Getting to Know Saint Pope Kyrillos VI

Before he became Pope Kyrillos VI, he was Father Mina, a monk whose life centered on prayer. Born in 1902, he went on to lead the Coptic Orthodox Church from 1959 until his death in 1971. His years as a monk are a good place to begin getting to know him.

For someone meeting him for the first time, it helps to begin with the names. Before becoming Pope Kyrillos VI, he was known in monastic life as Father Mina. A patriarch is the senior bishop who leads a church. In this case, the title refers to the Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of Saint Mark.

Before the patriarchate#

Born Azer Youssef Atta in Egypt in 1902, he entered Baramous Monastery in 1927 and became Monk Mina in 1928. He was ordained a priest in 1931. The years that followed included periods of solitude, life in a windmill near Cairo, and ministry among people in the city.

He spent decades as a monk and priest before becoming patriarch. Daniel Fanous’s research follows those years, including the people he met and the difficulties he faced along the way.

Called to lead#

Kyrillos VI was enthroned in 1959. His first pastoral message describes the responsibility of caring for the Church and asks for prayer and cooperation. He presents the work as service entrusted to him, with its purpose found in the spiritual lives of the people.

His first pastoral letter lets us hear that sense of responsibility in his own words. He asks the Church to pray for him and to share in the work ahead.

Following the story#

You can follow his early life through the windmill years, then turn to his letters about leadership and service. The timeline brings those events together.

I came to this subject through A Silent Patriarch by Daniel Fanous. I’m still in the early stages of reading it, and I want to keep learning about the man behind the name.

Sources and further reading#

Daniel Fanous, A silent patriarch: Kyrillos VI (1902–1971), life and theological legacy

Kyrillos VI, First Papal Message, 10 May 1959

St Vladimir’s Seminary Press: A Silent Patriarch

Explore the Saint Pope Kyrillos VI collection