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His Holiness '''Matthew''' (or '''Mattheos I''') '''The Poor''' (or ''El-Meskeen'') was the 87th [[Coptic]] [[Pope]] of Alexandria and [[Patriarch]] of the See of St. [[Apostle Mark|Mark]] (1378 - 1408). He is revered as a [[saint ]] by the Coptic [[Church]].
==Early life==
The fact that Father Matthew became the Pope of the See of St. Mark did not change him a bit. He cared for the poor, loved to give alms, and was always humble. Through the heavenly wisdom given to him, it happened that he was inspired to buy lots of wheat before a famine. And when the famine struck he distributed the grains to anyone who asked for it, without any discrimination between Muslims, Jews, or Christians. He gave generously, and God blessed his crop, so it did not diminish.
Matthew is said to have always been venerated by God and by men. When he stood before the [[Altar]], his face often radiated with divine light and his eyes glittered, as he looked to our Savior [[Jesus Christ ]] who often appeared to him. Also, because of his heavenly wisdom, people used to ask his advice in their private matters. The sultan Barquq is said to have asked the Pope's advice before accepting "Sultanism".
One day, Sultan Barquq asked Pope Matthew to write to the Emperor of Ethiopia, Wedem Asfare. But Matthew wrote to his brother Dawit instead. When the messengers arrived in Ethiopia, they found out that Wedem Asfare had died, and that Dawit had become the new Emperor. Dawit received the letter, and asked them about the two presents sent to him by the Pope (which were a cross and a handkerchief.) The messengers were astonished that he knew about these presents, but he told them that the Pope appeared to him in a dream, and told him about what was going to happen.
Then the situation worsened when two Mamlur princes exiled Sultan Barquq, and took his place. Mentach and Yalpogha inflicted severe sufferings upon the Copts and their Pope. Finally, Yalpogha arrested Pope Mattheos and imprisoned him. When he tried to kill him by the sword, the Pope stretched his neck to him. The prince was deeply troubled, and he ordered Pope Matthew to be released. Later, Yalpogha himself was imprisoned and died in his chains in Alexandria.
Tradition states that Pope Matthew was granted the gift of performing miracles[[miracle]]s. During the renovation of St. Mary's church, a large stone fell on one of the workers and killed him instantly. The Pope prayed over the body, and the Lord raised him.
During the reign of Sultan Al-Nasser Faraj, the prince Sodon plundered the palace of Al-Nasser. He plotted with some of his followers to massacre the Copts. In response, it is said that Pope Mattheos devoted seven days to fasting and praying in St. Marcorius' church, and at the end of those seven days the Blessed [[Virgin Mary]] appeared to him and comforted him. Shortly after that, Sodon summoned the Pope to the palace, and confessed to him the plot he intended against the Copts.
However, the tribulations inflicted upon the Copts by Sodon and his supporters became very severe. The Pope retreated this time to the church of [[Archangel Michael ]] to dedicate his time to prayer and fasting. Then news came from the palace that Sodon was stabbed by a horseman six days ago, on the exact day when the Pope started his retreat.
One of the Mamluks, by the name Gamal-El-Din, also caused troubles to the Pope, and started persecuting the Christians. He imposed on the Pope a tributing of five hundred thousand dinars, which the Copts had to raise among themselves. Gamal-El-Din continued his persecution, and ordered the Pope to appear before him in the palace. But the Pope asked the messengers to wait until the next day. That night, Pope Matthew died after serving his flock for 30 years and five months, having named as his successor Gabriel V. The miracles that are believed to have come through his prayers continued after his death, and continue until this day.
