+ Pope Kyrillos VI and the Life of Prayer “But I give myself to prayer” Ps. 109:5
+ The life of Pope Kyrillos VI was full of good deeds, but his attachment to prayer topped all of his good deeds. Whenever we saw him was during prayer because prayer was his first priority.
+ He organized his daily life according to a schedule of continuous prayers, after midnight he prayed the midnight hymns and continued with the Divine Liturgy at dawn. Then he met his children and prayed for them until the afternoon, during which time he continued with the Vespers prayers, etc. In him we saw the practical fulfillment of the commandment, “Pray without ceasing”(Thess. 5:17)
+ We also never saw him without the blessed bread (ologia) which is a sign Liturgical prayers and offerings which he offered on the altar with vehement prayers and tears.
+ Whenever he prayed for his children who asked for his personal prayers, he always used parts of the Psalms while he placed his hand on their heads for blessing and absolution. He kept the Psalms in his heart and the Psalms also kept him and his children.
+ Whenever we heard him giving advice to his flock he always used to command them to pray, to the point that some people were not satisfied with this advice and answered him saying, “Will prayer buy us bread? Will prayer solve our problems?” but Pope Kyrillos used to answer telling them he has nothing but prayer. What is amazing is that through prayer those people’s
problems were solved and they returned to him regretful, thankful, and asking for more prayers.
+ During his sleep and during his waking hours, and even when he was unconscious-under general anesthesia for an appendectomy, all those who were around him heard him praying the Psalms. In him the words of the Holy Bible which said, “But I give myself to prayer” were fulfilled.
+ Because of his love for prayer he revived the beauty of the traditional prayers of the Coptic Church. For example, he revived the Vespers Prayers of Sunday which was ignored in some churches. He also ordered the churches to pray the Divine Liturgy on Wednesdays and Fridays-not just Fridays only.
+ Whenever he visited any place, prayer was the main purpose of his visit. He used to visit the churches very early in the morning and pray the Morning Praises and Matins, or in the evenings praying the Vespers.
+ He tried to reach the heaven with prayer, and he did reach it, bringing it even to earth. We have seen saints visit us on earth, for example St. Mary’s apparition in Zaytoon and St. Mark’s relics returned back to Egypt. His strong relationship with St. Mena is proof of his relationship with the heavenly and a way through which we can reach them-through prayer “You reconciled the earthly with heavenly and made the two one.” (From the Gregorian Liturgy)
+ This miracle was sent recently to us from a lady who lives in Norwood, MA, USA. When she took her mother to the doctor she found that there is a cancerous inflammation in the right ovary. The doctor desired to remove the ovary and uterus. This caused a great pain to the lady who did not tell her mother yet. At that time she did not know anything about Pope Kyrillos except
a book titled Pope Kyrillos and People’s Life which was given to her by one of her friends. She gave it to her mother to put it under her pillow while asking the pope to make a miracle for her. Two days before the date of the operation, on March 22nd 2011 she had anxiety how to tell her mother about the operation. So she opened her Holy Bible to read to get some peace, but she was surprised when she found a small photo picture of Pope Kyrillos inside the Bible, on its back was written, “God of heaven give us success and we His servants arise and build”. This gave her peace and comfort that everything will be good (God willing).
Next day she told her mother about the operation and about the picture, comforting her that Pope Kyrillos will be with her. In the hospital they were told that the operation period will be four and a half hours… The mother was taken to be prepared for the operation while the family went to a rest area. After one and a half hours the doctor called the lady to come… while she was
troubled by this call during the operation, the doctor comforted her saying that the cancer was no longer there and the inflammation was from the appendix, which was removed. While her mother was recovering from the anesthesia they asked her if she had seen something. She told them that she saw in a dream before the operation that some oval thing like glass came out of her
body; while she was in fear she said to herself that she will tell her daughter in the morning and anointed herself with the sign of the Cross while saying (in the dream) that she will recover through the prayers of Pope Kyrillos. When she woke up she felt that everything will be good.
May the prayers of Pope Kyrillos help us and support us. Amen. Commemoration of H. H. Pope Kyrillos VI March 9, 2012—Amshir 30, 1728 + Fr. Marcos Girgis The church is asking for your support in prayers and contribution to fulfill the rest of its building finishing (flooring, Iconostas, Icons, etc…) May the Lord reward you on earth and in heaven. “This is My resting place forever; Here I will dwell, for I have desired it.” (Ps. 132:14)
