2. Memory Verse “Seven times a day I praise You, because of Your righteous judgments” (Psalm 119:164)
3. Pope Kyrillos The Pope before Pope Shenouda III In the history of the church there has never been anyone like Pope Kyrollos who was able to pray as many liturgies. This has never happened in the history of any Pope of the Popes of Alexandria, or the world, or even any monks. He was definitely extraordinary in his prayers. If we want to make a portrait of Pope Kyrollos, the best one would be his picture being surrounded by a cloud of incense, or one of him standing aside the alter, for the incense was ever present in his life. H.H Pope Shenouda III
4. Liturgy Everyday Before he became a Pope, he spent many years in the monastery Lived alone in a deserted windmill – he turned into a church. He prayed the Liturgy and Raising of the Incense (Vespers) every day.
5. An account by the departed Father Tadros: After my ordination as a priest, according to the will of the Lord of Glory Jesus Christ, who is the Supreme High Priest, and with the hands of His beloved Pope Kyrollos VI, I used to learn from His Holiness and tried to tread the same spiritual path, as he had become my supreme mentor. As a priest i used to pray a holy liturgy on a daily basis, following in the same footsteps as my teacher.One day i had a vitally important matter to take care of in a government office. So i decided not to pray the holy liturgy that day, and i left my house very eagerly to go to the government office, where i awaited the responsible person for a long time but to no avail. So i left and went to see His Holiness.When he saw me he immediately asked, "Father did you pray the liturgy?" In shame i answered No. The Pope in his fatherly love taught me saying, "My son, when we have something important to do, we pray the liturgy first. Tomorrow you will pray the liturgy and put all the documents on the alter"The next day, i did exactly as His Holiness had told me. Immediately after the service i went to discuss the matter with the responsible person. As i begun to go up the stairs, I found one of my old friends who greeted me in the warmest way and asked me to go have a coffee with him in his office. So i went and discussed the matter with him. My friend happened to be the immediate superior to the person who was responsible for dealing with my matter. As i was drinking my coffee, my problem was simply solved. This was because of the blessing of the Holy liturgy and the prayers of my beloved Pope Kyrollos.I returned with haste to the Pope, and as soon as he saw me he smiled with gladness as if he was with me, for he said, "Did you see father what prayer did? While you drank your coffee, they completed your papers". He then continued with his gently fatherly love, "My son, when you have something important to do, you must first pray the liturgy". This was a practical lesson for me that i learned from His Holiness. We see here how important the liturgy was to Pope Kyrollos. For in the liturgy you put your request in front of the Lord who decides upon it, as with everything else in your life. If you put your problems before the Lord Jesus Christ, His decision is always for your benefit and the actions are faster than you may have expected; especially if it is through the liturgy.May the prayers and blessings of this Great Saint continually be with us all.
6. Becoming a Pope He continued to pray a daily liturgy very early in the morning !! He loved the children and allowed them to serve with him inside the Altar. The children loved him and started learning the prayer and the Coptic praise to answer him. He used to give them food and Orbana “Alogia” – blessed bread from the Lamb offering for their families.
7. With the Intercession of St. Mina Many came to him asking for his prayers. He was humble and accepted everyone Esp. the children “ I will send St. Mina to help you.” Pope Kyrillos had a special friendship with St. Mina. He used to ask him to take care of a problem and it always ended up solved
8. Miracles and More Miracles Because he was a man of prayer – many miracles happened during his time. One day …. One of the children and his older brother were returning home on a bike after serving in a Liturgy with him. A car hit them. On the same moment back in the church, Pope Kyrillos stepped out of his room suddenly and yelling, “God forbid. St. Mina protect your sons.”
9. St. Mina helps God’s Children The older brother felt a hand grabbing him and putting him on his feet on the curb. The younger brother fell under the bike and the car passed on top of the bike – flattening both rims. However, the boy was not hurt at all, only a bruise on his hand.
10. Healing Children Pharmacist M.M.F (United States) In 1987, when my son Pishoy was one year old, he developed meningitis. Although we followed the prescribed medical regimen, his fever continued to get higher and higher, until he became unconscious. I immediately took a book of miracles of Pope Kyrollos and placed it under his pillow. I stayed with my son, and implored the Lord to heal him, through the intercession of His saints.In the early hours of the morning, my son started to move, and began shaking vigorously until the fever disappeared, and he regained consciousness. When i asked him how he was doing he replied he was with "Papa Lolos" in the church. I was shocked, because he was too young to know anything about Pope Kyrollos. I never expected His Holiness to respond so quickly, and because Pishoy was healed through divine intervention, he did not suffer from any kind of disability. Today Pishoy is very attached to Pope Kyrollos. He is currently studying Pharmacy in the United States. When we immigrated, we bought all of the books of Pope Kyrollos' miracles with us, and they are constantly a source of consolation.
11. St. Mary always with Him He used to ask St. Mary to pray for the healing of the sick and help in times of trouble. A sick woman brought to the Pope's residence in an ambulance, is cured by him.
12. St. Mary Appears in Zeiton She appeared to all the people on the top of her church in Zeiton. St. Mary used to appear to him but he never talked about it.
13. Praying always With Tears It happened that on Easter, 1965, the Pope was in St Mina's monastery, in Maryoot, and in his possession were many problems that could only be described by saying that they were bitter. His heart was heavy with sadness. During the liturgy he asked us to shut all the lights, satisfied with only the lights of the candles. His tears kept falling, coming on the Holy Host (Orban) and he kept trying to stop them but his efforts went wasted. The Holy Liturgy was very long. It ended at 3.30am. After the liturgy he said to me, "did you see the visitors who were in the church my son?" I answered, "where were they my father, for your holiness ordered all visitors to leave the monastery since the morning." He then said, "I don't mean those. The church was so full that their was no place for another to enter, and they were the ones who asked me to close the lights". His Holiness left the church comforted after God had sent these saints to him. It was when he saw them, that his tears increased. Without a doubt they had lifted their hearts to the heavens asking for the peace of the church and it was a few days later that most of the problems were solved. Father Rafael Ava Mena (the personal deacon to the Pope)
14. St. Mina Monastery He renewed his monastery near Alexandria and used to spend much time over there although it was hard to reach. After along visit, they prepared to go back to Cairo, loaded up the car but suddenly a severe sand storm started and the driver was afraid they would be lost in the desert. He begged the Pope to stay, but then the Pope said, “I knew it. St. Mina is not happy because we are leaving, let me talk to him.” He went to the church, prayed and immediately the storm ended and the road appeared again.
15. First-Born Minas Many ladies would go to Pope Kyrillos asking him to pray for them to have a child. Indeed the women would come with their first-born boys named Mina! Many of them took their children to the monastery of St. Mina to get baptized there.
16. Pop Quiz 1. Who was the Pope before Pope Shenouda? Pope Kyrillos VI 2. Where did he live before he became a Pope? In a Windmill 3. How much time did he spend on prayers? All the time he would be praying, without ceasing. Prayed the Liturgy everyday 4. Who was his patron Saint? St. Mina 5. Why do you think he was a great saint? 6. Is it possible to become like Him? How? By living our Life for Jesus.
