Pope Matthew III of Alexandria

Who was Pope Matthew III of Alexandria?

Pope Matthew III of Alexandria, 100th Pope of Alexandria & Patriarch of the See of St. Mark. His papacy was during the time when Egypt was part of the Ottoman Empire. Egypt in that time was ruled by consecutive short term representatives of the Sultan and the church was under a lot of pressure from the rulers.

After the departure of Pope Youannas XV, and that was in the fifth day of the month latter Year 1346 Coptic, 7 September 1629, the Synod of Bishops met with leaders of the Christian people, and thought together about who to choose. And in consultation together they come to agreement on a monk named "Tadros" from Monastery of St. Macerious. He was born in Tookh Menoufia to Christians parents who taught him fear of God and piety, and gave him a good upbringing. the n he studied in the kotab school in his town.

+ As he grew up and learn, his inclinations began to appear in the direction of living of asceticism and austerity and asceticism and abstinence; and so longed to monastic life,so he left his town and went to the monastery of St Macerious in the wilderness of Nitrite following the saying of Christ «who who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. .. who who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me ».