- In the year 480 A.D., during the reign of Emperor
Zeno, Abba Petros III died, having accomplished his
earthly mission. The five successors who followed him
and received the honour of occupying the Chair of St.
Mark, as the 28th to the 32nd Popes of the Church of
Alexandria, enjoyed the same peace and freedom that had
been granted to the Copts during his times. These five
were Abba Arthanasius II, Abba Yoannis I, Abba Yoannis
II, Abba Dioscorus II, and Abba Timotheos III. Together
they directed the helm of the Church for approximately
thirty years. - In the year 491 A.D., eleven years after the death
of Abba Petros III, Emperor Zeno died and Emperor
Anastasius succeeded him to the throne. Fortunately, he
was favourably inclined to let the Copts live in peace and
govern their own Church as Emperor Zeno had been. He,
also, highly respected their spiritual leaders and refused to
interfere in their affairs in spite of the fact that the he had
received several delegations with letters from the Bishop
of Rome asking him to annul the ‘Henoticon’ promulgated
by Emperor Zeno, on the pretext that this would reunite
the Churches of East and West. Emperor Anastasius,
who knew better, because he had been enlightened by the
Pope of the Copts regarding the causes of the break and
the whole subject, refused to do what the Bishop of Rome
asked of him. He decided to let each party carry on
practicing its own faith in its own way, and to maintain
peace through moderation. - Interestingly enough both Emperors Zeno and
Anastasius had personal reasons for the kindly attitudes
they nurtured towards the Church of Egypt and its
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(Elle)
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