Matta El Meskeen facts for kids

Matta El Meskeen (which means Matthew the Poor in English) was a very important Coptic Orthodox monk. He was born Youssef Iskandar on September 20, 1919, and passed away on June 8, 2006.

He played a huge role in bringing back Coptic monasticism, which is a way of life for monks. This movement started in 1969 when he was sent to the Monastery of St Macarius in Wadi El Natrun, Egypt. When he passed away, the monastery had grown from just 6 older monks to 130 monks! Many other monasteries were also brought back to life, and new ones even opened. He was considered for the role of Coptic Pope twice, but he was not chosen.

Matta El Meskeen was also a theologian, meaning he studied religious topics deeply. He wrote 181 books and hundreds of articles. These writings covered topics like understanding the Bible, church rules, spiritual ideas, and more. Some of his writings caused discussions.

Early Life of Matta El Meskeen

Father Matta El Meskeen was born Youssef Iskander in Banha, Qalyubia Governorate, Egypt, in 1919. (Some sources say he was born in Damanhur, Egypt.)

In 1944, he finished his studies in Pharmacy at the University of Cairo. Youssef Iskander had a very successful life. He owned two pharmacies, two villas (large houses), and two cars. But in 1948, he decided to give up all his belongings. He then joined the monastery of Saint Samuel the Confessor in Mount Qalamoun (near Maghagha, Upper Egypt) to become a monk. In 1951, he became a priest, even though he didn't want to at first.

Monastic Life and Growth

After living for a few years at the monastery of St. Samuel the Confessor, Father Matta chose to move to Wadi El Rayan in the late 1950s. There, he lived alone like the ancient Desert Fathers for twelve years. By 1960, seven other monks had joined him. This group grew to twelve monks by 1964.

In 1969, these twelve monks were sent by Pope Kyrillos VI to Wadi El Natrun. Their mission was to help the Monastery of St. Macarius the Great grow and develop. At that time, only six old and weak monks lived there. Matta and his twelve companions took care of them while rebuilding the monastery.

The monastery saw amazing improvements in its management, farming, and publishing. President Sadat even gave land to the monastery for farming. But the biggest change was the spiritual growth. By 1981, Father Matta had more than eighty monks in the monastery. The monastery also helped poor people, both Muslims and Christians, with various services and projects.

Spiritual Guidance and Influence

Father Matta was once the spiritual guide and confessor for Pope Shenouda III during the 1950s. A confessor is someone you talk to about your thoughts and feelings, especially in a religious way.

Father Matta also guided other important people. He was the spiritual guide for the late Alexandrian priest Father Bishoy Kamel, who is considered a saint. He also guided the Coptic historian Iris Habib Elmasry.

In 1971, after Pope Cyril VI of Alexandria passed away, Father Matta was one of three candidates to become the new Pope. However, he did not reach the final stage of selection.

Relationship with Pope Shenouda III

As mentioned, Father Matta was the spiritual father and confessor of the man who later became Pope Shenouda III. Pope Shenouda even called Father Matta El-Meskeen "my father monk" in his book Intelaq Al-Rouh (The Release of the Spirit).

However, there were some disagreements between the two leaders and their followers. These disagreements were about ideas like theosis (which is about becoming more like God) and Father Matta's views on a part of the Bible (Mark 16).

Despite these differences, Pope Shenouda visited St Macarius monastery in November 1996. This visit happened around the time of his 25th anniversary as pope. Father Matta welcomed him warmly and called the visit a "special blessing."

Wise Sayings from Matta El Meskeen

Father Matta El Meskeen shared many wise thoughts. Here are some of them:

• "Whenever I felt very hungry, I found comfort in prayer. When the cold winter bit me, prayer kept me warm. When people were harsh to me (and they were very harsh), prayer gave me comfort. Simply put, prayer became my food, my drink, my clothes, and my protection, day and night. "

• "It's not truly joyful for the church to have many active members who lack the spiritual skill to renew souls and help them be truly reborn for the Kingdom of Heaven. The church's real joy comes from leaders who have spiritual understanding. These leaders walk ahead of their followers, showing them a clear path. You can't get spiritual understanding just by doing things or studying. You get it through quietness, spending time alone, and long prayers. "

• "I felt I was late to learn about Christ. Studying the Bible seemed like a huge task. In desperation, I asked the Lord to either give me a long life to study the Bible well, or enough wisdom to understand its hidden meanings. In His endless kindness, God gave me both. "

When people asked him why he never defended himself against accusations about his writings, Father Matta El-Meskeen replied:

• "Did you read the Explanation of the Gospel of John and find it helpful? ... 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, along with what we offered to her. The next generations will judge us. "

The Bible reading for the day he passed away (June 8, 2006) was John 15:17-25.

See also

• Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria
• List of prominent Copts