Pope Cyril V of Alexandria

Pope Cyril of Alexandria (also called Kyrillos) V) (born Youhanna (John) in 1824 or 1830/1831 according to different accounts; died August 7, 1927) was the 112th Coptic Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark for fifty-two years and nine months, from November 1, 1874 until his death.

He was the longest serving Pope in the history of the Coptic Orthodox Church [ History of the Coptic Church, Iris Habib Elmasry ]

A Monk

He joined the Paromeos Monastery in the Nitrian Desert, where he served as abbot prior to his elevation to Pope.

The Coptic Pope

In the beginning of his papacy there was a dispute between him and the members of the General Congregation Council (Elmagles Elmelly Ela'am) of the Coptic Orthodox Church, whose secretary at the time, Boutros pasha Ghali بطرس غالي who went on later to become the Prime Minister of Egypt and that dispute ended up in favour of Pope Cyril.

This disagreement was despite the fact that General Congregation Council members elected him to become the Coptic Pope and contrary to the expectations of the council, he spent the better part of his papacy at loggerheads with the council and objecting on its interference in the church's matters [ [http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2001/552/chrncls.htm Alahram weekley] ]

In general, his papacy was an era of regeneration for the Coptic Orthodox Church and he continued the work begun by Pope Cyril IV(1854- 1861) in educational reform. [ [http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2001/552/chrncls.htm Alahram weekley] ]

Notable men of the Coptic Church during his papacy included the great saint, Anba Abraam, Bishop of Fayoum, and Habib Guirguis.

In 1881, the Ethiopian Emperor Yohannes IV asked Pope Cyril V, to ordain a metropolitan and three Bishops for the Ethiopian Empire. Pope Cyril V chose the four monks who had left El-Muharraq Monastery with Anba Abraam: Abuna Petros, Abuna Marqos, Abuna Matewos, and Abuna Luqas. [Richard Pankhurst, "The Ethiopians: A History" (Oxford: Blackwell, 2001), p. 169]

The seat of the Pope during his papacey remained in the Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Azbakeya in Cairo.

Once news of his death reached Ethiopia, Empress Zewditu and Ras Tafari ordered requiem masses be said throughout Ethiopia, and that government offices be closed for three days. [Aleqa Gebre-Igziabiher Elyas, "Prowess, Piety, and Politics: The Chronicle of Abeto Iyasu and Empress Zewditu of Ethiopia (1909-1930)", translated by Reidulf K. Molvaer (Köln: Rüdiger Köppe, 1994), pp. 503f]

ee also

*List of Coptic Orthodox Popes
*Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church
*Catechetical School of Alexandria
*Prominent Copts
*Habib Girgis حبيب جرجس

References

* [http://www.copticchurch.net/synaxarium/12_1.html#2 Coptic Orthodox Synaxarium (Book of Saints)]
* [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/arbible/message/2368 The Renewal of Coptic Orthodoxy in the Twentieth Century]
* [http://www.coptic.org.au/modules/resources_literature/article.php?articleid=106 Pope Kyrillos V and the reopening of the Theological School of Alexandria in 1893, and appointment of Archdeacon Habib Guirguis as its Dean in 1918]

External links

* [http://www.copticmuseum.gov.eg/English/internal/gallery_z1.asp?piece_id=29&section_ID=5 The crown of Anba Cyril V, 112th Patriarch (Coptic Museum in Cairo)]