Egyptians. He counselled the Church leaders to go
quietly to one of their monasteries, promising to leave
them unmolested to consecrate their own elect for the
vacant Chair of St. Mark. Perceiving his sincerity, they
acted upon his counsel. Bishops and lay-leaders from all
parts of the country took different routes and quietly
converged on the monastery of ‘Azzagag’^13 , in the desert
surrounding Alexandria. There, in an atmosphere of
serene rejoicing, Abba Petros IV was elected, then
consecrated the thirty-fourth Pope of the Coptic Church.
The papacy of this prelate was short-lived, lasting
only two years. However, during this short period he
fulfilled his pastoral duties well and was a faithful guide
and shepherd to his people. Like his immediate
predecessors, he had to live away from his capital and
most of his communications with his people were through
the written word.
Shortly after his election, Abba Petros IV chose a
highly learned, saintly monk called Damianos to be his
secretary. This monk became his Pope’s right-hand man,
assisting him closely in teaching the people and in guiding
them in the paths of righteousness.
- After the death of Abba Petros IV the Copts
unanimously decided among themselves that they would
elect Damianos as his successor. However it was not
until two years later that they were given the freedom of
consecrating him. And it was only then that he became,
officially, the 35th Pope of the See of Alexandria.
Damianos was thus elevated while Justin II was
still Emperor, but his papacy lasted for thirty-six years, a
period which saw three other Emperors sit on the throne
of the Eastern Empire – which was rapidly approaching its