Last article tackled Pope Youhanna VI, who preserved the ecclesiastical law: he countered a number of internal wars, yet was saved by God’s hand. The article also referred to wars and conflicts that afflicted the country those days, besides a number of grave events that Egypt went through, such as the high prices. Pope Youhanna VI witnessed the advent of the Franks campaign against Damietta in1210 AD, as they looted, killed and captured the city residents. The Franks, again during the pontificate of PopeYouhanna VI, raided on Rashid and the city of Fouwah.
During these days, the waters of the Nile in Egypt decreased significantly, historian Severus ibn Al-Muqaffa said: “The country dried up and was ruined, the subjects perished and dispersed, and peoplewere torn apart, and many of the Egyptianstried going to the Levant, taking their money and children, but they perished as the Arabs captured them on the way and they died of cold, hunger and killing.” Egypt and its people were also subjected to calamities of high prices, evacuation, and epidemic that people ate each other! However, some rich people; Muslims and Christians, used to give alms to the poor according to their ability. Those lean years lasted till 599 AH (1202 AD) until God bestowed mercy on His people, alleviated the high prices and restored security to the travelling roads.
It is noteworthy that in the days of Pope YouhannaVI, sending bishops from the Church of Alexandria to the five western cities – which are located in the current Cyrenaica region,one of the three states that make up Libya now – that was affiliated with the Alexandrian See of St. Mark, ceased. The Coptic Church used to regularly send bishops to these cities since the first century until the fifth century, when the Roman emperors began to resist the patriarchs of the church. Then, the number of Christians in that region decreased, and bishops stopped being sent to it since the pontificate of that patriarch.
In 1216, Pope Youhanna VI departed, after spending 27 years on the Seeof Saint Mark. All Egyptians; Muslims and Copts, mourned him, as the historian Priest Manasseh Youhanna mentions: “His death left an atmosphere of sadness, as everybody; Copts and Muslims, loved him dearly.The Greek Orthodox Patriarch grieved over him the most; he was seen crying bitterly at his funeral. They buried him without holding celebrations, as the Egyptians are accustomed to burying their dead hastily, and since his death was sudden, none of the diocese bishops could attend his funeral.” Historians have testified about Pope Youhanna VI that he lived a life of monetary asceticism, abolished “simony” (obtaining priestly ranks through money). It was said about him: “He was of bountiful money, so he decided not to lay burdens on the nation, rather he would support himself and provide for those who around him, give alms of his own money to the poor.” The biographer of Pope Youhanna VI gave account of what happened one day before his departure: his father was present with a number of Coptic elders of Egypt at the Patriarch’s, he fainted for about three hours, then he opened his eyes and spoke to those present, asking them about his disciple, Mansour, who was ill then, but they answered that the disciple was dead. He asked them to shroud his student and bury him because he will be with him the next day! He meant he would die as well on the next day. Afterwards, he fainted again, and when he opened his eyes, he said to those present that severe disagreement would occur among the people concerning who would be appointed patriarch, and that the chair of Saint Mark would remain vacant for a long time. On the next day, Pope Youhanna departed, and was buried next to the tomb of Pope Zacharias. The chair of St. Mark remained vacant after the departure of Pope Youhanna VI for nearly 19 years, untilPope Kyrollos III (IbnLuqluq) was ordained, becoming the seventy-fifth patriarch of Alexandria. And… stories about beautiful Egypt never end!
General Bishop
Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
