Metropolitan Mikhail ( ar, نيافة الأنبا ميخائيل مطران أسيوط) (4 July 1921 – 23 November 2014), was the Elder Metropolitan of the Holy Metropolis of

Asyut AsyutAlso spelled ''Assiout'' or ''Assiut'' ( ar, أسيوط ' , from ' ) is the capital of the modern Asyut Governorate in Egypt. It was built close to the ancient city of the same name, which is situated nearby. The modern city is located at ...

( Lycopolis), ( Hieracon, ( Hierakonopolis) and ( Apollonopolis Parva) of the

Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria The Coptic Orthodox Church ( cop, Ϯⲉⲕ̀ⲕⲗⲏⲥⲓⲁ ⲛ̀ⲣⲉⲙⲛ̀ⲭⲏⲙⲓ ⲛ̀ⲟⲣⲑⲟⲇⲟⲝⲟⲥ, translit=Ti.eklyseya en.remenkimi en.orthodoxos, lit=the Egyptian Orthodox Church; ar, الكنيسة القبطي� ...

and was the

Abbot Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the male head of a monastery in various Western religious traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not the head of a monastery. The ...

of the

Monastery of Saint Macarius the Great The Monastery of Saint Macarius The Great also known as Dayr Aba Maqār ( ar, دير الأنبا مقار) is a Coptic Orthodox monastery located in Wadi El Natrun, Beheira Governorate, about north-west of Cairo, and off the highway betwee ...

, in

Scetes Wadi El Natrun (Arabic: "Valley of Natron"; Coptic: , "measure of the hearts") is a depression in northern Egypt that is located below sea level and below the Nile River level. The valley contains several alkaline lakes, natron-rich salt de ...

, Lower Egypt until early 2009, when he decided to resign this responsibility due to his failing health and also due to the demise of Matta El-Meskeen, the Chief

Hegumen Hegumen, hegumenos, or igumen ( el, ἡγούμενος, trans. ), is the title for the head of a monastery in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches, similar to the title of abbot. The head of a convent of nuns is called a hegumenia ...

in-charge of the

in 2008. Metropolitan Mikhail was born "Matyas Hanna" in 1921, in the poor family of

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Medit ...

ian Coptic

Christians Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words '' Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρ ...

in the village of "Al-Rahmaniya", in the district of "

Nag Hammadi Nag Hammadi ( ; ar, نجع حمادى ) is a city in Upper Egypt. It is located on the west bank of the Nile in the Qena Governorate, about north-west of Luxor. It had a population of close to 43,000 . History The town of Nag Hammadi is name ...

" in "Qena" Governorate. He became a

monk A monk (, from el, μοναχός, ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a person who practices religious asceticism by monastic living, either alone or with any number of other monks. A monk may be a person who decides to dedica ...

of the Monastery of St. Macarius the Great on 19 February 1939, taking the name Matyas al-Maqari. He was ordained

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in partic ...

on 17 November 1939. He studied in the Monastic School of Helwan from 1942–1944. He served as Coptic Orthodox Metropolitan of

since 1946. His episcopal ordination took place on 25 August 1946. For many years, he was the most senior Oriental Orthodox

bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is c ...

in the date of episcopal ordination in the world. He died on 23 November 2014 in Asyut, Egypt.

References

* https://web.archive.org/web/20080724094819/http://www.theholysynod.copticpope.org/m001.htm

Sources

Metropolitan Mikhail of Asyut (1920-2014)
, Archive of Contemporary Coptic Orthodox Theology (St Cyril's Coptic Orthodox Theological College)

(in Arabic and English) * http://www.anbawissa.org/vb/showthread.php?t=11930 (in Arabic) * http://www.hierarchy.religare.ru/h-aincvost-monofiz.html (in Russian) {{DEFAULTSORT:Mikhail of Asyut, Metropolitan Coptic Orthodox bishops Egyptian Christian monks 1921 births 2014 deaths Coptic Orthodox Christians from Egypt

See also

References

Sources