History of the Alexandrian Orthodox Church. History of the Alexandrian Church Alexandrian Church in the 20th century

Translation from English by Marina Leontyeva

The Orthodox of Egypt greeted with joy the news of the visit of Patriarch Kirill to the ancient Patriarchate of Alexandria. The head of the world's largest and most influential Orthodox Church began his trip with a visit to the see of St. Apostle Mark and will end it in Syria in Damascus. This news quickly spread among the parishioners, and soon preparations began in Alexandria and Cairo for this great spiritual event.

Patriarch Kirill together with Patriarch Theodore II celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of Alexandria. Cairo priests under the leadership of Archimandrite Elias Habib came to Alexandria to participate in this historical event along with the Alexandrian believers.

It seems to me that such a joyful reaction and a festive atmosphere are explained by two important reasons. Firstly, the historically close ties between the two Patriarchates. Secondly, the significant authority of the Moscow Patriarch as an outstanding spiritual personality of the Orthodox world.

Over the past two decades, the Russian Orthodox Church has strengthened its spiritual role and its cooperation in the Middle East. The grandiose Cathedral of St. Nicholas was erected in the United Arab Emirates, there is a noticeable renewal of activity in Jerusalem, thanks to which the Christians of the Antiochian Church receive material and spiritual support. Today in Africa you can find missionaries contributing to the efforts of the Patriarchate of Alexandria in this poor and often abandoned part of the world.

Historically, we Alexandrians know well how the Russian Church helped in the restoration of the Orthodox Churches and the Patriarchal Library. The current Patriarch of Alexandria Theodore II was the vicar of the Alexandria Diocese in Moscow. He speaks Russian fluently, and sometimes even prays in Russian. He was present at the enthronement of Patriarch Kirill and celebrated with him his first Divine Liturgy after his enthronement in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

As further evidence of the close relationship, Patriarch Kirill presented bells cast in Russia especially for the St. George Patriarchal Monastery in Cairo. This can be considered an indication of the prospect of further cooperation at the official and pastoral levels.

As a member of the Alexandrian Orthodox Church, I perceive the first visit of Patriarch Kirill to the Alexandrian Patriarchate as a continuation of cooperation and assistance of the Russian Church. The Church in Egypt needs support in its programs and development. At the moment, the main difficulties that the Church has to face are poverty and social problems. African missionaries need the support of the entire Christian world, help in preaching the Gospel and enlightening with divine light the people who live on the poorest continent in difficult conditions.

On the spiritual plane, interest in the Russian patristic heritage is growing. Orthodox Christians in Central Asia today are working on translating and studying the Russian Holy Fathers. The Church of the Holy Archangels in Egypt has published some translations of famous works of modern Russian fathers. Orthodox believers who speak Arabic are gradually becoming aware of the works of Fathers Sergius Bulgakov and Georgiy Florovsky. I am convinced that the Russian Orthodox Church should offer and support events for communication between Alexandrian and Russian believers, including introducing Orthodox Christians in the Middle East to the Russian spiritual experience.

I believe that this visit will be a positive step towards realizing these expectations.

ALEXANDRIAN PATRIARCHATE is one of the five most ancient patriarchates. Currently At the time, four patriarchal sees bear the name of Alexandria: two Catholic - Melkite (Melkite Catholic Church) and Coptic (Coptic Catholic Church), one Orthodox and one ancient Eastern (Coptic Church).

The city of Alexandria of Egypt was founded in 332 BC. Alexander the Great, from 311 Alexandria became the capital of Egypt, from the end. IV century BC. to the 7th century AD it was one of the largest economic centers. and cult. life of the Hellenistic era and Rome. empires. Alexandria was the second most important Christian city. city ​​after Rome until the founding of Constantinople. The founder of the Church in Alexandria is considered to be St. Mark, who preached here, suffered martyrdom (63) and is revered as the first martyr and educator of Africa. On the coat of arms of the Patriarchs A.P. a lion is depicted - a symbol of the Ap. Brand. Christianity in Egypt first spread only in Greek. and ev. environment. The Egyptians showed no interest in the new religion, and therefore Egypt. names in the list of bishops of Alexandria appear only towards the end of the 2nd century.

From ser. III century The bishop of Alexandria bears the honorary title of pope. It was first used by Dionysius of Alexandria. The title of patriarch for Alexander. established himself as a bishop in the 6th century. Official language A.p. was Greek. Most are Alexander. theologians also used Greek. language.

The First Council of Nicaea (325) devoted A.p. second in honor after Rome, but the First Council of Constantinople, and then the Council of Chalcedon (451) secured its third place after Rome and Constantinople. The Roman popes for a long time did not agree with this decision and adhered to the Nicene decrees. During the first three centuries Christ. history on the territory of A.p. a large number of churches were built and their own rite of liturgy was introduced - the liturgy of St. Mark (Alexandrian).

Monasticism in A.P. appeared in the 3rd century. Thanks to the activities of Anthony the Great, it spread to Egypt; to the end IV century its main Thebaid and Nitria became the centers. Subsequently, the experience of the monk. life spread to the territory. Palestine, Syria and other countries. This period in the history of A.P. also marked by the activities of the Alexandrian theological school, which became one of the most important theologies. centers of Christ peace.

Unity A.p. was split after the Council of Chalcedon, which condemned the heresy of Monophysitism. Christological disputes provoked separatist tendencies in A.P.: most of the believers followed the Monophysite patriarch. Dioscorus I (444-451), which, in turn, laid the foundation for the formation of the Coptic Church; a minority, mainly Greeks, remained faithful to the Orthodox faith. teaching and became the basis of the Melkite Church of A.P. From 457 to A.p. there were two parallel hierarchies: Orthodox Greek. (Melkite), which was supported mainly by residents of large cities, and Monophysite Coptic, based on the rural population of Egypt. Patriarchal Throne of A.P. constantly contested by Melkites and Copts. candidates, from 482 to 538 it was dominated by Copts. Patriarchs of the Monophysite orientation. After 538, dual patriarchal structures began to operate: the Melkite Orthodoxy. and Copt. Monophysite. Since the time of the imp. Justinian I and up to the Arab. Coptic invasions the patriarchs, fleeing persecution, had mon. as their residence. St. Macarius in mountainous Egypt; in 642 Coptic Patr. Benjamin I (623-662) returned the patriarchal residence to Alexandria, but in the middle. XI century Patr. Christodoulus (1047-77) moved the seat of the Copts. patriarchs in Cairo.

Arab. the conquest of Egypt (638) put an end to the rivalry between the Melkite and Monophysite patriarchs in A.P., since the Melkite patriarch was forced to flee to Constantinople. After the death of Patr. Peter II (652), the Melkite patriarchal throne of Alexandria remained vacant for 75 years. At this time A.p. was experiencing a new crisis associated with the spread of monothelitism. Elected in 727 to the throne of Alexandria with the support of the Byzantines. imp. Leo III Patr. Cosmas I (727-767) renounced monothelitism at a local council in 743. Coptic Church during the Arab. rule had relative freedom, while the Melkite Church was subjected to persecution, as well as economics. and social pressure from Muslims. authorities who viewed the Melkites as polit. supporters of Byzantium. By the 13th century. number of Orthodox Christians The population in Alexandria was approx. 100 thousand people

During the Crusades, close ties were established between the Melkite A.P. with Rome. At the request of the Melkite Patr. Nicholas I (c. 1210-18) Pope Innocent III took steps to protect Christians in Egypt from Saracen persecution. Apostle By message Ex litteris quas dated April 29, 1213, Innocent III invited Patr. Nicholas I at the IV Lateran Council, at which the Melkite A.p. was represented by the patriarchal delegate Deacon German. Soon, however, A.P.’s connections with Rome were interrupted, as evidenced by the appointment of the first armor by the crusaders. Patr. Alexandria of Athanasius of Clermont in 1219; however, neither he nor his successors were able to settle in Alexandria and were considered titular. Finally lat. The Patriarchate of Alexandria was abolished during the pontificate of Pope John XXIII.

In 1439 the Melkite Patr. Philotheus joined the Union of Florence (Council of Ferrara-Florence).

From 1517, Alexandria came under Turkish rule. The residence of the Melkite patriarch was moved to Constantinople, which contributed to the final consolidation of A.P. in the liturgical practice. Byzantine liturgy. In the Ottoman Empire A.p. largely retained its importance due to the fact that the sultans endowed the Orthodox Church. patriarchs with the rights of “ethnarchs” (leaders of the nation). From the 16th century A.p.’s relationship began to develop. with Russia, the first of the Alexandrian patriarchs to visit Russia was Patr. Paisius (1657-77), who took part in the council of 1666-67, which deposed Patr. Nikon.

In 1442, the union of Rome with the Coptic Church was formally concluded, but it had no real fruit. In 1761, Pope Clement XIII established an apostle in Alexandria. vicariate, and in 1824, by the bull of Pope Leo XII Petrus apostolorum princeps, the patriarchate for Coptic Catholics was founded, renewed by Pope Leo XIII in 1895.

In 1774, the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith submitted to the jurisdiction of the Melkite patriarch. Antioch of the Melkite Catholics in Egypt. In 1833, Pope Gregory XVI granted the Melkite Catholic Church of Antioch. Patriarch Maxim III Mazlum (1833-55) also received the titles of Patriarch of Alexandria and Jerusalem as a personal privilege. All subsequent Melkite Catholics. the patriarchs also bore these titles and stayed alternately in Cairo and Damascus. The residence of their vicars was located in Alexandria.

Orthodox position A.p. improved only during the reign of Muhammad Ali Pasha (1806-48), who established rel. freedom. Orthodoxy dependence The Patriarchate of Alexandria from Constantinople existed until the 19th century, the last primate appointed in Istanbul was A.P. became Hierotheus I (1846/47-58), the first in several centuries to return the patriarchal residence to Alexandria. His successor Patr. Hierotheus II was elected Orthodox in 1858. community of Alexandria, and not appointed by the Patriarch of Constantinople. Church reformer life in the Orthodox Church A.p. became Patr. Photius (1900-25); with him A.p. began publishing its own printed publications, incl. periodic. In the beginning. XX century there was extensive immigration of Asia Minor Greeks and Orthodox Christians. Arabs to Egypt, as a result of which by 1930 Orthodox Christians in the country amounted to approx. 150 thousand people Succeeded by Photius, Patr. Meletius II (1926-35), compiled the rules of self-government for A.p. and submitted them to Egypt for consideration. pr-vu, which approved them. From now on A.p. became independent and even received state protection. Patr. Meletius also founded the seminary of St. Athanasius, streamlined the church system. legal proceedings and extended the jurisdiction of A.p. to all of Africa, replacing the words “all of Egypt” with “all of Africa” in the title of the Patriarch of Alexandria.

Relationships between A.p. and Russian Orthodox. The church came alive in the 20th century. At the Moscow Local Council in 1945, when Patriarch Alexy I was elected, the Patriarch of Alexandria was present. Christopher II, who visited the USSR twice more after that. His successor Patr. Nicholas VI (1968-86) was a guest of the Russian Orthodox Church several times. Churches, starting with the 1971 cathedral, which elected patriarch. Moscow Pimen. In Alexandria there is a metochion of the Russian Orthodox Church. Churches with the Temple of St. Alexander Nevsky. Since 1956, A.P.’s farmstead has been operating in Odessa. with the Church of the Holy Trinity.

Currently time in Egypt to Orthodox A.p. belongs to about 3 thousand Greeks and 15 thousand Arabs. In other countries, the majority of A.P. believers are ethnic Greeks, but there are also Arabs. parishes, total approx. 250 thousand people in different African countries. continent.

Office of Orthodoxy A.p. carried out in accordance with the tradition established in the law. XIX century: Priest. The Synod includes at least 7 metropolitans and meets at least once a year. According to the same tradition, the election of the patriarch is carried out by both the clergy and the laity. Patriarchal residence of the Orthodox Church. A.p. located in Alexandria, Dept. There are two cathedrals: St. Sava the Consecrated - in Alexandria and St. Nicholas - in Cairo. Orthodox A.p. It is divided into 13 metropolises, has 166 churches, 2 monasteries. Under the patriarchate there is an Institute of Oriental Research, as well as a library that contains valuable manuscripts and rare publications. Official printed organ of A.p. - Pantainos magazine. Orthodox A.p. - Member of the World Council of Churches.

Literature: History of the Orthodox Church in the 19th century / Ed. A. Lopukhina. St. Petersburg, 1901 (republished M., 1998), vol. 1, p. 217-236; Roberson, 60-62; Hardy E.R. Christian Egypt. NY., 1952; At*****er D. The Christian Churches of the East. Milwaukee, 1961-62. 2 vol.; Vries W. de u.a. Rom und die Patriarchates des Ostens. Fri., 1963; Michałowski K. Aleksandria. Wwa, 1970

Egypt is one of the oldest civilizations in the world, mentioned more than once in the Holy Scriptures. Here, fleeing from the cruel Herod, the Savior of the world spent his infancy years with His Most Pure Mother and the named elder Joseph.

The seeds of the Christian faith were brought to the territory of the modern Arab Republic of Egypt by the holy apostle and evangelist Mark , who suffered martyrdom here in 68. According to legend, the Apostle Mark founded a catechetical icon in Alexandria, which later became a major scientific center.

In the 2nd century there was already an episcopal see in Egypt. The Alexandria Church is considered the cradle of Christian monasticism. Here the fathers of monasticism Anthony, Pachomius and Macarius the Great labored, St. Mary of Egypt. The great teachers of the Alexandrian School worked here: Panten, Clement, Origen, Dionysius and Didymus. The great luminaries of the Alexandrian Church - Athanasius the Great and Cyril - became famous in the fight against heresies. In connection with the formation of the church-administrative structure, the Alexandria Church took one of the leading places among the Orthodox Churches. Its primate was given second place among the patriarchs after that of Constantinople. In the 5th century, a split occurred among Christians in Egypt into Orthodox and Monophysites (Copts).

In the first half of the 7th century, Egypt was conquered by the Arabs and the Islamization of the population began in the country. Particularly massive conversion of Christians to Islam was observed in the 8th and 9th centuries. At the beginning of the 13th century, Catholicism spread within Egypt. It was brought here by Western Christians in 1219 during the Crusade. At the beginning of the 16th century, Egypt was conquered by the Ottoman Turks. From this time on, the Church of Alexandria until 1920 was in a difficult situation. She constantly experienced restrictions in her actions on the part of government authorities. The position of the Church was aggravated by the fact that during this period the hierarchy could not independently elect a Primate. The patriarchal throne was mainly ascended by proteges of the Church of Constantinople.

The most famous are the Alexandrian Patriarchs: Meletius Pigas (1588-1801), Hierotheos I (1818-1845) and Hierotheos II (1847-1858), who led their small flock in difficult times. The Alexandrian Orthodox Church is governed by the Patriarch, whose residence is in Alexandria. Under the Patriarch there is a Holy Synod, consisting of 14 ruling bishops. Within Egypt, the Patriarchate of Alexandria consists of 5 dioceses. The flock of the Church at the end of the 20th century numbered 30,000 believers, united in 55 parishes. The Church administers 3 monasteries, the Patriarchal Library (founded in 1952), the Institute of Oriental Research (founded in 1952), and the Higher Theological and Pedagogical Seminary (since 1934). The official printed organ is the magazine “Panthenos” and the periodical “Foros ekklesistikos”.

Outside of Egypt, the Church of Alexandria extends its jurisdiction to the African continent, where it has 9 dioceses. In these dioceses, including Egyptian ones, the flock of the Church, as of 1982, amounted to 350,000 believers, who were cared for by 13 metropolitans. There were 176 churches under the jurisdiction of the dioceses. The Alexandrian Orthodox Church has a metochion on the territory of Ukraine, which is located in Odessa. It consists of the residence of the rector of the metochion and the temple in honor of the Holy Trinity. The metochion was established in 1955 and is a living connection between the Russian and Alexandrian Orthodox Churches. The 116th Patriarch of Alexandria currently, since 2004, is Theodore (Choreftakis ), His Beatitude, Most Divine and Holy Father and Chief Shepherd, Pope and Patriarch of the Great City of Alexandria, Libya, Pentapolis, Ethiopia, all Egypt and all Africa, Father of Fathers, Shepherd of Shepherds, Hierarch of Hierarchs, Thirteenth Apostle, Judge of the Universe.

HTML code for inserting into a website or blog:

Alexander NosevichPatriarchate of Alexandria. Recent history (from 1935 to the present day) After the death of His Beatitude Patriarch Meletios Metaxakis (+1935), who was one of the most prominent and active patriarchs of the modern era; and to whom the Alexandrian Church owes its revival, namely the establishment of the synodal system, the establishment of a church-administrative structure throughout the African continent, the creation of metropolises, the construction of new churches and charitable institutions (schools, hospitals, orphanages, orphanages, etc.), on Metropolitan Nicholas V of Ermupolis ascended the throne of St. Mark.

After the death of His Beatitude Patriarch Meletios Metaxakis (+1935), who was one of the most prominent and active patriarchs of the modern era; and to whom the Alexandrian Church owes its revival, namely the establishment of the synodal system, the establishment of a church-administrative structure throughout the African continent, the creation of metropolises, the construction of new churches and charitable institutions (schools, hospitals, orphanages, orphanages, etc.), on Metropolitan Nicholas V of Ermupolis ascended the throne of St. Mark.

NICHOLAS V (1935 – 1939)

Under Nicholas V, a new method for electing the head of this Church was established in the Patriarchate of Alexandria.

After the death of Patriarch Meletius in 1935, the Local Council of the Alexandria Church, convened to elect a new primate, opened its work. The election procedure had to take place in accordance with the laws of the Egyptian state in force at that time. However, Orthodox Syrians began to protest about the method of electing the patriarch and achieved a postponement of the election of the new head of the Church. As a result, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs presented the Patriarchate with a written document that contained new provisions for the election of the Patriarch.

1. Elections were considered legal if the following conditions were met:
2. Compliance with the laws of the Egyptian government and the consent of interested parties, including the Syrian Orthodox.
3. The latter should be included in the management of church property.
4. Appointment of another Syrian bishop.
5. The organization of ecclesiastical courts must be sanctioned by the Egyptian government. In this case, the opinions and demands of the Syrian Orthodox must be taken into account.

The patriarch must accept Egyptian citizenship if he did not have one.

The patriarch's locum tenens disagreement with these demands led to the Egyptian government's non-recognition of the results of the patriarch's election.

The new head of the Alexandrian Church was elected subject to the above conditions. This happened on February 11, 1935. Metropolitan Nicholas V of Ermupolis became the new patriarch.

After the elections, the patriarch instructed a mixed commission, which consisted of Greeks and Syrians, to study in detail the question of the procedure for electing the head of the Church.

The commission worked for a long time, which led to the belated recognition by the Egyptian authorities of the results of the election of a new patriarch, which only happened in March 1937, when a new rule was adopted on the election of the head of the Alexandrian Church. This rule stated that Orthodox Christians in the Syrian diaspora take part in the election of a new patriarch on equal terms.

Nicholas V was a zealous follower of the principle of conciliarity in the governance of the Church. He worked with insatiable energy to reorganize the patriarchy according to this principle. He also paid great attention to church educational institutions. He managed to transform relations with the Egyptian government into cooperation and mutual understanding. Unfortunately, the patriarchate of Nicholas V did not last long, and therefore he did not have time to carry out his work to the end.

Metropolitan Christopher II of Leondopolis was elected to the patriarchal throne on July 21, 1939 by the Local Council of the Church of Alexandria.

Before his election, he promised to fill all the dowager chairs of the Alexandrian Church, improve the financial situation of the priests, and much more. However, the new political conditions in which the Patriarchate of Alexandria found itself after the end of the Second World War, when the flow of Greek emigration to other countries, especially Australia, increased, led to a strong reduction in the Greek flock in Egypt. The changes that took place in this region plunged the country into chaos and led to the oppressed position of the Greek diaspora and the Patriarchate of Alexandria. Thus, the once thriving Greek community of Egypt, which represented the support of the Patriarchate on the African continent, by the end of the 60s of the twentieth century began to number only a few thousand people.

Despite this, Patriarch Christopher continued to work energetically for the good of the Church, overcoming the difficulties that arose. He was able to achieve the elimination of divisions and strife within Christian communities, which for decades had been disturbing the life of the Church.

On the issue of recognition of the Bulgarian Patriarchate, Patriarch Christopher did not support the opinion of many other Local Churches, but took the position of the Moscow Patriarchate. He accepted the Soviet government's offer to receive compensation for the confiscated property of the Church of Alexandria in Soviet Russia.

The Egyptian authorities tried to impose their curriculum on the schools of the Patriarchate, but the Patriarch was able to achieve significant concessions in favor of the Church.

His attitude towards the ecumenical movement was negative, as well as towards numerous Protestant preachers, whom he sharply condemned for proselytism.

He took an active part in the renewal of many church publications, the creation of libraries and the compilation of educational programs.

Patriarch Christopher laid the foundation for the modern missionary activity of the Orthodox Church on the African continent. His first step in this field was the consecration of bishops to the newly founded dioceses of Accra and Irinople. The core of the new missionary movement was Uganda, where a permanent missionary center was created. Consecrations to the priesthood from the indigenous population followed.

Many newly built churches were consecrated.

The ordination of three priests, who had previously been active Anglican preachers, received great resonance.

Patriarch Christopher made great efforts to ensure that children from families of local residents were brought up in Greek schools in Alexandria, and then sent to study at universities in Greece, where they could study not only in theology, but also in other faculties. The purpose of this was to prepare young people for subsequent missionary work among the local population.

The Alexandria Church took part in the Pan-Orthodox Conference, which took place on the island of Rhodes (Greece) in 1961.

In the last fifteen years, Patriarch Christopher, due to health problems, has not convened a Synod, which as a result led to his conflict with the diocesan bishops. Instead of the Synod, the Patriarch entrusted his specially appointed Metropolitans, Evangelia of Ermupolis and Nicholas of Irinople, who later became Patriarch, to conduct part of the affairs of the Patriarchate. This caused disruption in the management of the Church, which led to the emergence of opposition and forced the patriarch to retire. Some time later he died.

NICHOLAS VI (1968 – 1986)

Patriarch Nicholas VI was faced with the problem of a sharp reduction in the Greek-speaking flock in Alexandria. But the more serious problem was the dislocation that arose under his predecessor.

In missionary work, the patriarch continued to lead the line of his predecessors. He organized centers for the spiritual education of local youth, from among whom, after the necessary liturgical preparation, he selected the most worthy and ordained them as priests. Nicholas VI worked selflessly to strengthen the missionary work of the Alexandrian Church. Under him, three Africans were ordained to the episcopate: Bishop Christopher of Nilopolis, Theodore of Naucratia, and George of Nitria.

Patriarch Nicholas paid his close attention to the publications of the Patriarchate, as well as to the replacement of dowager metropolitan and episcopal sees.

He died in 1986 while on an official visit to Russia.

PARTHENIA III (1986 – 1996)

His Beatitude Patriarch Parthenius III is known for his active participation in the ecumenical movement. His personality was known in many international, religious circles and organizations.

He, like his predecessors, worked continuously in the missionary field, mainly in countries such as Kenya, Zaire, Cameroon and especially Uganda. He did a lot to provide humanitarian assistance to the African people.

Patriarch Parthenius founded the Metropolis of Kampala. He constantly showed lively and active participation in the publications of the patriarchate.

Parthenios III died on July 23, 1996, while staying on the island of Amorgos (Cyclades, Greece).

PETER VII (1997-2004)

Patriarch Peter was distinguished by his extensive missionary experience. From the first steps of his pastoral and then archpastoral activities, he worked zealously in West Africa.

After the reduction of the Greek flock in the Alexandrian Church, an important area of ​​its spiritual and pastoral activity became the dissemination of the Gospel preaching among the local population, which, however, has its own spiritual tradition, very different from classical Greek culture, in the midst of which Christian culture grew, developed, flourished and strengthened. Church.

1. From the first steps of his archpastoral service, the new patriarch took up the administrative reorganization of not only Alexandria and Cairo, but also the rest of the metropolises of the Patriarchate. Below are some of the most important decisions and actions of the head of the Alexandrian Church:
2. Reorganization and regular inspection of the economic services of the Patriarchate.
3. The creation of four new missionary dioceses: Madagascar, Nigeria, Ghana, Bucombe and, accordingly, the consecration of bishops to these sees.
4. Construction of a new patriarchal residence in Alexandria.
5. Repair and restoration of the existing complex of buildings of the Monastery of Saint Sava the Sanctified.
6. Renovation of the Church of St. Nicholas and the Patriarchal Residence in Cairo.

During the time that has passed since the enthronement of His Beatitude Patriarch Peter, it is worth especially noting the historic decision of the Synod of the Alexandrian Church on the rehabilitation of St. Nektarios of Pendapolis. On the occasion of this event a large conference was convened in Alexandria. Numerous official festive events were also held with the participation of all Orthodox Local Churches, and 1999 was declared the year of St. Nektarios.

On September 11, 2004, Patriarch Peter VII of Alexandria and those accompanying him died in a plane crash in the Aegean Sea. The head of African Orthodoxy was on his first official visit to Mount Athos.

THEODOR II

On October 9, 2004, the Synod of the Alexandrian Church elected His Beatitude Theodore II as Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa. The enthronement ceremony took place at the Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Alexandria on October 24, 2004

According to church tradition, the Alexandrian Church was founded by the holy Apostle Mark.

In the first centuries of Christianity, Orthodox Christians in Egypt suffered persecution from the Roman emperors. In 202, Emperor Septimius Severus visited Palestine, after which he began to persecute Christians. The next emperor, Decius, also persecuted Christians. Another emperor, Valerian, initially favored Christians, but in the last years of his reign (257-260) he became their persecutor. But his son Gallienus stopped the persecution in 260.

But already under Emperor Diocletian in 303-304, the Orthodox Church again had to endure persecution. And only after Emperor Constantine the Great (306-337) issued a decree to end the persecution of Christians, and in 313 the Edict of Milan was approved, giving the right to profess the religion of one’s own choice, did the Alexandrian Church find peace.

In the 3rd-4th centuries, a theological school was formed in Alexandria, the most prominent representatives of which were Origen and Clement of Alexandria.
It was in Egypt that the desire for a hermit's life became especially strong. One of the founders of monasticism was St. Pavel Fiveysky. The most famous monasteries are Nitria, where the Monk Ammonius labored, the monastery of the Monk Macarius of Egypt and founded by the Monk Pachomius in 315-320. Tavennisi monastery. By the beginning of the 5th century there were about six hundred monasteries and seven thousand monks in Egypt.

Arius, a native of Libya or Alexandria, was ordained a deacon by Saint Peter of Alexandria and excommunicated by him for his adherence to Melitianism. Later, when Arius repented, Archbishop Achilles ordained him to the rank of presbyter. In Alexandria at the Council of 320 -321. The heresy of Arius was condemned, which argued that the Lord was created and not eternal.
In 325, at the First Ecumenical Council, in the city of Nicaea, Arius was condemned by the entire Church.

In 630, Cyrus, the former bishop of Phasis, ascended the throne of Alexandria. He accepted the doctrine of the one nature of Christ - monothelitism, initially formulating it as the unity of “theanthropic energy” in Christ. This teaching was officially proclaimed throughout the Alexandrian Church on June 3, 633.

The learned monk Saint Sophronius spoke out against the spread of monothelitism in Alexandria. He was joined by the Monk Maximus the Confessor, who defended Orthodoxy not only in Alexandria, but also in many other regions of Egypt. As a result, Emperor Heraclius issued an ecthesis in 638 - an edict that prohibited discussion of the issue of one or two wills of the Savior. This document, prepared in Constantinople, was also accepted by Cyrus of Alexandria. At the Sixth Ecumenical Council, the Orthodox doctrine of two wills in Jesus Christ was formulated.

In the second third of the 7th century, the eastern provinces of Byzantium were invaded by Muslim Arabs. In September 642, the Byzantines, surrounded in Alexandria, surrendered.

Christians in conquered Egypt retained freedom of religion. Patriarch Cyrus died before the surrender of Alexandria (in the spring of 642), and Peter, also a Monothelite, who was chosen as his successor, left Egypt along with the Byzantine army and died in Constantinople around 654. After him, the succession of the Orthodox Alexandrian patriarchs was interrupted for more than 70 years.
In 731, under Caliph Hisham, who was quite favorable towards non-Muslims, the Orthodox of Egypt were allowed to restore the post of Patriarch of Alexandria. The newly elected Patriarch Cosmas, although he was an illiterate artisan and not experienced in politics, managed to get the Caliph to return to the Orthodox many churches captured by the Copts after the departure of the Byzantines.

Under Caliph al-Mutawakkil (847-861), Christians had to endure severe persecution. Muslims destroyed churches and prohibited worship and sacraments.

At the end of the 9th century. - first half of the 10th century. the caliphate fell into disrepair. Among other provinces, Egypt emerged from obedience to the caliph and became an independent state. In 969, Egypt, as well as Palestine and Southern Syria, were conquered by the Shiite Fatimid dynasty, which created its own state. The first Fatimids showed rare religious tolerance.
But since 1003, Caliph al-Hakim launched the most severe persecution of Christians. Each year of his reign was marked by mass pogroms of churches and Christian neighborhoods and desecration of cemeteries. In 1008, the caliph forbade Christians from celebrating Palm Sunday, and later the Epiphany. In 1014, a mass exodus of Christians to Byzantine possessions began. Of the non-Muslims who remained in Egypt, a significant number converted to Islam, although many did so insincerely.

The next caliph, al-Zahir (1021-35), abolished all restrictions imposed on non-Muslims. The Orthodox were given the opportunity to elect a new patriarch and bishops, whom they lost during the persecution. Christians who had previously fled Egypt returned, destroyed temples were restored, church holidays were celebrated with all pomp, and even those who were forcibly converted to Islam returned to Christianity with impunity.

With the appearance of the Crusaders in the Middle East, who ousted the weakened Fatimids from Palestine and formed Christian states, Egypt became the forefront of the struggle between Muslim and Catholic civilizations for two centuries. Several times the crusaders attempted to take over Egypt.

In the 13th century Egypt became the main target of the Crusaders. During the 5th Crusade (1218-1221), the Catholics, after a long siege, captured Damietta, but during the campaign against Cairo they were cut off from their base and, under the threat of famine, ceded all their conquests. In 1248-1250 the army of the French king Louis IX that invaded Egypt was surrounded and defeated by Muslims after initial successes; the king himself was captured and a huge ransom had to be paid for him. Even after the main wave of the crusading movement subsided, and all Christian possessions in the East were in the hands of Muslims, the Pope and European knights did not give up attempts to conquer Egypt.

Objectively, the Crusades only worsened the situation of Egyptian Christians, causing a surge of rage among Muslims, which led to persecution against the “infidels.” The crusaders themselves treated Orthodox Christians as heretics. During their invasions of Egypt, they plundered and exterminated the population, making no distinction between Muslims and Christians. After the capture of Damietta in 1219, where the chairs of the Orthodox metropolitan were located, the papal legate established a Catholic see in the city, including it among the possessions of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem. The same thing happened when the city was captured by the Crusaders in 1249.
Muslims, for their part, did not delve into the contradictions between Christian denominations and suspected the Orthodox of aiding the crusaders. In addition to disasters and destruction directly in the areas of military operations, Christians were subjected to various persecutions throughout Muslim territory.

Disasters also befell Christians during the 5th Crusade: the Christians of Cairo were subject to heavy taxes for military expenses; the Islamic army, marching towards the besieged Damietta, destroyed all the churches along the way. In response to the capture of this city by the Crusaders, 115 temples were destroyed throughout Egypt.

In 1250, the Mamluks seized power in Egypt. They managed to stop the onslaught of the Mongols and crushed the remnants of the Crusaders' possessions. The Mamluk Sultanate became the political and religious center of the Islamic world. During Mamluk rule, domestic politics were characterized by religious intolerance.

With the capture of Constantinople by the Turks (1453), the political situation changed. They quickly seized dominance in the Middle East, Southeast Europe, and also on the African continent. In 1517, Egypt became one of the provinces of the Ottoman Empire. It was headed by pashas sent from Istanbul, who relied on the Janissary corps stationed in the country.

In general, the Ottomans were more tolerant than the Mamluks who ruled before them; in Egypt, the position of Christians was more favorable than in other provinces. Gentiles often played a prominent role in the life of the state
The Russian monk Arseny (Sukhanov), who visited in 1657, reported that 600 Orthodox Arabs and Greeks permanently lived in Cairo.

Throughout the Alexandrian Orthodox Patriarchate in the 16th - early 19th centuries. there were 8 churches - 4 in Cairo and one each in Alexandria (in the monastery of St. Sava), Rosetta and Damietta - and 2 monasteries, St. Savva in Alexandria and the Great Martyr. George in Cairo, where the residence of the patriarch was located.

Due to the small size of the Orthodox population, the Alexandrian Church was constantly in a difficult financial situation and lived only thanks to the support of other Eastern Patriarchates and the help of Orthodox states, primarily from Russia.

The inclusion of Egypt into the Ottoman Empire significantly strengthened the ties between the See of Alexandria and the other Eastern Patriarchates. Many patriarchs spent almost the majority of their reign outside Egypt, taking part in the affairs of the Church of Constantinople or collecting alms to support their throne in the Danube principalities.

The first contacts of the Patriarchate of Alexandria with Russia date back to the era of Patriarch Joachim. In 1523, he sent a delegation to Moscow to Vasily III with a request to provide material assistance to the Church of Alexandria, and in 1556, the embassy of the Patriarch and the Archbishop of Sinai with similar goals went to Ivan IV the Terrible; among other things, Joachim petitioned the king for the release from arrest of St. Maxim the Greek. In both cases, help was provided. Ivan the Terrible conveyed generous monetary grants to all the Eastern Patriarchs through his envoy, Vasily Pozdnyakov, who in 1559 met with Patriarch Joachim in Egypt and left a description of the state of Orthodoxy in the East.

For a century and a half after this, the Patriarchate of Alexandria maintained fairly close ties with Moscow, receiving significant donations from Russia.

In the summer of 1798, Egypt was invaded by the French army led by Napoleon Bonaparte, who occupied Alexandria on July 2 and entered Cairo 5 days later. An occupation regime was established in the country. Despite the pro-Islamic declarations of Bonaparte's generals, the Muslim population was wary and hostile towards the invaders. At the same time, local Christians became a reliable support for the new government.

During the anti-French uprisings in Cairo and Damietta, crowds of Muslims destroyed Christian neighborhoods, killing their inhabitants. Parthenius II, who was patriarch at that time, was forced to flee to Rhodes, where he died (1805).

The winner in this internecine struggle was the Albanian military leader Muhammad Ali (1805-1849). He managed to destroy the main opposition force - the Mamluks (1811). He carried out large-scale reforms in the economy and military affairs, as a result of which Egypt for some time turned into a regional superpower.

Muhammad Ali's religious policy was purely pragmatic. Caring about treasury revenues and the development of industry, the pasha willingly patronized Christian communities. Many Greeks flocked to Egypt from the Ottoman possessions, who bought plots of land and built hospitals, charities and schools on them. When pogroms swept across the Ottoman Empire after the Greek Revolt of 1821, Muhammad Ali surrounded the Christian neighborhoods with troops and prevented clashes.

In 1834, after a half-century break, contacts between the throne of Alexandria and Russia were restored. Emperor Nicholas I donated a significant sum for the needs of the Egyptian Church. Patriarch Hierotheus I (c. 1825-1845) built a new residence in Cairo with a temple to the Great Martyr. George (1839), decorated churches, opened schools.

The official organization of the Greek community in Alexandria dates back to 1843. The large, active, prosperous Orthodox community developed a clear structure of self-government, consisting of epitropias - commissions of elected deputies. The consuls of Greece, Belgium, and Sweden became its honorary members. The community maintained schools, hospitals, and even part of the clergy at its own expense, donated significant sums to the Patriarchate, but at the same time sought control over the actions of the patriarchs in spending funds. This situation sometimes led to contradictions between the church hierarchy and the laity, who sought to play an increasingly greater role in the life of the Church.

When choosing a successor to Patriarch Hierotheos I, relations between the Orthodox of Egypt, supported by local Muslim authorities, and the Ecumenical Patriarchate, which, claiming undivided supremacy in the Orthodox East, worsened, promoted its candidate, Metropolitan. Artemia (1845-1847). The Egyptian Christians gained the upper hand, achieving the installation of their chosen Patriarch Hierotheos II (1847-1858).

Alexandria continued to maintain close relations with Russia. May 21, 1855 Met. Moscow Philaret (Drozdov) handed over the Church of St. to the Patriarchate of Alexandria. Nicholas, under whom the Alexandria courtyard was established.

4 Jan In 1866, a meeting was held in Cairo with the participation of 2 bishops of the Alexandrian throne, 27 clergy and 17 representatives of Greek communities, which adopted 12 articles of the Regulations on the structure of the Alexandrian Patriarchate and synodal administration. On its basis, the first rector of the Alexandria Metochion in Moscow, Metropolitan, who spent 17 years in Russia, was elected patriarch. Thebaid Nikanor (1866-1869).

With the weak heirs of Muhammad Ali in the second half. XIX century Egypt quickly lost its economic independence and became a semi-colony of European powers. The construction of roads, canals, processing plants, and the growth of foreign trade led to the influx of a huge number of technical specialists, traders and entrepreneurs from abroad. Among the immigrants there were many Christians - Greeks and Syrians, who filled important social niches (business, publishing, journalism, education).

In the XIX - early XX centuries. representatives of Orthodox peoples played a much more significant role in the economy and culture of Egypt than in previous centuries. Foreign dominance and financial enslavement of the country caused the growth of nationalist sentiments, culminating in the uprising of Orabi Pasha (1882). Patriarch Sophrony and the Orthodox clergy, like representatives of other faiths, left Egypt. There were only 2 priests left in Cairo and Alexandria, who suffered severe trials during the atrocities of the rebellious crowd. The uprising was suppressed after the artillery bombardment of Alexandria by the English fleet. Egypt was occupied by the British and, formally remaining part of the Ottoman Empire until 1914, actually became a British protectorate.

The drastic changes in the life of Egypt could not but leave their mark on the position of the Patriarchate of Alexandria. First of all, the Orthodox community increased, this was due to the influx of immigrants: by the beginning of the 20th century. it was about 100 thousand people. (63 thousand Greeks, the rest are Orthodox Arabs of Syrian and Lebanese origin). The number of clergy increased more slowly: at the beginning of the 20th century. under the authority of the patriarch there were 2 metropolitans and 50 clergy. As the Orthodox population grew, new churches were built.

Patriarch Photius (1900-1925) built churches, educational and charitable institutions, opened the Patriarchal Museum and the Library of Alexandria. Under him, the territory of the Patriarchate was divided into seven dioceses.

Patriarch Meletius II (1926-1935) developed active efforts to spread Orthodoxy in Africa. He established chairs in Johannesburg, Benghazi, Tripoli, Tunisia, Sudan and Ethiopia. He founded the St. Athanasian Theological School, which later became a seminary.
In 1946, the Orthodox of Uganda and Kenya were accepted into full canonical communion with the Patriarchal Throne, and in 1963 they were annexed to the Church of Alexandria.

In 1958, 3 new dioceses were established in Tropical Africa: East African, Central African and West African.

In 1968, the dioceses of Rhodesia and the Cape of Good Hope were also formed.

In September 1997, four new bishoprics were established: Madagascar (Antananarivo), Nigeria (Lagos), Ghana (Accra) and Bukoba (Tanzania).

In 1968, the Vatican delegation, which arrived in Alexandria on the occasion of the enthronement of Patriarch Nicholas VI, on behalf of Pope Paul VI, transferred the apostle to the throne. Mark a piece of the holy relics of the evangelist, once stolen by the Venetians. In 1971, the grand opening of the new Patriarchal residence in Alexandria took place.

The Alexandrian Orthodox Church is a member of the World Council of Churches and a member of the Middle East Council of Churches. In 1926, under Patriarch Meletius II, a transition to a new style took place.

The Church maintains fraternal relations with all Orthodox Churches, including the Russian Orthodox Church.