HH Pope Peter VII, 109th Pope of Alexandria

His Holiness Pope St. Peter VII (Petros or Boutros El-Gawly) (born in the village of El-Gawly in Upper Egypt and known as Mankarius while a monk at St. Anthony Monastery in the Red Sea [1]) was the 109th Coptic Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark for forty-two years and three months, from December 24, 1809 until his departure from our vanishing world on April 5, 1852. The papal throne stood vacant for a little over one year before his successor, Cyril IV, was elected. Image File history File links PopePeterVII(109th). ... Image File history File links PopePeterVII(109th). ... The pope is the Catholic Bishop and patriarch of Rome, and head of the Catholic Church. ... 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. ... Coptic is an adjective referring to the original inhabitants of Egypt, the Copts. ... Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. ... Mark is depicted in iconography with a winged lion Mark, on a 16th century Russian gospel Mark the Evangelist (Markus) (1st century) is traditionally believed to be the author of the Gospel of Mark, drawing much of his material from Peter. ... December 24 is the 358th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (359th in leap years). ... 1809 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... April 5 is the 95th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (96th in leap years). ... 1852 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Icon of HH Pope St. ...

During his papacy, sensing intimations of pressure from Roman Catholicism, the Coptic Church intensified her teaching, her preaching, and her pastoral work, and the Coptic Pope himself intensified his writing on matters of faith and doctrine. During the period, many private and public patriarchal libraries were founded. The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ...

When the Russian Caesar sent his delegates to offer putting the Coptic Church under the protection of Caesar, Pope Peter VII politely and graciously refused the proposal by asking, "Does your Caesar live forever?" When the envoy answered that he would die like all human beings, the Pope told him that he preferred that the Protector of the Church would be her true Shepherd, the King of Kings that does not die. The delegates admired the Pope's faith and patriotism, and left after taking his blessings. Caesar, originally a cognomen in ancient Rome, may mean: Julius Caesar (100 BC–44 BC), the most famous individual with the name. ...

Also during the papacy of this holy father, St. Sidhom Bishay [2] was martyred at the hands of Muslims in Damietta on March 25, 1844 A.D., after enduring extreme torture for the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. His martyrdom made it possible the raising of the Cross openly during Christian funeral processions, for this practice was previously forbidden. Historically, a martyr is a person who dies for his or her religious faith. ... March 25 is the 84th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (85th in leap years). ... 1844 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ...

The following list contains all the Popes who have held sway over the Coptic Orthodox Church since the Council of Chalcedon. ... 1810 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1852 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Icon of HH Pope St. ...

Source and further details

• Coptic Orthodox Synaxarium (Book of Saints)

A different Peter VII was the Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria from 1997 to 2004. See: Patriarch Peter VII of Alexandria. ... The Eastern Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria has the title Patriarch and Pope of Alexandria and all Africa. ... His Beatitude Peter (Petros) VII (September 3, 1949 – September 11, 2004) was the Eastern Orthodox Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and all Africa from 1997 to 2004. ...