Father Matta El Meskeen: Spiritual Father of the Monks in St. Macarius' Monastery in Scetis (Egypt) - Other photos: [1],[2],[3],[4]

Father Matta El Meskeen or Matthew the Poor (1 November 1919 – June 8, 2006) was a Coptic Orthodox monk and also the Spiritual Father of 130 monks in the Monastery of St. Macarius the Great in the Wilderness of Scetis, Egypt. He is also a renowned Orthodox theologian, and author of voluminous texts on Biblical exegesis, Ecclesiastical rites, spiritual and theological matters, and much more. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (984x1418, 1042 KB)This picture was given to me by the person who took it. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (984x1418, 1042 KB)This picture was given to me by the person who took it. ... A Roman Catholic monk A monk is a person who practices monasticism, adopting a strict religious and ascetic lifestyle, usually in community with others following the same path. ... Monastery of St. ... 1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... June 8 is the 159th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (160th in leap years), with 206 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Christ - Coptic Art Coptic Orthodox Christianity is the indigenous form of Christianity that, according to tradition, the apostle Mark established in Egypt in the middle of the 1st century AD (approximately AD 60). ... A monk is a person who practices asceticism, the conditioning of mind and body in favor of the spirit. ... A Roman Catholic monk A monk is a person who practices monasticism, adopting a strict religious and ascetic lifestyle, usually in community with others following the same path. ... Monastery of St. ... Separate articles treat Eastern Orthodox Christianity and Orthodox Judaism. ... Theology is literally rational discourse concerning God (Greek θεος, theos, God, + λογος, logos, rational discourse). By extension, it also refers to the study of other religious topics. ... This article discusses textual hermeneutics. ... This article should be transwikied to wiktionary Ecclesiastical means pertaining to the Church (especially Christianity) as an organized body of believers and clergy, with a stress on its juridical and institutional structure. ... A rite is an established, ceremonious, usually religious act. ... Theology is literally rational discourse concerning God (Greek θεος, theos, God, + λογος, logos, rational discourse). By extension, it also refers to the study of other religious topics. ...

Father Matta is celebrated by many Copts as a reformer and a prominent figure in recent Coptic history. Alongside two others (Bishop Samuel[5] and Bishop [Now Pope] Shenouda), Father Matta was a candidate for the Patriarchal throne in 1971, following the death of Pope Cyril VI of Alexandria (Kyrillos VI). The word Copt signifies the natives of Egypt as a nationality, and in popular common culture in Egypt it is used to specifically signify Christian Egyptians, although its use to mean Egyptian is not unwitnessed. ... Coptic is an adjective referring to the original inhabitants of Egypt, the Copts. ... A bishop is an ordained member of the Christian clergy who, in certain Christian churches, holds a position of authority. ... A bishop is an ordained member of the Christian clergy who, in certain Christian churches, holds a position of authority. ... HH Pope Shenouda III, 117th Pope of Alexandria and of the Apostolic See of St Mark His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, (August 3, 1923 – ), born Nazeer Gayed, is the 117th Pope of Alexandria and the Patriarch of the Holy See of Saint Mark of the Coptic Orthodox Church. ... A patriarch (from Greek: patria means father; arché means rule, beginning, origin) is a male head of an extended family exercising autocratic authority, or, by extension, a member of the ruling class or government of a society controlled by senior men. ... St Kyrillos VI, 116th Pope of Alexandria: A man of prayer, who held daily masses and had his door open to everyone His Holiness Pope Cyril (Kyrillos) VI of Alexandria, born Azer Ioseph Atta (August 8, 1902 – March 9, 1971), was Coptic Orthodox Pope from 1959 to 1971. ...

Father Matta was once Pope Shenouda's Spiritual Father during the 1950s. Pope Shenouda acknowledges his debt to his teacher, Father Matta El-Meskeen, whom he calls 'my father monk' in the introduction to his book Intelaq Al-Rouh (The release of the Spirit) [6],[7]. But today, there seems to be some misunderstandings between both leaders and their followers [8],[9],[10], e.g., recently in relation to the concept of theosis (see discussions at [11],[12],[13]), and also regarding Father Matta's position on Mark 16. See: Pope Shenouda's reply concerning the theological and dogmatic opinions of Fr. Matta: Part 1,Part 2 (Arabic RealAudio; recorded in 1991 - zipped mirror). In Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic theology, theosis, meaning divinization (or deification or, to become god), is the call to man to become holy and seek union with God, beginning in this life and later consummated in the resurrection. ... Mark 16 is the final chapter of the Gospel of Mark. ...

Father Matta was suspended twice, first by Pope Yousab II in 1955, and then again by Pope Kyrillos VI for nine years from 1960 to 1969 [14] for administrative/"political" (e.g., his book about the 'Church and the State' [15]) rather than for any truly theological or core dogmatic issues [16]. Some say the 1960s suspension was because of Father Matta's objection to the Coptic Church signing of the Catholic Declaration of the Innocence of the Jews from the Blood of Christ [17].

Early life

Father Matta El Meskeen was born Youssef Eskander in Benha, elKaliobia, Egypt, in 1919. In 1944, he graduated in Pharmacy from the University of Cairo. After leading a successful life and establishing a wealthy lifestyle for himself--Eskander at the time was the owner of two pharmacies, two villas, and two cars--he renounced his material possessions in 1948, and entered the Monastery of St. Samuel the Confessor in Qualmun (roughly near Maghagha, Upper Egypt) Cairo University is an institute of higher education located in Giza, Egypt. ... Monastery of St. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Monastic life

After living for a few years in the Monastery of St. Samuel the Confessor in Qualmun, Father Matta decided to move out into Wadi El Rayan in the late 1950s. There, he lived as a recluse in the spirit of the ancient Desert Fathers for twelve years. By 1960, seven other monks joined him. The community expanded to twelve by 1964. These twelve monks were sent by Pope Kyrillos VI to Wadi El Natroun in 1969 to develop the monastery of St. Macarius the Great. At that time only six elderly, frail fathers lived near the road between Cairo and Alexandria. Matta and his twelve companions cared for them while reconstructing the monastery. The administrative, agricultural, institutional, and printing/publishing developments at the renewed Monastery of St. Macarius the Great were staggering. But the spiritual revolution was much greater. By 1981 Matta had over eighty monks in the monastery [18],[19]. The monastery also finances services and projects for the poor, Muslims and Christians alike [20]. Monastery of St. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A recluse is someone in isolation who hides away from attention of the public, a person who lives in seclusion from intercourse with the world. ... The Desert Fathers were Christian Hermits who lived in the Sahara desert of Egypt, beginning in about the third century. ... A Roman Catholic monk A monk is a person who practices monasticism, adopting a strict religious and ascetic lifestyle, usually in community with others following the same path. ... A Roman Catholic monk A monk is a person who practices monasticism, adopting a strict religious and ascetic lifestyle, usually in community with others following the same path. ...

Quotes

"Whenever physical hunger turned cruel against me, I found my gratification in prayer. Whenever the biting cold of winter was unkind to me, I found my warmth in prayer. Whenever people were harsh to me (and their harshness was severe indeed) I found my comfort in prayer. In short, prayer became my food and my drink, my outfit and my armor, whether by night or by day." --Father Matta El-Meskeen

"It is no joy for the church to have many active members of varied services who lack the spiritual proficiency for renewing souls and regenerating them in a genuine spiritual rebirth to win them for the Kingdom of Heaven. The true joy of the Church lies in leaders who possess spiritual insight, who walk ahead of their flocks so that the flocks can follow a sure path. It is not possible to obtain spiritual insight by action or study, spiritual insight is attained by silence, retreat and long prayers in their various stages." --Father Matta El-Meskeen

"I felt I was late to come to the knowledge of Christ; studying the Bible appeared such a daunting task. In desperation, I asked the Lord to give me either a long life to have enough time to study the Bible well, or enough wisdom to grasp its hidden meanings. In His everlasting generosity, God gave me both." --Father Matta El-Meskeen

When asked why he never defended himself against the many accusations regarding some of his writings, Father Matta El-Meskeen replied, "Did you read the Exposition of the Gospel of John and benefit from it? ... My son I won't spend my time replying to anyone, but, my son, I will die and they will die and the Church will remain, as well as what we offered to her, and the next generations will judge us."^[21] (The Gospel of the day of his departure (June 8, 2006) according to the Coptic Lectionary was John 15:17-25.)

External links

• Fr Matta El-Meskeen and Pope Shenouda III: Two strong-willed reformers bring Coptic Orthodoxy back to life (Christianity Today, December 3, 2001)
• The Monastery of St. Macarius
• Video interview of Fr Matta El-Meskeen
• Book: "Orthodox Prayer Life: The Interior Way," by Father Matta El-Maskeen (Excerpt 1,Excerpt 2)
• Book: "The Communion of Love," by Father Matta El-Maskeen
• English Articles by Fr Matta El Maskeen from coptichymns.net
• Articles by Fr Matta El-Meskine Translated into English (More: [22], [23], [24], [25])
• http://www.fathermatta.com/
• Father Matta al-Miskeen (1919-2006): A life well-lived (article in English - Watani newspaper 11JUN06)
• Between Pope (87) Matthew the Poor, Anba Abraam, and the departed Fr Matta El-Meskeen (with a comprehensive biography of the latter)
• Photo of Fr Matta's tomb in the mountain near his monastery Video (See also [26] (Arabic).)
• Video: Spiritual Quotes by Fr. Matta El-Meskeen (1919-2006)
• Hanna, William A. "For Christ Sake; The hate campaigns should stop." Online posting. 21 Jun. 2006. Zeitun-eg.org electronic mailing list. 21 Jun. 2006. <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/arbible/message/31352>
• Eulogy in Memory of Fr. Hegumenos Matta El-Meskeen By His Beatitude Metropolitan Mikhail, Metropolitan of Assiut and Head of the Monastery of St. Macarius
• Father Matta el Meskin--The Coptophile Column By Revd. Dr. John H. Watson (Watani)
• Nader Habib. Obituary: Life of the spirit - Father Matta El-Miskeen (1919-2006). Al-Ahram Weekly 15 - 21 June 2006, Issue No. 799
• http://www.orthodoxwiki.org/Matta_El-Meskeen