Pope Abraham of Alexandria
Encyclopedia
Pope Abraham of Alexandria was the 62nd Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church
from 975 to 978. He is considered a saint
by the Coptic Orthodox Church.
n by birth. He was a wealthy merchant who visited Egypt
several times, and finally stayed there, residing in Alexandria
. He was known for his goodness, devoutness, and love of the poor. After his ordination, he distributed half of his wealth to the needy and used the other half for building pools throughout Egypt, including the pool of Saint Mercurius in Cairo
.
– who was the first Fatimid
ruler of Egypt – the Islamic government was ambivalent in its treatment of the Copts, alternating sympathy and abuse with atrocity and brutality. At that time, St. Mark's Seat had been vacant for about two years. Finally the bishops and Coptic community leaders assembled in the Church of St. Serguis and Bacchus in Cairo
in order to choose possible candidates. While they were convening, Abraham the Syrian, a man devoted to religion and piety, entered the church. One of the assembled turned to a bishop and said that if the bishop were looking for a candidate for the patriarchate, God had sent them a candidate. The whole group assembled was impressed by the selection, and they unanimously decided to elect him. They then took the protesting Abraham in iron fetters
to Alexandria, where he was consecrated as the 62nd Patriarch of Alexandria.
which had become a significant problem during the last several patriarchates. He then turned his attention to the often degraded morals of the church archons, who frequently kept concubines as well as their legal wives. He went so far as to threaten anyone continuing to violate the sanctity of marriage with excommunication
.
Moving of the Mokattam Mountain
Al-Muizz was known for tolerance
and interest in debates on religious matters. He had a Jewish minister named Yaqub ibn Killis
, an Islam
ized Jew, who did not share his masters deference toward the Copts in general and the patriarch in particular. He talked Al-Muizz into sponsoring a debate between Abraham and a locally noted Jewish friend of ibn Killis' named Moses. Abraham brought with him Severus Ibn al-Muqaffa
. In the discussion, Abraham and Severus were able to silence their Jewish opponent.
Ibn Killis then informed Al-Muizz it was written in "the book of the Nazarenes" (meaning the New Testament
) that, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to the mountain move from here to there, and it will move" (Matt. 17:20 & Mark 11:23). He showed this verse to the Caliph
and persuaded him to challenge the Pope to order the Muqattam Mountain
, east of Cairo
, to move if he had as little faith as the small mustard seed. The Caliph sent for the Pope and asked him if such a verse really existed. When Pope Abraham affirmed that it was true, Al-Muizz challenged him to prove it or else the Copts would be subjected to the sword. The Pope asked for a three-day respite.
The Pope hurried out in the early morning to do as she said and he met Simon the Tanner
. He asked Simon what he was doing at this early hour. To which Simon replied that he was carrying water to the sick and the old who could not fetch water for themselves. He said this was his practice every morning – to carry on his back a sack of water for the needy – before going to work at a hide tannery. When the Pope explained his purpose, Simon was reluctant at first but when he was told of the Pope's vision, he placed himself at his disposal.
. Beside them were the Caliph and his minister who had already incited many people against the Copts. Abraham celebrated mass and the multitude chanted after him kyrie layson
(Coptic for "Lord have mercy"), pleading for God's mercy. It is said that they knelt down three times as the Pope made the sign of the cross with a sweeping gesture extending from one end of the mountain to the other.
The mountain shook violently as if a strong earthquake had hit the land. Then it began moving upwards. Every time the worshippers rose from their prayers, the mountain lifted itself upwards. When they knelt down, it also came down with a big bang. This happened three times and every time the mountain moved upwards, the rays of the sun, which was behind it, swept through the space separating the earth from the mountain and became clearly visible to the assembled crowd.
At this awesome sight, Al Muizz proclaimed, "God is Great!" Turning to Pope Abraham, he said, "This is enough to prove that your faith is true." Naturally, this miraculous event caused a tumult among the crowd. When order was re-established, Pope Abraham looked for Simon, who had kept himself hidden behind the Pope throughout the prayers, but he was nowhere to be found.
The Caliph, who was still shaking with fear, embraced the Pope warmly and this marked the beginning of a long friendship between the two. The Caliph asked the Pope to name his reward. After some hesitation, the Pope asked for permission to rebuild or renovate some churches, particularly that of St. Mercurius in Babylon in what is now Old Cairo
. That church, which was partly destroyed, was being used as a sugar warehouse and the historic Church of al-Mu'allaqah. The Caliph offered funds from the state treasury for the reconstruction of the church but Abraham turned him down. "He whose Church we are building does not need the money of this world and is capable of helping us until we finish the job," Abraham said.
The Pope also decreed that the three-day grace period which he had requested from the Caliph, and which he and the bishops and priests spent in prayer and fasting, be a regular period of fasting to be observed by all Copts every year. Those three days were added to the forty days of fasting before Christmas. Thus, the Advent fasting became forty-three days starting on November 25.
Coptic Christianity
The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria is the official name for the largest Christian church in Egypt and the Middle East. The Church belongs to the Oriental Orthodox family of churches, which has been a distinct church body since the Council of Chalcedon in AD 451, when it took a different...
from 975 to 978. He is considered a saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
by the Coptic Orthodox Church.
Early life
Abraham was SyriaSyria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
n by birth. He was a wealthy merchant who visited Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
several times, and finally stayed there, residing in Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
. He was known for his goodness, devoutness, and love of the poor. After his ordination, he distributed half of his wealth to the needy and used the other half for building pools throughout Egypt, including the pool of Saint Mercurius in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
.
Election
During the reign of Al-MuizzMa'ad al-Muizz Li-Deenillah
Ma‘ādh Abū Tamīm al-Mu‘izz li Dīn Allāh , also known as al-Moezz, was the fourth Fatimid Caliph and 14th Ismaili imam, and reigned from 953 to 975. It was during his caliphate that the center of power of the Fatimid dynasty was moved from Ifriqiya to the newly conquered Egypt...
– who was the first Fatimid
Fatimid
The Fatimid Islamic Caliphate or al-Fāṭimiyyūn was a Berber Shia Muslim caliphate first centered in Tunisia and later in Egypt that ruled over varying areas of the Maghreb, Sudan, Sicily, the Levant, and Hijaz from 5 January 909 to 1171.The caliphate was ruled by the Fatimids, who established the...
ruler of Egypt – the Islamic government was ambivalent in its treatment of the Copts, alternating sympathy and abuse with atrocity and brutality. At that time, St. Mark's Seat had been vacant for about two years. Finally the bishops and Coptic community leaders assembled in the Church of St. Serguis and Bacchus in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
in order to choose possible candidates. While they were convening, Abraham the Syrian, a man devoted to religion and piety, entered the church. One of the assembled turned to a bishop and said that if the bishop were looking for a candidate for the patriarchate, God had sent them a candidate. The whole group assembled was impressed by the selection, and they unanimously decided to elect him. They then took the protesting Abraham in iron fetters
Fetters
Legcuffs, shackles, footcuffs, fetters or leg irons are a kind of physical restraint used on the feet or ankles to allow walking but prevent running and kicking. The term "fetter" shares a root with the word "foot"....
to Alexandria, where he was consecrated as the 62nd Patriarch of Alexandria.
Patriarchate
Immediately upon taking office, Abraham suppressed the practice of simonySimony
Simony is the act of paying for sacraments and consequently for holy offices or for positions in the hierarchy of a church, named after Simon Magus , who appears in the Acts of the Apostles 8:9-24...
which had become a significant problem during the last several patriarchates. He then turned his attention to the often degraded morals of the church archons, who frequently kept concubines as well as their legal wives. He went so far as to threaten anyone continuing to violate the sanctity of marriage with excommunication
Excommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
.
Moving of the Mokattam MountainMokattamMokattam and the Moqattam Hills, , also Muqattam and Moqattam Mountain, is the name of a hill range and a suburb in them, located in southeastern Cairo, Egypt.-Landform:...
Al-Muizz was known for toleranceToleration
Toleration is "the practice of deliberately allowing or permitting a thing of which one disapproves. One can meaningfully speak of tolerating, ie of allowing or permitting, only if one is in a position to disallow”. It has also been defined as "to bear or endure" or "to nourish, sustain or preserve"...
and interest in debates on religious matters. He had a Jewish minister named Yaqub ibn Killis
Yaqub ibn Killis
Yaqub ibn Killis , was an Egyptian Vizier under the Fatimids .Yaqub ibn Yusuf ibn Killis was born in Baghdad in 930 in a Jewish family. After his family moved to Syria he came to Egypt in 943 and entered the service of the Regent Kafur. Soon he controlled the Egyptian state finances in his...
, an Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ized Jew, who did not share his masters deference toward the Copts in general and the patriarch in particular. He talked Al-Muizz into sponsoring a debate between Abraham and a locally noted Jewish friend of ibn Killis' named Moses. Abraham brought with him Severus Ibn al-Muqaffa
Severus Ibn al-Muqaffa
Severus ibn al-Muqaffaʿ or Severus of El Ashmunein was a Coptic Bishop, author and historian. In Arabic, his name is spelled Sawires ساويرس. Severus is sometimes confused with Abdullah Ibn al-Muqaffa.He was bishop of Hermopolis Magna , in Upper Egypt, around the end of the tenth century...
. In the discussion, Abraham and Severus were able to silence their Jewish opponent.
Ibn Killis then informed Al-Muizz it was written in "the book of the Nazarenes" (meaning the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
) that, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to the mountain move from here to there, and it will move" (Matt. 17:20 & Mark 11:23). He showed this verse to the Caliph
Caliph
The Caliph is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the ruler of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah. It is a transcribed version of the Arabic word which means "successor" or "representative"...
and persuaded him to challenge the Pope to order the Muqattam Mountain
Mokattam
Mokattam and the Moqattam Hills, , also Muqattam and Moqattam Mountain, is the name of a hill range and a suburb in them, located in southeastern Cairo, Egypt.-Landform:...
, east of Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, to move if he had as little faith as the small mustard seed. The Caliph sent for the Pope and asked him if such a verse really existed. When Pope Abraham affirmed that it was true, Al-Muizz challenged him to prove it or else the Copts would be subjected to the sword. The Pope asked for a three-day respite.
Abraham's Vision of the Virgin Mary
He went directly to St. Mary's Church (Al Mu'allaqah, or "Hanging Church"), sent for bishops and priests and exhorted them to fast and pray for the duration of those three days. Before the dawn of the third day, the Pope, exhausted by grief and the long vigil he had kept, dozed off. It is said that Virgin Mary came to him in his sleep and inquired: "What is with you?" "My lady, you surely know what is happening," he replied. Thereupon, she comforted him and told him that if he went through the iron gate leading to the market, he would meet a one-eyed man carrying a sack of water. This is the man who would move the mountain, she said.The Pope hurried out in the early morning to do as she said and he met Simon the Tanner
Simon the Tanner
Simon the Tanner , also known as Saint Simon the Shoemaker , is the Coptic Orthodox saint associated with the story of the moving the Mokattam Mountain in Cairo, Egypt, during the rule of the Muslim Fatimid Caliph al-Muizz Lideenillah while Abraham the Syrian was the Pope of the Coptic Orthodox...
. He asked Simon what he was doing at this early hour. To which Simon replied that he was carrying water to the sick and the old who could not fetch water for themselves. He said this was his practice every morning – to carry on his back a sack of water for the needy – before going to work at a hide tannery. When the Pope explained his purpose, Simon was reluctant at first but when he was told of the Pope's vision, he placed himself at his disposal.
The Miracle
The two led a large gathering of the faithful and marched to the Mokattam MountainMokattam
Mokattam and the Moqattam Hills, , also Muqattam and Moqattam Mountain, is the name of a hill range and a suburb in them, located in southeastern Cairo, Egypt.-Landform:...
. Beside them were the Caliph and his minister who had already incited many people against the Copts. Abraham celebrated mass and the multitude chanted after him kyrie layson
Kyrie
Kyrie, a transliteration of Greek κύριε , vocative case of κύριος , meaning "Lord", is the common name of an important prayer of Christian liturgy, which is also called the Kýrie, eléison ....
(Coptic for "Lord have mercy"), pleading for God's mercy. It is said that they knelt down three times as the Pope made the sign of the cross with a sweeping gesture extending from one end of the mountain to the other.
The mountain shook violently as if a strong earthquake had hit the land. Then it began moving upwards. Every time the worshippers rose from their prayers, the mountain lifted itself upwards. When they knelt down, it also came down with a big bang. This happened three times and every time the mountain moved upwards, the rays of the sun, which was behind it, swept through the space separating the earth from the mountain and became clearly visible to the assembled crowd.
At this awesome sight, Al Muizz proclaimed, "God is Great!" Turning to Pope Abraham, he said, "This is enough to prove that your faith is true." Naturally, this miraculous event caused a tumult among the crowd. When order was re-established, Pope Abraham looked for Simon, who had kept himself hidden behind the Pope throughout the prayers, but he was nowhere to be found.
The Caliph, who was still shaking with fear, embraced the Pope warmly and this marked the beginning of a long friendship between the two. The Caliph asked the Pope to name his reward. After some hesitation, the Pope asked for permission to rebuild or renovate some churches, particularly that of St. Mercurius in Babylon in what is now Old Cairo
Old Cairo
Old Cairo is a part of Cairo, Egypt, that contains the remnants of those cities which were capitals before Cairo, such as Fustat, as well as some other elements from the city's varied history. For example, it encompasses Coptic Cairo and its many old churches and ruins of Roman fortifications...
. That church, which was partly destroyed, was being used as a sugar warehouse and the historic Church of al-Mu'allaqah. The Caliph offered funds from the state treasury for the reconstruction of the church but Abraham turned him down. "He whose Church we are building does not need the money of this world and is capable of helping us until we finish the job," Abraham said.
The Pope also decreed that the three-day grace period which he had requested from the Caliph, and which he and the bishops and priests spent in prayer and fasting, be a regular period of fasting to be observed by all Copts every year. Those three days were added to the forty days of fasting before Christmas. Thus, the Advent fasting became forty-three days starting on November 25.