“A Silent Patriarch” – A Much Needed Book on The Miracle-Working Modern Saint, The Coptic Pope Kyrillos VI

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Imagine visiting a man who could answer questions about your future, heal the incurable disease of a relative, be in two places at one time, have angels or departed spirits of saints visit you for solace or protection, or even meet you in your dreams to give you important messages: your reaction might be intrigue, disbelief, or maybe you’re thinking it sounds like a story of a wizard from Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings. Maybe you believe such a man existed, and that His name is Jesus Christ, God and king. True, but I’m speaking of a different man, to whom the Lord Christ graciously gave spiritual gifts, akin to the gifts given to the apostles and disciples, as attested to by an innumerable plethora of witnesses to this very day.

One of those witnesses was my great aunt, Ma’alee, and although I spent most of my life hearing of her close relationship with the saintly man of which I speak, I had never met her or even spoken to her, until her last year of life when I mustered the courage to call her in Egypt, and with her permission I recorded our conversations, so that I could preserve forever the voice and stories of the woman who was a legend in my household. 21 recordings in all, and then several months later, she passed away, but not before telling me of the man of prayer she met while he lived in solitude in the desert as a monk; the man she says was never known for giving sermons, but whose prayer life spoke volumes; the man who would become Patriarch of the nearly 2,000 year old Church of Alexandria, the Coptic Orthodox Church: The Saint, Pope Kyrillos (Cyril) VI, 116th head bishop of Alexandria (with the first being St. Mark, the gospel writer and evangelist).

Tunt Ma’alee told me of his love for his flock, and personally witnessed miracles and visions at the behest of His Holiness, and often through his calling upon the prayers and aid of St. Mina (the soldier saint of the early Church, whose name Pope Kyrillos initially was given when he was just a monk). 

I worry his relevance and memory is fading, as generations who lived during his papacy grow older, and the stories of how this saint touched so many lives dies with them. But thankfully, a thoroughly researched book is now available for order that explores the life and legacy of Pope Kyrillos, and it is being published by the famed St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press. It was written by Fr. Daniel Fanous, dean and lecturer in Theology & Biblical Studies at St Cyril’s Coptic Orthodox Theological College in Sydney, Australia. He is the author of several other books (and who kindly and graciously endorsed my book Orthodox Afterlife; and let me be clear that I was not asked nor does Fr. Daniel even know that I’m writing this article).

The book is derived from a thesis that Fr. Daniel carried out at the University of Newcastle in Australia (you can read more about that thesis at this link).

I highly recommend that everyone go out and get this book now. It would make a great Christmas gift, and will certainly help keep the memory of Pope Kyrillos alive.

You can order the book here: https://svspress.com/a-silent-patriarch/

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IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE AUTHOR OR POPE KYRILLOS, SEE THE FOLLOWING VARIOUS LINKS:

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