Pope Kyrillos VI

Pope Cyril VI, born Azer Youssef Atta in Damanhour, Egypt, left his civil service job in 1927 to become a monk. He took his vows in 1928 at the Paromeos Monastery, adopting the name Father Mina el-Baramosy. Seeking solitude, he lived in a windmill in Old Cairo, initially without doors or a roof, later renovating it into a small church. He then moved to the Monastery of Saint Samuel the Confessor, where he became abbot in 1944. There, he expanded the monastery, built new monk cells, and restored ancient churches. In 1947, Father Mina built the Church of Saint Mina in Cairo and frequently prayed at the Church of the Holy Virgin in Babylon El-Darag. His deep commitment to monastic life, church-building, and spiritual leadership left a lasting impact on the Coptic Orthodox Church before he assumed the papacy, continuing his legacy of devotion and service.