his chest while he suffered from a fistula. An elder then appeared, who was Pope Kyrillos, and who punched him gently saying: “You naïve, the heart is the most important”. In the morning, all the symptoms of the bad heart were gone. Another ten days and the same thing happened again, Pope Kyrillos saying to him, “Tonight is the fistula, because the heart is well and can stand it.”

The teacher came to me two days after the second night, I examined him with the health inspector and ascertained the complete healing of the fistula by a miracle and through the blessings of Pope Kyrillos VI, may he always bestow his blessings upon us.

From The Miracles of Pope Kyrillos VI, Volume II, page 78

[center]Further reading:[/center]

Free:

Pope St. Kyrillos VI Biography in English written by Mr. Hanna Youssef Ata, the brother in flesh of Pope Kyrillos VI, and Father Rafael Ava Mena (Deacon Roufaiel Sobhi), the personal deacon of Pope Kyrillos VI.
http://www.zeitun-eg.org/stcyril6/enbio.zip

The Fruits of Love: The Saint Pope Kyrillos VI (Highly Recommended)
http://www.zeitun-eg.org/stcyril6/popekyrillos_fruits_of_love.pdf

Pope Kyrillos VI and Spiritual Leadership (Highly Recommended)
http://www.zeitun-eg.org/stcyril6/PopeKyrillosVISpiritualLeadership.pdf

Miracles of Pope St Kyrillos, as recorded on the official website of St Menas Monastery, Alexandria, where his body now resides alongside that of St Menas, according to his will:
http://www.stmina-monastery.org/miracles.pdf
http://www.stmina-monastery.org/miracles_set2.pdf
http://www.stmina-monastery.org/miracles_set3.pdf
http://www.stmina-monastery.org/miracles_set4.pdf
http://www.stmina-monastery.org/miracles_set5.pdf

For Purchase:

Recorded Miracles, Volumes 1, 2, 4, and 5:
https://www.orthodoxbookstore.com/product.details.aspx?ProductID=909
https://www.orthodoxbookstore.com/product.details.aspx?ProductID=910
https://www.orthodoxbookstore.com/product.details.aspx?ProductID=177
https://www.orthodoxbookstore.com/product.details.aspx?ProductID=1091

Books on his life and person:

School of Virtue:
https://www.orthodoxbookstore.com/product.details.aspx?ProductID=907
Spiritual Leadership (free version available online above in pdf. format):
https://www.orthodoxbookstore.com/product.details.aspx?ProductID=902
Man of Prayer:
https://www.orthodoxbookstore.com/product.details.aspx?ProductID=294
The Fruits of Love (free version available online above in pdf. format):
https://www.orthodoxbookstore.com/product.details.aspx?ProductID=903
Service and Humility:
https://www.orthodoxbookstore.com/product.details.aspx?ProductID=908
The Heavenly harp:
https://www.orthodoxbookstore.com/product.details.aspx?ProductID=1223
A Melody from heaven:
https://www.orthodoxbookstore.com/product.details.aspx?ProductID=898

[center]Multimedia:[/center]

Audio:

Pope Kyrillos VI performs the Holy Liturgy according to St Basil:
http://www.saintmina-holmdel.org/Multimedia/index.php ---> First entry under "St Basil" in the "Liturgies" section.

A rare RealAudio clip of a message by Pope St. Kyrillos VI in his own voice (Arabic/Coptic):
http://www.zeitun-eg.org/stkyrillos6.rm

Miracles of Pope Kyrillos VI By Fr. Youanes Kamal (Arabic):
http://www.stmina-monastery.org/PopeKyrillosMiracles_FrYouanesKamal.mp3
http://www.stmina-monastery.org/PopeKyrillosMiracles2_FrYouanesKamal.mp3
http://www.stmina-monastery.org/PopeKyrillosMiracles3_FrYouanesKamal.mp3

Pope Kyrillos VI heals a young lady with stomach cancer by Fr. Youanes Kamal (Arabic):
http://www.stmina-monastery.org/22-7-2005_FrYouanesKamal.mp3

Ordination of Pope Kyrillos (1959) (Streaming audio):
http://www.coptichymns.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=Liturgies&file=index&q=m&m=/Papal_Festal_Liturgies/Ordination_of_HH_Pope_Kyrillos_VI_-_1959/__Ordination_of_Pope_Kyrillos_(1959).smil

Video:

Exclusive: Rare film of Pope Kyrillos VI at St. Mina Monastery, Mariut:
http://www.stmina-monastery.org/popekyrillos_stminamonas.asf

Pope Kyrillos' ordination video:
http://www.zeitun-eg.net/stcyril6/stcyril6_v7.zip

Complete video of the inauguration mass of the new Cathedral of St. Mark, Abbassiya (Anba Rueis), Cairo, Egypt, 1968:
http://www.stmina-monastery.org/stcyril6/PopeKyrillosVI_VideoMass26Jun1968

Pope St. Kyrillos VI receives the Relics of St. Mark, 1968; the Pope receives Emperor Haile Selassie; St. Mark Relics are put in a special shrine at the new St. Mark Cathedral after its inauguration (includes parts of the Liturgy that was held on this occasion):
http://www.zeitun-eg.net/stcyril6/stcyril6_v19.zip

Pope Kyrillos VI and the late President Abdel Nasser placing the cornerstone of the new St. Mark Cathedral,1965:
http://www.zeitun-eg.net/stcyril6/stcyril6_v16.zip

The Pope, President Abdel Nasser, and Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia on the inauguration of the new Cathedral of Saint Mark (25 June 1968):
http://www.zeitun-eg.net/stcyril6/stcyril6_v17.zip

Marianne87

wow that's pretty awesome. Thanks so much Iqbal.
May his prayers be with all of us. Amen.

Safaa

Thank you very much Iqbal for your work of love,
Having Pope Kyrillos as our intercessor, we may rejoice and say, the gates of hell shall not overcome the Coptic Church and her true believers.

Have a blessed Feast of the Departure of Pope Kyrillos VI

Unknown

Without reading your post, and viewing your pictures, Pope Kyrillos is AWESOME, he is my mom's intercessioner, and mine as well, he done so many miracles, and healed me once, I have put 3 miracles in a thread made by CrazyCopt about Pope Kyrillos' feast, very well done Iqbal I have seen all of those pictures before and just seeing them again makes me feel very blessed for my family, friends, and my life!

Forever,
Coptic Servent

Stavro

"Judge them by their fruits" is an eternal standard that was established by the Lord since the creation and confirmed after the incarnation. As H.H. Pope Shenouda once said as a tribute to the memory of Pope St. Kyrillos VI :" He is still interceding for his Church, still praying like he was just doing on earth. His works are everywhere, and the fruit of his labor are multiplying in our Church. "

His works as a Pope seemed sometimes questionable. Many people criticised the great Pope and saint for building the monastery of St. Mina in King Marriott, Alex, and accused him of throwing money in the dessert. Many have criticised the great saint for opting to solve the problems by prayers, judging him as weak. Many underestimated the importance of starting the churches in the land of immigration. Only time has proven those his criticism to be short-sighted and has proven that Pope Kyrillos was not working on his own initiatives, but he was led by the Lord all the time. Only divine plans can stand the test of time.

matt88

Thank you for sharing all this information about Baba Kyrillos with us Iqbal!! I hadnt seen those miracle pictures before and really appreciate them. May you get extra blessing from Baba Kyrillos for all your work in putting this link together!

joyisgod

Thank you Iqbal for this thread, May His Holiness Pope Kyrillos VI intercede on your behalf and your loved ones and always bless you in all that you do.

Many questioned him as being the Pope and thought that God needed an educated man to lead his people. Many accused him of not being worthy to fill such a seat. But just like Starvo stated, time has proven that God wants a pure and simple person and through these qualifications will the Holy Spirit work.

Let us learn from our humble and pure teacher that God elected in order to be one of our many guides to reaching eternal bliss.

“Let us disappear for God to appear with His blessed glory” H.H. Pope Kyrillos VI

Help me, guide me, and I beg you to teach me your ways in order to live a heavenly life on earth and make the transaction to our Lord. And please intercede on my behalf always.

In His Name

Unknown

Thank you, Iqbal. That was a great blessing, I think for all of us, especially me.

Luke90

Thank you soooooooooo much Iqbal, I want you to know that your efforts are really appreciated, thanks so much. Pope Kyrillos is such an amazing blessing and I'm sure he has helped us all out of tight situations, I personally owe him so much.

copticcross3

That's so awesome u must of worked real hard on it, my eyes kinda hurt so i didnt really read it all, he is my mom's intercessor too . I dont know who mine iis , I dont really know what it means either. But i wazzzzzz reading a book about him, and he is such a grrrrrrrrrrrrrreat person and i was shocked when i found out i waz related it to him thru my moms side of the family. So many things i dont know ! :o Any ways may his blessings be with us all :D :D

elshatarung7arb

Honestly.......I have a feeling that pope Kyrillos will reward you for your hard work......and forgive me , by the way that was just..............awasome



Pray for the Lost Souls that they may return to Christ, our Savior

Christ4Life

I agree with everything said above. That was amazing, and thank you for taking the time to put it together :).

Unknown

Thank you Iqbal for gathering all this information in one place.
May HH Pope Saint Kyrillos VI prayers and the blessing of his intercession be for us. Amen.

This is a printable photo of HH. Using a good printer, do not exceed 200% scaling.