of love had developed between him and his people, and so
when they came together to elect St. Mark’s thirty-sixth
successor, he won the election. His name was Abba
Anastasius, and he was duly consecrated the Head of the
Church. This took place while Phocas, known for his
excessive tyranny, was the ruler of the Empire.
Although it had become customary for the
governors of Alexandria to track the legal Pope of the
Copts and drive him out of his metropolis for the sake of
the intruding, imperially-appointed Patriarch, Abba
Anastasius decided at the beginning that he was going to
remain at Alexandria regardless of the threats and
attempts at coercion brought against him. Not only that
but he also went on various visits to other towns in his
See, returning after each visit in confidence. Because of
his courage, none dared close the gates of Alexandria in
his face. Despite tension, he also consecrated many
priests, won many schismatics to Orthodoxy, and
succeeded in re-taking a number of churches which had
been appropriated by the tyrants. This success of Abba
Anastasius roused the intruder, and he wrote to the
Emperor accusing the Alexandrian Pope of renewing the
excommunication pronounced by his predecessors against
Chalcedon. Upon hearing this, Emperor Phocas ordered
the Prefect of Alexandria to usurp the church of
Damianos and Cosmos, deliver it to the intruder, and
confiscate its revenues. This order roused a riot in
Alexandria wherein many of the faithful Copts were
martyred. In anguish of soul, Abba Anastasius left for the
monasteries in the desert of Scete, hoping thereby to
safeguard his people against the recurrence of such riots.
- Meanwhile the Eastern Empire was having plenty
of troubles of its own, both internally and externally.
Internally, there were continuous intrigues, plots,