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Episode 051: St Youannis the 11th
St Yoannis XI, 89th Pope of Alexandria
On the 28th day of the Coptic month of Baramouda we celebrate the life of St Yoannis the Eleventh, 89th Pope of Alexandria.
He was known as Yoannis El-Maksi for he was from El-Maksa in Cairo. His birth name was Farag which means “blessing” or “cure” depending on the source.
He was a contemporary to the rulers El-Ashraf, El-Aziz, El-Zaher, and El-Mansour. He encountered many hardships that required the intervention of the kings of Ethiopia who threatened the Egyptian government to cut the flow of the Nile because of the persecution of El-Nasara (The Copts, the Nazarenes). The Patriarch was forbidden to communicate with the kings of Ethiopia and Nubia without the permission and knowledge of the rulers of the government.
He departed in the year 1452, the same year Johann Gutenberg printed the very first Bible. Before that time all bibles were hand-made. Pope Yoannis departed in peace having sat on the throne of St. Mark for 24 years, 11 months, and 23 days.
Lessons from this story
It is said that Pope Yoannis was a contemporary, which means he was skilled in the art of negotiating with government leaders, as well as the various buearcratical factions that ensue.
How draining that must have been. Here you are, the leader of a faithful and spiritual people, having to deal with the politics of this world. Politics is a war that has no peace, only a begrudging compromise. But it is a tool of the devil to steal away your peace. How truly remarkable this pope must have been to be written down as a contemporary and having sustained the role of spiritual father “Abba” for 24 years. Think of how many governments have changed, leaders and rulers come and go, while the constant presence of the Pope remains. And with each new ruler, there are new terms, new arrangements sometimes even having to start all over.
Samuel the prophet was dismayed when the people demanded a king be set upon them, for he knew the truth. There was only one King. But the Lord said to him, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.” (1 Samuel 8:7) And then Samuel told the people all the terrible things they would sacrifice for this new “king” they demanded. But they didn’t care, they wanted to be ruled like all their enemies had been ruled.
We have the greatest protector ever. The greatest King, Guardian, Council, that has ever been. Pope Yoannis knew this well. And though this telling indicates he endured many hardships, during his time as Pope, he knew not only were the rulers he dealt with were temporary - but our time here as well.
Prayer
Oh Father helps to always see past the temporary hardships we face and to use them to grow in spiritual strength and knowledge that you are our true one and only King. May the prayers and intercessions of Pope Yoannis the 11th, 89th Pope of Alexandria be with us all amen.
On the 28th day of the Coptic month of Baramouda we celebrate the life of St Yoannis the Eleventh, 89th Pope of Alexandria.
He was known as Yoannis El-Maksi for he was from El-Maksa in Cairo. His birth name was Farag which means “blessing” or “cure” depending on the source.
He was a contemporary to the rulers El-Ashraf, El-Aziz, El-Zaher, and El-Mansour. He encountered many hardships that required the intervention of the kings of Ethiopia who threatened the Egyptian government to cut the flow of the Nile because of the persecution of El-Nasara (The Copts, the Nazarenes). The Patriarch was forbidden to communicate with the kings of Ethiopia and Nubia without the permission and knowledge of the rulers of the government.
He departed in the year 1452, the same year Johann Gutenberg printed the very first Bible. Before that time all bibles were hand-made. Pope Yoannis departed in peace having sat on the throne of St. Mark for 24 years, 11 months, and 23 days.
Lessons from this story
It is said that Pope Yoannis was a contemporary, which means he was skilled in the art of negotiating with government leaders, as well as the various buearcratical factions that ensue.
How draining that must have been. Here you are, the leader of a faithful and spiritual people, having to deal with the politics of this world. Politics is a war that has no peace, only a begrudging compromise. But it is a tool of the devil to steal away your peace. How truly remarkable this pope must have been to be written down as a contemporary and having sustained the role of spiritual father “Abba” for 24 years. Think of how many governments have changed, leaders and rulers come and go, while the constant presence of the Pope remains. And with each new ruler, there are new terms, new arrangements sometimes even having to start all over.
Samuel the prophet was dismayed when the people demanded a king be set upon them, for he knew the truth. There was only one King. But the Lord said to him, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.” (1 Samuel 8:7) And then Samuel told the people all the terrible things they would sacrifice for this new “king” they demanded. But they didn’t care, they wanted to be ruled like all their enemies had been ruled.
We have the greatest protector ever. The greatest King, Guardian, Council, that has ever been. Pope Yoannis knew this well. And though this telling indicates he endured many hardships, during his time as Pope, he knew not only were the rulers he dealt with were temporary - but our time here as well.
Prayer
Oh Father helps to always see past the temporary hardships we face and to use them to grow in spiritual strength and knowledge that you are our true one and only King. May the prayers and intercessions of Pope Yoannis the 11th, 89th Pope of Alexandria be with us all amen.
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By St John Chrysostom Coptic OCSt Yoannis XI, 89th Pope of Alexandria
On the 28th day of the Coptic month of Baramouda we celebrate the life of St Yoannis the Eleventh, 89th Pope of Alexandria.
He was known as Yoannis El-Maksi for he was from El-Maksa in Cairo. His birth name was Farag which means “blessing” or “cure” depending on the source.
He was a contemporary to the rulers El-Ashraf, El-Aziz, El-Zaher, and El-Mansour. He encountered many hardships that required the intervention of the kings of Ethiopia who threatened the Egyptian government to cut the flow of the Nile because of the persecution of El-Nasara (The Copts, the Nazarenes). The Patriarch was forbidden to communicate with the kings of Ethiopia and Nubia without the permission and knowledge of the rulers of the government.
He departed in the year 1452, the same year Johann Gutenberg printed the very first Bible. Before that time all bibles were hand-made. Pope Yoannis departed in peace having sat on the throne of St. Mark for 24 years, 11 months, and 23 days.
Lessons from this story
It is said that Pope Yoannis was a contemporary, which means he was skilled in the art of negotiating with government leaders, as well as the various buearcratical factions that ensue.
How draining that must have been. Here you are, the leader of a faithful and spiritual people, having to deal with the politics of this world. Politics is a war that has no peace, only a begrudging compromise. But it is a tool of the devil to steal away your peace. How truly remarkable this pope must have been to be written down as a contemporary and having sustained the role of spiritual father “Abba” for 24 years. Think of how many governments have changed, leaders and rulers come and go, while the constant presence of the Pope remains. And with each new ruler, there are new terms, new arrangements sometimes even having to start all over.
Samuel the prophet was dismayed when the people demanded a king be set upon them, for he knew the truth. There was only one King. But the Lord said to him, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.” (1 Samuel 8:7) And then Samuel told the people all the terrible things they would sacrifice for this new “king” they demanded. But they didn’t care, they wanted to be ruled like all their enemies had been ruled.
We have the greatest protector ever. The greatest King, Guardian, Council, that has ever been. Pope Yoannis knew this well. And though this telling indicates he endured many hardships, during his time as Pope, he knew not only were the rulers he dealt with were temporary - but our time here as well.
Prayer
Oh Father helps to always see past the temporary hardships we face and to use them to grow in spiritual strength and knowledge that you are our true one and only King. May the prayers and intercessions of Pope Yoannis the 11th, 89th Pope of Alexandria be with us all amen.
On the 28th day of the Coptic month of Baramouda we celebrate the life of St Yoannis the Eleventh, 89th Pope of Alexandria.
He was known as Yoannis El-Maksi for he was from El-Maksa in Cairo. His birth name was Farag which means “blessing” or “cure” depending on the source.
He was a contemporary to the rulers El-Ashraf, El-Aziz, El-Zaher, and El-Mansour. He encountered many hardships that required the intervention of the kings of Ethiopia who threatened the Egyptian government to cut the flow of the Nile because of the persecution of El-Nasara (The Copts, the Nazarenes). The Patriarch was forbidden to communicate with the kings of Ethiopia and Nubia without the permission and knowledge of the rulers of the government.
He departed in the year 1452, the same year Johann Gutenberg printed the very first Bible. Before that time all bibles were hand-made. Pope Yoannis departed in peace having sat on the throne of St. Mark for 24 years, 11 months, and 23 days.
Lessons from this story
It is said that Pope Yoannis was a contemporary, which means he was skilled in the art of negotiating with government leaders, as well as the various buearcratical factions that ensue.
How draining that must have been. Here you are, the leader of a faithful and spiritual people, having to deal with the politics of this world. Politics is a war that has no peace, only a begrudging compromise. But it is a tool of the devil to steal away your peace. How truly remarkable this pope must have been to be written down as a contemporary and having sustained the role of spiritual father “Abba” for 24 years. Think of how many governments have changed, leaders and rulers come and go, while the constant presence of the Pope remains. And with each new ruler, there are new terms, new arrangements sometimes even having to start all over.
Samuel the prophet was dismayed when the people demanded a king be set upon them, for he knew the truth. There was only one King. But the Lord said to him, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.” (1 Samuel 8:7) And then Samuel told the people all the terrible things they would sacrifice for this new “king” they demanded. But they didn’t care, they wanted to be ruled like all their enemies had been ruled.
We have the greatest protector ever. The greatest King, Guardian, Council, that has ever been. Pope Yoannis knew this well. And though this telling indicates he endured many hardships, during his time as Pope, he knew not only were the rulers he dealt with were temporary - but our time here as well.
Prayer
Oh Father helps to always see past the temporary hardships we face and to use them to grow in spiritual strength and knowledge that you are our true one and only King. May the prayers and intercessions of Pope Yoannis the 11th, 89th Pope of Alexandria be with us all amen.