One of the noteworthy clergymen who helped the
people greatly during this time of their hardship was Abba
Cosmos, Bishop of Antinopolis (an old town on the Nile
in Upper Egypt, about 350 kilometres south of Cairo).
He shared his Pope’s exile for three years, after which he
was permitted to return to his native land. Upon his
return, he spent a month in Alexandria describing to its
people the fortitude of Abba Theodosius. Then he went
to his See in time to celebrate the festival of St. Claudius,
one of the innumerable martyrs killed by Emperor
Diocletian. The people crowded to commemorate this
feast, happy at the return of their bishop.
- Emperor Justinian died while Abba Theodosius
was still alive and in exile. His successor was Emperor
Justin II, who decided to follow toward the Copts the
same policy of persecution and oppression. The
behaviour of these two Emperors set the pattern for their
successors and thus intensified the discord between
Alexandria and Constantinople, one of the elements that
led to the final fall of the Eastern Empire. - When their 33rd Pope died, the Copts bided their
time and waited patiently for the opportune moment to
elect his successor. Despite the desperate efforts to win
them, they kept the Faith and refused to be subject to the
minion who had been imposed upon them. They let him
be just what he was from the beginning – a foreign
figurehead with no love or loyalty to draw upon. - The opportune moment for the election of their
new Pope came to the Copts with the change of Prefects
in the city of Alexandria. The new Prefect appointed at
that specific time was well-disposed towards the