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Official declaration of sainthood - 20 June 2013
{{oriental}}[[Image:PopeCyril14.jpg|thumb|St. Kyrellos VI, 116th Pope of Alexandria: A man of prayer, who held daily masses and had his door open to everyone]]
His Holiness [[Pope]] '''Cyril VI (Atta) of Alexandria''' (also transliterated '''''Kyrellos''''', '''''Kyrillos''''', or '''''Kirellos'''''), born Azer Ioseph Atta ([[August 2]], 1902 – [[March 9]], 1971), was [[Church of Alexandria (Coptic)|Coptic Orthodox Pope]] from 1959 to 1971.
==Life==
Pope Cyril VI was born in Damanhour, Egypt, into a Christian family. He resigned a civil service position to become a [[monk]] in July 1927. He passed his probationary period and, on [[February 24]], 1928, took his [[monastic]] vows and assumed the name Fr. Mina El-Baramosy. The spiritual mentor of Fr. Mina El-Baramosy the recluse was St. [[Isaac of Syria]], Bishop of Ninevah and 7th century [[ascetic]]. Fr. Mina was very much influenced by St. Isaac's writings and wrote extensively about them.
In 1947, he Fr. Mina built the Church of [[Menas|Saint Mina the Martyr]] in Cairo.
He became Pope of Alexandria on [[May 10]], 1959 (2 Pashons 1675 AM). On [[June 28]], 1959, he appointed a Patriarch-[[Catholicos]], Abune Baslios, for Ethiopia. In November 1959 he laid the foundation stone of the [[Saint Mina Monastery in Mariut|new Monastery of Saint Mina]] the [[Wonder-worker|Wonders Maker]] in the Mariout Desert.
In January 1965, Pope Cyril presided over the Committee of Oriental Orthodox Churches in Addis Ababa, the first ecumenical and non-Chalcedonian synod of these churches held in modern times.
His papacy has also been marked by the unprecedented Apparitions of the Blessed Holy Virgin [[Theotokos|Mary]] in [[Zeitun]], Egypt (starting on [[April 2]], 1968).
God gave Cyril the gift gifts of casting out demons, healing the sick, and prescience, for he knew who was coming to see him, their needs (before they said a word) and God's answers to them, and also the gift of bilocation. He also knew the time of his departure.
At his death bed Cyril said this to the [[clergy]]: "I am leaving to the Lord... Safeguard the Church with your keen vigil over it... may the Lord shepherd you." He passed away on [[March 9]], 1971, after a short illness.
Countless miracles occurred and continue to occur to this day through the intercession of Pope Kyrillos VI. The Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church headed by H.H. Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria declared at the end of its meeting on June 20, 2013, in Cairo, Egypt, the official recognition by the Church of Pope Kyrillos VI as Saint. His name is to be included in the Coptic Orthodox Synaxarium, mentioned in the Mass among the Saints of the Church, and has churches built and named after his name.
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{{succession|
before=[[Yusab II of Alexandria|Yusab II (1946–1956)]]|title=[[Church of Alexandria (Coptic)|Pope of Alexandria (Coptic)]]|years=1959-1971|after=[[Shenouda III (Gayyid) of Alexandria|Shenouda III]]}}
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==External LinksSources/external links==
* [http://www.zeitun-eg.net/stcyril6/ Pope St. Kyrillos VI Multimedia Web Gallery]
* [http://www.zeitun-eg.net/stcyril6.htm Short Bio of Pope St. Kyrillos VI]
* [http://www.zeitun-eg.net/stcyril6/enbio.zip Bio of Pope St. Kyrillos VI, long version (Zipped PDF)]
* [http://www.stmina-monastery.org/popekyrillos6.htm Pope Kyrillos VI (St. Mina Monastery page)]
* [http://www.stmina-monastery.org/miracles.htm Pope Kyrillos VI Miracles (St. Mina Monastery page)]
* [http://www.tasbeha.org/mp3/Videos/H.H._Pope_Cyril_VI_Video_Clips.html Rare footage of H.H. Pope Kirellos VI]
* [http://chi.gospelcom.net/DAILYF/2002/04/daily-04-19-2002.shtml April 19, 1959 • The Coptic Church Chose Kyrillos VI as its 116th Patriarch (Christian History Institute)]
* [[wikipedia:Pope_Cyril_VI_of_Alexandria]]
[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:20th-century bishops]]
[[Category:Egyptian Saints]]
[[Category:Non-Chalcedonian Bishops]]
[[Category:Non-Chalcedonian Saints]]
[[ar:كيرلس السادس (عطا) السكندري]]
